Today looked like the best day of the week, I wanted to give my knee a workout, so hobbled around Blackdown. It was quiet, the few birds present were in their shaggy late summer moult plumage. There was no sign of any autumn flocks although this will come in the next few weeks. Several
Siskin were noisy in the birches and a family group of
Stonechat and
Dartford Warblers were in the same vicinity. I also saw 3
Redstart chasing round after each other, which I'm guessing were local breeders rather than migrants. 3
Chiffchaff and a single Willow type were close together and 2 or 3
Whitethroats were active. A
Sparrowhawk flew over carrying prey, most likely a Blue Tit from the zoomed up photo. Most surprising, was a distant view of a
Kingfisher, the unmistakable blue flash looking down from afar onto the Fernden Lane fish ponds. The heather was not yet in full flower so there were virtually no Butterflies, unlike back at home where more
Common Blues and a
Comma joined several more
Peacock and
Red Admiral. There was also a Fritillary that didn't hang around so I can only surmise it was probably a Silver-washed. Late afternoon another sighting of the dark-phase
Honey Buzzard which drifted high and north.
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| Stonechat |
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| Dartford Warbler |
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| Sparrowhawk, carrying prey- possibly a Blue Tit |
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| View from Reservoir track towards Surrey |
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| Pied Wagtail at home |
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| Comma |
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