Friday 16 September 2011

Another fine, sunny and warm day, apparently the last - well the weekend's coming!

This mornings walk to work almost drew a blank, but in the very last few yards of walking the Stream through the College Grounds, a KINGFISHER (69) streaked past, adding to the months list of species  :-)

On the walk home, I was glad to see no sign of any work crew, and just one dog walker hurried along the footpath at Migrant Alley, and with less disturbance the sighting of another superb WHINCHAT was had, I just love these little birds!

No surprise then, that after a rushed lunch, I was out to try and photograph the Whinchat, I located it pretty quickly, and took a few pics, before leaving it on the fence line to hunt crane flies. I only had 90 mins this afternoon for the visit, so i stayed around the fields and paddocks of Migrant Alley, plus I had a good look through the Greenhouse Complex Grounds. The Whinchat proved to be the only passage migrant found, indeed, the only other summer bird seen, apart from the overhead SWALLOWS and HOUSE MARTINS was a lone CHIFFCHAFF in the Greenhouse Grounds.

I noted the flock of 23 GOLDFINCH'S which are still on the thistles growing against the fence lines, also around 18 LINNETS were on one of the paddocks. A lone SKYLARK flew up from the sheep pasture, and only my second sighting of a YELLOWHAMMER this month was had, it was in one of the sheep eaten, horse grazed, excuses for a hedgerow  :-)

Flyovers were few, but a KESTREL was up hunting, and both BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULLS went over on their way to the recently seeded field just off my patch. Tomorrow's full patch walk may be a quiet affair, looking at the weather, but who knows at this time of year, anything might turn up! I'll be trying hard to find the last 'regular' species for my patch that I haven't yet seen this month - the Mistle Thrush, and maybe a Greylag Goose, where have all those gone?  There were hundreds flying around last month!

Photo's today are of the Whinchat, which I dedicate to Dean, and the BLUE TIT, dedicated to Rohrerbot, as he loved yesterdays one so much  :-)

Whinchat

Whinchat


Whinchat


Blue Tit

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dedicate, my arse. More like rubbing the salt in ;-)

Jason K said...

Is there no end to the Whinchats at Pittswood this year?

Warren Baker said...

Dean, I thought it was more an olive branch :-) Heh heh heh heh

Jase, It seems not! Still time for another maybe ?

Pete Woodruff said...

Bumper Whinchat at Pittswood Warren, I think they're brilliant too.

Warren Baker said...

Pete,
Its the best year yet for Whinchat passage here. I've had a minimum of 12 birds though since late July, thats assuming birds seen on consecutive dates were the same individual, so it may have been more.

Bob Bushell said...

You gave the Whinchat a very regal position, but, I love the Blue Tit, blooming fantastic.

Rohrerbot said...

LOL!!! You have to admit...that bird is cute. The head has a different shape. Again. Great shots:) Have a good weekend. Chris

Alan Pavey said...

The Blue Tit is another great pic Warren, well done with yet another Whinchat :-)