Tuesday 27 September 2011

After a foggy morning, this afternoon turned into a very warm and sunny affair, very nice for this time of year  :-)

Whilst walking home from work, a WHEATEAR was seen in one of the paddocks at Migrant Alley, and a BUZZARD was above, being mobbed by ROOKS. I headed back out to Migrant Alley after some lunch, and took some photo's of the Wheatear, whilst crossing the sheep pasture to get to it, a YELLOW WAGTAIL flew up, and headed strongly South.

A slow walk of the paddocks and sheep pasture of the rest of Migrant Alley, and a good look at all the fence posts didn't reveal anymore passage species, so I had a brief skywatch, which proved quite good for raptors, the same or another Buzzard floated over, also both SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL hunted at the Greenhouse Complex, but my favorite was the HOBBY that came down from very high up, giving me some nice views of it.

Other bits and pieces going over were a few MEADOW PIPITS, 2 SKYLARKS, and the HERRING GULLS that visited the now finished ploughed and harrowed Pub Field, which will now go back to being sheep pasture. Plenty of PIED WAGTAILS flew over to the Pub Field too, and the local GOLDFINCH'S and LINNETS were around, but in fewer numbers, now the rough areas containing their thistle food have been mown.

Three other summer species were seen today, CHIFFCHAFF, which will be here a couple of weeks yet, and both SWALLOW and HOUSE MARTIN, but only one of each were recorded today.

In the warm sun a few Dragonfly and Butterfly species were about, for the Butterflies, Comma, Speckled Wood, Small White and Red Admiral showed up, and for the Dragons it was Common Darter, Southern Hawker, and Migrant Hawker.

Wheatear ( with some kind of parasite on it's bill!)



Wheatear


Rook



Migrant Hawker



Common Darter

5 comments:

Bob Bushell said...

Very good photos Warren.

Rohrerbot said...

The Rook looks like an interesting bird.

Anonymous said...

The weather seems a tad surreal, after the cold spell the other week.

Great pics again, Warren.

Jason K said...

Those Wheatears keep trickling through Warren

Alan Pavey said...

I quite like the idea of an afternoon patch walk, with out the mist. Nice set of pics.