Pittswood Birds

It was cooler this morning under a cloudy sky and a brisk North wind blowing, but the cloud burnt off by 09:30hrs, and it remained sunny and warm thereafter  :-)

I visited most of my patch this morning, not quite a full patch walk, but none the less still managed a very good day total of 49 bird species, which hit 50 with the sighting of 2 HOBBIES chasing low over my house this afternoon, a fantastic sight to see  :-)

A couple more species were added to the July list this morning, the first was a bit of a surprise, a CUCKOO (57) It was seen flying low over migrant Alley, its not every year I get to see a Cuckoo in July, even when they bred here they proved very elusive. Less of a surprise, was at last finding a LONG TAILED TIT (58), at least 4 were with a mixed feeding flock of GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT, TREECREEPER and NUTHATCH in the Wet Woods, this is the first mixed feeding flock of birds this Summer, a sign that the year is moving into a new phase for the birdlife.

Flyover species today were slightly up on yesterday, as well as the Cuckoo I watched GREY HERON, HERRING GULL, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL and BLACK HEADED GULL all go over Migrant Alley, plus a couple of SAND MARTIN flew low over the Ashes Lane field, another good July sighting for my patch  :-)  There were a few more SWIFTS around than yesterday, they were up feeding with the SWALLOWS of which there are now at least 3 family groups.

BUZZARD and KESTREL were up hunting, but no Sparrowhawk was noted, I know they are about somewhere though! Best of the rest today were; COAL TIT, NUTHATCH, and GOLDCREST in the Scrubby Woods, SKYLARK over the Arable Fields, and hearing the songs of BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF and WHITETHROAT still going strong around the area  :-)

Photo's were a bit more difficult to come by with the wind being quite strong, but I got a few to brighten the post  :-)

This is my first Common Darter of the year  :-)

I think this Hoverfly is Volucella Bombylans

Volucella Bombylans

Another Small Tortoiseshell  :-)

Ive been watching a pair of WRENS that nested just behind my garden wall for the past few weeks, and today they fledged at least 3 youngsters, one which I just about got on Camera  :-)

New fledged Wren

New fledged Wren

New fledged Wren