Pittswood Birds

The clocks went forward an hour last night, british summer time begins, hurrah! ...................
I left the house at 7.00am (really 6am then?!) Everything was sodden, after heavy overnight rain, but only spits and spots fell during my 3 and a half hour walk. The weather had muted lots of the songsters, but I tallied up 24 species in 15mins, all the common TITS, FINCH'S, THRUSH'S, WOODPECKERS, WOODPIGEON, COLLARED DOVE, HOUSE SPARROW, STARLING etc. Every dip in the ground was full of water, and quite a few of the bigger puddles had an attendent MALLARD. Nothing at the lake apart from a CORMORANT, and the now full to overflowing wet woods, held just two TEAL.
Migrant alley was awash, just 2 FIELDFARE were there, a few MEADOW PIPITS, a single YELLOWHAMMER, a couple of LINNETS and 5 PIED WAGTAILS. 19 BLACK HEADED GULLS dropped in to visit the lambs, and I watched a KESTREL drop down and successfully catch a vole. On the manure heap at the edge of the field 2 GREY WAGTAIL fed. A total of 47 species was seen, but I didn't record a single Bullfinch, unusual.
Today was the final full visit for March, and the species total for the month stands at 62, three short of the best march total, acheived in 2006. The combined March total for the 7 years is 76, so it could of been a better month, however the average March total is only 59, so it depends how you look at it. Only one species was new to the month of March, the Little Egret. I may improve on these figures if something turns up tomorrow on the way to and from work, but its not looking likely.

The stream behind the college is 4ft higher than normal

A soggy migrant alley

Meadow Pipit

Thought I'd get a shot of this Fieldfare, it may be the last I see, before they all go north

This Mistle Thrush was sitting tight on her nest, its only 7ft up, and is above a busy walkway at the college, also there are dozens of grey squirrels around - I don't give her much chance of success. I'll keep you posted.

PS the Mistle Thrush above my front door is incubating eggs for sure now.