Zilch on the hill

Sunny, 23°, breezy S.

After the pulse of migrants this week on the hill there was zilch today just 5 Kestrel hunting over the hill.

A hedgerow to the north of the hill still held a Common Redstart, a Blackcap and a couple of Chiffchaff and a handful of House Martin overhead.

2 Jay and a Sparrowhawk also noted.

The Nuthatches still visiting the garden.

A few more species of Dragonfly and Butterfly today in the warmer conditions.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Emperor and several Common Darter.

Butterflies: a single Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Common Darter (male)

 Common Darter (female)

Holly Blue

Extent of illegal killing of birds in the Mediterranean revealed in BirdLife report

Illegal Bird Killing in the Med Region

 

Moving on.

Mainly cloudy, a few light rain showers, 19°, light SSE.

Looks as though the majority of the migrants on the hill have moved on, however 6 Wheatear still present and a Common Redstart.

2 Raven flew across the hill and settled on fence posts at the far end and 160 Hirundines over today, with just over 100 Swallow and the rest House Martin.

Dragonflies: Brown Hawker & Common Darter.

Butterflies: again very few, Small White, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper & Meadow Brown.

Chats

Cloudy then rain, 16°, light S.

Light rain set in around 14:30 but then go heavier so left the hill at 16:00.

At least 7 Wheatear on the hill with 5 along the fence line and a couple more in the fields, also a Whinchat with them.

2 Common Redstart, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler and 5 Chiffchaff.

Before the rain came I had 127 House Martin and 39 Swallow fly over.

The Mistle Thrush flock still present, a Great-spotted Woodpecker, 5 Yellowhammer and 2 Jay.

A number of Blackbird (at least 8) and 3 Song Thrush feeding on Elderberries on one part of the hill.

Mammals: 2 Bank Vole.

Butterflies: very few, same as yesterday.

Coming & Going

Cloudy, 16°, light WNW.

A brief visit to the hill today and cooler conditions.

Some birds appeared to have moved on but with others arriving, 4 Common Redstart out at Lollingdon today with 3 on the hill and the 4th along a hedgerow to the north of the hill still.

3 Wheatear present on the hill and then flew off to the fields nearby, 2 Willow Warbler, a single Lesser Whitethroat, a single Common Whitethroat and 5 Chiffchaff.

The flock of 20+ Mistle Thrush still present and a Great-spotted Woodpecker.

An adult and juv Green Woodpecker in the meadow today.

Mammals: Bank Vole.

Butterflies: few today, Large White, Small White, Gatekeeper & Meadow Brown.

Migrants!

Cloudy with a few sunny spells, 20°, light N.

A good day and a good bit of activity on the hill today with quite a few common migrants turning up, either on or over the hill. Interesting to see if this is reflected elsewhere in the county.

3 Common Redstart,
5 Common Whitethroat,
4 Blackcap,
1 (poss 2) Garden Warbler,
2 Lesser Whitethroat,
4 Willow Warbler,
9 Chiffchaff,
1 Sedge Warbler,
2 Yellow Wagtail over,
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker,
1 Green Woodpecker,
20+ Mistle Thrush,
5 Kestrel,
20+ Goldfinch feeding on thistle heads,
50+ Swallow over,
6 House Martin over,
1 Hobby over,
2 Whinchat along the fence line leading to the hill.

Mammals: Roe Deer, several (Common) Pipistrelle hunting the garden and 2 Hedgehog.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Common Darter.

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

Then there were three

Cloudy, 19°, very light NE..

3 Redstart out at Lollingdon today, 2 on the hill and another in a hedgerow to the north of the hill.

A single Willow Warbler on the north side of the hill and several Chiffchaff in the area.

5 Kestrel, 4 Buzzard and a few Red Kite, also a Great-spotted Woodpecker.

Mammals: Red Fox.

Dragonflies: fem Southern Hawker.

Butterflies: very few, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

A Sparrowhawk in the garden late afternoon.

A bit of a wet one.

Heavy to light rain, 16°, light NW.

A walk out to Lollingdon between bouts of rain and fortunately got a lift back with T&G W………Ta.

Both Redstart still on the hill and a flock of around 25 Mistle Thrush (also seen yesterday by TW).

Also 100+ Swallow and at least 4 House Martin feeding over and around the hill before moving off and a single Swift flew over.

