The Hill

Sunny, 25º, light SSW.

A walk out to Lollingdon hill today.

The walk out and back was reasonably quiet, a Green Woodpecker on the playing fields, a few Greenfinch and Yellowhammer in the hedgerows along with a few Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap. Quite a few Wood Pigeon feeding in the fields on spilt seed and 12 Red Kite quartering a field being worked presumably scavenging for any casualties.

The hill was fairly active with up to 12 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, a Common Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Green Woodpecker and the ♂ Redstart still present.

A few Yellowhammer, c 30 Linnet and at least 2 Hobby nearby. Several more Red Kite and c12 Buzzard.

Dragonflies: 2 Brown Hawker, 1 Southern Hawker, 1 Migrant Hawker, 1 Blue Emperor and several Common Darter.

Butterflies, less numerous; 2 Large White, Small White, Small Tort, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, 1 Comma, 5 Red Admiral, 3 Common Blue and 2 Brown Argus.

A Sparrowhawk had taken a Wood Pigeon in the garden and a Carrion Crow was feeding on what was left.

Tawny Owls around the garden this evening.

Around 20 House Martin and several Swallow feeding over the garden today and it looks as though most if not all of our Swifts have departed (mean departure date 5^th Aug) unless there are any late breeders, most from now on should be migrants passing through.

 Green Woodpecker (juv)

 ♂ Common Redstart

 Brown Argus