Pittswood Birds

For the first time this month the day started sunny and warm, allowing a very enjoyable 8 hour patch visit.

Although I didn't add anything to the Month or year lists, I still recorded a fantastic variety of bird species today, 56 in all, and still managed to miss Nuthatch and Coal Tit!

The LESSER WHITETHROAT sang again from the Greenhouse Grounds early on, as did a couple of COMMON WHITETHROATS, a LITTLE OWL was also seen perched on one of the glasshouses. The first newly fledged GREAT TIT family were also seen here and in the distance a CUCKOO was heard as it passed over.

A dozen or so GREYLAG GEESE and a CANADA GOOSE were on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, around them the SWALLOWS were feeding, and higher up a couple of HOUSE MARTINS plus a few SWIFTS were seen. Two HERRING GULLS and two LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS also went over.

There were at least 4 of the newly fledged Great Tits

These are the earliest I have recorded by five days

Great Tit Juv.

As I walked the Ashes Lane Field no fewer than 6 RING NECKED PARAKEETS flew low over, a YELLOWHAMMER did likewise moments later and the SKYLARK was back at its usual spot  :-)

Skylark on its usual perch, I'd like to get a bit closer to it for a better photo

Over in the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods, most of the regulars were found, apart from the two mentioned at the beginning of this post, singing from GOLDCREST, BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF, TREECREEPER and SONGTHRUSH were the most obvious, with calls from GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, BULLFINCH, LONG TAILED TIT (with young) STOCK DOVE and once again the TAWNY OWL also being heard.

On the lakes a GREY HERON was on the ornamental pond, along with the COOT pair and their two chicks, the MUTE SWAN eggs have yet to hatch, just a couple of MALLARD and MOORHEN, with 3 more Canada Geese were all that was seen on the other two water bodies.

I spent some time in the Scruby Woods trying to find Damsels and Dragons, and got very lucky when I found a Four Spot Chaser, my first this year, they are a scarce Dragon here, so I was pleased to get an image of it, not quite as close as I would have wanted, but i'll take it! I also saw a few Azure Damsels plus a couple more Beautiful Demoiselles.

Four Spot Chaser

Azure Damselfly

Female Beautiful Demoiselle, I'll post up the images of the males tomorrow

Later on, during the early afternoon, I had a skywatch for Raptors from my seat at Migrant Alley, I found the usual three species of SPARROWHAWK, COMMON BUZZARD and KESTREL, plus also had the bonus of hearing, then seeing a YELLOW WAGTAIL fly over.

Another great days wildlifing, in some lovely weather for once, which more of is forecast tomorrow, bring it on!