Pittswood Birds

There was only a slight frost this morning, and very little wind, so it felt warmer than yesterday. This didn't seem to make it easier to find the birds, there was none of the excitement of yesterdays visit, and only one species was added for the months list, when I watched a KINGFISHER at the lake, it was trying to make a living at the unfrozen edges, under the tree overhang. As yesterday, most of the birds were on the farmland part of my walk, especially Migrant alley. I counted 270 FIELDFARE and 48 REDWING in the sheep pasture, but many more were hidden from my view, over the ridge of the field, so an estimate of 300 - 350 Fieldfare and 75 Redwing wouldn't be too far off. On the Maize stubble I watched at least a dozen SKYLARK, four YELLOWHAMMER, and a lone MEADOW PIPIT. A little later as I passed the fields again, I saw that 15 BLACK HEADED GULL had dropped in to join the winter thrushes, and 24 LAPWING had done the same. The old Raspberry canes in the field adjacent the maize stubble, had at least 5 BULLFINCH, and few DUNNOCKS, as well as WRENS, ROBINS, BLACKBIRDS and a small flock of CHAFFINCH, quite a bust little area. As I walked homewards, a SPARROWHAWK flew low over, and I watched it go into a dive, arrowing down into the just mentioned area!

The only other thing to report this morning was that a MISTLE THRUSH was added to the Feb. Bird Count. This afternoon i'll try and find some more species for the list!

This female Blackbird was foraging at the raspberry canes

The above Yellowhammer was at Migrant Alley

And this is the Sparrowhawk that attacked the raspberry cane area.