Pittswood Birds

A cool misty morning greeted me as I set of on my patch walk today. As yesterday, it was pretty quiet, just the usual common species going on the list. Once I got to the golf course hedgerow it became evident that a few new CHIFFCHAFFS had arrived, there were at least 4 along it, with two singing, a theme that ran right through my walk today. In all there were at least half a dozen singing Chiffchaffs with 23 more seen or calling.
The lake and scrub were empty again, just a few MALLARD and MOORHEN, but as I headed into the wet woods I heard the explosive ''pitchoo'' call of a Marsh Tit, it came from high up in the tree's, but I suspect it may have been a GREAT TIT mimicking the Marsh Tit, so I didn't put it on the list. Last year I had a Marsh Tit on sept 1st, it stayed until late spring, If it was a Marsh Tit I heard I may catch up with it again later. Once out of the woods I saw a LITTLE OWL fly up into an Oak, but that was about it for the first half of the walk.
The second bit of the walk was in warm sunshine, the BARN OWL was again at it's roost - awake and preening, and a little futher up the hedgerow two Moorhen were feeding on the Blackberries, ive not seen that before! At migrant alley there were fewer birds around, no Whinchat or Wheatear, but two YELLOW WAGTAIL flew over, and there were still some MEADOW PIPITS and LINNETS around, best of all though was a sighting of the first SISKIN of the Autumn, 4 flew over calling as they went. Just 3 SWALLOWS and 2 HOUSE MARTINS were overhead along with HERRING GULLS and a couple of BLACK HEADED GULLS. That was about it for the walk really, apart from a GREY WAGTAIL on the greenhouses, it was an immature bird, bathing in the sunshine.

Moorhen eating the Blackberries

Imm. Grey WAGTAIL on the greenhouses

Herring Gull over Mig. Alley