Pittswood Birds

I was greeted by clear blue skies this morning, which lasted until mid morning, when variable amounts of cloud cover moved in.

A total of 45 species were seen this morning, a little below yesterdays total, but a few different ones were found. The walk around the Greenhouse Grounds and Migrant Alley didn't find yesterdays Whinchat, but it did produce a YELLOW WAGTAIL (65), a new species for the month, a single bird called and then was seen as it flew over the sheep pasture heading west. With a GREY WAGTAIL seen at the water intake of the Greenhouse Grounds, and the PIED WAGTAILS flitting around the greenhouses, it made for one of those rare days when all three Wagtail species were found  :-)

Grey Wagtail at the water intake

It is very wary and doesn't allow any sort of approach

 Also in the Greenhouse Grounds, were the usual 4-6 WHITETHROATS, a couple of BLACKCAPS and the CHIFFCHAFF, as well as the regulars of WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, SONGTHRUSH, GREENFINCH, GOLDFINCH, CHAFFINCH, BLUE and GREAT TITS, plus  GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER.

WHITETHROAT - a usual view!

At least 50 SWALLOWS were lined up on the fences of the paddocks, and later they attracted a few HOUSE MARTINS and at least one SAND MARTIN, all of that hirundine activity soon produced another HOBBY sighting. ROOKS, JACKDAWS, WOODPIGEONS, STARLINGS and a couple of LINNETS were out on the sheep pasture and paddocks, but no Wheatear as yet. A YELLOWHAMMER gave a bit of song from the High House lane area.

As I walked over to the Scrubby Woods, via the Ashes Lane Field, I met with 4 KESTRELS, interacting over the field, good to see the three youngsters again, they were with the female adult bird.

Over at the Scrubby Woods my efforts to find the first Long tailed Tit or Mistle Thrush this month met with failure, but most of the usual regulars turned out, at least two family parties of BULLFINCH were seen, they have done well here this year, NUTHATCH, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER and GOLDCREST all called, as did a raucous JAY, and the more delicate 'coo' of a STOCK DOVE. More Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were found, and I had good views of Brown Hawker, and Southern Hawker Dragonflies, the latter alighted and allowed some photo's, but I had chosen to take the 500mm lens out today, so it was a missed opportunity, I got a record shot anyway  :-)

Southern hawker, i'll chance my arm a call it a male  :-)

A SPARROWHAWK whizzed through, whilst I searched for Long tailed Tits, perhaps the one that visited my garden this afternoon - below.

Sparrowhawk in my garden

I just got these two shots before it saw me and shot off again  :-)

I took a few more Butterfly photo's today, so ive still got plenty left in the blog folder for later posts, some of the flutters are looking a bit tatty now though, just look at the sate of this Small Skipper  ;-(

Small Skipper, only one was seen today, there time is nearly over