Pittswood Birds

This morning a dense fog fog enveloped my patch, and the light frost that went with it had me shivering for the first time this Autumn.

Fog at Migrant Alley - This is the Tall Hedge where I skywatch

Unsurprisingly very little was seen at all, and not much more was heard! In the two hours I spent out, just 29 species were recorded, by 09:00hrs I was back home, thawing out over tea and toast  :-)

By 10:00hrs the fog had began to lift - so off I went out again, almost immediately I was treated to a brace of LESSER REDPOLL that flew over Ashes lane, the first i've actually seen this Autumn, the others having been detected by their call only. I headed through the Tree Nursery and in the thinning mist and gathering sunshine I noted a small bird drop down onto one of the shrubs, where it started to call - it was a REED BUNTING (65) a new species for this month, and the first on my patch since March. SKYLARKS started to flyover as I made my way to the Lakes and Scrubby Woods, small numbers in groups of 3-6, and in the distance I saw 5 CANADA GEESE fly by, a PHEASANT called and was seen creeping along the edge of the Wet woods.

On reaching the lakes I found 8 MALLARD, 5 MOORHEN and a GREY HERON on the main lake with nothing different on the two smaller satellite lakes. I checked the surrounding scrub and vegetation, and found BULLFINCH, GREENFINCH, GOLDFINCH, CHAFFINCH, JAY, GOLDCREST,  NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, LONG TAILED TIT, COAL TIT, BLUE and GREAT TIT as well as GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, they were all loosely associating in a feeding flock, enjoying the now warm sunny morning  :-) A LITTLE OWL called several times and a CHIFFCHAFF appeared a short time after, and joined the throng. Before leaving I noted two CORMORANTS and the ever present SPARROWHAWK flying over.

I went over to Migrant Alley, and the Greenhouse Grounds for the second time, well it was fog bound earlier!  It was now clear, sunny and warm, HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULLS were passing over at all heights, MEADOW PIPITS, LINNETS, SISKINS, single FIELDFARES and REDWING all passed over, and two KESTRELS were both being mobbed by a gang of CARRION CROWS, JACKDAWS and ROOKS. This left the way clear for a pair of BUZZARDS to fly unhindered low over the Greenhouses a short time later !

So after a dismal start to the day I ended up with 50 species, 3 more than yesterday, a cracking total in the end  :-)

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Wren

BLACKBIRD Laping up the warm sunshine

GREEN WOODPECKER