Pittswood Birds

As I walked home from work a strange thing happened - THE SUN CAME OUT AND IT FELT WARM!   :-)

I was straight out after a bite to eat, and decided to risk visiting the College Grounds, despite all the people there, in the hope of catching up with the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER family, which was a real success, as I found them tucked out the way in a quiet corner of the gardens. I spent some time watching the KESTREL family in the private garden just off Migrant Alley first off though, and confirmed that 3 young were being attended to by both parents.

Once I found the Flycatchers, I set to and filled my boots with photo's, here's a taster below  :-)

Adult Spotted Flycatcher

Adult Spotted Flycatcher

This was the smallest of the 3, maybe four newly fledged young

Whilst photographing the Flycatcher family, a pair of BULLFINCH (53) flew over, adding themselves to the July months list, more sinister and a bit worrying if you are a Spotfly though, was a SPARROWHAWK circling high over!

There wasn't much else birdwise in the College Grounds, due to the amount of people around, so I went over to Migrant Alley and lapped up some warm sunshine at my sky watching seat, this wasn't as productive as last evening, but it was enjoyable  :-)  A few BLACK HEADED GULLS, and HERRING GULLS went over, the local SWALLOWS were up with a couple of HOUSE MARTINS feeding on the now abundant aerial insect prey, whilst above them were the SWIFTS. Suddenly, just ten meters away from my seat, this WHITETHROAT popped up, having been in a very small patch of half a dozen thistles collecting food for youngsters - a second brood perhaps ?

Common Whitethroat with food for nestlings, just goes to show how important leaving even small clumps of thistles is !

Shortly after the Whithroat was seen, a CHIFFCHAFF showed very briefly in the tall hedge behind my seat, allowing for this quickly taken image  :-)

Chiffchaff

I watched the Kestrel family for a while again, but eventually had to make a move home, whilst doing so I took some more photo's of WRENS and a couple of BLACKBIRDS, which I will post up on tomorrows blog,  a short but enjoyable visit today, maybe an evening visit can be squeezed in later.