Whilst watching the Fox in my garden last evening, I noticed a LESSER BLACKED BACKED GULL (53) flying over, just squeezed that in for the months list :-)

Two more species went on that list this morning as I walked into work, a CUCKOO (54) that flew over Migrant Alley, and a MISTLE THRUSH (55) that flew over the College Grounds. The walk home was equally as productive for me, two more species turned up in the College Grounds, the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (56) and more surprisingly a singing LESSER WHITETHROAT (57) I haven't heard one singing since the 14th May.

That quartet just about brings the expected species for june to a end, just Greylag Goose, yellowhammer, and flyovers by Hobby or Cormorant can be expected with any confidence. So I walked over to the lakes this afternoon in the hope of finding the Greylag, no luck though, in fact it was really quiet in the warm sunshine, just 2 MALLARDS, 2 MOORHEN and a COOT were on the water. The Scrubby Woods had a bit of birdsong to listen to, BLACKBIRD, CHAFFINCH, ROBIN, CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP and a bit later a Cuckoo all sang, no new breeding species were noted today.

With the warm sunshine I turned my attention to Butterflies, checking the Oaks for an early Puple Hairstreak, but it was a poor visit for flutters too! Maybe we are in between broods :-) I only saw Large and Small Whites plus Speckled Wood, and a Large Skipper. Of the Odenata, Common Blue, Azure Blue,
Large Red and White Legged Damselflies were noted as well as my first Black Tailed Skimmer of the year, an immature one.

I took the photo of the above male HOUSE SPARROW whilst eating lunch - it looked better in real life :-)

Below are a couple of Great Tit photo's. These Juv's were in the Tree Nursery

Above and below is the Imm. Black tailed Skimmer, also found in the Tree Nursery.

Lastly a pair of mating Large Red Damselflies

A new month, and my last days holiday, but what a gorgeous summers day it was!

I spent the entire day out on my patch, from 06:15 to 15:30, and recorded a brilliant 52 species, a very good day tally for my patch :-)

17 species were seen as I walked the 200 meters to Migrant Alley via the Greenhouse Complex, they were: JACKDAW, MAGPIE, STARLING, DUNNOCK, BLUE TIT, COLLARED DOVE, GOLDFINCH, HOUSE SPARROW, WOODPIGEON, CHAFFINCH, ROBIN, LINNET, GREENFINCH, PHEASANT, BLACKBIRD, GREAT TIT and WREN.

At Migrants Alley the usual ROOKS and CARRION CROWS were seen, as well as the SWALLOWS feeding over the sheep pasture, a bit more different was seeing 3 CANADA GEESE there too. A bonus species flew over in the form of a BLACK HEADED GULL, i'll not see many of them this month, but better was found in the wooded headland, whilst listening to TURTLE DOVE, SKYLARK and CHIFFCHAFF I heard another REED WARBLER! A late migrant passing through, but a very welcome one.

I entered the College Grounds and walked along the stream and through the gardens, picking up BLACKCAP, BULLFINCH, WHITETHROAT, GREY HERON, PIED WAGTAIL, HOUSE MARTIN, SONGTHRUSH, MOORHEN, LONG TAILED TIT, COAL TIT and STOCK DOVE, but couldn't find the Spotted flycatchers!

On the walk back home for a drinks break, just a flyover MALLARD was added to the June list, however, just as I got my key in the back door, I looked up and out over the Wet Woods and saw 3 LAPWINGS go over - another bonus bird for the month :-)

The second part of my walk was a bit disturbed by Dog walkers and the noise of Strimmers and Mowers making hearing bird calls difficult, but both NUHATCH and TREECREEPER were located in the Wet Woods, and GOLDCRESTS were seen along the footpath that leads to the Scrubby Woods and Lake area. In the Scrubby Woods I found two newly fledged GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, another for the breeding list, whilst JAY and GREEN WOODPECKER were found for the June list, plus two HERRING GULLS and a KESTREL that flew over. One COOT was seen on the Lakes, a new species for the combined June list, but I couldn't see the Greylag today, another omission today was the Cuckoo, that will need to be found quickly, as they stop calling anytime now!

Back out after lunch, I did some skywatching at Migrant Alley, and added SPARROWHAWK, and at long last a SWIFT, also two LITTLE OWLS called together from the greenhouse copse, the last species for the day was BUZZARD, when two circled over.

Despite being out all day, I only got these 3 photo's. Below is a Kestrel, this one was seen on a telephone pole along Ashes lane this afternoon

Above is a Meadow Brown and below another large Skipper, but for a nice warm day there were few Butterflies to be seen.

**** It seems I can now comment on other blogs now! Thanks to Paul the Tortoiseman, Who found that if you untick the ''Keep me signed in box'' when you sign into blogger, the problem goes away***