Lucky Charm

Another Pit Top visit before work produced much of the same species typically seen in the area. This included a resident Meadow Pipit flock of around ten birds, flyover Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull (N and ESE respectively), a female Sparrowhawk hunting around the Plantation, and at least four Green Woodpecker - including two juveniles. At Dawson's Corner, a female Blackcap was seen feeding in the alders by the west entrance gate, and on my way to the bus stop a single group of at least sixty Goldfinch were seen just south of the Pit Tip.

Standing Room Only

A pretty dismal morning bird-wise. Barely nothing moving over the Pit Tip, so headed to Lamin's Lane, and got more of nothing. Can't complain about the sunny calm weather, but it has a tendency to be bad for birding! Highlight was a pair of juvenile Common Pheasant stood - yes stood - on a metal gate along Lamin's Lane. Would of made a great photo, but I wasn't quick enough and just caught the second one falling off.

Vis. Mig. Again

Yet more vis. mig. this morning before work, but notably reduced movements. Most of the usual suspects sticking around on the Pit Tip. A small Meadow Pipit passage SSW, with only a handful sticking on the Grassland. The most notable movements were hirundines, as a dozen Barn Swallow were hawking insects over the Pit Tip Top with twenty House Martin, and a forty of the latter high over to the south in one group.

Vis. Mig. Hit

Another try at vis. migging on this Pit Tip this morning proved slightly more successful with two Sand Martin low over heading south, and singles of Common Whitethroat and Chiffchaff stuck down. Good numbers of Meadow Pipit were moving with a fairly decent fortyish birds on the Grassland and another ten straight over south. Also of note were a female Sparrowhawk being mobbed by two Magpie in the Plantation, a single Kestrel hunting low over the Pit Tip Top, a juvenile Green Woodpecker alarm calling from the Planatation, and my first Skylark since they stopped singing.

Vis. Mig. Miss

Very poor vis. mig. over the Pit Tip before work this morning, with little but a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gull passing over. On the deck there were 11 Meadow Pipit, and late singing males of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler(!). At Ferny Wood, at least three Sparrowhawk were seen distantly from the watchpoint 'playing' over Crimea Wood.

Mill Lakes Juveniles

This morning at the Mill Lakes an adult Great Crested Grebe was fishing together with the large juvenile in the middle part of the lake and three juvenile Moorhen were along the bank of reeds near Mud Island.

Pit Tip Juveniles

Around the Pit Tip this morning a juvenile Willow Warbler was seen at the Pit Tip Plantation, and an adult Sparrowhawk was hunting over the Cow Fields. At Dawon's Corner a juvenile Green Woodpecker was perched at the top of a hawthorn and at least two Common Whitethroat juveniles were seen together near the footbridge.