Pittswood Birds

A much more peaceful afternoon was had today. The ''Tree Muncher'' in the tree nursery had finished, so the birds in the wet woods were once again audible, and I quickly located the sound of LONG TAILED TITS, and as usual there was at least 2 GOLDCREST with them, and a lone COAL TIT. I couldn't locate the Marsh Tits though, I havn't seen them this month, maybe they have left for their breeding area already, the one that overwintered last year wasn't seen in March either, so it's likely. As I came out of the woods, and was walking the footpath to the lake, I heard the croaking sound of a CARRION CROW, the one they use when mobbing birds of prey, I looked back above the woods, and sure enough a pair of Crows were mobbing a low flying COMMON BUZZARD, it was just above the treetops, I watched it get chased off to the NW, a nice addition to the March species total. At the lake area, a GREY HERON flew up as I arrived, and just 3 MALLARD and 4 CANADA GEESE were visible, but as I walked round the edge of the lake, what flew out, skipping across the water ? A COOT! another one, or most likey the same one as I saw earlier in the week, a Common buzzard and a Coot on the same afternoon. Not so many years ago I would be chuffed to bits with that on my patch, it's still good to get either of these species though. Around the lakes in the woody areas, I could hear SISKIN and BULLFINCH, and a few minutes later a SPARROWHAWK went through low and fast.

I walked back to the tree nursery and entered the cleared field, I scanned the torn up earth for a Wheatear, but it was not forthcoming, still a bit of a long shot this early in march, although a GREEN WOODPECKER was available for a photo shoot, the only bird I saw there! Whilst crossing into the used part of the nursery a hen PHEASANT also stopped to have it's picture taken. Over at Migrant Alley it was also a bit more peaceful, but little was seen despite much scanning of the stubbles, 7 SKYLARK flew up and moved to a fresh bit of the field, and 12 FIELDFARE dropped in from a sycamore tree in a large garden, with an accompanying REDWING. A lone MEADOW PIPIT and a couple of PIED WAGTAILS were recorded, just as rain started to fall from a big black cloud, time to head off home for a hot cuppa!

Above and below, an obliging Male Greenwoodpecker.

Below is the Hen Pheasant, feeding around some young yew trees