Pittswood Birds

Persistant, heavy rain fell all morning, but it had all but stopped by the time I got out for my afternoon patch visit. Everything was dripping wet and tree branches were hanging down, laden with water, and all the vegetation had been flattened by the downpour.

I wimped out of walking through all that lot and getting soaked, so I picked my way through the wet undergrowth, to get to my skywatching seat at Migrant Alley, where I spent the next two hours, watching and listening. I was immediately serenaded by a SKYLARK, and as I watched it spiral up and almost out of sight, I could see a dozen SWIFTS zooming about the still dark and cloudy skies. Behind me in the Tall Hedge, ROBIN, WREN, and DUNNOCK were singing and the calls of GREAT and BLUE TIT were also heard, further back in the Greenhouse Complex grounds a WHITETHROAT sang, as did a BLACKBIRD, meanwhile the PIED WAGTAILS that nest in the Greenhouses were toing and froing with food for their fledglings.

A GREY HERON flew over, and two CARRION CROWS made some attempt to mob it, but they couldn't gain height quickly enough, and the Heron had passed before they got anywhere near. Small family parties of both GREENFINCH and GOLDFINCH flew about the surrounding fields, and a few LINNETS were about. Both SONGTHRUSH and CHIFFCHAFF sang from the Wood at the North end of Migrant Alley, where a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER also called.

An hour into my vigil, and I was rewarded with the first CORMORANT (64) of the month, flying over north, good to get one on the June list, as they can be hard to find during this month. A couple of HERRING and LESSER BLACKBACKED GULLS passed over, a few more SWALLOWS came out to feed, in the now ever so slightly brightening sky, but highlight of the day was an unexpected COMMON BUZZARD (65) sighting, which passed over the College Grounds and headed over to the high ground to the North of my patch, I didn't hold out much hope of seeing one today in the poor conditions. In all it was a good end to a very wet day, the two additions for the month brings the June tally to 65, joint second highest with last year, just 3 more new species needed to take the June record!

I got home and checked the Garden for 20 mins or so, and was pleased to see a NUTHATCH come to the feeders, the first since March, they are back from there breeding exploits :-)

I took a couple of Photo's, and although the light was marginally better than yesterday, it was still poor for photography.

Above is the GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. While Below is a JACKDAW