Pittswood Birds

This afternoon I received an email regarding my application to have some oak trees along Ashes Lane protected under a Tree Preservation Order. Well..........Its good news!! All but two of the mighty Oaks ( which are not deemed to be under any threat) are going to be put forward for a TPO, this should be in place in about two weeks, after which any objections to the order from the landowners will be heard. Fantastic!

Back to todays patch walk, and the weather at last has relented somewhat, no rain or wind today, and a mild 8c, there was even a glimpse of sunshine at one point.

The normal winter route was undertaken, and the expected species turned up today. A mixed finch flock was at its usual area in the small holding, they are the ones that use my feeders, then take time out here. Just before entering the wet woods a LONG TAILED TIT flock breezed past, all tails and twitters! Nothing was travelling with them today though. The wet woods was ringing with calling GREAT TITS, all trying to out do each other, that was until a SPARROWHAWK (43) came speeding through and alighted on an Oak bough, about time I caught up with one this month. Unsurprisingly I didn't see anything in the woods after that.

Walking along the footpath that leads to the lake, another new monthly species was seen in the large wooded garden there - my old friend the MARSH TIT (44), another few weeks and it'll be thinking about moving off to its breeding habitat. The lake was, as I had feared with the continual blasting of the nearby gas cannon, empty of all but the most bravest of ducks the MALLARD, 9 of them ignored the offending racket.

A quick look at the nearby house with the garden feeders, provided lots of usual garden species, as well as 4 BULLFINCH in an adjacent Ash tree feeding on the keys, and a male pheasant picking up dropped seed from under the feeders.

There was enough time left today to walk over and have a quick look across the Pasture and paddocks at Migrant Alley. A few BLACK HEADED GULLS were present, as was the normal ROOK/JACKDAW flock, but nothing more on the fields. Small flocks of REDWING and FIELDFARE went over from time to time, all headed NE, and a single SKYLARK (45) called as it flew over, giving the months list a bit more of a boost!

Below is a photo of some of the LINNETS as they came in to there pre -roost area.
Below is a ROBIN, lots of these singing today - from pre-dawn till gone dusk.

Before I left this afternoon I took a quick snap of the finch's on my feeders (and a HOUSE SPARROW!)