Pittswood Birds

The photo's above and below show the gloomy, misty conditions encountered this morning, and while an easterly wind blew, it wasn't cold. This is 24 C and sunny according to the weather guys......wrong again, it stayed cloudy all day :-)

There were very few birds about for this, my 100th full patch walk of the year, however there were plenty of different species seen, 43 in all, which isn't bad considering species such as the normally present Linnet, Songthrush, and Great Spotted Woodpecker all failed to show.

Early on in the walk as I crossed the Tree Nursery I had a treat, as the first BRAMBLING (63) of the Autumn dropped in not 20m from me. I don't get many Brambling sightings, in some years I see none at all, and this is only the second record of one before Christmas, the other was back in Oct 2007.

Also in the Tree Nursery was a CHIFFCHAFF, and whilst searching for a Redwing amongst the shrubs ( and Failing ), two GREY HERONS flew low overhead. The visit to Migrant Alley and the College Grounds had little excitment, the best being 7 flyover SKYLARK, and 4 GOLDCRESTS. The walk back across Migrant Alley did give me something to cheer though, five SISKIN (64) went over calling loudly, another Autumn species, ive had these lovely little finches turn up anywhere from Aug through to December.

Cutting through the Greenhouse Grounds, where I always check the boundary hedge and various clumps of bushes, I was stunned to find a RING OUZEL !!!! This must be the same bird that I found not 100m away over in the Tree Nursery on Thursday Afternoon, and it was just as exciting as the first sighting!

The second half of my walk over to the Lake and scrub area via the Small Holding and wet Woods, was carried out in the same gloomy grey conditions, and still numbers of birds were very low, I manged to find some of the regulars, including NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, COAL TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, another 2 Goldcrest and another Chiffchaff, as well as the resident MALLARDS and MOORHENS on the lakes. There was one more small piece of excitement still to come as I walked home, when a flock of 9 HERRING GULLS flew over, amongst them was a single LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (65), yet another species for the months list, just 4 needed for the record total now :-)

I had a 90 minute walk this afternoon, just around the Tree Nursery and Greenhouse Grounds, I again had fleeting glimpses of the Ring Ouzel, and added SONG THRUSH, YELLOWHAMMER, plus flyovers from both CORMORANT and STOCK DOVE to the days list, which ended on 48, once the GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER was seen at the Garden Feeders.

Whilst watching the feeders this afternoon I took these photo's.

Above and below : Coal Tit

With the ever present BLUE TIT.