Pittswood Birds

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!
I seem to have fallen foul of one of my own golden rules, ALWAYS CHECK EVERY BIRD!  My casual assumption that yesterdays flyover ''Buzzard'' was just that, a Buzzard, was way off the mark, and would have cost me a great year tick if it hadn't been for the more eagle eyed of you out there ( Neil, Marc, and Dean - Thanks! ) It was in fact a MARSH HARRIER (74, 61) Only the fourth patch record, previous sightings were had in Oct. 2008; Sept 2009; and Aug 2010, so to think I didn't even lift my bins to yesterdays bird was a disgrace! What a lazy birder I have become - lesson learned!!  I went through the other photo's and although they are poor you can quite easily see it's no Buzzard.  ( In retrospect!!  LoL)

Yesterdays Marsh harrier

Yesterdays Marsh harrier

So, back to todays afternoon visit, where the sun shone warmly, necessitating the removal of my fleece jacket, and the wearing of my summer cap, I didn't visit the lakes today, instead I headed straight for the Tree Nursery, I felt sure a migrant would have dropped down into the shrubs to sit out the dense morning fog, alas, despite a good search through the 30 acre field, I was proved wrong, if one did drop in this morning, it probably carried on its way by the time I got out  :-)  I was left with the regular GREEN WOODPECKERS, LONG TAILED TITS, WRENS, DUNNOCKS, BLACKBIRDS, SONGTHRUSH and ROBINS  :-)

I moved on to the Greenhouse Grounds, where I did find a migrant, the second patch CHIFFCHAFF for the year, singing away and feeding in some sort of ornamental fruit tree, which was covered in sweet smelling blossom. I got some good photo opportunities, and had the camera set up right today  ;-)
In fact I went a bit over the top with images!!!!

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Whilst I waited for the Chiffchaff to come into range, I heard a MEADOW PIPIT as it flew over, might be the last one I record this end of the year, also a few PIED WAGTAILS flew back and forth from the greenhouses and sheep pasture.  I spent 40 minutes on my sky watching seat, and was not rewarded with a single raptor ( not that I could of Id'd them anyway!)  The pair of Long Tailed Tits were in the tall hedge behind me again, and the fenclines and paddocks were scrutinised for Wheatear or Stonechat, but that was fruitless, other than that it was just a case of sitting and enjoying the warm sunshine  :-)

Maybe I should just stick to watching the young Rabbits - look there's three now!!

Young Rabbits with new sibling :-)