Pittswood Birds

This morning, on the way to work, a LESSER WHITETHROAT was singing from the grounds of the Greenhouse Complex, but it wasn't there on the way back home 5 hours later, however, there was yet another WHEATEAR at Migrant Alley when I came through, this one was a female.

I set out to try and find a Turtle Dove over at the Lakeside scrub this afternoon, and despite half an hour sitting and listening I failed to find one, but anyday now I should hear their purring. Whilst I sat, I heard BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF, BULLFINCH, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, SONGTHRUSH, BLACKBIRD, WREN, DUNNOCK and ROBIN as well as the usual Tits and Finch's, both KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK were seen going over.

Over to Migrant Alley, again to check the small scrubby wood at the north end for Turtle Dove, but again I failed, I also failed to get a photo of an Orange Tip butterfly, despite chasing up and down the track upteen times waiting for it to settle! 5 more Speckled Woods were seen, and Peacock, Comma, Small White and Small Tortoiseshell were also on the wing here.

A walk round the paddocks, found the Wheatear on a fence line, but I couldn't get very near it, these birds are much more wary in the spring than they are in the Autumn for some reason. A SKYLARK flew up and started singing, 4 LINNETS perched on one of the fences, and a YELLOWHAMMER flew over calling, as did a MEADOW PIPIT, this is the latest departure date recorded for this species, along with 2002 and 2007 where the 23rd was also the last date seen.

On my skywatching seat for 45 mins the only things of note were the PEREGRINE, another Kestrel and sparrowhawk, plus 5-6 HOUSE MARTINS high up over the College Grounds.



Above: MOORHEN, this one was protecting its young, 3 of them. I tried to get a photo of the chicks but the mother kept them well hidden.

Above: Songthrush, giving a loud blast of it's beautiful song.

Above: The Wheatear, as close as it would allow me to get!

Lastly a Peacock butterfly......again, they are easier to photograph than the Orange Tips!