Pittswood Birds

This will be my last post until the 9th of August, as tomorrow i'm off to wales, no doubt all the Pied flycatchers and Redstarts will move from there to here!

Back to this mornings patch visit, and it was a real change to have ideal conditions - no wind, no rain, Ive forgotten what that was like! The overcast sky also helped, as it is easier to pick out the flyovers on a grey backround.

So today was the last visit of the month, and the chase to at least equal the record 69 species seen in July 2007 ended in failure, I think most of the monthly highs already recorded have reached thier peak, and will be tough to beat from now on, this months 65 species did however take 3rd place, in this, the 8th july of watching my patch.

50 species were seen this morning, another good total, with some nice birds in the mix, 5 CORMORANTS flew over early on, as did a GREY HERON, and the now daily event of flyover CANADA and GREYLAG GEESE, (albeit an hour later than previous days) took place. A KINGFISHER flew up the college stream, only the second record this month, and both KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK were out hunting over Migrant Alley. It was disappointing not to find the Spotted Flycatchers in the college grounds, or any Common or Lesser Whitethroats anywhere! Another reasonably common bird not seen again was the Mistle Thrush, it has been seen on only 3 out of the 11 full patch walks this month. It was interesting to watch 33 SWIFTS feeding quite high up over the tree nursery, they all moved of eastwards, when I come back from Wales it will be a hard task to find one, as the majority will have left to go back to Africa.
A few July stats. - July total 65, combined julys total for 8 years is 84, mean number of species seen in July is 62.8. Just one species was new to any July - Common Buzzard.

I'm already 'chomping at the bit' to get out on my patch in August, I just hope the awaited Migrants turn up, what with all the disturbace going on with the Pipeline at migrant Alley. August is a strange statistical month, it has the second lowest combined 8 year total of just 77, (suprisingly 7 behind july) only november has a worse record, but last August I recorded 70 of those species. I put this down to the fact that if I do go on holiday, it's normally in August! You can't see 'em if your not there!!!

be back in a week!


Above one of the Canada Geese going over, and below a hard to get NUTHATCH!