Pittswood Birds

After yesterdays short patch visit, I was hoping to make up for it this afternoon, but the weather soon put a stop to that. A strong SW wind blew, and even as I left for the lakes the first spits of rain were felt  :-(

Walking through the Small Holding, I noted a mixed flock of birds feeding in the Alpaca enclosure, this is a regular feature here at this time of year, as the wind blown seeds from the Hornbeam trees are lying scattered on the floor. I found 3 REDWING, a GREEN WOODPECKER, 2 BLACKBIRDS, 6 BLUE TIT, about a dozen CHAFFINCH, about 20 GREENFINCH and two PIED WAGTAILS, further along the footpath another Green Woodpecker was seen.

On the lakes today, there were 4 pairs of CANADA GEESE, all battling it out for breeding rights, only two pairs will stay to breed, ( hopefully) there isn't room for anymore!  The pair of COOTS again fed busily, but just one pair of MALLARD was seen and just a single MOORHEN. The CORMORANT was back up in its Silver Birch tree over looking the lakes. Four BULLFINCH'S were seen in the Scrubby Woods, but with the rain turning heavier and the wind blowing hard, I didn't stay out long.

I made my way back home, via the Tree Nursery, where a SPARROWHAWK zipped over, and the KESTREL could be seen in the distance hunting over the Greenhouse Complex, two more Green Woodpeckers flew up from the shrubs, and five FIELDFARE were blown through on the wind.

The rest of the dark, wet and windy afternoon was spent looking over the garden feeders, looking and hoping for my first Brambling of the year to to turn up, but it wasn't to be, a pair of SISKIN was a nice sight though, and all the regulars made forays to the feeders, NUTHATCH, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, COAL TIT, WREN, and a pair of LONG TAILED TITS being the most noteworthy, oh, and of course the SPARROWHAWK, it made 3 visits, hiding up in the tree at the bottom of the garden, but I kept him on the move :-)

I hope for a better visit tomorrow - allegedly something more springlike is on the way, weatherwise,- so with that in mind ive dug out an image from last summer, just to get in the mood  :-)

Large White Butterfly - Summer 2011, cant wait!!