Pittswood Birds

I mustn't get too excited here, but I think the cold weather has finally cleared off! This afternoon was warm - ish, with sunny spells and a light southerly wind, a walk over the the lakeside scrub found the trainer tree surgeons finishing for the day, so I didn't have to listen to chainsaws all afternoon.

A quick scan of the lake was made, but just 2 each of CANADA GOOSE and MALLARD were seen, with a family of MOORHENS calling from beneath the overhanging branches. In the scrub at least 4 BLACKCAPS and 3 CHIFFCHAFF sang, the CUCKOO gave a few calls - the first time I've heard it this week, and two TURTLE DOVES sang, however I couldn't hear the Garden Warbler or a Lesser Whitethroat.

My usual walk over to Migrant Alley was very pleasant in the sunshine, I could here two COMMON WHITETHROATS singing from the Tree Nursery, and another was in the boundary hedgerow of the Pub field.

Migrant Alley had SWALLOWS darting around over the sheep pasture, and many SWIFTS higher up, I don't know if these were local or just passing through, but at least 10 seemed to be checking out the Tower in Hadlow village. The small flock of LINNETS continued to feed on the dandilion seed heads, and a couple of PIED WAGTAILS joined them. Four STARLINGS flew over, and I could see two were fresh from the nest, the first fully fledged ones seen this year. A check of the north end scrub provided me with another Turtle Dove, chiffchaff and Blackcap and best of all a family of LONG TAILED TITS, another species confirmed breeding on my patch.


Above : Long Tailed Tit fledglings, keeping out the way :-)

Above and below, More fledgling Long Tailed Tit photo's

I went over to my skywatching seat, and it wasn't long before I heard the racous call of young starlings again, this time they alighted in the tall hedgerow behind my seat, where there was also another Whitethroat singing, but it was a little more camera shy.

I was surprised not to find any Raptors during my 40 min skywatch, which just provided me with more Swallows, Swifts and a couple of House martins.

Despite the warmer sunny conditions the only Butterflies seen were Small Whites, and I still await my first damselfly. Tomorrow could be an interesting day - lets hope so i'm due a good one .

First Fledgling Starling.