Pittswood Birds

 Migrant Food  :-)

This morning was overcast, cool and windy, but by 11:30hrs the sun arrived, making it feel very warm again.

In the cool, dull conditions first thing, very little was seen of note as I walked around the Greenhouse Grounds and Migrant Alley. The 150 or so STARLINGS were still present on the paddocks along with the ROOKS, JACKDAWS, CARRION CROWS and WOODPIGEONS, only 5 LINNETS joined in the gathering. The were 18 SWALLOWS lined up on one of the fence lines, waiting for it to warm up I suppose, so they could feed. Overhead just one group of 4 HERRING GULLS were seen, plus a SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL up hunting, a few skeins of GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE went over, involving a hundred or so individuals, they will be evident now for most of the Autumn period as they to and fro at each end of the day.

I spent a little longer around the lakes and Scrubby Woods this morning, seeing 2 KINGFISHERS, one on the ornamental lake and one on the main lake. A GREY HERON was also present, along with the usual MALLARD, MOORHEN, MUTE SWANS and COOTS, of which there was only one adult and one fully fledged youngster, have the other two dispersed ?

In the Scrubby Woods I noted all that I could expect at this time of year, the best of those being the NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, a few very vocal BULLFINCH, STOCK DOVE, JAY, GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, plus the summer species of BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF and a very smart looking LESSER WHITETHROAT, only my third sighting of this species for July. There were 3 BUZZARDS soaring above once the sun had come out, which was my queue to do some dragonfly hunting.

I have been after a decent image of a Brown Hawker since they emerged, and despite seeing three or four on the wing this morning, they rarely settled, apart from just one, which I watched settle about 25 meters from me, I didn't see the exact nettle it landed on, so sneaked up to the spot where I saw it go in, but once I got there I just couldn't see it!  One wrong move and it was off, just 2 feet from me, another chance blown! Sod it!!!

A bit later though, I saw both a male and an immature Southern Hawker, I watched them very carefully, and tracked them down to the exact spot, unfortunately it was a bit dull and shady, but I got a few images  :-)

Male Southern Hawker

Male Southern Hawker

Male Southern Hawker. I just couldn't get an angle to remove that annoying nettle leaf away from its legs!

Male Southern Hawker

Immature Southern Hawker

Immature Southern Hawker

Immature Southern Hawker