Pittswood Birds

The last full patch walk of July happens to fall on the last day of the July, all neat and tidy :-) Unlike the weather this morning! A fine wetting drizzle fell for much of my walk, so the camera stayed at home.

In the conditions, it was to be expected that the birding would be slow, and so it proved, but I persisted in my attempts to add to the July list, and was more than happy when I found a GREY WAGTAIL (63) on the Stream that runs adjacent the College Grounds, it was right where I cross, then can you believe it, a KINGFISHER (64) flew in, settled only feet from me, then flew off again giving it's high piping call, I don't think I would have got a photo even if I had the camera, it was there and gone in a flash.

Also of some note this morning was a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, in it's usual territory at the College Grounds, it was carrying small items of prey, indicating nestlings, I wonder how the first brood fared ? I only saw them twice. Two vocal KESTRELS were seen at Migrant Alley, but there was no sign of yesterdays Wheatear there.

In the Wet Woods a couple of Juv. SPARROWHAWKS were seen up in a large oak calling for food, but, unsurprisingly nothing else was around, I had to wait until reaching the Scrub and Lakes area before finding a feeding flock, this consisted of TREECREPER, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, but no Nuthatch this morning.
BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF were also seen, feasting on Blackberries, and the now ripening Elder berries, they will be rapidly putting on weight for there journey south. On the lake just 4 MALLARDS, 2 MOORHEN and a GREY HERON were present.

A quick Afternoon visit over to the paddocks at Migrant Alley, was uneventful, apart from adding SWIFT and YELLOWHAMMER to the daylist, taking it to 48.

A few stats for this July :-

Total Species 64, the joint fourth best July with 2004.
July average species recorded is 63, so that was just passed.
Combined July species total remains on 84, as no new species were added.
The year list remains on 95, still 5 more to get for the 100 target for 2010.

The only photo today was taken this afternoon in the Greenhouse Complex Grounds, an obliging Small Copper