Pittswood Birds

A cool NW wind blew this morning, and variable amounts of cloud drifted over, allowing only brief sunny spells to be had.

I was out for little over 5 hours, and recorded an excellent 51 species, most being the regular resident species, but there were also a few passage birds going through. These included at least 4 SAND MARTIN flying North over Migrant Alley, a bit strange, as I would expect them to be going South!

Two skeins of geese flew over, one of 34 CANADA GEESE, the other of 9 GREYLAGS, also noted going over were a flock of 7 HERRING GULL, 2 single BLACK HEADED GULL and a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, there were also 2 of the latter in one of the paddocks at Migrant Alley, all making it feel a little more Autumnal.

The College Grounds had a mixed feeding flock of LONG TAILED TITS, GREAT TITS, BLUE TITS, a COAL TIT, 4 GOLDCREST, 2 TREECREEPER and 4 CHAFFINCH loosely associating with them, also at least 4 SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS were seen in their usual territory. The nearby trial garden area had a mix of BLACKCAP, WHITETHROAT, and CHIFFCHAFF, plus the more run of the mill DUNNOCK, BLACKBIRD, WREN, ROBIN and SONGTHRUSH.

Later in the walk I was over at the lakes and Scrubby Woods area, where on the water 22 Canada Geese were loafing and preening, maybe part of the skein that I saw earlier. In the woods just one TURTLE DOVE showed itself, and a family party of Chiffchaffs showed well enough for some photo's, while I was doing that, I looked up and saw the only HOUSE MARTIN of the day, which led me to the sighting of a COMMON BUZZARD, very nice :-)

On the way out of the Scrubby Woods I saw alot of activity in a large shrub, which was laden with ripe berries, I watched and waited, a wait that went well rewarded, for not only were there two families of Blackcaps, 8 birds in all, but also a GARDEN WARBLER (99, 62) the first seen this year, this will have been a dispersing bird from elsewhere, as I didn't have any breeders here this year.

A selection of photo's were taken today, as usual some better quality than others :-)
Above and below are one of the Chiffchaffs that were in the Scrubby Woods

Below is an immature MOORHEN, this was on one of the College ponds.

Above is a SWALLOW on the line over Ashes Lane, below are a family of Swallows at an area just before the Small Holding

Above is a Long Tailed Tit, and below a nice cock HOUSE SPARROW

Below is a photo of the berry laden shrub the all the Blackcaps and the Garden Warbler were feasting in

Lastly, a Red Admiral, there were 7 of them on one Buddlea !