Pittswood Birds

I had a very productive 5 hour walk round my patch this morning, tallying up a magnificent 55 species, but it was frustrating not to get to 60, especially as some normally easy seen species did not show, such as Pheasant, Mistle Thrush, Yellowhammer and Canada Goose.

Star bird for me was the lovely WHEATEAR that was at migrant alley, there I was bemoaning the lack of Whinchat and Wheatear, and I get them both in two visits! Another star bird - can I have two ? - was also a new species for the month, circling high above Migrant Alley two PEREGRINE FALCONS shadowed one another across the blue sky. Its been frustrating to see them on the tower during the month, but this is the first time they have ventured over my patch. The good fortune continued when another new species for the month flew over - CORMORANT , 5 flew over looking like they had nowhere in particular to go. The months total is now on 69, just one behind the record Aug. set last year, but it will take some luck to reach it in the last two remaining visits left, I might just get a Lapwing flyover!

Other noteworthy birds were, 1 YELLOW WAGTAIL in the paddocks, 3 SAND MARTIN and 2 TURTLE DOVES all passage birds. A HOBBY was seen more than once, as well as KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK, the latter was a large female chasing a WOODPIGEON, she got her talons into its rump, but only came away with a load of feathers! Two GREY WAGTAILS that were at the college grounds gave me all three species of wagtail in a day, something ive only ever achieved once before on my patch. I counted at least 70 PIED WAGTAILS fly from the roost at the Greenhouse Complex.

There were still a few summer migrants about too, BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF, WHITETHROAT and a LESSER WHITETHROAT were seen, the latter in the tall hedge at migrant alley. LONG TAILED, BLUE, GREAT, COAL and MARSH TITS were located in the wet woods and lakeside scrub, as well as TREECREEPER and NUTHATCH. A very entertaining visit today!


I also saw this fox walking casually across the paddocks, I made a ''rabbit in distress noise'' and it came up to me to investigate, giving me a photo shoot.

Below is the Wheatear at Migrant Alley. But I couldn't get very close to it

Next are the 5 Cormorants that flew over

This LINNET was in the Maize, I thought I had found something really special at first!

lastly a ROBIN. A pity all the white bits have 'blown' in the photo.