Pittswood Birds

The weather stayed dry and almost windless today, with some sunny spells, making for a pleasant walk out this afternoon. I saw most of what I expected as I walked through the Small Holding, a mixture of GREAt TITS, BLUE TITS, CHAFFINCH and GOLDFINCH, with GREEN WOODPECKER feeding beneath the pear trees, and WRENS, DUNNOCKS and ROBINS all calling in their own particulr way.

Nothing really stirred in the Wet Woods, just a pair of MALLARD, and a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, although a few single SISKIN were heard going over the tree tops.

Over on the lake I was at first disappointed at the lack of bird life, but then I noticed a CORMORANT sat up on its favoured perch, then 5 Mallard swam out of the overhanging branches, and 2 MOORHEN crossed from one side of the lake to the other, but as I moved along the bank 2 TEAL flew out, and splashed back down over amongst the overhanging tree's on the opposite bank, nice! I was expecting a Teal on the December list, as I record them in most Decembers, but they invariably turn up in the wet woods, not the lake, it's quite a rarity to find them on the lake! Around the bankside vegetation and scrubby area, more of the usual birds were seen, BULLFINCH, COAL TIT a small gang of Siskin, and 3 TREECREEPERS.

Happy with that little find, I went over to Migrant Alley, and today was rewarded with one of the species I had expected to find there before now. In the tall hedge were 3 male YELLOWHAMMERS, this species just about finishes of the easier finds for December, bringing the tally to 52, still a big 21 behind last dec. but i'll be happy to reach the average number of species seen for this month, which is 60.

Tomorrow I'll be out early for my first full walk round of the month......Hurrah!

Above and below are some of the 75 LINNETS I counted as I walked back from Migrant Alley along Ashes lane, they were all sitting up preening and chatting in an ash tree, prior to dropping down into the Tree Nursery roost.