Pittswood Birds

Warm sunshine, right from sun up, was a real bonus for this summer so far.

In the fine conditions, I spent just 90 minutes out on my patch early on, as I had planned a visit to Bough Beech Reservoir and then Sevenoaks Wilfowl Reserve for the day. I walked a circuit of Migrant Alley and had a look around the the Ashes Lane Fields, but very little indeed was seen, the latter habitat did however produce my first Black tailed Skimmer for my patch this year, an immature.

At Migrant Alley a few ROOKS and WOODPIGEONS fed out on the sheep pasture, plus a couple of LINNET families moved around the paddocks. A group of 7 HERRING GULLS flew over, as did a lone CORMORANT and the local SWALLOW families enjoyed the warmth of the morning, gathering together in a flock of at least 16 birds to chase the emerging insects. The WHITETHROATS and the KESTRELS continue to feed their nestlings, but that was about it for the patch today.

Woodpigeon

Later in the morning we arrived at Bough Beech Reservoir, finding it rather quiet, as is usually the case in June, however, we did manage to dig out 44 species, the highlight being a lone GREEN SANDPIPER.

The Green Sandpiper was far too distant for a photograph, but this CHIFFCHAFF was just about in range  :-)

Moving on to Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve, the intention was to find some Odonata, our targets were the Downy Emerald Dragonfly and the Red Eyed Damselfly, we manged to find both, but the single Downy Emerald we found stayed well out of photographic range. The Red Eyed Damsels were frustratingly sitting out on lily pads, not really close enough, but I got a few images of one, plus right at the end of our visit I found a mating pair of them, again not quite positioned where I wanted them to be and the wind was blowing them around, but I got one usable image. Lots of other Odonata were seen as well, with Blue Tailed, Azure, and Common Blue Damselflies galore, plus Banded Demoiselles, Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Broad Bodied Chaser, and Black Tailed Skimmer all being recorded.

Red Eyed Damselfly

Red Eyed Damselfly - Mating pair

Banded Demoiselle

Black Tailed Skimmer