Pittswood Birds

The new month begins, and a new challenge lies ahead, last August I achieved a huge total of 78 species, the joint highest monthly total recorded for any month in the ten years of recording in the area, the same total was also achieved in Sept 2009. So i'll have my work cut out to beat that......

As I have the next two weeks off work i'll be able to get a good start, and exactly that was had this morning. As yesterday, numbers of birds seen were low, but the species list ticked over nicely with 52 being found in the 5 hour visit.

Leaving the house at 06:00, the first species seen along ashes lane and through the Tree Nursery were :- WOOD PIGEON, BLUE TIT, COAL TIT, COLLARED DOVE, ROBIN,GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, BLACKBIRD, GREAT TIT, WHITETHROAT, SWALLOW, and PHEASANT, with flyovers from, CARRION CROW, STOCK DOVE, STARLING and GOLDFINCH. Nearing the run off pool at the end of the Tree Nursery I wondered if the Sandpiper would be present again, and as I approached, I could here a CHIFFCHAFF and GREENFINCH calling from the surrounding trees, I sneaked into the vegetation and peered through to the muddy pool, and yes, there it was again, the GREEN SANDPIPER, a species new to any August.

I took a couple of photo's and then left it to feed and chase about with the MOORHEN again.
I continued on, up the side of the Maize crop in the Pub Field, where GREEN WOODPECKER was heard, and a WREN scolded from the hedgerow, but that's all that was added, until I crossed Migrant Alley, where the ROOKS were congregating, along with JACKDAWS. A HERRING GULL flew over, and then 14 CANADA GEESE did likewise, while on a nearby electricity pylon a TURTLE DOVE sang. At the end of Migrant Alley, I turned into the College Grounds and added :- HOUSE SPARROW, SONGTHRUSH, MAGPIE, LINNET, PIED WAGTAIL, BLACKCAP, TREECREEPER, BULLFINCH, SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, GOLDCREST, and not before time both DUNNOCK and CHAFFINCH!

On the second half of the walk, I hadn't got many more commonly seen species left to get, but as I left the house a LESSER BLACKBACKED GULL flew over, a bonus bird here, a SKYLARK was also added, seen flying over as I walked through the Tree nursery, but there was no sign of a Little Owl here today. Nothing at all was added through the Wet Woods, but as I neared the lakes, I could here the geese, of which there were found to be 14 Canadian, and 4 GREYLAGS on my arriving. MALLARDS were found here, 6 in all, plus a GREY HERON, and the bonus of again seeing the KINGFISHER.

I finished up in the Scrubby Woods, and found NUTHATCH, JAY, LONG TAILED TIT, and the surprise of not one, but two GARDEN WARBLERS feeding in the berry bushes. Up above the woods I added KESTREL, HOUSE MARTIN, and SWIFT. The final bird of the day today was a SPARROWHAWK that visited the garden feeders whilst I was at home.

I didnt get many photo's today, but here's some more Swallow pics, the last being a Juv.