Pittswood Birds

The first couple of hours this morning were far from a classic summers day, but it was the best part of the day, from 8:00am onwards the day deteriorated into heavy blustery showers.

I only got half way round the walk, before calling it a day, the wind was blowing and the rain was starting to fall, a shame, as i had already amassed 45 species, two more than the whole of yesterdays walk.

A KINGFISHER was again seen in the College Grounds, this time over where the Stream runs through. BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF gave some brief song along the streamside banks, while further into the College Gardens I located one of the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER families, and heard at least 2 young calling. WHITETHROATS were seen in places where I haven't been seeing them over this summer, indicating that passage birds are moving through, and two TURTLE DOVES zipped through, but these were likely local birds.

In the ever clouding over sky, SWIFTS continued to be seen in good numbers, some feeding low down with the SWALLOWS over the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, with them was a lone SAND MARTIN, maybe it was the same one seen on Friday evening? The only other flyovers noted were HERRING GULL, GREY HERON, CORMORANT, and a skein of 15 GREYLAG GEESE.

In all, a mostly forgetable weekends wildlife watching, but some incentive was had from seeing the migrant Sand Martins, at least things seem to be on the change now :-)

I tried to get some ''blog brighteners'' from the garden, but the spells between the heavy showers were fast diminishing, so it was a difficult task!
The GREENFINCH'S kept munching on though!

This GREAT TIT looked a bit peeved in a passing rain shower