Pittswood Birds

First thing this morning it was dull and cold, but within the hour the cloud broke and some sunny spells were had.

If I'd have known the cloud would break I would have taken my camera out! However I didn't, and paid the price when I got to the Greenhouse Grounds, where I had some close up views of a LONG TAILED TIT flock, along with them a BLACKCAP, 4 CHIFFCHAFFS and a WHITETHROAT were also seen in some lovely sunshine.

I walked a circuit of the fields and paddocks of Migrant Alley, which held 6 MEADOW PIPITS, 6 LINNETS, plus a YELLOW WAGTAIL that flew over. The Wooded Headland to the north of the paddocks had another 2 Chiffchaffs, plus a BULLFINCH.

Only a short visit was made to the lakes and Scrubby Woods this morning, as I was heading off out to a couple of local reserves later. On the lakes a GREY HERON fished, but that was the only bird of note on the water today. In the Scrubby Woods another Blackcap and 4 more Chiffchaffs were the only summer birds seen, NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER and COAL TIT called and a 2 more Bullfinch were seen, both immature birds.

A half hour Sky watch from my seat at Migrant alley was squeezed in, and it was worth the effort, as I saw 7 SKYLARK (71) fly low over the sheep pasture, good to get this species on the months list at last, to think this was a once common bird here  :-(  The Skylark moves the September list on to 71, which is the 6th best September tally out the twelve recorded, there's lots more time to move up that list yet though  :-)

My visits to both Bough Beech reservoir, and Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve later on, had me seeing lots of common and regular birds, most of which are real rarities on my patch, but I wont go on to list them all, I did get the odd photo though, so i'll post them up  :-)

Teal at Sevenoaks

Black Headed Gull at Sevenoaks

Greylag Goose at Bough beech

Greylag goose

Greylag goose

I was surprised by the number of Damsel and Dragonflies at the Sevenoaks reserve, and was a bit miffed at only having my 500mm lens with me, however some shots of a Southern Hawker were obtained, all but the first image were taken with a borrowed 100mm macro lens.

Southern hawker

Southern hawker at sevenoaks

Southern Hawker

Southern hawker