Pittswood Birds

For the first time in what seems like weeks the sun was shining for my patch walk this morning, and although there were no surprises for me, it was a pleasant enough walk round.

At Migrant Alley, a WHINCHAT was still present, and a YELLOW WAGTAIL was flushed from the paddocks by a dog walker, moments earlier a HOBBY had gone streaking through, a great sight in the azure coloured sky.

In the College Grounds the recently recorded feeding flock had dispersed, but a few CHIFFCHAFF were still around, as well as a COAL TIT feeding with them, three MISTLE THRUSH were at the very top of a large lime tree, a species not seen very often this month, also a TURTLE DOVE flew from an Oak, and carried on southwards. Just before I left, I saw both PEREGRINES noisily chasing about above me.

The Tree nursery had little to offer today, common species such as WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, and GREEN WOODPECKER popped up here and there, maybe the SPARROWHAWK that was overhead had something to do with that :-)

Over on the lake just the usual MALLARD and MOORHEN were on the water, with a lone CANADA GOOSE, but the lakeside scrub and vegetation held a few warblers, those being BLACKCAP, GARDEN WARBLER, WHITETHROAT and a few more Chiffchaffs, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH and BULLFINCH were also seen.

Just two Gull species flew over today, BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULL, which helped the days tally on to a creditable 50 species.

In the welcome sunshine, the butterflies made their appearance, much bedraggled by age and the recent poor weather, but this Small Copper still looked very colourful

Below: The Whinchat at Migrant Alley. It doesn't allow any kind of approach, and it's difficult to get any photo's of it.

Below: A couple of GOLDFINCH feeding on Alder cones, this will be a good food source for them over the winter months.

lastly a couple of Photo's from my garden, top is the BLUE TIT, then a Female Bullfinch that has been visiting with the male for some weeks now.