Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms, heavy rain, 14º, light to mod SE.

Arrived on the hill today in the middle of a thunder storm and had to sit in the car for around 40 minutes.

Once the rain had stopped 6 Swallow flew over giving alarm calls and a Hobby flew through moving north.

Plenty of song from Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Skylark and Common Whitethroat once the rain stopped.

Did not go too far as I could see another rain cloud moving towards the hill, ahead of the rain a flock of around 50 Swift, 12 House Martin and 2 Swallow flew north and at that point I had to call time!

 Swift

 One of the many Rooks flying over

Songs on the Hill

Cloudy, 17º, light to moderate SE.

A few hours on the hill today and the following noted:

A Great-spotted Woodpecker working the Hawthorns on the south face and a Cuckoo heard a couple of times but not located, a Kestrel hunting and at least 6 Red Kite and a Buzzard.

A Lesser Whitethroat heard singing and at least 6 Common Whitethroat noted, also 4 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Yellow Wagtail and Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer at around 6 of each.

Small flocks of Swift regular overhead with several Swallow and 2 House Martin.

A steady flow of mainly Rooks and some Jackdaws backwards and forwards over the hill and feeding on the pig fields around 200+.

A Mistle Thrush carrying food seen on wires over one of the fields to the north of the hill and a pair of Lapwing still present in the area.

The Great Tits in the garden have fledged at least 3 young today, seen being fed by the parent birds.

Butterflies today were Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Small White and a Large White.

Corn Bunting

Yellowhammer

Kestrel

Kestrel

Kestrel

Great-spotted Woodpecker

High dive Squirrel

Overcast, 14º, light rain, no wind.

04:30.........................I woke up early this morning to the song of a Wren in the garden just outside the window, got up, made a cup of tea and decided to sit by the living room window and listen to the limited dawn chorus around the garden.

The Rooks and Jackdaws were leaving the rookery and constantly calling and the Robin started up followed by Blackbird and Song Thrush, a Crow called as did a Moorhen. Shortly after a couple of Wood Pigeon started up and a Great Tit, Collared Dove, Blackcap, Chaffinch, a distant Pheasant heard, a Blue Tit, 3 Mallard appeared in the garden and a Tawny Owl called in the meadow and a Chiffchaff started singing.

By this time it was getting light and a few birds started to appear in the garden to feed.

A little later I heard what I thought was a branch break and caught sight of a Grey Squirrel drop from a tree and plunge into the birdbath, immediately shaking itself off it raced back up the tree only to get knocked off again by another squirrel and drop to the ground by the trunk of the tree. After I stopped laughing I saw that there was some kind of dispute going on and both the squirrels shot off along the trees to the other end of the garden and I lost sight of them. Pity is was not light enough to get a photo!

I would only give the Squirrel 2 out of 10 for the dive as it landed with a belly flop in the birdbath and was far from Olympic standard!

One of the Squirrels from yesterday (courtesy Loren)

Tuftie

A quick visit to Lollingdon today (19th) found a Tufted Duck on the pond at the Manor house. Did not have my camera ready but Loren got a shot before it flew off.

A ♀ Great-spotted Woodpecker frequenting the garden for the last few days and appears to be feeding young nearby, also she has been checking out the Tit nest boxes!

It's a Beautiful Day

Sunny, 22º, light SSE.

A beautiful sunny day on the hill today and fairly quiet birdwise.

2 Raven seen soaring over the hill and picking up a thermal and heading off towards the downs.

A field nearby that was being cut for silage had 24 Red Kite and 2 Buzzard either circling above the field of settled in the field!

Other species noted were 4 Blackcap, 6 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Chiffchaff as well as several Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting and Linnet.

A fair few butterflies on the wing: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Large White, Small White, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock, Large Red Damselfly also.

Adults and young Starlings in the garden this morning.

 Adult & Juvenile Starling

 Juv Starling

 Green-veined White (courtesy Loren)

 Large Red Damselfly (courtesy Loren)