Pittswood Birds

The start of another new month, but today I split the morning between the wooded part of my patch, and my second TTV for the BTO atlas survey, which is NW of my patch. As I couldn't gain access to the TTV until 10.00am I spent the early hours scanning the woods, hedgrows and the lake. I found 39 species, none of which were particularly exciting - except maybe the MARSH TIT which was feeding in the waterlogged wood, this is the first December record of this species. I arrived at my TTV (TQ65A) at 09:50. and spent the next 2 hours walking the farmland and large wooded lake. The lake proved to be the most interesting - holding a female TEAL, 19 MALLARD and 25 MANDARIN DUCK. So this is where they all hide! no wonder I havn't seen them on my patch recently. A field of stubble held 19 SKYLARK and 4 MEADOW PIPIT and in one hedgerow 8 LONG TAILED TITS fed WITH 4 GOLDCRESTS and a few BLUE and GREAT TITS. It was interesting to see 5 GREY HERON feeding in a crop of winter wheat, they looked out of place !