Chiffchaffs morning and evening

Early this morning the garden seemed alive with birds. Lots of feeding Greenfinches and Chaffinches were on the sunflower feeders and there were several warblers around.

Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collegiate)

I saw one male Blackcap coming to drink at the bird bath and several Chiffchaffs playing in the small fountain below and then having a game of hide and seek in the pampas grass. At this time of year most of the Chiffchaffs we see are juveniles, and as well as the well known hueet call they also make a variety of other misleading noises.

Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

This afternoon I had a walk from the Monument and round the Paddock and Bockhill farm wood. The Spotted Flycatcher that Jack had seen this morning eluded me, but I did see this cracking male Common Redstart.

It was in and out of the hedge and never still for more than a few seconds. I did get these two rather poor pictures, I hope it's around tomorrow in a more posy frame of mind. I met Colin Sumner, out for his constitutional walk, and he told me he'd seen a Redstart as he had come across the Paddock from the Droveway. Unless the one I was watching was capable of being in two places at once there were two around.

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

This male Kestrel came over and landed not far away. Although partly obscured it is showing the males characteristic blue-grey tail with a black band and pale tip. The females tail is brown with fine black banding. As I was watching the Kestrel a Hobby flashed across the Paddock, far too quickly for my reactions with the camera.

Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

As it started so it finished, with a group of Chiffchaffs, this time noisily calling from the trees in the Droveway as I walked down to the farm. I was hoping to find the Hobby hunting over the stubble fields. In this I had no luck, it seemed to have gone through with out stopping.

Moths Still stuck in the Yellow Underwing rut, but there was a fresh Large Thorn and several Lunar Underwings today. I'm still catching Copper Underwings, but these are invariably tatty now. The only migrants in the last couple of days are a couple of Rush Veneers and a Silver Y.