Pittswood Birds

The weather seems to have settled down now, and it was a pleasure to walk part of my patch this afternoon, the last visit of this month. There was very little wind, and if a Blackcap was to sing I was sure to hear it, but despite much listening, along the smallholding, wet woods, and lake area, none was heard. The small holding did have a nice surprise for me though, when I found another Grass Snake, this time I managed to sneak up on it a get a photo or two. Upon entering the wet woods, the call of what sounded like a Nuthatch was heard, but when I tracked the sound down, I found it was a GREAT TIT, expertly mimicking a Nuthatch, it had me fooled - for a little time!

I checked the LONG TAILED TITS nest as I passed it on the way to the lake, and all was ok, the pair were in the vacinity chirriping to each other. At the lake, the only notworthy birds were a GREY HERON and 4 SISKIN, the latter in an Alder tree in one of the nearby gardens. Whilst I walked the edge of the lake I noticed the 'Ladies Smock' had come into flower.

Over at Migrant Alley, I sat for half an hour and skywatched, no Swallows showed today, just a pair of Grey heron flew south, and a SKYLARK sang up high. I did a circuit of the fields, and passed the scrubby headland, but only CHIFFCHAFF was of note, one of at least 7 on my patch singing now.

So March ends, and the species target of 65, which was set in 2005, has been well passed. This March I have recorded 69 species ! 4 of them new to any March, Pochard, Firecrest, Sand martin, and the Mealy Redpoll, which was a patch tick. The combined March total now stands at 80 species, with an average of 60 species.

I 'm looking forward to the challenge of April!



Below are some shots of the Grass snake

Below is the flowering Ladies Smock, a favourite of the orange Tip butterfly

Last of all the Grey Heron at the lake.