Pittswood Birds

Still warm and sunny today, but change is on the way from Tuesday evening! I thought i'd make the most of the very warm sunshine this afternoon, and visit the Tree Nursery to look for some Butterflies. There were plenty to be seen, with Small, Large and possibly Essex Skippers being the most abundant, they were coming up in 3's and 4's with every step through the weedy hedge line. Meadow Brown were also numerous, and the Brown Argus population has increased as well, at least 8 were found. The easily found Large and Small Whites flitted about on most vegetation, but only one Green Veined White was seen. Three Small Tortoiseshells, and a Red Admiral were basking on the bare patches of earth, but the butterfly of the day for me was the first 2 Gatekeepers of the year, species number 22 :-)

Birds were few and far between, both the LESSER WHITETHROAT and COMMON WHITETHROAT were singing, but they were the only songsters, and a just fledged family of LINNETS were making loud begging calls from deep in the Hedgerow. Up above the ever growing band of local SWALLOWS were feeding, their ranks swollen by the fully fledged young, a few SWIFTS also joined them, but House Martins remained unseen, it's been a poor year for them, and they have not bred on my patch - the first time ive not known them to. A lone BLACK HEADED GULL was noteworthy for July, the only raptor of the day was a SPARROWHAWK, which carried a prey item over to the Wet Woods.

A brief skywatch at Migrant Alley was a partial success, as I added CORMORANT (59) to the months species total, however, a long way off in the distance, a huge bird was seen meandering it's way SE, I had visions of the recently seen Golden Eagle appearing over my patch, but after following it across the skyline it turned out to be a GREY HERON :-) well, I can dream :-)


Above: the first Gatekeeper Butterfly of the year

Above: I took loads of Small Skipper photo's, hoping to ID an Essex Skipper, the one above had the blackest Antennae tips!

Above is one of the Brown Argus' and below a rather worn Small Tortoiseshell

Loads of White Legged Damsels were about, but you're probably fed up with photo's of them, so here's a Common Blue :-)

Lastly, as I sat on my Sky watching seat, I watched this stupid lamb. It stepped over the lowest fence rail, but couldn't get its rear legs over, and so was stuck!! I thought it would eventually get out of the predicament, but it was there for a full ten minutes, so i finally went over and helped it out :-)