Pittswood Birds

After yesterdays marathon patch visit, this morning I took it a bit easy, with just a couple of hours had around the Greenhouse Grounds and Migrant Alley.

I arrived in sunny but cool conditions, and soon picked up the 2 WHITETHROATS in the Greenhouse Grounds, as well as a CHIFFCHAFF, but no other summer birds were there. I had a look over at the Greenhouse copse, passing one of the KESTRELS on the way that was sitting up on the Greenhouse Roof as usual  :-)  There was plenty of activity along the sunny side of the copse, with a couple of BLACKCAPS, another Whitethroat, and at least 4 more Chiffchaffs, I also thought I had views of a Redstart, but it was so brief I couldn't be sure, that would of been a year tick if it was one!

A circuit of the sheep pasture and paddcoks at Migrant Alley didn't produce any migrants, not even a Yellow Wagtail flew over, that may have been due to the SPARROWHAWK that was patrolling up above again. Six CANADA GEESE were on one of the paddocks, with just a dozen starlings and the usual crowd of ROOKS and JACKDAWS.

A short sky watch was worth the effort, as I saw a CORMORANT (55) go over, could of done with that yesterday, plus two BUZZARDS were up soaring. SWALLOWS were fewer today, only around 20-30 were feeding over the sheep pasture, joined by small numbers of HOUSE MARTINS. A scan of the Ashes Lane Field on the way home was had, where I saw the WHEATEAR again, but not the Whinchat.

I took some Butterfly and Dragonfly photo's as the sun warmed things up a bit  :-)

Migrant Hawker

Migrant Hawker

Common Darter

Common Darter

Common Darter

Small Copper

Common Blue, female

Common Blue, female

Common Blue, female

Speckled Wood