Pittswood Birds

A cool and overcast morning proved to be very rewarding, with a few nice migrant species being found.

I spent the whole of the morning around the Greenhouse Grounds and Migrant Alley today, as this is where the most exciting (for my patch!) of the birds can be found at this time of year. The first nice bird I found today was the GREY WAGTAIL, it remained loyal to its favoured feeding area along a drainage ditch at the Greenhouse Grounds. Also in the Greenhouse Grounds were a CHIFFCHAFF and at least 3 WHITETHROAT.

A circuit of Migrant Alley, the first of a few made today, had me finding a LESSER WHITETHROAT in one of the battered hedgerows, plus another, or the same WHEATEAR as yesterday was sitting on a fence line, with which it shared 50 plus SWALLOWS with.  I scanned the paddocks and found at least 3 YELLOW WAGTAILS feeding among the horses, it was difficult to tell exactly how many as they kept interacting with the Swallows and the dozen PIED WAGTAILS that were also out there.

Sitting at my sky watching seat, I scanned round the fences again and was very pleased to see a WHINCHAT had dropped in, what fantastic little birds these are, one of my favourites, and my second one this Autumn, so i've been well spoiled now  :-)  The Swallows were up and feeding later in the morning, and I picked out at least 2 SAND MARTIN with them. Around 30 STARLINGS joined the throng of birds out on the sheep pasture, then a flock of 15 - 20 LINNETS flew in briefly before moving into the Greenhouse Grounds. A LITTLE OWL called from the Greenhouse Copse, and 2 CORMORANTS flew over during one of my sky watching sessions, which in all gave me four raptor species, those being KESTREL, SPAROWHAWK, BUZZARD and HOBBY. By 11:00hrs the action had all fizzled out, most of the birds moved on, some due to the disturbance from dog walkers and stable girls tending to the horses, but while it lasted it was a fantastic mornings birding for my patch, just about as good as it gets here  ;-)

I left the camera at home today, as the light was poor first thing, but I have got a few images of the Migrant Hawker Dragonfly I took on Wednesday still to post.