Pittswood Birds

Sunday, 22 June 2014

My first post holiday full patch walk was quite eventful this morning, the first bird of the 44 species found, was a REED WARBLER (60) that I heard singing from the Greenhouse Grounds as I stood on my front drive, a house tick no less, the first added for ages, taking my tally to 94 now :-)

Also at the Greenhouse Grounds were at least 2 of the recently fledged KESTRELS, the female was up flying around nearby. As I watched them, a GREY WAGTAIL (61) alighted on the Greenhouse roof, the first seen here since February. Over on the sheep pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley, the first young SWALLOWS were noted.

The Ashes lane fields have been mowed and the grass bailed, despite me asking the owners to wait just a couple of weeks to allow any nesting skylarks time to raise their young, no Skylarks were seen their this morning, or the local Whitethroats. The old shack has also had the thistles and brambles removed from around it, bloody ''tidy brigade'' have been at it again :-( I did see the LITTLE OWL fly from the shack though.

Over in the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods most of the usual fare was found, GOLDCRESTS, TREECREEPERS, NUTHATCH, COAL TIT, BULLFINCH, STOCK DOVE, JAY, BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF being the pick of the bunch, no hoped for Turtle Dove for the months list though.

On the lakes today there were 13 CANADA GEESE, 1 GREYLAG GOOSE, 4 MALLARDS, 2 families of MOORHEN, plus the COOT and MUTE SWAN families.

The walk back home through the Small Holding added my third addition to the months list this morning when a LAPWING (62) was seen flying over :-) that brings the June list to 62, which puts it in joint 9th place out the 13 years, not too bad considering I have been off patch for 15 days :-)

Chiffchaff

Coot and young

I'll add some butterfly images from wales to brighten the page, these are species I have encountered at Pittswood in the past, all-be-it rarely, but for some Small Pearl Bordered and Dark Green Fritillary images, both which are new Butterflies for me, you can click here to see, or alternatively click the tab labelled ''Fritillaries Of Wales'' that can be found under the header image.