Pittswood Birds

This morning was my last visit before I go back to work, so I was determined to make it count! At first light this morning I took the usual route over to the College Grounds, not finding too much on the way as it was still a bit early for most birds  :-)  One bird I did see though, fly over the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley was a SKYLARK (50) nice to get to fifty species for the month so soon  :-)

At The College Grounds I wanted to try and find a Spotted Flycatcher for the month, but they seem to have moved on now, or at least I couldn't find them if they were around, whilst searching, I heard then saw two GREY WAGTAILS (51), they flew across the gardens and alighted by one of the small water features there. The LONG TAILED TIT flock was located again, and with it were half a dozen CHIFFCHAFF, a couple of BULLFINCH were seen nearby, and at least six SONGTHUSHES were seen in a group of Hawthorne bushes, nothing much more of any note was found.

One of the Songthrushes

Another speckled songster

When I left the College Grounds it was lighter and warmer, so I headed for Migrant Alley and the Greenhouse grounds, I could see the KESTREL on a fence line, but no Wheatear or Whinchat today, a SPARROWHAWK flew over, and as I watched it I noticed a CORMORANT higher up, the local SWALLOWS gathered forces to chase of the Sprawk, but I couldn't find any Sand martin with them today. Nearing the Greenhouse Grounds I heard the piercing call of multiple YELLOW WAGTAILS (52) and four dropped from the sky to feed among the sheep, I'm doing well for this passage species this year  :-)

I checked out the Raspberry dump at the Greenhouse Grounds, and saw at least 5 WRENS, 2 DUNNOCKS, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Songthrush, 4 BLACKBIRDS and two ROBINS, after taking some more Chiffchaff photo's, I gave it ten minutes to see if anything else would turn up, and was in luck as my first REED WARBLER (53) of the Autumn appeared from the adjacent nettle bed, a real good species to find on my patch, and to get a photo of it was a real bonus, so I filled my boots!

The next species at the Raspberry bar is.........................Reed Warbler - superb!

Reed Warbler

Reed Warbler

After that excitement, I checked the Scrubby areas around the Greenhouses, hoping for that mystery warbler from yesterday would turn up, but it didn't, and only 1 WHITETHROAT, with a BLACKCAP were found, the summer birds are really getting scarce now as they all go back to Africa.

I hung around the Greenhouses and Migrant Alley, and did some sky watching from my seat for the next 2 hours, seeing a flock of GREYLAG GEESE go over, but still no Canada Geese for the month, another Yellow wagtail flew over, a few house Martins and a much looked for PIED WAGTAIL, which gave me the three Wagtail species for the day, a feat only acheived once before on my patch - very satisfying  :-) A LITTLE OWL called from the Greenhouse Copse, then just as I was leaving a further two Yellow Wagtails dropped into the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, the 6th and 7th of the morning.

I took a few more photo's of the birds today, i'll save them for the week ahead, but here's a couple more images of yesterdays Wheatear  :-)

Wheatear

Wheatear