Pittswood Birds

After yesterdays most enjoyable sunshine, it was disappointing to find today reverting back to the gloom once again. It felt a bit colder as well today, making for a very unenjoyable visit to my patch this afternoon, where only 90 minutes was spent out before the dark descended. My visit to the lakes wasn't totally in vain though, as the TEAL was still present, it had moved from the main lake to the ornamental lake, along with 8 MALLARDS, another 8 Mallards were on the other small satellite lake, with a further 14 on the main lake, 9 MOORHENS were the only other birds on the three water bodies.

I had hoped to add Kingfisher to the months list, but my wait on the surrounding lake edge was not a successful one, however, a feeding flock of LONG TAILED TITS, with a TRECREEPER, 2 GOLDCRESTS and a few BLUE and GREAT TITS partially made up for it, I also heard BULFINCH, and SISKIN fly over. A noisy JAY squawked for some time in an ivy draped tree, but when I investigated I couldn't find any Raptor or Owls, there must have been a fox about.

I had a quick look around the Tree Nursery, the most notable birds here were 22 MEADOW PIPITS, while the adjacent Pub Field had 18 BLACK HEADED GULLS, and a nice flock of 30 + LAPWING, I couldn't get an accurate count, as they were mostly behind the rise in the field, and I wasn't about to flush them all up just to count them, they have enough of that from the dog walkers!

The last part of the day, in very dark conditions, was spent checking the tall hedge at Migrant Alley to see if there was anything on the wheat grain I have put out, there was, two CHAFFINCH and 8 YELLOWHAMMER  :-)  In the hedge itself a dozen BLACKBIRDS, 2 FIELDFARE, plus WRENS, DUNNOCKS, ROBINS and a couple more Long Tailed Tits made this the best spot on my patch today  :-)  As I neared home I watched the LINNET flock of about 30 birds wheeling low over the Tree Nursery and Greenhouse Grounds as they prepared to come into roost - it was only three thirty!

The camera stayed at home today, so here's a few of yesterdays efforts at my garden feeders, mostly Blue Tits, but i'll put some of the other species up over the next couple of days  :-)

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

This Robin was in the tall hedge yesterday, I forgot to post it!