Pittswood Birds

As in recent mornings the day started clear and bright, but a little cool, with cloud cover increasing throughout the day.

The Greenhouse Grounds were much less busy than yesterday first thing this morning, a single CHIFFCHAFF, 3 - 4 WHITETHROAT and a gathering of SWALLOWS were the only summer birds noted there, however it was good to also see the BULLFINCH family again, plus a few LINNETS and PIED WAGTAILS.

The circuit of the paddocks and sheep pasture at Migrant Alley was productive, as once again a WHEATEAR was seen on the fence line, and a YELLOW WAGTAIL was on the paddock amongst the horses, two more singles were heard to fly over as well. Half way round, I looked skywards to see a pair of HOBBIES, they gained a bit of height, then dived down towards the Swallow gathering over at the Greenhouse Grounds, flushing them all in panic!

BLUE TIT feeding on blackberries at the Greenhouse Grounds

Yet another Wheatear at Migrant Alley, i've had a good August passage from them so far

Crossing the Ashes Lane Fields I saw both SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL fly past, and found another two Whitethroats along the well vegetated drainage ditch there. Not much was happening around the Scrubby Woods and Lake area today, the first BLACKCAPS of the day were seen, plus another Whitethroat and another 2 Chiffchaffs. Few of the scarcer woodland species were seen, just TREEPREEPER and NUTHATCH were found. On the lakes, only a GREY HERON had joined the MUTE SWAN family and COOT pair, 14 MOORHEN were also present as were 4 MALLARD.

 

Grey Heron on the small lake

 

I made my way back over to my seat for a mid morning sky watch, where I saw the fourth raptor species for the day, which was COMMON BUZZARD, 2 circled low over the paddocks. A few HOUSE MARTIN went through, with them were 4 SAND MARTINS. Another 2 YELLOW WAGTAILS were heard going over, but that was it for migrant species, the rest of the watch was only notable for the long string of HERRING GULLS that passed by, which had 2 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS and 4 BLACK HEADED GULLS with them.

Later in the day I had a 90 minute visit to Bough Beech Reservoir, a very pleasant change of scenery and bird species was had, the best of those being a BLACK TAILED GODWIT, half a dozen GREEN SANDPIPERS, with a similar number of COMMON SANDPIPERS, 2 SNIPE, plus a few LITTLE EGRETS, lots of LAPWINGS were loafing around on the waters edge. SAND MARTIN and COMMON BUZZARD were notable flyovers.

'Loafing' Lapwing

Green Sandpiper, a bit distant but you can make it out!