Pittswood Birds

A new species for the month was found this morning as I walked into work - a GREY WAGTAIL, it flew low over Migrant Alley. This brings the months tally to 67, just 3 behind last years record total, but i'm unlikely to beat that now, with just 3 full walks of my patch left, the only additional species I can realistically expect would be a flyover cormorant, however i'll keep looking!

This afternoon I re-traced yesterdays walk, but carried on to the scrubby headland to the north of Migrant Alley, below is a photo looking back at the Greenhouses, and maize crop from there.


Once at the headland, ive reached the boundary of my patch, denoted by this bridleway, I count birds either side of this though. Its also good for Butterflies and Dragonflies here.

The bridleway leads on to the college stables and into the college grounds, but just before that, on the right hand side is migrant alley looking to the south.

Behind me at that point is the last of the horse paddocks, this one had a flock of 18 LINETS in it. ( yes I know they are horses not linnets Greenie!)

Passing the opportunity to enter the college grounds at this point, I instead go down to the Stream that runs adjacent to them, via this track below.

I then turn right, into the college grounds, and cross the stream at a bridge and walk the 200 meters along the tree line below, that hides the water course.

It was here I found a common blue butterfly.........

I then cross the stream again and go into the formal gardens of the college, where I found a Painted Lady butterfly

Below:A road cuts the grounds in two, on the left are some campus buildings, and mature oaks, on the right is the sports pitch, and a little further on the more formal gardens called ''broadview''. this may seem an unpromising place for birds, but if you get here early enough there are good birds about. I have recorded Wood Warbler and Firecrest here!

below is a view of the sports pitch, there were 25 STARLINGS, 4 Linnets and 22 PIED WAGTAILS on the field, honestly! Behind the hedge in the bckground are the Formal Gardens

I walked across the sports pitch, to the right hand side of the above pic. and got back into migrant alley, this is the view. The trees are a small wood that lies just to the right, and behind the tall hedge.

I stopped here, skywatched, and waited for something to drop in, but nothing did today. mainly because work is still going on at the pipeline!