Pittswood Birds

A mostly cloudy, windy morning, with just a few bright spells, by afternoon it brightened briefly, before sharp showers rolled in.

I spent 4 hours out this morning, undertaking a full patch walk, in which a rather poor tally of 44 bird species was recorded, poor for August that is. There was no Pheasant, Long-tailed Tit, Mistlethrush, or Whitethroat recorded, but three new species were added to the months list, with the first YELLOWHAMMER (48) since May being seen along High House Lane, it also gave some song! A couple of SPARROWHAWKS (49) were soaring over the Wet Woods and at least 2 SAND MARTINS (50) were seen feeding over the Ashes Lane Fields, along with the SWALLOWS and passing HOUSE MARTINS, one of the fields was being cut, so was displacing a few insects, good to see the field being cut at the right time of year, but then again, it isn't owned by a greedy silage cropping farmer, wanting his 3 crops year out of his chemical drenched soil.

A BUZZARD was seen flying over, making it a 3 raptor species day, it was also a 3 Gull species day, with BLACK HEADED, LESSER BLACK BACKED and HERRING GULL all seen going over.

Just 1 each of BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF were seen in the Scrubby Woods, along with some of the more hard to find regular resident species of GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, COAL TIT, BULLFINCH, STOCK DOVE and JAY.

Just a lone MALLARD and 2 MOORHENS were on the three water bodies.

Still no photo opportunities, I guess i'll have to start photographing my garden birds again, I noticed a Blackcap in my Elder tree this afternoon - the biggest and best elder tree left in Pittswood!!!