With blue skies, sunshine and a gentle breeze, today felt like a good day to do a Raptor Watch, a visit to the Dentist and the rail station meant I couldn't get out early anyway, so was about 10.15 when I arrived at Yellowhammer Alley at the end of Bullfinch Lane, I did contemplate walking up Wolstonbury to do it, but frankly couldn't be arsed!😲 Unfortunately due an ill-advised and incompetent attempt to fix it myself, my Scope has to go back to Swarovski to be fixed 😢 which obviously makes Raptor Watching a bit more difficult, but heh-ho I've got good bins! Dreams of migrating Honey Buzzards and Ospreys or maybe a Stork from Knepp filled my mind as I chose a place to watch from, It started well a Buzzard went up in the middle distance and a Red Kite appeared but distant😢
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| Wolstonbury Hill |
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| Common Buzzard |
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| Red Kite |
Well to cut a 3hr watch short that was about it on the Raptor front!! I saw approximately 15 Buzzards but most were distant dots, one of the most distant ones was being mobbed by what looked like a Sparrowhawk and I had one Kestrel hovering but again a good way away!! One brief moment of excitement when a trio of Corvids harassed a Red Kite my way but at the last minute veered away towards the Downs where it was set upon by another Red Kite!!! But again distant!
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| Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Red Kite and friends |
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| Two distant Red Kites |
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| Common Buzzard |
Bit disappointing Raptor wise but plenty going on, was pretty much surrounded by a large flock of Swallows and Housemartins for the whole watch, I manfully tried to ignore them but after a number of close fly-bys gave in and tried to take pics of them, which rarely ends well, with me contorting myself all over the place trying to track em, risking crippling injury for what usually turn out to be rubbish pics😆, Which pretty much describes what happened today, some Pics below!!
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| Swallow |
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| Housemartin |
Yes I don't know why I bother either, although always good fun trying, interesting to watch them working one of the tall trees, presumably had a bit of an Insect hatching as they flew in and out of the branches!!
Another reason for my choice of site was obviously Yellowhammers! The clues in the name, albeit a name that I've made up myself!! It will catch on!! Could hear a couple chirping away in the hedge, one would stick it's head out now and then, and they would fly out and about occasionally, bit flighty today and obviously with my eyes on the skies didn't go full stealth mode to try and get close but always nice to see them!
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| Yellowhammer |
Another interesting observation today was the Jays, Industrious or what? Not sure how many different birds it was, but they were continually appearing with acorns from all around the place!!
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| Jay |
The other notable birds present were the Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, plenty of both flying around, soon as they land they disappear, which makes pics difficult but found a small flock of Pipits that I managed to get views of, Skylarks not so much, so poor flights shots I'm afraid! The best of the rest pictured below as well
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| Skylark |
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| Dunnock |
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| The Church |
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| Plenty of Gulls about |
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| Nice Sky |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Wolstonbury Hill |
So not the Raptorfest envisaged but a nice 3 and half hours anyway!!
Yesterday, the youngest offspring was in town and we paid a visit to Pulborough Brooks, was very quiet with everything predictably distant, the Bacon Roll was nice though!! A few pics below
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| Greenfinch |
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| Highland Cow |
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| Starling |
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| The Brooks, plenty of water about |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Robin |
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| House Sparrow |
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