Pittswood Birds

A morning spent around the College Grounds, Greenhouse Grounds and Migrant Alley, in some lovely summer weather, turned out to be a pretty standard affair. My search for newly fledged bird species was not successful today, but the young of JACKDAW, PIED WAGTAIL, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and the BLUE and GREAT TITS are a matter of days away from fledging now, as the young can be heard in their respective nests    :-)

A pair of TREECREEPERS were collecting food for youngsters in the College Grounds, but I don't know where their nest is, one SPOTTED FLYCATCHER was also seen, hopefully the female will be on a nest somewhere. Two pairs of SONGTHRUSH were on the lawns, taking food to already fledged young, while the MOORHENS on the ponds are already starting brood number two.

Spotted Flycatcher

Songthrush

Moorhen chick

The LITTLE OWL was back in position on the Greenhouses, and the KESTREL was also hunting in that area, a mixed flock of at least 24 LINNET and GOLDFINCH were on the paddocks at Migrant Alley, along with the GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE which were fewer in number today and minus the feral barnacle Goose.

Not much was in the sky this morning, a SPARROWHAWK was about as exciting as it got during my hour on my sky watching seat, I was hoping for a Hobby or Grey Heron for the months list.

The afternoon was spent looking for Butterflies, Dragonflies and Damsels, where a bit later on I was joined by Marc Heath, of http://marcheath.blogspot.co.uk/ fame, we spent an enjoyable couple of hours finding the target species of Beautiful Demoiselle and White-legged damselfly, as well as plenty of Azure Damselfly and Red Legged Damselfly, plus another Hairy Dragonfly (only my second patch record, both this year) also at least two Broad Bodied Chasers were seen.

We got a few photo's between us, here's my efforts  :-)

Beautiful Demoiselle, Immature male

Female, White-legged Damselfly

Another Female White-legged Damselfly

 This one is possible another female  :-)

Azure Damsel

Large Red Damsel