Pittswood Birds

Today was a little different - I went to my atlas tetrad, which is adjoined to my patch, just a little to the northwest. The area covers North Frith farm and golden stable wood.I walked through the farm buildings and then onto a track, with woods on either side,where I heard a GOLDCREST calling, as well as a G S WOODPECKER. The track opened out to a field with a hedgerow, a single BULLFINCH called here. A little futher along the track I entered golden stable wood, a mixed woodland with a lake, boggy areas and wide rides. There were some pretty impressive ancient trees, of beech and oak. These were real trees! With a huge girth, their massive limbs spread out above me, some, properly broken off, giving homes to a wide variety of wildlife. On the lake a few CANADA GEESE were resting, and as I watched these, 5 MANDARIN DUCKS came into view. I followed the lake around its perimiter, coming to a boggy spot - 2 more mandarin flew up and 3 TEAL swam away into cover, at the same time a KINGFISHER piped up and sat on a branch giving good views. I walked out into the woods for a small distance and wow! a WOODCOCK silently flew up to my left. A great tit was mimicking what sounded to me like a Willow tit, but I couldn't be totally sure, however amongst a roving tit flock was no less than 3 MARSH TITS all pitchoeing angrily at my presence. I was nothing less than ''blown away'' by this place. I only had a small amount of time and all too soon I had to leave, I stopped at a high point, which over looked ''Migrant alley'' and as I scanned the sky a PEREGRINE flew into golden stable wood - or more accurately- glided in. I was feeling pretty pleased with my 2 hours work, which was capped off by a calling little owl. Great Afternoon !!