My first full patch walk for June was delayed for a couple of hours while I carried out a Breeding Bird Survey for the BTO just to the south of my patch. By 08:00hrs I was back on my patch, and the sun had started to burn off the low cloud and mist.

After finding just 31 bird species yesterday, there were plenty of birds to add to the June list, the first being a PHEASANT (32) that called from the Tree Nursery, two more species were quickly added when both MALLARD (33) and MOORHEN (34) were seen on the run off pool just as I leave the Tree Nursery for the pub field, in which the maize crop held very little apart from a few ROOKS.

Migrant Alley had a gaggle of 7 CANADA GEESE (35) on the sheep pasture to add to the June total, and overhead the expected KESTREL (36) was seen. It took a while to find any more new species for the month, but by the time I had walked round the College Grounds BLACKCAP (37), HOUSE MARTIN (38), and MISTLE THRUSH (39) had been found. I checked for the Spotted Flycatchers, but they were nowhere to be seen, but it was a bit late for them to be as showy as they normally are. Also noted, were the first CHIFFCHAFF fledglings, one more for the breeding bird total for my patch.

After a well deserved half way drink, I headed off through the Wet Woods towards the Lakeside Scrub. The CUCKOO (40) was calling constantly whilst I neared the lake, and STOCK DOVE (41) gave its simple song somewhere from the Wet Woods, from where a JAY (42) screeched. Once at the lakeside Scrub I stood and listened to the birds, Blackcaps, SONGTHRUSH, BLACKBIRDS, more Chiffchaff, WHITETHROATS, WRENS, DUNNOCKS, ROBINS, both GREAT and BLUE TIT, as well as CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH, and GREENFINCH were all heard singing in the strong sunshine. I moved off to look for the birds not yet on the months list, and found TURTLE DOVE (43) and BULLFINCH (44) easily enough.

Another quick scan over the lake, and a GREY HERON (45) had dropped in whilst I had been walking the scrub, and before leaving for home the first GOLDCREST (46) was heard to sing. On exiting the Wet Woods and coming into the warm sun into Marchants field, a family of NUTHATCH (47) were seen in a large oak tree on the field boundary, and before I had reached the far side of the field a SPARROWHAWK (48) was seen going over with what looked like a Pied Wagtail for breakfast )-: The final addition to the months list was a LESSER WHITETHROAT (49), which flew along the hedgerow at ashes lane and into the Greenhouse Complex.

Despite the lovely bright conditions, I got few photo's. It was one of those days where the subjects wouldn't play ball :-)

I did get a few garden pics though. Below is a Green Viened White Butterfly

Above : is a Small Copper Butterfly, unfortunately not seen in my garden, but in the College Grounds. The Goldfinch below was on my feeders though!

Dreadful!
That aptly describes the first day of June! The weather started off grey and damp, and by mid morning rain was falling, which lasted well into the afternoon.

My birding activity was severely curtailed as a result, and the only birds recorded were on the way to work and back, a bit of garden watching, plus an aborted half hour effort this afternoon, in which the rain appeared to stop but as soon as I got out it started again :-).

Best birds seen were the SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS at the College Grounds, other than that it was all the very common species, although it was good to see that the GOLDFINCH'S had bred successfully, two Juvs were seen in the College Grounds, and another came to my garden feeders this afternoon. Four LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS that went over the house are a nice addition to the June list. Speaking of which, after the first day it stands at a miserly 31.

With the rest of this week off, I should get up to around the mid fifties, by the weekend, especially as the weather forecast looks good - he said :-)


Here's the photo's for the day. taken in very poor light from my garden, so they are pretty rubbish!

Above: JACKDAW. Five were in the garden fighting over the fat balls.
Below: Woodpigeon

Below: The Juv Goldfinch

Lastly: GREENFINCH, which have also started bringing in young to the feeders.