Pittswood Birds

It rained on and off all day today, but as I left for my afternoon patch visit it had eased off, so I thought, but by the time I got into the Wet Woods it was raining steadily again.

All this rain has put some water back into the Wet Woods, and as I walked through, a dozen CHAFFINCH came down to drink, along with some BLUE and GREAT TITS, best of all though was the sighting of a pair of TEAL (62), they swam off deeper into cover on seeing me, I was anticipating this species turning up here, and if disturbance is minimal, they could become a regular find up until late March early April.

A TREECREEPER was heard calling, and a COAL TIT was singing as I neared the lakes, however the rain was now getting heavier, making most birds go into cover, so I decided I would just take a look around the lakes and then head off home. There were no Goosander today, in fact the only thing on the water was a MALLARD, and two MOORHEN. I scanned the overhanging tree branches, ever hopeful of a dozing duck species, but instead of that, I found a KINGFISHER (63) looking like a bright blue Christmas light, very good to see it had survived last months freeze up, and good to get it on the year list nice and early :-)

Not much else to report after that, on the wet walk home a couple of LESSER REDPOLL were heard flying over, as were a few SISKIN. It was disappointing to only have got out for an hour, but it was a productive hour, the two new species for the month take the total to 63, and so puts it 5 behind the best Jan. achieved in 2009, and is already the 3rd best January so far, out of ten .

PS Ive updated the link to view my patch, if you click on the Photo to the right, on my side bar, it should take you to an aerial view of my patch, which should be shaded in blue.