Pittswood Birds

Nothing of note on the way through the college grounds, or at migrant alley as I walked home today, so it was off to the woods and lake area again this afternoon. I was only out from 2 - 3:30, but there was quite a bit of activity. Just before I enter the woods there is a small holding, a few sheep are kept and a small flock of chickens, just 3 fields amounting to a few acres. It was here that a party of 24 REDWING were feeding, also a GREEN WOODPECKER and a mixed flock of Tits & finch's. I scanned and checked for Brambling but found none. On to the woods and I found two male and two female TEAL, a couple of GOLDCREST - the first of four pairs seen in all, and Three TREECREEPER. Once at the lake the usual two dozen MALLARD were dabbling around, the GREY HERON played statues, and the LITTLE GREBE showed up again. Two CORMORANT circled the lake for some minutes, nervously checking all was clear, before coming in to land on the smaller pond, which is more secluded. I thought I heard a KINGFISHER so I sat and scanned the lake edge, and waited.......and watched....and waited..........nothing, but then as I watched the Little grebe cross the lake, I saw in the background a splash, and the bright blue and orange of the Kingfisher fly up into a low bush, where I watched it dive again. One more for the months list - 58 now, just two off the Jan. High, achieved in 2003.