Pittswood Birds

There some brief sunny moments this morning, when it felt warm out of the brisk wind, cloud built in for the afternoon and the wind strengthened further still.

I made a full patch walk today, finding 47 bird species in all, with just Mistlethrush, Long Tailed Tit and Sparrowhawk being unrecorded for the regular patch species, although the latter was seen hunting at my garden feeders this afternoon!

Three Gull species were on the fresh cut silage field at Bustard Hill, those being LESSER BLACK BACKED, HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULL, a SKYLARK sang overhead, no doubt wondering what has happened to its nest site....again!

The KESTREL pair were seen around the Greenhouses, where there was one of their youngsters perched up on one of the greenhouses, the only other raptor species seen this morning was a BUZZARD which flew from the Scrubby Woods, where I had a surprise encounter with a TAWNY OWL, it flying straight at me before swerving off into cover. A flock of 23 GOLDFINCHES was a nice sight, hinting at the change of seasons, although last Autumn doesn't seen to have left us yet!!!

COAL TIT, BULLFINCH, STOCK DOVE, JAY, GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, GREEN WOODPECKER, BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF were the best of what was seen around the wooded parts of my patch.

Although warm enough for Butterflies and Dragonflies, the wind kept them out of site, it also made photographing any that did venture out impossible  :-(

I've got a couple of Odonata images from yesterdays trip to Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve to brighten the post though.......

Banded Demoiselle

Shame about the grass stem in front of the abdomen!

Common Blue Damsels mating.