Pittswood Birds

The visit yesterday evening was a bit of a success despite the low heavy clouds and dark conditions. I walked over to my sky watching seat at Migrant Alley, where I spent an hour, and was pleased to see a minimum of 15 SAND MARTINS (67) fly silently through, also of note were two TURTLE DOVES, a SPARROWHAWK, a LESSER BLACKED GULL and the two Peregrines that were on the Tower just off my patch - the tower today had its last few feet encased in scaffolding, it will remain to be seen if the Peregrines stay around now.

This afternoon the weather was much better, scattered cloud and warm sunny periods - easily the best day of the week so far :-) I spent 2 hours this afternoon over at the Scrubby Wood and lake area, ending up at Migrant Alley. Not much was about really, TURTLE DOVES were singing lustily in the Scrubby Wood, a few BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF were about, a family of noisy WRENS were seen, as well as two NUTHATCH, a TREECREEPER and two squawking JAYS, which I still am yet to find the young of !

Small, Large and Green Veined White Butterflies were on the wing, as well as Comma, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper and Purple Hairstreak, a Common Darter was found also, the first this year.

Whilst crossing the Tree Nursery to get to Migrant Alley, both SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL were seen, but better still was the sighting of at least 100 SWIFTS feeding over a grass field that was being cut adjacent to the Greenhouse Complex. I continued watching the Swifts while on my seat at Migrant alley, hoping for a Hobby to turn up, but it didn't, which pleased the Swifts :-) A couple of WHITETHROAT sang in the tall hedge behind me, and a family of Blackcaps flitted around the Greenhouse Grounds, the only flyover of note was a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL ( below) which was also attracted to the insects over the fresh cut field.

Above is one of the Wren family seen in the Scrubby Woods, below is a Large White Butterfly

Below is the first Common Darter of the year

Lastly a gratuitous shot of a cute baby bunny :-)