Saturday 21 May 2016

Another mostly overcast morning, with a stiff SW breeze making it feel cool for the time of year.

I made the effort to get round for a full patch walk today walk, finding a measly 44 bird species, with Jay, Long Tailed Tit and Sparrowhawk the most obvious omissions for the day. I did at least find a couple of newly fledged species for the 'successfully Bred' patch list, when a very young ROBIN was seen at the Greenhouse Grounds, STOCK DOVE was also added, a recently fledged individual was with an adult bird at the Small Holding.

Other bits of note were 3 BUZZARDS that were soaring low over the Wet Woods, plus the only other raptor seen today the male KESTREL hunting over the Greenhouse Grounds. Also a LITTLE OWL was in its usual tree at the Greenhouse Grounds and a male MANDARIN DUCK was on the main lake. 59 GREYLAG GEESE were on one of the paddocks at Migrant Alley, but no Canada Geese today.

SWIFT, SWALLOW, BLACKCAP, COMMON WHITETHROAT and CHIFFCHAFF remain the only summer birds recorded, the likes of Turtle Dove and Spotted Flycatcher - both former breeding birds look to have been lost to the area now, although one may still turn up on passage.

An afternoon visit to the Scrubby Woods to look for Odonata proved fruitless, not surprising in the un-summer like weather, so no images today  :-(

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