August ends with a whimper

Mainly cloudy with a few sunny spells, 15°, light E. 

After all the turbulent weather of the last few weeks August goes out with a whimper.

A walk along the Bunk line/ Green lane today and Alan out by the Lees area.

Some good flocks of Hirundines moving thru today with one mixed flock of Swallow and House Martin numbering 100+ birds (c250 in total) and movement ceased around midday.

A Willow Warbler in brief song along Green lane and 3 Blackcap, a Common Whitethroat and several Chiffchaff and 4-5 Green Woodpecker of note.

Quite a few Yellow Wagtail still around (10+) and 6 Pied Wagtail.

Alan managed a Peregrine Falcon and Sparrowhawk out by the Lees.

Dragonflies: 1 Southern Hawker and several Common Darter.

Butterflies: several “Whites” and 1 Red Admiral.

Moths: a Silver-Y.

Yellow Wagtail pics courtesy Alan Dawson.

Chiffchaff

Red Admiral

We had weather today!

Cloudy with some sunshine and rain arriving, 16°, light SSE.

A visit to Lollingdon Hill and a walk along the Bunk line today prior to rain and a thunderstorm late afternoon. We certainly got weather today! 😎 💦 🌈 ☂ ☁

2 Common Redstart, a Willow Warbler, several Chiffchaff and a Common Whitethroat present along with a Kestrel.

A single Yellow Wagtail overhead and a Hobby passing thru and a few small groups of Swallow.

Along the Bunk line I was watching a couple of Yellow Wagtail in a field when a Kestrel went over and 14 Yellow Wagtail flew up. Did not realise there were that many present. 😄

50-60 Hirundines feeding around CSW, mainly Swallow with a few House Martin.

A few Chiffchaff present in the hedgerow around the sewage works and one in song.

A Grey Wagtail in the garden again.

Wind & Rain

Sunny spells (after the rain), 21°, gusty SW.

A walk out this afternoon once the rain had stopped along the Bunk line. The wind was gusting quite strongly and put paid to any decent birding.

I could hear Chiffchaff and Yellowhammer calls though but they were staying well in cover along with other small birds.

a couple of Yellow Wagtail heard calling near CSW.

A few Hirundines (Swallow & House Martins) moving thru and a group of around 10 Swallow stayed for a time feeding low over one of the fields

Corvids Kites and Gulls were the only birds in the air and coping with the strong wind.

A single Southern Hawker dragonfly and a few Small White butterflies were on the wing in a sheltered area.

Some of the Swallows feeding.

Not much happening

Cloudy with the odd sunny spell, 19°, light WSW. 

Just got rid of Ellen and now Francis is on its way!

2 Common Redstart on the hill today (m & f) and a Willow Warbler along the same hedgerow. Unfortunately always distant!

A single Kestrel hunting on the hill, a Yellow Wagtail overhead and a flock of 9 Magpie and a few family groups of Swallow over.

Nearby another Common Redstart in the cattle field, several Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and a Common Whitethroat.

A Raven seen near the 4-Arches. Per MA.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Common Darter.

Butterflies: another Clouded Yellow and a few Whites.

 Common Redstart

Common Darter

A lone Swift passes thru

Sunny spells, 21°, very fresh SSW.

Hardly worth going out today as Ellen came in with some gusty conditions and most birds appeared to be keeping their heads down.

A field next to the Bunk line was being ploughed and had attracted a few gulls with 47 Lesser Blackback Gull, 1 Herring Gull and 1 Black-headed Gull as well as numbers of Rook and Jackdaw.

A few Yellowhammer feeding along the field margins and several Chiffchaff in the hedgerows.

A few Swallow and House Martin struggling thru against the wind and Alan was fortunate enough to see a Swift in the same area this afternoon.

A Brown Hare seen with a damaged rear right leg but appeared to be moving reasonably okay!

In sheltered spots there was a few dragonfly and butterfly. Brown Hawker and Common Darter and a few Small White and a Gatekeeper.

Swift (Archive photo)

After the Rain & Before the Storm

A Sunshiny day, 23°, fresh SSW.

A little breezy on the hill today and not much there. A Common Redstart still present and now in the Hawthorns at the top and 3 Yellowhammer still present.

4 Kestrel hunting on the hill and the usual Buzzards and Red Kites and a single Yellow Wagtail overhead.

A single Spotted Flycatcher in the cattle field along with a Common Whitethroat and several Chiffchaff.

