Pittswood Birds

I posted yesterdays patch trip a little early in the day, I didn't think I'd get out again, but plans changed and I manage another 90 min skywatch at Migrant Alley, this proved productive for the day list at least, as I added 4 species that were not seen that morning - LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, TURTLE DOVE, a PEREGRINE half - heartedly chasing Feral Pigeons, and a pair of migrant SAND MARTINS. This brought the daylist to a record setting 57 species, the big 60 is looming!

Back to today, and, well it was dismal from start to finish. This morning while I was at work heavy rain fell, and as I left work the heavy rained cleared to showers, and the blustery wind set in again. In the conditions few butterflies were seen, but the Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers did try to come out, with the occasional Painted lady. A walk round the tree nursery didn't give me much birdwise, COMMON WHITETHROATS were still feeding young in the boundary hedge, that's about the only noteworthy item, so I went for a walk round Migrant Alley and did some skywatching. Again, little was seen, I spent more time watching the earth moving machines backfilling the Pipeline trench! The odd HERRING and BLACKHEADED GULL went over,while the SWALLOWS and HOUSE MARTINS tried to find what little insect prey was about. A few SWIFTS were around today, I think the local ones have gone south already, and these were Migrant birds.

As of now I am on holiday, hooorah! I'm off until Aug 10th so I'll be finishing this month with a run of morning visits, a good chance to get the 5 species needed to equal the July record!

One of the few birds seen today - Black headed Gull.