Pittswood Birds

A mix of cloudy and sunny periods this morning, however it was a bit cooler than of late as I started out, this didn't deter the early songsters of MISTLETHRUSH, SONGTHRUSH, WREN, ROBIN and DUNNOCK though, making for quite a lively dawn chorus  :-)

I visited the lake area first thing, via the Small Holding and Wet Woods, collecting all the regular common species, but again missing out on Little Owl for my year list. The Little Grebe wasn't seen on the water today, but it could have been hiding up as it often does. The three COOTS were very obvious though, and a GREY HERON fished from the shallows, once again a KINGFISHER surprised me, flying off as I approached its perching place, the six CANADA GEESE seen yesterday were still present with a few MALLARD and the MOORHENS had increased to eight birds, all tail flicking and posturing in readiness for the spring  :-)  In the surrounding Scrubby Woods, the likes of GOLDCREST, LONG TAILED TIT, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, BULLFINCH and both GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER were all found.

The Pub Field and Tree Nursery didn't give me anything for the daylist, but crossing through the Greenhouse Complex and the associated small copse there, a dozen FIELDFARE were noted, as were the first GOLDFINCH and SISKIN of the day, another two Treecreepers were also seen well. Crossing Migrant Alley to get to the College Grounds, three HERRING GULLS, and two CORMORANTS were seen going over, and the KESTREL flew towards the Greenhouse Complex - its preferred hunting place  :-)

The College Grounds gave me more Bullfinch, Siskin, Goldcrest and Coal Tit as well as the more common CHAFFINCH, GREENFINCH, plus the BLUE and GREAT TITS in good numbers, my second Kingfisher of the day also showed up on one of the ponds.

The leisurely walk back homewards, added COMMON GULL to my days sightings as it flew over the Sports pitch with 20 or so BLACK HEADED GULLS, also a COMMON BUZZARD slowly circled over Migrant Alley. In all a very pleasant 3 hours out, with 44 species turning out for me, but still no additions to the year/months list. With just one more full patch walk to go, this months species total looks like going down as the fifth best for January, two more new species would take it to fourth, something to aim for  :-)

Common Gull - My first flight shot of this species on my patch, one for my archives  :-)

Common Gull

Great Tit

BLACKBIRD, Female This is probably the same bird as featured in yesterdays post

Blackbird, female

Lastly - A taste of spring. This was one of five Crocus' that were in bloom in my garden, defying the talk of some siberian weather headed for us for next month, I think nature knows better whats ahead weather wise than we do  ;-)