Pittswood Birds

************Today it was.......FREEZING!!*********


It was the coldest night for many a year, and a thick hoar frost coated everything, making for some great scenery. The poor wildlife must be suffering terribly though, so I have made sure my garden has plenty of food, and a supply of ice-free water.
It was soon evident that there were very few birds on my patch, of the 45 species recorded, most were seen in just ones and two's, apart from a flock of 40 LAPWING at Migrant Alley, 12 SKYLARK also at Migrant Alley, 25 YELLOWHAMMER and 8 REED BUNTING, that were feeding together on the wild bird crop at Ashes Lane, I suspect that there were more of them actually in the crop, but I didn't want to flush them out in this weather. A fast flying KINGFISHER (61) was seen as it flew along the stream at the college, and in the alders above a LESSER REDPOLL was seen with about 6 SISKIN, another of the few species seen in any number. TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH and GOLDCREST were in the wet woods, and in the small holding I pass before entering the woods there was a LITTLE OWL (62) sitting in an old apple tree. The lake area was empty of birds when I arrived, but 7 MALLARD dropped onto the ice whilst I was there. I went back towards the woods from there, and then into the tree nursery, where I disturbed another WOODCOCK, thats three this month, incredible! By the time I finished my 4 hour walk I was frozen to the core, but the scenery today made it well worth it.

Below is a photo of the hedgerow by the wild bird crop. There are Yellowhammers and Reed Bunting all along it. If you look carefully! or enlarge the pic.

Below is the Little Owl, looks like it's been up all night. ;-)

This GREAT TIT below, was calling vigorously despite the cold conditions

I watched this SONG THRUSH smashing open a snail.

A BULLFINCH was in the bramble, along Ashes Lane

As was this smart cock HOUSE SPARROW

Below, is a Nuthatch, I watched it trying to stash away a Sunflower seed

Below is a Redwing, winter thrushes were thin on the ground today.

All the shots below are of the frosty conditions on my patch this morning