Pittswood Birds

It was very dull, dank and dreary for the first few hours this morning, but it brightened up a bit by 10:00hrs, and with little wind it felt reasonable warm.

The search for the last few summer migrant species that are likely to be seen on my patch continued today, but none of them were found. Two COMMON WHITETHROATS remain at the Greenhouse Grounds, five or six pairs of SWALLOWS were feeding over the sheep pasture, plus both CHIFFCHAFFS and BLACKCAPS were seen throughout my patch, but these 4 species remain the only summer birds to stay so far, a bit disappointing, but without the right breeding habitat why would they hang around!

Amongst the 48 species found on todays five hour visit, were the two resident Owl species, the LITTLE OWL, which was at the old shack in the Ashes Lane Field and the TAWNY OWL which was very vocal from its roost over in the Scrubby Woods, so much so, that I cupped my hands and called back to it, to my surprise it almost immediately flew into a nearby tree, but I had the extension tube on my 300mm lens and by the time I had removed it two BLACKBIRDS and a JAY had seen the owl off!

Three raptor species were recorded, BUZZARD, SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL, but only one Gull species, that being a flyover HERRING GULL was seen. Quite a few species were seen carrying food for their young, including BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, STARLING, SONGTHRUSH, ROOK, and ROBIN, so it shouldn't be long now before some newly fledged birds are found.

Nothing much more exciting to report this morning, notable though, were a couple of MEADOW PIPIT that flew over Migrant Alley, they are latest recorded for my patch, by one day. I chased some Butterflies about to obtain some blog pics for a good part of the session and this afternoon my garden pond was visited by a Large Red Damsel, which also provided some images  :-)

Large Red Damselfly

Large Red Damselfly

Orange Tip, male

I couldn't keep the camera steady here, I had to lean over a bramble bush!

I had better light and a steadier hand for this female Orange Tip though

This Green Veined White sat patiently for me, again in some nice light

Green Veined White