Thursday 30 July 2015

There were some long sunny spells this morning, with just a few patches of cloud drifting over in a light westerly wind.

The penultimate patch visit for July didn't bring any new species for the month, it seems the likes of Turtle Dove, Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher will not be featuring this July, all of which used to be regulars up until 2012.

Of note this morning though, were 28 SWALLOWS that lined up on a paddock fenceline at Migrant Alley, until a SPARROWHAWK flew over and sent them all into a panic! There were 3 very vocal BUZZARDS up early too, flying from the Greenhouse Copse to the Wet Woods, the KESTREL young, seen at the Greenhouse Grounds, made up the raptor species for the morning. A brief sky watch from my seat wasn't particularly eventful, the GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE skeins flew over, as did a CORMORANT, a YELLOWHAMMER, a MISTLETHRUSH a few HERRING GULLS and a BLACK HEADED GULL.

I spent some time in the Scrubby Woods again, where I had hoped to find the Turtle Doves, but I reckon they have left the area now. I noted most of the other regular species to be found there though, with BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF still feeding well grown young, as were DUNNOCK and SONGTHRUSH, while calls from NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, STOCK DOVE, BULLFINCH, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, GREEN WOODPECKER and JAY were all heard. As It warmed up a couple of Brown Hawker Dragonfies were seen again, as well as a Southern Hawker, but both species evaded my camera, I was surprised to also find a White-legged Damselfly, a pristine male, a common darter made up the odonata for the morning.


Immature ROBIN


Dunnock


Common Darter

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