Pittswood Birds

After yesterdays rain disrupted visit, this mornings visit was completely the opposite, with fine and dry weather that lasted all day.

Given that the fine weather is not going to last though, I decided to get a full patch walk in, this turned out to be a good move as I recorded a brilliant total of 53 species in the five and a half hour walk  :-)

No fewer than five of those species were new for the months list, two were flyovers, they were CORMORANT (61) and HOBBY (62) the Hobby was one of five raptor species that were up hunting today, the others were SPARROWHAWK, KESTREL, BUZZARD and PEREGRINE.

The lakes provided the other three new species for the month, the feral BARNACLE GOOSE (63) was with a flock of 27 CANADA GEESE that stayed briefly on the small lake, along with a GREY HERON, and a KINGFISHER (64) flew across the main lake, where a female TUFTED DUCK (65) was resting up, a species that has never been recorded in any August before now, 2 female MANDARIN DUCK were also present, another species that has not occurred in any August, taking the 13 year combined August tally to 96 species, that's the third best month behind April (108) and October (97).

Other notables included a LITTLE OWL at the Small Holding, 50+ SWALLOWS on the Greenhouses, 150+ GREYLAG GEESE flying over Migrant Alley, plus sightings of COAL TIT, BULLFINCH, GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP and WHITETHROAT, the only things missing are the Long Tailed Tits and Mistlethrushes, still no sign of them this month yet!

I checked up on the Butterflies around the Greenhouse Grounds, as the weather is on the turn and I might not get to see some of them again, I found Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Comma, Speckled Wood, Small White, Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small Copper, I also saw my first Clouded Yellow Butterfly of the year, the 25th species for the 2014 season, it was seen as it flew through my garden, but didn't stop unfortunately!

Common Blue

Small Copper

Brown Argus