Record Breeding Season

Here is a photo of the young Greater Spotted Woodpecker that visits our garden on its own, now that it has been abandoned by the adults.During the week the Collared Dove record has gone up to twenty feeding together. What is it going to finish at?

In a moorland plantation I heard my only young Sparrowhawks this year begging for food. I understand they are down in number this year and this is the first year for decades that I have failed to find a nest. Three young Dabchicks were a late brood to find especially as this pair had their first nest in April and have had a very successful breeding season despite severe disturbance from youths swimming in their pool in the hot weather on May and June.

On Hopwood a Green Woodpecker called during the week and yet again a year goes by without any proof of their breeding. It was good to hear Goldcrest in the pines but are they local breeding birds or early migrants from Scandinavia? The Sand Martins and Swallows are still producing young with most having had second broods despite the recent poor weather.