Pittswood Birds

Dreaded Fog  :-(

Initially this morning my patch was shrouded in dense fog, which took until 07:30hrs to clear, but once it did some good sunny spells were enjoyed, before rain moved in for early afternoon.

This Red Admiral basked in the sun by 10:00hrs, you wouldn't believe it was the same day.

It was hard going in the fog early on, with very few birds being found, it wasn't until I reached the College Grounds and the fog started to thin that it started getting more lively. Almost the first bird encountered here was a LITTLE OWL, which dropped down from a tree onto a prey item, minutes later a mixed feeding flock was found, keeping me entertained for some time, sorting out WILLOW WARBLERS, CHIFFCHAFFS, BLACKCAPS, SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS, GOLDCREST, and TREECREEPERS, as well as the GREAT, BLUE, COAL and LONG TAILED TITS, even a NUTHATCH was with the flock, not a species normally associated with the College Grounds.

Blackcap at the College Grounds

Having satisfied myself there was nothing rare or new for the month amongst the flock, I went over to check the now visible fence lines and fields at Migrant Alley, alas the Whinchat had departed overnight, and there were no Wheatears about, but at least two more YELLOW WAGTAILS were in the sheep pasture, and a good sighting of a HOBBY was had as it sped over.

I checked out the Greenhouse Grounds and the Raspberry dump, where both the SEDGE WARBLERS were still feeding. Also feeding there, was at least two WHITEHROAT, A CHIFFCHAFF, a Willow Warbler, a SONGTHRUSH, and a Immature BLACKBIRD. In the nearby bushes a GARDEN WARBLER was seen again.

Whitethroat  (yesterdays photo)

Willow warbler

Moulting Chiffchaff

Immature Blackbird

A circuit of the Tree Nursery and Pub Field was had, but with little of note seen here, a KESTREL was up hunting over the stubble in the Pub Field, and the GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE flocks were seen going over, fewer gulls were about than recently, just a few HERRING GULLS, and a lone LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL. Now for some big patch news, talking of Gulls, I posted a photo of an immature Gull back on the 27th August, I labelled it as a Herring Gull, but had my suspicions that it was something else, especially after STEWART (Thanks!) increased my suspicions. I sent the photo's off to a better birder than me, and he confirmed this afternoon that it was indeed a YELLOW LEGGED GULL (139,102,72) A PATCH TICK no less!! Here it is again -

Immature Yellow Legged Gull - patch tick no.139 yipee!!

Back to today, and I finished up with a sky watch back on my seat at Migrant Alley, where I added GREY HERON, and a couple of passage SAND MARTINS to the days list, which ended on an incredible 51 species, very good since I didn't visit the lakes, or woods today  :-)

LINNET at Migrant Alley, trying its best to be a Wheatear  :-)

Another Wren Photo  :-)