Pittswood Birds

....................HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!...............

Well, it might be christmas day, but I still have to go out and visit my patch, who knows what avian gifts may be awaiting!

As yesterday, today was an above average visit, with 47 species being seen, unfortunately nothing new for the month, but a few nice species were recorded. A PEREGRINE FALCON flew low over the College Grounds, and out across Migrant Alley, and a pair of MUTE SWANS flew westwards over the Greenhouse Complex, looking very stately, the sound of thier wings cutting the air never fails to impress me.

A pair of LAPWINGS were on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, where flyovers by single YELLOWHAMMER, SKYLARK, MEADOW PIPIT and various size flocks of both REDWING and FIELDFARE were noted.

The KESTREL was hunting over the scrub around the Greenhouse Complex, as it has been most of this Autumn/Winter, and a SPARROWHAWK that flew through the wet woods made up the trio of raptors. I didn't find a Treecreeper today, but all the other usual small passerines were seen either in the wet woods, Small Holding or lakeside scrub, including COAL TIT, NUTHATCH, LONG TAILED TIT, GOLDCREST, SISKIN and at least 15 BULLFINCH, 10 of which were in a single flock. The lake is still frozen over - frustratingly - how am I going to get a new duck species on my patch with all that ice on the lake!

The walk home took me past the LITTLE OWL roost along edge of the Wet Woods, and it was at home again, always nice to see it!

No photo's again today, it was just too dull and murky out there, lets hope it brightens up soon.