Pittswood Birds

This afternoons patch visit lasted for 2 hours, but not a great deal was seen as I walked the Tree Nursery, the Greenhouse Grounds and Migrant Alley, the wind was a bit too fierce really, making listening for any squeaks, croaks or churring noises of any migrant warblers impossible against the rustling leaves. The only bird I added to the months list was SKYLARK (44) when two got up from the sheep pasture. A couple of WHITETHROATS, a BLACKCAP and a CHIFFCHAFF were around the poly tunnels at the Greenhouse Grounds, picking at the Raspberries and insects associated with them, the only other summer species today were the SWALLOWS and a few fly over SWIFTS, although this morning I did see a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER at the College Grounds as I walked into work  :-)

Two of the KESTREL family were seen up hunting, the only other raptor this afternoon was a PEREGRINE, one zoomed over head as I sat sky watching on my seat, I just had time to point the camera at it, but didn't have time to choose my settings, I fired off 6 shots, and only one looked like a Peregrine!

Peregrine

My walk today was enhanced by the sighting of my first Common Blue Butterfly since June, feeding amongst a whole host of Gatekeepers in the Tree Nursery, I didn't have my butterfly lens on, so I just got some fuzzy photo's of them  :-)

Common Blue

Gatekeeper - Female I think  :-) I dont remember this species having those little white spots on the bottom of the hindwing ? Greenie ? Dean ?

Another nice sighting was of the first Ruddy Darter since 2010, good to have one back on my patch

Ruddy Darter

Thats about it for today, another week or so and maybe a passage migrant will turn up  :-)