Pittswood Birds

Another grey, overcast day, with just the odd short lived sunny spell, not quite the sunshine that had been forecasted !

The second full patch visit of the year produced a slightly better than average 46 species for the 3 hours I was out. Four of these were new for the year/month list, firstly a pair of MALLARD (50), flew over just as I was leaving for my walk, putting them first on the todays list, second was a sighting of 2 MEADOW PIPITS (51) seen flying across the Pub Field. The third new species was a magnificent COMMON BUZZARD (52) that drifted low over the College Grounds, another one, or probably the same individual, was seen at the end of my walk, making evasive maneuvers to avoid the attentions of the local CARRION CROWS. The final new species was a GREY WAGTAIL (53), this was seen feeding on the manure heap over at Migrant Alley.

Only a few small parties of SISKIN were seen around the patch today, the large 200+ flock at the College Stream seen to have moved elsewhere, most of the YELLOWHAMMERS have also moved, only two were seen today.

Not much else of note was seen, except for another GREATER BLACK BACKED GULL that flew over, thats two records already this year, the same as the whole of last year :-) Also note worthy was the singing of the STOCK DOVE, a little hint of spring. More frustrating for me though, was finding that the lakes have made little progress in thawing out, just a few very small areas around one side of the main lake were now open, but a MOORHEN and a Mallard were the first to be seen there since November !

One more days holiday left, then its back to work and the less productive afternoon patch visits, at least the sun will come out whilst i'm at work :-) !!!