Pittswood Birds

The forcast was for rain today, but not until later this afternoon - by 9.00am it was raining, useless local weather presenters, all T**ts and legs! Also, I had to limp around my patch today, as last night I stubbed my little toe against the door!
Anyway, gripes over. While it was dry, early on, things looked promising, the BARN OWL was at roost, and a few flocks of REDWING and FIELDFARE flew over the tree nursery, some coming down to feed on hawthorn berries over at migrant alley. Also flying over were quite a large number of WOODPIGEON, these birds were all headed north, strange, after watching them all go south a week or so ago, perhaps they are different birds? As I passed the maize stubbles at migrant alley, the usual PIED WAGTAILS, MEADOW PIPITS, LINNETS and SKYLARKS were all present, although there were only 8 Linnet seen. The College grounds and gardens were quite productive for seeing some common birds, and I entertained the idea of finding a Waxwing feeding on some of the Berried shrubs, but only fleetingly! A flock of 60+ SISKIN were feeding in some alders there though. The rain started as I left the college grounds, and I made my way back through the stubbles and greenhouse area, looking up I saw a new species for the month, 3 GREY LAG GEESE flew low over Migrant Alley, 58 species for the month, and a new November record. A REED BUNTING was calling from hedge separating the greenhouses from the stubbles, always a good species to see here.
Despite the rain getting heavier, I thought I would go over to the lake, via the wet woods. I needed have worried about missing anything good, as all that was seen on the lake was a GREY HERON. Coming back through the woods, I located the feeding flock of Tits again. There must have been 50+ birds easily, it was difficult for an exact count of the individual species, as they breezed past me, not stopping, but I reckon at least 20 LONG TAILED Tits were present with the GREAT and BLUE TITS, at least one of the two MARSH TITS, a TREEREEPER and a few GOLDCRESTS.
44 species recorded for the day, is a fair total, with 3 more added from the garden feeders, NUTHATCH, COAL TIT and that pesky SPARROWHAWK!

Above and below: A Treecreeper, photographed in the College grounds.