Pittswood Birds

I managed to add another species to the months list as I walked home from work this afternoon - a KINGFISHER, it flew up the college stream, always a nice sight.

After a snack and drink at home, I was out again by 14:00. I paid a visit to the lake and scrub area, but it was so windy I could hardly hear a thing birdwise, except, as I was cutting through the wet wood, a screeching sound was heard, I tracked it down after some effort, and found it to be a young SPARROWHAWK, I almost got a photo of it, but a JAY attacked it and sent it deeper into the canopy, ive never found a young Sparrowhawk before.

Once over at the lake, I gave it the once over, just in case a Mandarin Duck or something had dropped in, but only CANADA GEESE, MALLARD, MOORHEN and a GREY HERON were found. On the Buddleia close by, I was pleased to see a Humming bird hawk moth, not a frequent visitor to my patch. Also there were at least 22 Peacock Butterflies, they were everywhere, as well as 3 Painted lady, 3 Red Admiral and 4 Commas. As I walked off a small butterfly flew past and I tracked it down to a yew tree, it was a Purple Haistreak, and it had its wings open, I managed a quick snap of it, but it was just too windy for a good photo.

Only a very brief visit to Migrant Alley was made because there was much work going on at the pipeline. I only recorded SKYLARK, GOLDFINCH, WHITETHROAT and a Flyover LESSER BLACK BACK GULL and another Sparrowhawk, probably the parent of the Juv. I saw in the wet woods.

Below is the rather disappointing view of the open winged Purple Hairstreak.
Below: The Lesser Black Backed Gull, in one of those wierd flight postures they do!

Below is a view of the half of the tree nursery that has now been finished with. This 30 acres or so has been sprayed and harrowed, no doubt soon to be ploughed. I understand hadlow College will be leasing the fields to put sheep in, and the occasional Maize crop - the habitat changes again.