Pittswood Birds

A low, murky cloud hung over the area for most of the morning, but at least it stayed dry and it wasn't windy :-)

I only visited the College Grounds, Greenhouse grounds and Migrant Alley today, with a quick scan of the Pub Field and Ashes Lane field, both of which were home to a few STOCK DOVES, but nothing else.

The WHITETHROAT was back singing in the Greenhouse Grounds as I passed through, along with a BLACKCAP and the regular WRENS, ROBINS, DUNNOCKS, BLACKBIRDS, SONGTHRUSH, and PIED WAGTAIL. Another Blackcap and a CHIFFCHAFF were singing from the Wooded Headland to the North of Migrant Alley, but the hopes of recording Turtle Dove on this part of my patch, which was a former haunt for them, have now been relinquished. Migrant Alley was again home to CANADA GEESE and GREYLAG GEESE, 6 of the former and 8 of the later were seen, as were the 20 odd LINNETS that fed on the dandelion heads there.

An hour spent looking through the College Grounds and gardens didn't produce a Spotted Flycatcher, or any of the ''expected any day now'' fledgling young, from the likes of ROBIN, Songthrush, DUNNOCK, WREN or PIED WAGTAIL.

MISTLETHRUSH, GREENWOODPECKER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, JAY, SWALLOW, and a couple more Chiffchaff and Blackcap were best of what was found at the College today.

SONGTHRUSH

An hours sky watching from my seat over at Migrant Alley produced a few of the scarcer birds for my patch, including 4 Raptor species - BUZZARD, KESTREL, HOBBY and SPARROWHAWK. A few SWIFTS also moved through, and a GREY HERON flew low over my position, while the sighting of a pair of MUTE SWANS flying high was a bonus. One new species for the month was added as I sky watched, when a YELLOWHAMMER (67) flew in to the Tall hedge behind my seat, called twice, then flew off again, another of those species that has declined to almost extinction on my patch  :-(

Grey Heron over my seat

Grey Heron

Later this afternoon the sun made an appearance, so I went out to find some flutters. Not an easy thing to do on my patch anymore, as the best habitat has now been lost to the plough, it will be nigh on impossible to find the likes of Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small copper here now.

I did manage to find Small White, Large White, Green Veined White, Orange Tip, Comma, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Holly Blue and Brimstone, the latter of which I have never manged to get a photo of, today I was that close though! I was just going to press the shutter when a Bee landed on the Brimstone and off it went.......blast it!!

All I came away with was these two shots in the end!

Peacock Butterfly

Speckled Wood