Pittswood Birds

The weather remained fine and warm for this mornings patch walk, apparently this will be the last day of the sunshine for a while  :-(

An early walk around the sheep pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley was a pretty hum drum affair, just ROOKS, JACKDAWS, CARRION CROWS, WOODPIGEONS, a few LINNETS and a flyover LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL were all I found. Its worth checking Migrant Alley now that July is here, as an early migrant bird might just drop in, the likes of Stonechat, Wheatear, Black Redstart and Whinchat have all appeared here in previous Julys.

Approaching the Greenhouse Grounds, the regulars of CHIFFCHAFF, WHITETHROAT and BLACKCAP were seen, the latter two species busy with fledged young, PIED WAGTAILS came and went from the Greenhouses, which brought the attention of the SPARROWHAWK, which sat on the roof looking in at it's potential breakfast!  A brief sky watch was no good at all, just the local SWALLOWS and SWIFTS were seen, but the immature KESTRELS were value for money today, chasing about and calling to each other.

Kestrel at Migrant Alley

I got over to the Scrubby Woods and lake area by 09:30hrs, when it already felt very warm, a COAL TIT and NUTHATCH were calling right away, then a little later at least 3 BULLFINCH were heard, a couple of GOLDREST were heard singing, but little else sang today.

On the lakes it was all quiet, just the MUTE SWAN and COOT families, plus a few MALLARD and MOORHEN. As the morning wore on I began searching for Butterflies and Dragonflies, once again seeing Purple Hairstreak, which remained high up in the Oak canopy. A Brown Hawker only just avoided my camera, flying off as I was just going to press the shutter, blast it! I got luckier however with a much scarcer species, well, for here anyway, when I found a pair of Banded Demoiselles, I took plenty of images of both, and will post them tomorrow, as Ive yet to post the Black Tailed Skimmer images from yesterday......so here they are!