Pittswood Birds

An overnight frost had hardened all the mud around the fields, and frozen over the puddles, but it didn't feel particularly cold this morning, probably due to the lack of wind. It looked good for finding some Lapwing or maybe a Golden plover as I left the house, but within half an hour, sleet began to fall, the little pellets of ice made a hiss as they landed on the decaying crispy leaves, then it snowed for 20 mins, before turning to heavy showery rain. So in all that weather wha did I see ? well, not a great deal really, a LITTLE EGRET flew over the college grounds, following the stream, Where a large-ish flock of SISKIN were in the Alders, with half a dozen GOLDFINCH. A flock of 20 BLACKHEADED GULLS were on the sports pitch. A group of LONG TAILED TITS were also in the college grounds with a couple of GOLDCRESTS. Migrant alley was very quiet, no sign of yesterdays Stonechat, just a few LINNET and SKYLARK.
Once the rain started to fall, I headed for home, having only walked half the circuit. I don't mind the cold and snow, but the rain just makes it miserable!
In the Garden the cold weather had brought in many visitors to the feeders, The colours of the birds plumage are so much more enhanced by the background of snow. NUTHATCH, COAL TIT, MARSH TIT, SPARROWHAWK, and 3 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS at the same time, were the more notable species, but at least 15 BLUE TITS, 5 GREAT TITS, 8 GREENFINCH, 11 COLLARED DOVES, 4 GOLDFINCH and the odd BLACKBIRD, STARLING and DUNNOCK all whizzed around the garden.......Hang on, the sun has just come out! Maybe i'll get a walk in after dinner!

Below - Sunrise over Pittswood, It started so promising!

Below - The Black Headed Gull flock on the college sports pitch, during the worse bit of the snow.