Pittswood Birds

All change with the weather today, first thing this morning the rain, mist and murk made it a late visit for me, I didn't get out until 07:30. Again I headed over to the College Grounds to check for the arrival of the Spotted Flycatcher, but still no luck. There is time yet though, last year they didn't arrive until the 12th, with the 12 year Median average arrival date being the 11th, in 2004 and 2010 Spotted Flycatchers didn't arrive until the 15th.

In the drizzly rain, mist and murk very little was noted on the walk to College Grounds and back, BULLFINCH, COAL TIT and GOLDCREST being the pick of what did get recorded. I checked on the CHAFFINCH nest as I passed it, but there was no sitting bird, nor was there yesterday, so I think the eggs may have been deserted  :-(

I was back home by 09:30, and after a good breakfast, and a bit of work around the house, I was off out again. The weather had improved slightly, the mist and murk had gone and it had stopped raining, there was even a short sunny spell :-) I headed off to my seat at Migrant Alley and walked a couple of circuits of the fields and paddocks there. The usual ROOKS, JACKDAWS and WOODPIGEONS were on the sheep pasture, while on the paddocks a flock of 18 LINNETS, and 4 GOLDFINCH were feeding, there were also 3 PIED WAGTAILS there, along with a flock of 34 STARLINGS. I passed through the Wooded Headland to the north of the paddocks, where today it was just a single CHIFFCHAFF and BLACKCAP singing, but no Lesser Whitethroat, maybe its moved on.

I spent 2 hours on my seat watching the sky, hoping for that Red Kite to fly over, or maybe even an Osprey, but of course they didn't  :-) I did see three BUZZARDS though, and one, maybe two HOBBIES plus a KESTREL. A high flying GREY HERON got my pulse racing for a few seconds, until I got my bins on it  :-)  Other notables seen going over were, 3 SWIFT, 8 HOUSE MARTIN, 2 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS, and 4 HERRING GULLS, the LITTLE OWL called from the Greenhouse Copse again, and a SKYLARK sang as it drifted over, that was about it for today though.

My challenge of recording 100 patch species in the quickest time ( before 17th may) looks to be faltering now, I'm stuck on 94 species, I may just get the Spotted Flycatcher, but the only other regular species that hasn't arrived this year so far is the Garden Warbler, and that looks unlikely now, I only had one pair last year. I need a change of fortune!

I just about got a couple of photo's, but it was hard work today!

Woodpigeon

Large White Butterfly