Pittswood Birds

I left at 06:00hrs this morning, and for once the sun was shining! It was still windy though, and it felt chilly.
I was determined to add a new species for the months list today, but despite 5 hours in the field none was added, however, frustratingly I thought I had a glimpse of a Sedge Warbler as it darted into the maize crop at migrant alley, much looking and waiting was done, but it simply vanished, that would have been a year tick too!

So I was left with the mix of species that I have been seeing all month, 48 in all today. The LESSER WHITETHROAT, and MARSH TIT were seen, they havn't been on every daylist, but the Common Whitethroat and Mistle Thrush failed to be recorded.

Again a large number of GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE flew over, in a mixed flock of 100+ birds. Both male and female SPARROWHAWKS were out hunting early on, but no other raptors were seen. There were many more BLACKCAPS about this morning, some in family groups, but some of the other summer migrants species breeding on my patch were thin on the ground, just ones and two's of TURTLE DOVE and CHIFFCHAFF as for the Garden warblers - they still havn't been seen since last month.

Two good size mixed feeding flocks were seen, in amongst the usual Tit species were NUTHATCH,TREECREEPER,Chiffchaff and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER.



Above one of 7 LONG TAILED TITS seen in one of the mixed feeding flocks, below a SWALLOW, one of the summer migrants that were seen in good numbers.

Below is a young Blackcap.

Below is another Sparrowhawk photo. This one was flying low over the maize at Migrant Alley.

Below are some of the geese that went over early on.

lastly a ''flock'' of Painted ladies seen sunbathing by the buddleia over by the lake area.