Cuckoo Twitch

After hearing about the Cuckoo seen on the Pit Tip the previous morning, it had to be worth a try, having had no other records this year. A couple of gulls were moving over the Pit Tip with two single Black-headed Gull moving low over to the west, and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull also over to the west. Walking over the main ride over the crown of the Pit Tip Top a relatively large bird flushed from the ride, and flew low over the grassland before disappearing to view towards the main Pit Tip Plantation. Despite the brief views, it was definitely a Cuckoo, and the orange/buff plumage I noted suggests it was a female or juvenile. Also of note was a single male Pheasant heard calling from the middle of the Pit Tip Grassland

Family Walk at Mill Lakes

A late morning walk with the family to the Mill Lakes on a very bright and arm morning produced plenty of opportunities for the kids to see some of this year's young. A family of Carrion Crow - an adult with four juveniles - were feeding on the Picnic Area as we arrived. At the end of the Peninsula, a group of Canada Goose had at least three yojng, and two adopted juvenile Greylag Goose with them. The Mute Swan family arrived to see if we had any food - the pair having three young. I counted at least seventy Canada Goose - impressive numbers. A single male Teal was by Mud Island, and an adult Great Crested Grebe was seen on the nest, as was a Coot. Other birds of note were a single Grey Heron in the trees on the opposite bank to the Dipping Ponds, a male Bullfinch, and the ever-present male Garden Warbler singing from its usual tree on Willow Island.

Batting by the Home Side

An evening walk to the Mill Lakes produced very little, as it was so late by the time I arrived. There had been a thunderstorm earlier in the evening, and good numbers of Common Swift were hawking insects over the lake. Little Owl was seen in the usual location, and no less than nine Mistle Thrush were feeding in Broad Valley's East Paddock and gathering on the overhead wires. Around the Miller's End area of the Pit Tip, three Pipistrelle bat were seen following a regular route alongside the edge of the woodland - predictable enough for the odd photo.

Cygnet Arrival

This morning was my first walk in over a week. Both Common Whitethroat and Willow Warbler were still holding territory at two locations on the Pit Tip. Good numbers of the larger wildfowl were present at the Mill Lakes with around forty Greylag Goose, and sixty Canada Goose on the lake. The single Mute Swan has been joined by another two adults - one with four cygnets. Singles of Gadwall, Teal, and Ruddy Duck were at the north end. A single Sand Martin was hawking insects over the lake, a pair of Coot were with two larger young, and another adult was still on its nest. Singles of Reed Warbler and Garden Warbler were heard singing.

A pair of Mistle Thrush were in the Spinney Field with a group of Starling. The Little Owl was seen again on a fence post, and then on the hedgerow. A male Kestrel was perched near the entrance to the Quarry, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was still drumming around the Old Rectory, and a male Barn Swallow was singing from the wires there too.