Pittswood Birds

My 5 hour full patch walk was of mixed results this morning, a good day list of 49 species was tempered by the fact that numbers of birds were quite low, many of the 49 species were only seen in ones or two's, but that may of been due to the cold and overcast conditions.

The winter birds are still to be seen on my patch, over at the Pub Field, at least 30 FIELDFARE, and 3 REDWING were seen, the KESTREL looked on from a treetop along the boundary hedgerow, and the first few BLACK HEADED GULLS flew over towards the Sheep pasture at Migrant Alley.

More winter birds were seen over at the College Grounds, small parties of SISKINS were seen at various points, one of these parties had two LESSER REDPOLL with them. It was whilst walking the college stream that I finally added a GREY HERON (51) to the March list, the first, in fact, seen on my patch since January 15th!

I also added two more species to the March list when YELLOWHAMMER (52), then GREYLAG GOOSE (53) were seen, both flew over as I walked back through Migrant Alley.

The second half of my walk didn't offer up any surprises, the regular woodland species all showed in ones and two's, apart from the Nuthatch which I couldn't locate today, the Siskins, again were seen in small parties at various points. The lakes were as they have been all week, 4 CANADA GEESE, 4 MALLARD, and 2 MOORHEN were seen, along with the pair of COOTS. One other species that was seen in numbers, was the GOLDCREST, 11 were seen overall today, 7 of those were in the Scrubby Wood.

I made my way back for a skywatch at Migrant Alley, and spent half an hour in the cold wind watching a grey sky, incredibly I saw, in just a few minutes, another Grey Heron, then a pair of them, where have they been ? A little later, my vigil produced another species for the March list, as a lone CORMORANT (54) flew over, I also noted that 2 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS had joined the 40-50 Black Headed Gulls that were milling around the lambs, they all pick up the umbilical cords of the new born lambs, Yuk! The visit ended with the sighting of 3 COMMON BUZZARDS, high over the Greenhouse copse.

Over the course of the afternoon I had an eye on the garden feeders, where the female BRAMBLING was seen, as well as the missing NUTHATCH, bringing the daylist to a very good total of 51. Yet more Siskins came in to feed as well, first one pair then, two pairs fed on the Sunflower hearts.

Above one of 11 Goldcrest seen this morning, below GOLDFINCH and GREENFINCH on my garden feeders.