Pittswood Birds

After posting my blog update yesterday, the rain ceased and the sun came out by 18:00hrs, so I had an evening stroll around the Greenhouse Grounds, not much was noted, but as I walked back home, this RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE (85,69) was seen running along Ashes Lane,  I don't see many of these, not a ''proper'' bird really, but heh, I count them on my year list  :-)

The light was fading, and it didn't stop running, but I got a shot of it  :-)

This Swallow was also seen perched on the telephone wire

Back to this morning, and after early cloud dispersed, it became sunny and warm, totally the opposite of yesterday. I had a good four hours out, but had to be back early today, it's never the same when you have to keep checking what the time is!

By the end of the visit I had only accumulated 42 species, a very disappointing effort! At least I had a few Summer birds on the list today, the CHIFFCHAFFS, SWALLOWS and BLACKCAPS were joined by the LESSER WHITETHROAT which again sang from the Wooded Headland to the North of Migrant Alley, also the newly arrived COMMON WHITETHROAT was seen along the drainage ditch the runs between the Ashes lane Fields, I also heard the song of the Cuckoo, drifting to my ears from way off my patch, cant count that though.

The Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods provided most of the scarcer regulars, BULLFINCH, GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, LONG TAILED TIT, GREAT SPOTTED and GREEN WOODPECKER, only Coal Tit was missed.

Nothing on the Lake today but the nesting MUTE SWANS, GREYLAG GEESE, and COOTS, plus 6 CANADA GEESE and the MOORHEN family, not a single Mallard was seen though.

No raptor species were seen, and only one Gull species flew over, that being a HERRING GULL, but the lack of an end of walk skywatch was probably to blame for that.

Back home, as I waited for the wife to get herself together for our afternoon outing, I noticed my first damselfly of the year sitting deep in the vegetation of my pond, a LARGE RED, lack of time and being unable to get into the right position meant only a few rushed images of it were obtained, nice to see the first Damselfly out though  :-)

Large Red Damselfly - the first this year

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A few Speckled Wood Butterflies were seen this morning too

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