Stonechat and some!

Mainly cloudy with the occasional sunny spell, 19°, light SW.

I’m guessing there could have been some carrion on Lollingdon hill today as there was a swarm of birds *kettling over a small area on the top of the hill.

Comprising 15 Red Kite, 5 Buzzard, 4 Raven and briefly a Sparrowhawk and 2 Crow and several Magpie on the periphery.

The Raven appeared to be the dominant species as they seemed to work as a team with 1 or 2 presumably going down to feed whilst the others were busy hassling the Kites and Buzzards.

[*I know kettling is a controversial police tactic but the term was used back in the 1970’s in an ornithological context.]

2 Kestrel also on the hill but minding their own business hunting for Grasshoppers.

Also present, a juvenile Stonechat, an adult male Common Redstart and several Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

Almost a constant flow of Hirundines with a couple of large flocks passing overhead, 150+ House Martin, 100+ Swallow and a handful of Swift in 3 hours and continued thru the afternoon as noted from the allotments.

3 Nuthatch & 2 Coal Tit visiting the garden today 😊.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker & Common Darter.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper & Meadow Brown.

Stonechat ↕

A few of the Ravens plus Red Kite

Nuthatch

First Swift

Mainly cloudy with a few sunny spells, 13°, fresh W.

The first Swift of the year over the village this afternoon and 2 House Martin over Church road.

Lollingdon, 24th Aug

Overcast, 20°, freshening SW.

Another Redstart on the hill today, seen initially in the hedge to the west then later on the hill.

Several Whitethroat seen feeding on blackberries, Blackcaps feeding on elder berries and a couple of Willow Warbler and around a dozen Chiffchaff.

Met another birder up there (Peter Law) and we managed to relocate the Redstart.

A single Swift still feeding over Wantage today.