Another reasonable passage of Swallow again today with c80 flying south in total.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: My first Clouded Yellow of the year, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

Insects: Hornet Robberfly out near Little Lollingdon and Tony Rayner found 2 in his meadow today.

 Mystery bird 😃

Spotted Flycatcher

 Hornet Robberfly

Speckled Wood

 Kestrels ↕

Buzzard

Kestrel

A wet one

Rain, 19°, light SSE.

A thoroughly wet day and did not venture out until around 15:00 when the rain had eased a little.

As expected it was rather quiet along the Bunk line on a brief walk.

A good passage of House Martin and Swallow passing thru 100+ birds in total.

5 Yellow Wagtail flew over and a Sparrowhawk flying low along the line. Good numbers of Greenfinch still present around Green lane and do not recall seeing that many before in that area. Also been a good dozen feeding in the garden recently and a Grey Wagtail present again.

Alan saw the Common Sandpiper again today on the new gravel workings.

Surprisingly a couple of butterfly on the wing with 3 Small White, 1 Red Admiral and a Meadow Brown.

Yellow Wagtail pics courtesy Alan

A Butterfly day

Sunny intervals, 21°, breezy SSW.

A walk out to the Lees area before the rain came and some good butterflies found today by others.

Around 20 Lesser Blackback Gull and 2 Black-headed Gull on a recently ploughed field along with a Rook and Jackdaw flock and a Yellow Wagtail over.

A Peregrine Falcon and a Sparrowhawk out by the Lees and a few Chiffchaff and Yellowhammer and 5 Reed Bunting along the “Long ditch”.

A reasonable passage of Swallows today c100.

And that was about it!

Alan along Bunk line. Several Yellow Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, good numbers of Swallow, a Raven, Lots of Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Chiffchaff and similar dragonflies and butterflies.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: low numbers but some quality, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

Alan had a Painted Lady in his garden today, only the 2nd one this year as far as we are aware.

Tony Rayner has found a Chalk Hill Blue butterfly in his meadow today, the first record for a long time and another Clouded Yellow.

Also another scarce moth, a Tree Lichen Beauty.

Chalk Hill Blue (courtesy Tony Rayner)

Painted Lady (courtesy Alan)

Yellow Wagtail (courtesy Alan)

 Reed Bunting

Yellowhammer

Peregrines take the day.

Cloudy with a few sunny spells and the odd rain shower, 22°, light SSW.

A mixed weather day with a few thunderstorms rumbling by at a distance.

On arriving out at Lollingdon there were a good number of House Martin perched on the wires over the cattle field. I counted up to 63 before a Kite flew over and they all took off. Impossible to count from then on so 60+ was a good number but maybe up to 80?

A Common Redstart, Willow Warbler, 3 Yellowhammer and 5 Kestrel on the hill today. With a max of 3 Buzzard and 8 Red Kite soaring overhead most of the time.

2 Raven flew south to the west of the hill.

A couple of Blackcap, a Common Whitethroat and several Chiffchaff around the north of the hill and a couple of Yellow Wagtail flew over the cattle field.

As I was passing thru some trees on the way back I heard a commotion overhead and a Buzzard burst thru the trees followed by 3 Falcons.

I managed to get a good view of 2 of the Falcons and they were Peregrines and I am assuming the 3rd was also a Peregrine.

They wheeled around back over the trees and disappeared from view. I cleared the trees to try and take a further look and saw 1 of the Peregrines flying off to the east. That was it, all took place in a matter of less than a minute.

Found the Buzzard a little later perched up in a tree but no further sign of the Falcons.

Alan managed to get out today: Family of Yellow Wagtail, Common Sandpiper x2, Peregrine Falcon, Good numbers of Swallow passing through, Red Admirals and lots of Speckled Wood and a Southern Hawker +.

(2 Peregrine Falcon reported high over Cholsey School this afternoon).

Looks as though Peregrines were doing the grand tour of Cholsey 😀

Two of the local Grey Wagtail still frequenting the garden.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: 1 Brimstone, several Large White and Small White, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock and several each of Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Some of the House Martins

Southern Hawker

Small Heath from yesterday (courtesy Alan)

A quieter day.

Cloudy, 23°, light SSW.

Quite a contrasting day compared with yesterday along the Bunk line with far fewer birds seen but some insects on the wing.

