Pittswood Birds

Early blue skies soon became partially obscured as a brisk wind blew cloud from the south, but some good, warm sunny spells remained throughout the day.

A full patch walk, lasting 6 hours was carried out from 06:15hrs, which produced a decent tally of bird species - 47 in all, plus two new Butterfly species were recorded for the year, the Gatekeeper and the much scarcer (for my patch at least!) Ringlet.

Gatekeeper

Ringlet

A couple of additions were added to the months list, these being flyovers, first of all from a CORMORANT (51), then a smart looking HOBBY (52), a species that is not as frequent here as in previous years. Three other raptor species occurred this morning, the SPARROWHAWK, a pair of BUZZARDS and the KESTREL family, both youngsters and the female adult being seen at the Greenhouse Grounds.

Recently fledged Kestrels doing well so far   :-)

A YELLOWHAMMER was seen along High House Lane, with SKYLARKS up singing in the adjacent bean crop at Bustard Hill. Flyovers from GREY HERON, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, HERRING GULL and BLACK HEADED GULL, plus numerous SWALLOWS with a few SWIFTS were noted as I walked a circuit of Migrant Alley, where the 6 GREYLAG GEESE continue to graze. There was no sign of any young WHITETHROATS at the Greenhouse Grounds, but an adult continues to scold there, plus the LINNETS are continuing their nest building in the last piece of Brambly scrub.

Linnet

Over at the Woods, no surprises were found, Bullfinch and Long Tailed Tit were the only regulars not to show today, COAL TIT, GOLDCREST, BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF, SONGTHRUSH, BLACKBIRD, DUNNOCK, WREN and ROBIN all gave some song, while calls from STOCK DOVE, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and GREEN WOODPECKER were heard. Only 2 MALLARDS and two MOORHEN families were on the lakes today.

Robin