A Willow Warbler and several Chiffchaff also noted.

Needless to say with the weather conditions there was a complete lack of larger insects, however singles of Small White, Gatekeeper and a Southern Hawker seen.

The 2 Nuthatch still frequenting the garden several times throughout the day and a Treecreeper this evening and the feeders have been particularly busy today with Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Chaffinch.

Red tails on the hill

Sunny, 20°, light ENE.

The 2 Common Redstart still present on the hill today, also 3 Mistle Thrush on the hill for a short time.

2 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat present nearby.

20+ Red Kite and 2 Buzzard riding a thermal out towards the village and a couple of Kestrel around.

A Kingfisher by the pond.

Mammals: Roe Deer.

R&A's: Common Lizard, 1 seen sunbathing on an ant hill.

Dragonflies: Brown Hawker and Common Darter.

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

Some record shots, couldn't get close to anything today except the Brimstone!

Redstarts

Overcast, 20°, frequent light rain showers, breezy SW.

A damp visit to the hill today turned up 2 Common Redstart and a single Willow Warbler.

5 Chiffchaff, 6 Yellowhammer and a Hobby also noted and at least 5 Kestrel in the area, not a great deal else seen.

Dragonflies: Brown Hawker.

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

3 Hedgehogs in the garden tonight.

Weekend 7th, 8th and 9th Aug.

Mainly sunny, 22°, light SW.

A Barn Owl seen over Cholsey Hill.

Then all records from the garden.

2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Tawny Owl and 5 Long-tailed Tit in the garden over the weekend.

Swallow and House Martin still feeding overhead and a few Swift moving over, looks as if most, if not all our local Swifts have departed.

Nearby Sparrowhawks have fledged and a Hobby flew over the garden on Saturday and several Chiffchaff around.

A Little Owl heard calling this evening from somewhere to the NW of the meadow.

Dragonflies: Brown Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies:  Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Holly Blue. Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown.

Nuthatch

 Holly Blue

Field Grasshopper

Windhover

Another breezy and cloudy day and a little cooler, 16°, breezy S.

Rather quiet on the south side of the hill, a couple of Kestrel hunting on the hill and a few Red Kite and Buzzard high overhead.

The leeward side had a bit more activity with 2 Willow Warbler seen on the hill, the first ones since the spring and presumably on return passage.

Also a rather large Tit flock of around 80 birds, mainly Long-tailed Tit and Blue Tit and at least 5 Chiffchaff. A bit further down were a couple of Blackcap feeding on Elder berries, another small group of around 12 Blue Tit and 2 Whitethroat and 5 Yellowhammer.

The Nuthatch still visiting the garden and 2 juvenile Robin in the garden this week and the Tawny Owls now regular again.

Mammals: a Weasel ran across a track in front of me and a Hedgehog still regular in the garden.

Butterflies: fewer around today, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Raptors and Butterflies

Cloudy with a few sunny spells, 20°, breezy WSW.

Again a bit breezy on the hill with very few small passerines evident.

5 or 6 Kestrel around the hill, 20+ Red Kite, 6 Buzzard, a Hobby flew rather fast south, a Peregrine flew towards the village and a Sparrowhawk went west.

A couple of hundred Rook with 30+ Jackdaw on one of the ploughed fields and around 20 Lesser Blackback Gull.

A handful of Swift and Swallow over the hill moving south and a couple of Little Owl calling nearby.

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

Holly Blue

Brimstone

We have Wind

Mainly cloudy, 21°, breezy SSW.

Another breezy day out at Lollingdon and a lot of harvesting going on.

Another breezy day says it all, I've thought this year has been windier than usual as I tend to notice it more out on the hill and the met office have confirmed it.

Due to the lack of high pressure systems so far this year, "which bring calm weather".

Met Office blog  windy 2015

Some of the fields that have already been harvested and ploughed are now suitable for gulls to loaf about on with 50+ Lesser Blackback Gull and a few Black-headed Gull.

2 Raven flew over the hill and moved off towards Moulsford and a handful of Swift and Swallow over.

A fair few Chiffchaff around with 10+ counted overall, a couple of Song Thrush and a juv Robin noted.

Butterflies: few around today, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

A lot of 7-spot Ladybirds again.

Lunar moments

Full moon Fri 11:40 July 31st, the 2nd full moon in July, also known as a Blue Moon and 00:10 Sat August 1st 2015