Pittswood Birds

Long sunny spells this morning helped for a better patch visit today, where in the full patch walk I ended up with 49 species, 10 more than yesterday!

I added MAGPIE to the patch 'successfully bred' list when a couple of newly fledged ones were seen together at the Small Holding area and I added TAWNY OWL (64) to the May list when one hooted feebly from the Roost site in the Scrubby Woods. The month list is just about ticking over, but there is some doubt now whether it will reach 70 plus species as it has done in the previous 6 years.

Other highlights were the sighting of two CUCKOO'S as they flew low over High House Lane then off over Bustard Hill, calling as they went, a sight that would have been nothing much to note five years ago! A PEREGRINE FALCON was up soaring over Migrant Alley, as were 3 BUZZARDS, the third raptor species seen today was the male KESTREL that was perched up along Ashes Lane. A TREECREEPER was singing in the Greenhouse Copse and two WHITETHROATS were at the nearby Greenhouse Grounds. Noteworthy flyovers today were, SWIFT, SKYLARK, GREY HERON, CORMORANT, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL and HERRING GULL.

Immature Herring Gull

CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, BULLFINCH, JAY, GREAT SPOTTED and GREEN WOODPECKERS, MISTLETHRUSH, SONGTHRUSH and STOCK DOVE were the best of what was found in the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods, while the lakes were almost devoid of life, just a couple of MALLARD and MOORHENS were on them.

An afternoon session in the Scrubby Woods looking for Dragonflies was a treat today, as I saw my first Broad Bodied and Four Spotted Chasers, photo's of those tomorrow as I havn't had time to edit them yet, in the mean time i'll put some more of those Beautiful Demoiselles up.

This one is a female, below is the male.