Pittswood Birds

It was a relief to find that there was no fog on my patch this morning, just a few patches of low lying mist that soon burnt off with the increasing warmth of the sun, which today I could at last get some photo's of as it rose, it was like looking at a globe of liquid gold.

''Liquid Gold'''

Sunrise at Pittswood

Once the sun was fully up it became hot again, keeping the birds hidden up, well, most of them anyway, and I struggled to find much more than I did in the fog yesterday. A TREECREEPER (43) was new for the month, it was with a flock of LONG TAILED TITS found along the College Stream, also at the College, in the gardens, I found the first COAL TIT (44) of the month.

Another bird to join the months list was my first COMMON GULL (45) of the Autumn, it flew over Migrant Alley, closely followed by a string of 8 SKYLARKS. By nine o'clock I was over at the Scrubby Woods and lake area, and the heat of the day was already building, consequently very little bird activity was noted, just the usual regulars, but the NUTHATCH (46) was an addition for the month, and it was nice to see a flock of 6 BULLFINCH feeding on the now shrivelled Elder berries.

I finished the visit, as I always try to do, by having a sky watch over on my seat at Migrant Alley, but the heat was too much for me, my seat being exposed to the full force of the sun, and I lasted for just 40mins - I can sit much longer in a freezing NE gale in February!!  I did get to see both KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK (47), plus a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (48) which took the day list to 42. I suppose I'll have to get used to these low species totals, now virtually all the summer birds have gone, and the winter birds have yet to arrive.

One thing I noted whilst at home, which I have never witnessed before, was the Sparrowhawk visiting my garden, and taking a bank vole, it must have been hungry!

Long Tailed Tit - just checking the leaves for spiders and the likes :-)

HERRING GULL