Pittswood Birds

It was cool, cloudy and drizzly this morning, the wet vegetation and dripping trees made for a not very pleasant walk  :-(

I was out for a little over three hours, not finding a great deal, I spent some time around the Greenhouse Complex watching the KESTREL pair hunting, while their young, at least 3 of them, could be seen perched on the opening of the nest box, they would of made for some nice photo's had there been any light! The only summer bird heard to sing there today was a WHITETHROAT, while over the adjacent sheep pasture, a SKYLARK also sang, doing its best to make light of the dreary morning, higher up a few SWIFTS were hawking for the few insects that were about.

I finally braved a visit to the Wet Woods, where I saw the MANDARIN DUCK with her ducklings, I was pleased to count 7 of them, there were originally ten. Over at the Scrubby Woods the COAL TITS have started to sing again, but only two BLACKCAPS and a single CHIFFCHAFF joined them. A NUTHATCH called and I tracked it down to a large Oak, where an adult bird was seen feeding one of its recent fledged young, a TREECREEPER was also heard calling, but once again I couldn't find a Long tailed Tit for the months list and there was no sign of the Turtle Dove either.

I checked the lakes, to find all in order with the MUTE SWAN and COOT family, one of the Mute Swans flushed up a GREY HERON that was hiding in the bankside vegetation, I hadn't seen it! On the main lake I was pleased to see the pair of TUFTED DUCKS had returned, maybe they will be regulars over the rest of the summer  :-)

I eventually made my way back out to my seat at Migrant Alley for a sky watch, which produced plenty of BUZZARD sightings. both near and far, as well as a SPARROWHAWK up hunting, the Kestrel pair were again seen, but the hoped for Hobby didn't fly over. Checking the Gulls that flew over from time to time, I eventually found a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (57) to add to the months list  :-)

I didn't even take my camera out this morning, and tomorrow looks like a complete wash-out. Thursday looks like the next decent length visit i'll get in. I've still got a few images taken over the past few days to brighten the blog though  :-)

Fox at the small holding

I took quite few images of this female Common Blue Damselfly as it hung on to a nettle

Female Common Blue damselfly

Female Common Blue Damselfly