Pittswood Birds

It was two years ago today I started this blog, but when I set it up, I thought i'd only do a calendar year, thinking it would get ''samey'', but it's become quite addictive, as well as being another recording aid for me to look back on, so i'll carry on a bit longer!

I see my page load counter has just passed 30, 000, so thanks to all of you out there who read my daily goings on.

Today was a bit different to the day two years ago, I was recording a late Wheatear, and Brambling was seen the next day, however the weather was dull and rainy this afternoon and I didn't get out, so I did something I havn't done since late march - watch the garden feeders.

I refilled the sunflower hearts and toped up the nuts, and sat down at the bedroom window, mug of tea and a few biscuits in hand, at 14:00hrs for a 3 hour watch.

The first birds in , as usual, were the GREAT (5) and BLUE TITS (7), (numbers in brackets are the most that came in at the same time.) Then a COAL TIT (1) came in at the sunflower hearts, followed by CHAFFINCH (3), ROBIN (1) and that superb little bird the NUTHATCH (1). GOLDFINCH'S (5) appeared a short while later, as did the GREENFINCH'S (3), but their numbers are well down since the hawk came back. The next species was a real treat a MARSH TIT (1), I'm pretty sure there is only one, perhaps two, birds on my patch, so I'm blessed to have one at my feeders!

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (2) joined the banquet, taking both nuts and Sunflower hearts, and DUNNOCKS (2) scurried to and from the undergrowth. HOUSE SPARROWS (5) took their time coming in, but got more confident as the afternoon went on, the same went for the COLLARED DOVES (4), an even later visitor was the BLACKBIRD (3) they didn't come in till 16:00.

An interruption to the dining, from you know who, yea, the SPARROWHAWK, made things go quiet for ten minutes, I had to go out and flush the hawk from the large leylandi, before things livened up again. The very next species was a belter for my garden, and most unexpected, a LESSER REDPOLL (2) both came in and took sunflower hearts, the first time this species has visited the garden since Sept. 2006, the 30th species to enter my garden this year.......and it brings up the 68th species for my patch this month, equalling last years record oct. tally, hoorah! A few minutes later a MAGPIE (1) came in, and picked up some peanut bits from the floor, and the last species noted was a GOLDCREST (1), feeding in the leylandi.

In all, 18 species came to feed in the garden, and another 12 species were seen either in the vacinity of my garden or flying over, they were, in order of appearance. WOOD PIGEON, GREEN WOODPECKER, CARRION CROW, WREN, PIED WAGTAIL, PHEASANT, LONG TAILED TIT, JACKDAW, STARLING, JAY, CANADA GOOSE and lastly SONGTHRUSH.

I'd forgotten how enjoyable watching the garden is!

Below is my back garden viewed from my watching position. Most of the feeders are now under the Elder tree on the left. The Leylandi tree is on the right, behind the wall in the neighbours garden, but alot of it overhangs my shed.

Below is the view from the front bedroom window, the buildings visible are the Greenhouse complex.