Pittswood Birds

A new month begins and the new bird list begins  :-)  June is not usually as productive as May or April, with the likelihood of any passing migrant birds diminishing by the day, but there is always the chance something nice might just crop up.

This morning the list started with a few birds seen in my garden, including CHAFFINCH, COLLARD DOVE, STARLING, BLUE TIT, GREENFINCH, DUNNOCK, JACKDAW and more unusual for my garden a JAY. Leaving the house for work a WREN was singing loudly and GOLDFINCH, GOLDCREST, WOODPIGEON, WHITETHROAT, SWALLOW, HOUSE SPARROW and PHEASANT were all added as I walked along Ashes Lane towards the greenhouse Complex, it was here the list was augmented by MAGPIE, CARRION CROW, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, LINNET plus a noisy GREENWOODPECKER. I left the Greenhouse Grounds, and crossed Migrant Alley, where it was mostly quiet, but the flock of 80-100 Geese were on the sheep pasture, comprising of CANADA GEESE, GREYLAG GEESE, and the feral BARNACLE GOOSE, overhead a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL was seen, and the first of the ROOKS were coming in to feed on the paddocks. A few more common species were added as I passed through the College Grounds, GREAT TIT, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF, PIED WAGTAIL, and SONGTHRUSH, 33 species in the 30 minute walk to work wasn't too bad  :-)

The walk home again was entirely different, just a COMMON BUZZARD and a HERRING GULL were added to the months tally, both seen over Migrant Alley as I fruitlessly scanned the sky for a Swift.  After something to eat, I made my way back over to the College Grounds, I thought I might find one of the Spotted Flycatchers, I didn't manage that, but a few SWIFTS were overhead, and a MOORHEN was with 3 newly fledged young. I spent a small amount of time looking for Damsels, and though there were a few Blue Tailed and Azure about and a single Common Blue, they were fewer than of late, the light was very poor and decent photo's were hard to get, the best of them obtained being this Common Blue.

Common Blue Damselfly

I left the College Grounds, and took a walk over to the Wooded Headland, where I was hoping to hear a Turtle Dove, but they remained quiet today, however, this MISTLE THRUSH was seen in the gloomy understory.

Mistle Thrush

Heading out into the sheep pasture a SKYLARK was heard up high, and another flew from the grass nearby, a pair of STOCK DOVES flew up with a flock of woodpigeons, bringing the months list to 40 species. I finished the day of with a skywatch from my seat at Migrant Alley, which initially proved poor, but eventually one of the pair of local KESTRELS came over to hunt in the Greenhouse Grounds, and a little later a TURTLE DOVE flew over, and later still a CORMORANT headed over towards the lake area, the final bird on the list today was the LITTLE OWL, it came and sat on the Greenhouse guttering, a favourite hunting place over the last month, I did get a distant photo, but again with the poor light, it was no more than a record shot. 44 species to kick the month of then, a good start, but some way to go yet to beat the record June tally of 68, set in 2010  :-)

Little Owl