Pittswood Birds

A bit of a mixed day today, I had to forgo visiting the College Grounds, a dog agility event was taking place and the whole area was full of snapping, snarling, barking dogs, and their even louder owners! There was a similar event last month, I hope this isn't going to become a monthly thing :-(

Anyway, due to not covering the College grounds the daylist took a bit of a bashing, just 43 species were found this morning, but of those, two were new to the month, first a GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL (64) flew over the Lake area, while on the lakes themselves the BARNACLE GOOSE (65) had turned up again, with its CANADA GOOSE partner  :-) Three other pairs of Canada Geese were also on the lakes, as were 8 MOORHEN, 4 MALLARD, the pair of COOTS plus a KINGFISHER, which sat on the far side of the overhanging trees, far too distant for a photo, not that in the gloomy conditions it would have been very good anyway! A CORMORANT came in and sat atop one of the large Silver Birch Trees, waiting to come down onto the water.

Not much else was seen to set the pulse racing, though once again, as yesterday, I saw the COMMON BUZZARD sitting in the Greenhouse Copse, KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK were the other raptors seen, but as yet there has been no sighting of a Peregrine this month, I wonder if they have finally left the area now that the Tower has been enveloped in blue screens for nearly a year now  :-(

One achievement for the day was finding 5 Gull species, this has only happened once before in 11 years, as well as the above mentioned Great Black backed Gull, I also had BLACK HEADED, HERRING, COMMON, and LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL.

Of the winter birds, FIELDFARE was the most recorded, several large flocks passed over headed NW, the only other winter bird recorded was the SISKIN 4 flew over the Wet Woods.

The two new species for the month takes this February up to second place out of 11, joint with 2011, and only 2 behind the record February total of 67, achieved in 2009, so with 3 full patch walks left and 8 shorter afternoon visits a new February record could just possibly be set - maybe a Brambling will turn up at my garden feeders, or a Mandarin Duck on the lakes, a flyover Mute Swan is surely due!  :-)

Photos today were limited by the dull dismal conditions, an attempt at the Canada Geese on the lakes was had, but a more successful shoot in my garden, during a 'bright spell' was made around midday, before rain set in later.

Canada Goose

Canada Goose

BLUE TIT

GREAT TIT

GREENFINCH

LONG TAILED TIT

Lastly, and my favourite for the day, a typical DUNNOCK, skulking among the some old decaying logs  :-)