Pittswood Birds

Heavy rain first thing this morning gave way to a rash of frequent heavy showers that lasted all day, a brisk SW wind grew in strength as the day went on.

In all that weather, birding was cut down to just a few short lived forays, undertaken between some hefty showers, not all of which I escaped! A walk around Migrant Alley didn't provide me with any ''chats' on the fence lines, but a YELLOW WAGTAIL was heard on the wind as it went over, as were the calls of SISKIN. Each approaching shower was preceded by a flurry of both HOUSE MARTINS and SWALLOWS which fed around the sheep pasture before quickly departing SE again.

A BUZZARD flew into the Greenhouse Copse as I passed, then a check of the nettle bed and  tall hedge at the Greenhouse Grounds gave me 2 BLACKCAP and 2 CHIFFCHAFF, which mingled in with the resident DUNNOCKS, WRENS, ROBINS, BLACKBIRDS and SONGTHRUSHES. A few GOLDFINCHES were still about the place, along with half a dozen or so GREENFINCH, all the while a female KESTREL looked on from her perch on one of the greenhouses, which was full of PIED WAGTAILS waiting for the automatic windows to open.

Another brief foray a bit later in the morning was had, this time I walked along to High House Lane, hoping to find a Skylark or Yellowhammer out on the field at Bustard Hill,  I still haven't got these species for the September list yet, and that remains the case after not seeing any there today. The only birds of note seen were 15 CANADA GEESE that flew over and a GREY HERON that did likewise.

My final foray, just after midday was over to the lakes, maybe I could find a Mandarin Duck for the months list ? I walked over via the Ashes Lane Fields, where a MEADOW PIPIT flew up from the grass and another or the same Buzzard flew across and into the Wet Woods. The lakes held very little when I arrived, the KINGFISHER was the only notable species found, no luck with the Mandarin today.

I had a quick look into the Scrubby Woods where plenty of activity was noticed, mostly from a mixed feeding flock which contained a dozen or so LONG TAILED TITS, around half a dozen each of BLUE and GREAT TITS, plus singles of COAL TIT, Chiffchaff, GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER and NUTHATCH.

Tomorrow looks like a better day weather wise, after initial rain!

Nothing for the camera today, the only images left in the 'blog photo folder' were taken last week on my Dungeness trip, a day of warm sunshine and blue skies !

Reed Bunting, a species I might just get on this months Pittswood list  :-)

Whitethroat, I reckon I have had the last of these at Pittswood for this year.