Pittswood Birds

Yesterday's poor weather prevented any meaningful visit to my patch, two attempts to get out were aborted, and all i got was a soaking!

Today, however, the weather was more co-operative, staying dry for the 4 hour full patch walk, which was a very mediocre affair, gone were all the passage birds, and even the likes of Songthrush, Blackcap, and Mallard were not recorded today.

Highlights of the morning were finding a TURTLE DOVE in the College Grounds, and watching hundreds of GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE go over. A HOBBY was also a nice addition to the daylist, which at 43 was was 12 species down on my last full patch visit on Thursday morning, but HOUSE MARTIN, SKYLARK, and YELLOWHAMMER were on todays list, but not on Thursday's!

Of the summer birds left on my patch, as well as the Turtle Dove and House Martin, there were quite a few CHIFFCHAFFS, maybe as many as 15, 2 WHITETHROATS and the SWALLLOWS, but that was it!

Above and below, One of the Chiffchaffs, this one was in the Greenhouse Complex, hiding from both the SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL that were up hunting over the area today.

Above: Here come the Greylags!! This is all I could fit in the 400mm lens, it only shows a third of them.

Below a few came right over.

Butterflies seen today were mostly Small Whites, but I also saw my third painted lady of the year.

Back in the Garden this afternoon, as took a break from doing a bit of wildlife friendly work, a flock of 50 plus GREENFINCH'S came in