Pittswood Birds

A crisp, cold, but sunny 4 hour full patch walk was had this morning, however, for such a lovely Autumnal day, the birdlife was a bit on the scarce side.

A frosty Sunrise

The first bird on the list this morning was a MISTLE THRUSH, later in the walk another group of 3 flew over the Pub Field, these birds have been quite scarce here this Autumn. A GREY WAGTAIL was feeding on the edge of the run off pool at the Tree Nursery, always good to find one of those on my patch, as is finding a LESSER REDPOLL, two of these were feeding in a Silver Birch at the College Grounds, but they made it difficult to get a photo despite the nice light, they insisted on feeding in the shade!

Lesser Redpoll

A flock of GOLDFINCH were feeding in an Alder tree by the Greenhouse Complex, with them was a single SISKIN, and half a dozen LINNET. Migrant Alley was good for a few flyover species, including a single YELLOWHAMMER, 2 MEADOW PIPIT, 8 SKYLARK, a KESTREL and three gull species HERRING, BLACK HEADED, and LESSER BLACK BACKED.

Nothing new was on any of the lakes, MALLARD and MOORHEN were the usual inhabitants, and in the surrounding Scrubby Woods a few of the regulars were found, the best of these being NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, BULLFINCH, LONG TAILED TIT, and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, in general though there were far fewer birds about than I would expect this time of year, the day list ended on 43 species, which is around average here for late October.

Later this afternoon, I was having a 'garden bird watch'  when I spotted a BRAMBLING come in to take some sunflower hearts, so I was out like a shot to try and photograph it, I did manage a couple of photo's but I think this one was spoilt by the chain holding the feeder up!

Brambling - a superb garden visitor  :-)

Whilst waiting for the Brambling to come back in, plenty of activity was noted, including COAL TIT, a flock of Long Tailed Tits ( scarce in my garden in recent years!) two Nuthatch, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, as well as all the BLUE, and GREAT TITS, CHAFFINCH, GREENFINCH and Goldfinch, however the Greenfinch's are well down in number just three, compared two over 30 last month!

Goldfinch