Still quite a few Greenfinch, Linnet and Yellowhammer feeding in the stubble and Goldfinch on the seeding thistle heads.

Several Chiffchaff noted, 4 Yellow Wagtail and a good passage of Swallow (c100).

A single Kestrel and a Starling flock around CSW.

Mammals: Roe Deer.

Dragonflies: Common Darter.

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood and several Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

The Roe Deer appeared at a fence and promptly jumped over it and slowly made its way past me and proceeded on its way out into the open fields. Fortunately I had my back against a tree which probably helped to break up my outline so I was not visible to it.

 Common Sandpiper (courtesy Alan)

 Young Swallows resting up ↕

Grey Wagtail

Roe Deer track

Dull day, lotsa Birds

Thick cloud, 20°, light NE.

A damp, muggy day with low cloud and the intermittent light rain shower.

A walk out along the Bunk line/Green lane area and Alan ranging far and wide taking in Lollingdon Hill, the river and Bunk line.

Highlight today was a Whimbrel, heard at first then seen flying towards Cholsey Hill.

2 Spotted Flycatcher and a Willow Warbler at the intersection of Green Lane and good numbers of Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Linnet nearby.

The Common Sandpiper still present at the gravel workings and a Stonechat near the village end of the Bunk Line.

18 Greylag Geese flew over, 2 Yellow Wagtail, a single Grey Wagtail, 10+ Chiffchaff, a Common Whitethroat, several Yellowhammer, 50+ Starling and a Rather damp looking Kestrel.

A good movement of Hirundines, with 50+ Swallow and House Martin along the river and several small flocks of House Martin and Swallow over the Bunk Line area. Loren had 30+ House Martin over her allotment today.

The Common Redstart still present on Lollingdon Hill.

The only butterfly seen today was a Meadow Brown that flew thru the garden late afternoon.

 Stonechat vid courtesy Alan

 Stonechat courtesy Alan

 Spotted Flycatcher

 Stonechat ↕

Willow Warbler (no time to focus before it flew!)

Jersey Tiger

Tony Rayner caught this Jersey Tiger Moth today.

Butterfly Conservation states: Resident and a suspected immigrant. Well established along the south coast of Devon and Dorset, extending inland to the edge of Dartmoor.

Also found on the Isle of Wight, Sussex, and Kent and recently from parts of London, with a few records elsewhere.

A little quiet out there

Overcast, 21°, light N.

After yesterday’s thunderstorm and rain we thought it may have stirred things up a bit. However it was rather quiet out there today.

I spent a couple of hours around Lollingdon hill and not a lot to show for it with just 1 Common Redstart and a couple of Kestrel.

The walk to and from was relatively quiet also, good numbers of Yellowhammer still around with up to 6 Reed Bunting around Little Lollingdon area and a mixed flock of around 100 Linnet and Goldfinch in the same area.

That was about it!

At least a couple of Grey Wagtail still visiting the garden.

Alan was along the Bunk line today and found a Stonechat and 3 Yellow Wagtail and a Common Sandpiper still frequenting the new gravel workings.

Negative on butterflies and dragonflies today and only a few Brown Hare noted.

 Common Sandpiper (courtesy Alan)

Stonechat (courtesy Alan)

 A Magpie hitching a ride. Two fold, 1, taking any parasites the sheep may have & 2, a good vantage point looking out for anything the sheep may disturb.

Great-spotted Woodpecker

Rain & Shine

Light rain at first then sunny, 25°, light NE.

Muggy at first then clearing and warm again.

Lollingdon hill relatively quiet this morning, 1 Common Redstart present (only one seen) the other may still be there.

1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 1 Corn Bunting, 3 Yellowhammer in same hedge and 2 Kestrel around the hill.

A light passage of Swallow and House Martin.

2 Raven flew south west, 2 Sparrowhawk (together) flew east and 23 Lesser Blackback Gull loafing in a nearby field with the Rook flock.

Up to 4 Spotted Flycatcher still around the cattle field and several Chiffchaff in same area and a couple of Yellow Wagtail overhead.

Common Sandpiper still present at the new gravel workings. (2 yesterday) Per Alan.

A Kingfisher flying along Cholsey Brook south of the railway.

A Grey Wagtail in the garden again this morning early on and then 5 This evening.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Brown Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

 Spotted Flycatcher ↕

Grey Wagtail

Forest Shieldbug, there were over 40 of these on an Ash tree.

 5 Grey Wagtail in the garden this evening ↕