Pittswood Birds

The mojority of this afternoon was spent at the tree nursery area, with a quick visit to the lake later. Migrant Alley was completely out of bounds, as the trench has been dug ready to take the gas pipe, and there is no way over, under or round it now!
The above photo is of the field that is going to be turned over to sheep pasture once ploughed. This side of the fence is the remainder of the tree nursery, where lots of tall grass and wildflowers attract the Butterflies. I had the best ever butterfly day today, finding no less than four Common Blue ( a new peak count) 3 Brown Argus ( a new peak count) a Small Copper, and a Purple Hairstreak, all these are scarce butterflies on my patch. The more common Gatekeeper and
Meadow Brown were also seen in large numbers. Frustratingly the wind was still blowing strongly, and the pics are a bit blurry today. As I chased the butterflies, a KESTREL was hunting over the boundary hedgerow, and the plough had started to attract LESSER BLACKBACKED, HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULLS, as well as a few PIED WAGTAILS.

I made my way over to the lake, on the way adding Speckled wood butterfly to my sightings. On the lake just the normal activity was seen, CANADA GEESE, MALLARD and MOORHEN and it was all quiet in the scrub. So it was over to the buddleia for more butterflies! It was teeming with Peacock Butterflies, at least 25 were seen, also smaller numbers of Red Admiral,Painted Lady, Comma, as well as Large and Small white. But I didn't see any Small Tortoiseshell, they seem to prefer the thistle at Migrant Alley.

I may well go out later this evening to check the newly ploughed field out.

Above is a Pair of Common Blue Butterflies, two pairs were seen today. This photo looks great enlarged.

Above is a Common Blue, and below is the back wing photo

Above a Brown Argus, and again a back wing photo below. ( whats the difference between a Common blue and a brown argus back wing ?)

Below is a Small Copper

Next one of the 20 odd Peacocks

Then a Painted Lady

a Comma

lastly a large White