Pittswood Birds

It was very humid this morning, when it remaining overcast, with rain at times.

I made a couple of brief 90 minute patch visits this morning, the first to Migrant Alley and the Greenhouse Grounds, the latter habitat had of note the now established COMMON WHITETHROAT pair, perhaps even two, plus the male KESTREL sitting up on one of the greenhouses.

Out on the sheep pasture the usual ROOK gathering were seen, plus more unusually a gaggle of 10 GREYLAG GEESE were also seen. In the distance a Cuckoo was heard, but way of my patch. Flyovers from HERRING and LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, plus more impressively the PEREGRINE pair were watched as they went over, a few SWIFTS were feeding up high and a dozen SWALLOWS did likewise at lower altitude, but there was still no House Martin seen for the months list.

My second patch visit later in the morning was to the Scrubby Woods, mainly to see if their was any Odonata around, which there wasn't, however, a CUCKOO flew over, calling as it went, just my second patch record of Cuckoo this year. BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF were the only other summer birds seen. I walked back home through the Wet Woods, seeing a male SPARROWHAWK dash through the trees very low, then a BUZZARD was seen up over ashes Lane as I neared home, four raptor species for the day  :-)

Whist at home this afternoon, I was pleased to hear the raucous calls of newly fledged STARLINGS at my feeders, two were being fed by both parents, I had to wait until May 20th for this event last year. A neighbours cat showed some interest, but a well aimed pebble saw that off!

I got a few images of the Juv. Starlings, not the best light, but they will pass  :-)

Pity I manged to cut the tail off the adult bird!