Pittswood Birds

I carried out a full patch walk this morning, starting out at 05:30hrs to avoid the heat only partially paid off as the temperature was already over 21C at 06:00hrs. By 11:00hrs it was so hot and humid I stayed indoors for the rest of the day!

I had a head start to this mornings list, the first bird on it was a TAWNY OWL (65) which was heard at 02:00hrs the previous night as I lay awake trying to keep cool  :-) By 10:30hrs the list had reached a very good 50 species.

There were many more birds present around my patch than in recent visits, maybe a sign that things are moving about now. At least 30 GREYLAG GEESE were with 5 CANADA GEESE on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, where SKYLARK, LINNET, ROOK, CARRION CROW, JACKDAW, WOODPIGEON, SWALLOW and PIED WAGTAIL were also found. In the nearby Greenhouse Grounds, WHITETHROAT, WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, SONGTHRUSH, GREEN WOODPECKER, CHAFFINCH, GREENFINCH, GOLDFINCH and a family party of BULLFINCH were found, while in the adjacent Greenhouse Copse a mixed party of BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF fed.

A short sky watch added SWIFT, HERRING GULL, YELLOWHAMMER and HOUSE MARTIN to the day list, the House Martin was the first recorded on my patch during a full patch walk since May 29th, normally it would be a regular addition.

The walk over to the Scrubby Woods, via the Small holding and Wet Woods saw things quieten down a bit, I didn't find the Spotted Flycatcher today, hope it's still about somewhere, but at least 4 TREECREEPERS were heard calling, and one sang in the Wet Woods, NUTHATCH, COAL TIT, GOLDCREST, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, JAY and MISTLETHRUSH all showed up, but no Long Tailed Tit today.

On the lakes I counted 46 more GREYLAG GEESE, of course they may have flown in from the pasture at Migrant Alley, but with them were 17 CANADA GEESE, quite a sight and sound on the main lake, which is only small, a GREY HERON flew in and joined them whilst I counted. On the Ornamental lake there were 4 MALLARD, 4 MOORHEN the COOT family, and a bonus for the month, a KINGFISHER (66). The months list now vaults into joint second place with a tally of 66, joint with 2008. Now if I can find the likes of Turtle Dove, Grey Wagtail, and maybe a fly over Cormorant, plus my first Garden Warbler of the year, all of which have been regulars in past Julys, then a new July species record would be set!   :-)

On the walk home across the Ashes lane field, the temperature and humidity was just unbearable, I barely stopped to look at the LITTLE OWL sat on its favoured perch by the old shack, and only briefly watched a SPARROWHAWK going over, holding its prey. No Kestrel was seen today, very strange!

It was a poor day for photographic opportunities, hardly any Damselflies were about, and the dragonflies weren't stopping for no-one! All I photographed was a Meadow Brown :-(  Oh! and a Nuthatch at my garden feeders  :-)

Meadow Brown Butterfly

Nuthatch