Pittswood Birds

Above : a view from inside the Wet Woods

Below : the Ornamental lake

As I open the back door to leave for work this morning, the male SPARROWHAWK (40) flew from its hiding place in the fir tree at the end of the garden, I didn't think it would evade the November list for long!

I made my way to work in exceptionally mild conditions, and as I crossed Migrant Alley I was pleased to see a LAPWING (41) fly out of the sheep pasture, a once familiar and numerous species here, but they are in trouble as a breeding species now, and I dont think i'll record them in the hundreds like I used to a few years ago, disturbance when they gather out on the pasture is also a limiting factor to seeing any great numbers now. Two other species made it onto the November list this morning, a single YELLOWHAMMER (42) on the fence line at Migrant Alley and three REDWINGS (43) that flew over the College Grounds.

This afternoon I had 90 mins out, in some windy but mild conditions, I visited the Lake area, as will be the norm now its getting near the winter months. I counted 42 MALLARDS, and 11 MOORHENS, but not one other species of duck could be bothered to join them !! I hung around for half hour or so, recording COAL TIT, NUTHATCH, BULLFINCH, SISKIN, and GOLDCREST, but couldn't find a Treecreeper, but that will come i'm confident on that :-) Before leaving for the Tree Nursery and stubbles at the Pub Field, I got distant views of a KINGFISHER (44) as it flashed across the Ornamental lake, an easy species to miss in November.

The Stubbles were being harrowed by a trainer driver from the College, and behind the tractor 37 BLACK HEADED GULLS and two HERRING GULLS followed, picking up the exposed invertebrates. 5 PIED WAGTAILS and 3 male CHAFFINCH also came in to feed. I spent 20 minutes in the Tree Nursery, but found very little today, however flyovers by first, STOCK DOVE (45) and

then, GREY HERON (46) were welcome additions to the months list.