The 76th full patch walk of the year took place in sunny but breezy conditions this morning. At first, it looked like it was going to be a bog standard visit, but finding the WILLOW WARBLER by the College Stream for the 3rd day in a row was a bonus.
Quite a few of the 'usual' species were not seen today, Long Tailed Tit,Pheasant
Skylark, Canada Goose, and Swift, the latter seem to have all moved on, and any sightings now will now be of passage birds, few and far between. Other species like Lesser Black backed and Black Headed Gull, which have occurred most mornings just recently, also went unseen.
The undoubted highlight of the morning was finding a REED WARBLER (64) at Migrant Alley, one more for the August list! This is another of those reasonably common birds you can find by looking in the right habitat, but for one to visit my patch,without that required habitat, is a scarce treat.
Other notable species recorded today were the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER at the College Grounds, LITTLE OWL calling from the Greenhouse Copse, and a mixed feeding flock at the Lakeside Scrub area consisting of BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, CHIFFCHAFF, NUTHATCH and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. Just two raptor species were seen today KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK.
On to the photo's for today. This Nuthatch was in my garden today, and seemed to be curious about the noise the camera was making, it came nice and close for some good shots.
The undoubted highlight of the morning was finding a REED WARBLER (64) at Migrant Alley, one more for the August list! This is another of those reasonably common birds you can find by looking in the right habitat, but for one to visit my patch,without that required habitat, is a scarce treat.
Other notable species recorded today were the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER at the College Grounds, LITTLE OWL calling from the Greenhouse Copse, and a mixed feeding flock at the Lakeside Scrub area consisting of BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, CHIFFCHAFF, NUTHATCH and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. Just two raptor species were seen today KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK.
On to the photo's for today. This Nuthatch was in my garden today, and seemed to be curious about the noise the camera was making, it came nice and close for some good shots.
This Bank Vole also came out of hiding from around my pond, at times alomost walking over my boots!
Back out on my patch, the early sun brought out some Butterflies, but many are looking worn now. Below is a Common Blue
Below is a Brown Argus
Next a Gatekeeper
then the Comma, there quite a few of these about today.
5 comments:
Not a Hornet afficianado - don't get em this far north - but the strange eye shape with the yellow triangle breaking the eye almost into two sections looks good for one to me.
Good 'tatty' butterfly shots and that vole - wow great pic.
Cheers
Davo
Definitely a Hornet, Warren and well done with the Reed Warbler. That puts you 9 ahead of me for this month.
Thanks Dean and Dave for the Hornet confirmation :-)
Dean, you'll have caught up with me by the 20th :-)
Warren ,
I think you have him worried .
Well done with the Reed Warbler and Hornet .
Nice Nuthatch pics Warren, Carol's favourite bird but we don't get them here unfortunately.
Post a Comment