Pittswood Birds

I left the house at bit earlier today, in the hope of finding either Tawny or Little owl, but I failed, I've yet to record an owl yet this year! I must do a nocturnal visit.
The first hour of the walk was still, overcast and windless, allowing all the resident songsters to be seen or heard, but the wind soon picked up and the bird action slowly decreased. There were both GREY LAG and CANADA GEESE on the golf course, as well as a meeting of moorhen, 18 in all. The lake area had no surprises, just MALLARD, GREY HERON, and some more of the Geese and Moorhens. A total of 7 TEAL were in the wet woods, above them GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS drummed and cackled, chasing each other around. Only 4 GULLS flew over, 3 HERRING and a BLACK HEADED. As I walked back down Ashes Lane, a YELLOWHAMMER was singing loudly from a hedgerow.
On the farmland the ROOKS were mostly busying themselves with nest building, there are three rookeries just off my patch, which explains why I only saw 2 at migrant alley. Also there, in the paddocks and manured pasture, were the usual 2 - 300 winter thrushes, feeding along with 100 or so STARLING. At the Stream I saw a black PHEASANT, as I got a bit nearer I could see it was more purple and bluish, an interesting specimen!

Black Pheasant

Or is it purple and blue!

I couldn't not take this CHAFFINCH's photo.

** later in the afternoon, whilst watching the feeders, a superb male BRAMBLING (67) came in. At last I can add this to my patch year list! As well as the 67th patch species, it's also the 26th tick for this years garden list. **