Pittswood Birds

The weather remained settled again this morning, making for a pleasant patch visit. As usual I headed off over to the College Grounds first off, hoping to find something for the months list or maybe find some newly fledged young birds. I got lucky on both counts, when a MISTLETHRUSH (49) flew over migrant Alley, another one flew over as I was watching the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER at the College Grounds, then a few moments later a GREY WAGTAIL (50) flew over, it came from the college stream, the usual place I find this scarce species, a nice one to bring up the 50 mark for June :-)  A pair of COAL TITS were feeding at least two newly fledged young, good to have them on the 'successfully bred' list, there are at most only 3 pairs on my patch.

One of the Coal Tits collecting food for its young

PIED WAGTAIL, also collecting food for young, but theirs have not fledged yet

A KESTREL (51) was also added to the months list, one of the local pair was hunting around the Greenhouse Grounds, where the LITTLE OWL was doing likewise, but in a more relaxed manner, sitting and watching from the guttering  :-)

Little Owl

A short sky watch from my seat only produced a COMMON BUZZARD of note, but I also sightings of two Foxes, one was carrying a 'Leg of Lamb' it had scavenged from the carcass of a dead one that has been lying around for a day or two, it was comical to see it trying to get it through a wire fence to take it back to its cubs.

Fox with breakfast for the whole family  :-)

Another Fox with a more sensible mouth full  :-)

 I soon felt hungry for breakfast myself, so after taking my time with that, (to allow the day to warm up a bit) I headed off over to the Scrubby Woods to try and find some Damsels, which turned out to be a real treat.

As well as finding Azure, White-legged and Large Red Damsels, I came across my first Hairy Dragonfly ever to be found on my patch - unfortunately it didn't allow me a photograph, but I might have another chance this week  :-) I was also treated to some great views of my first Broad Bodied Chaser of the Summer, which did allow for a few photo's. Whilst chasing the Dragons and Damsels, both BULLFINCH (52) and TURTLE DOVE (53) were heard, and duly added to the June bird list, they also brought todays list to 50 species, what a cracking day that was  :-)

Here's the Damsel/Chaser shots I got today :-

Broad Bodied Chaser (immature)

Broad Bodied Chaser (immature)

Broad Bodied Chaser (immature)

White-legged Damsel (immature)

White-legged Damsel (immature)

White-legged Damsel (immature)

White-Legged Damsel (immature)

Large Red Damsel