Lutley Wedge 31/07/11 07.20am (16°c) Bright with broken cloud. Light (S) breeze F1/2

The excellent run of Hobby sightings on the local patch this autumn continued today, with 2 Hobbies together around Foxcote Pond this morning. A flock of (80+) Linnet were at Grange Barns/Farm.

Migrant Totals:-

2 Hobby (1➝WSW) (1➝E)

1 Siskin ➝N

76 Swift

6 Swallow

29 House Martin

1 Willow Warbler

3 Chiffchaff

4 Common Whitethroat

1 Blackcap

1 Red Admiral

Hobby 31/7/11

Lutley Wedge 29/07/11 07.10am (14°c) Cool cloudy and overcast. Wind (E/NE) F2

Very much the highlight in patch terms today and a welcome patch year tick were (2) Mute Swans that flew in high over the Top Footpath at 09.45am heading North. Mute Swan is a 'rare passage visitor' at Lutley Wedge with only a handful of previous records! Other oddities on the move this morning included (6) Cormorant that flew in from the WNW and headed off to the SSW.

Vis Mig/Migrant totals:-

2 Mute Swan ➝N

6 Cormorant ➝SSW

1 Hobby (hunting around Grange Farm/Foxcote Pond)

26 Swift 

37 House Martin

19+ Swallow

1 Willow Warbler

9 Chiffchaff

1 Common Whitethroat

Mute Swan and Cormorants 29/7/11

Lutley Wedge 26/07/11 12.10pm (20°c) Warm, sunny spells + broken cloud light NNW Breeze

'Subbuteo's and Swiftage!'

At least (130) Swifts and (26) Swallows were feeding low over the fields around Grange Farm/Foxcote Pond, and attracted the attentions of (2) hunting Hobbies that flew over at 12.19pm and 2.35pm. 

Migrant totals:-

(2) Hobby ➝E

(130+) Common Swift

(26+) Swallow

(2+) House Martin

(1) Willow Warbler

(6) Chiffchaff

(3) Common Whitethroat

(1) Blackcap

Swifts and Hobby Lutley Wedge 26/7/11

Lutley Wedge 20/07/11 12.30pm (18°c) Warm cloudy and overcast, light ENE Breeze

Finally a few signs that things are starting to move today. A superb Hobby flew over hunting Hirundines and Swifts at Wassell Grove Pools, and was mobbed by Swallows before heading off ➝NNE, also a Sedge Warbler in the hedgerows near Foxcote Pond. 

Also seen :-

70+ Common Swift

20+ Swallow

20+ House Martin

11 Common Whitethroat

2 Blackcap 

6 Chiffchaff

22 Linnet

2 Red Admiral

Hobby 20/7/11

Signs of successful breeding (Juv Common Whitethroat and Blackcap)

20/7/11

Lutley Wedge 01/07/11 12.00pm (20°c) Warm, sunny spells and broken cloud.

The ♂ Reed Warbler seemed finally to have moved on as there was no sign of it today. A flock of (60+) Swifts were feeding 'en masse' very low over the fields along the Top Footpath near Grange Farm, with many of the Swifts showing obvious white/bulging throat pouches, due to the 'bolus' of aerial insects they were carrying.

Swifts Lutley Wedge 1/7/11