Summertime birding at the pits

Little Grebe brood (M Clarke)

Common Sandpiper

Fallow Deer (M Clarke)

Black-tailed Godwits (M Clarke)

Common Whitethroat (M Clarke)

Red Kite

Swift in the hand

A new way to start the weekend

Head on shot of the Swift

Greenshank

Green Sandpiper

Stunning recent weather

Gloomy Sunday

Plenty of promise but no new arrivals of note

Squire on Swift Duty

Plenty of Butterflies doing well in the sunshine

I've decided to just blog fortnightly during the summer months with sightings being limited. A Greenshank, found by the Squire, on the 27th July was to become our 128th species of the year. I'd actually not added Common Redstart to the patch year list so that's a bonus to and we continue to chase our record of 141 in 2016. 

On the breeding front, three Little Grebe broods have emerged and the same number of Tufted Duck broods. The Greylag flock topped 400 midweek which is an unusual record for July.

Sundays weather looked very promising but only produced a juvenile Redshank. 

Last Saturday the Squire and I took an injured Swift (he had found in desperate trouble in Alcester) to the Rescue Centre in Evesham. Sadly the Swift had fractured his wing so won't continue his journey south. The bird was very comfortable when in the hand and Mr & Mrs H had done a great job caring for the bird overnight. 

Highlights

17th July - Male Redstart & Hobby
20th July 118 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 female Shoveler, Common Sandpiper, 2 Lesser-blacked Gulls with 2 juveniles, 3 Lapwing
21st July - Male Redstart, 90 Lapwing, 88 Black-headed Gulls, a House Martin, 6 Lesser-blacked Gulls with 2 juveniles, Common Sandpiper
23rd July - 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper
26th July - 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Common Sandpiper
27th July - Greenshank (128), Green Sandpiper, Common Tern, 92 Lapwing, 22 Lesser-blacked Gulls with 2 juveniles, 405 Greylag
28th July - No new arrivals
29th July - Redshank, Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, nice passage of House & Sand Martin & 12 Swift.

Thanks to Jon B, Paul H & Mark C for contributing to the sightings.