Pittswood Birds

The strong wind continues to blow, but at least the showers have stopped. It's very difficult to hear anything with the wind blowing, or see anything in the tree's and bushes as they are tossed about! However I did manage to add 4 new species to the months list, the first was a flyover MISTLE THRUSH that went over Migrant Alley this morning, not seen many of them recently.

This afternoon I repeated yesterdays walk around the Wet woods, lake and scrub area, with just a brief look over Migrant Alley.As I started out, I was thinking what would be the next species on the months list - the 50th, and I didn't have to wait long, a MARSH TIT, it was seen and heard in a sheltered spot on the edge of a large garden by the small holding. I entered the wet woods and soon found a feeding flock of LONG TAILED TITS, with them were COAL, BLUE and GREAT TITS, as well as a TREECREEPER and a NUTHATCH, one more for sept. The Coal Tits looked a real treat in their new plumage. The next addition for the months list announced itself by sending the feeding flock into a frenzy of alarm calls, a male SPARROWHAWK came expertly whizzing through the tangle of branches and tree trunks, but didn't catch anything. A meander round the scrub for a Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, or maybe a garden Warbler, failed miserably, and a scan of the lake didn't give me anything either, yesterdays star bird, the Coot had moved on, or was very concealed.

A walk round Migrant Alley was disappointing, just PIED WAGTAILS, LINETS, SKYLARKS, WOODPIGEONS and Corvids were seen, the run of Migrants seems to have dried up ever since September arrived, no surprise though, as thats when the weather got stormy.

Below is a photo of the 50th species this month - The Marsh Tit. It's such a poor pic. I wasn't going to put it on, but it's the only photograph I got!