Pittswood Birds

Another new month begins -  March, the first of the spring trio, and the one most eagerly awaited after all the rigours of the winter. March will bring the first of the summer migrants to my patch, with Chiffchaff and Blackcap being the most likely, but also I can look forward to maybe a Wheatear or Sand Martin, or the first Swallow towards the end of the month, if I get exceptionally lucky I might get a Stonechat or Black Redstart, so there is a lot to be on the lookout for.

The first day of the month however didn't produce such goodies, nor did I expect it too, but a good selection of species were found as I walked into work and back, then over to the lakes. The tally for the day reached 38 species, kicked off by the likes of WOODPIGEON, STARLING, COLLARED DOVE, CHAFFINCH, GREAT TIT, SONGTHRUSH, HOUSE SPARROW, JACKDAW, PHEASANT, ROBIN, CARRION CROW,  and BLUE TIT, all recorded, in that order, within minutes of leaving home. The Greenhouse Complex, Migrant Alley and the College Grounds all chipped in with, WREN, GOLDFINCH, DUNNOCK, BLACKBIRD, GREENFINCH, FIELDFARE, MAGPIE, PIED WAGTAIL, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST, ROOK and the last species before I had to get to work, but the best, two GREY WAGTAILS (70) seen along the College Stream, the first of the year  :-)

The walk home didn't produce a single new species for the month, but I was out in the warm sunshine after a bite to eat, visiting the lakes via the Small Holding and Wet Woods, where another 13 species were added, which is a fewer than anticipated, however the TEAL that were seen yesterday were still around, and are a good March species to get, also a couple of REDWING were found, as were the GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS. The lakes had no surprises today, but the CANADA GEESE, COOTS, MOORHEN and MALLARD were all recorded there, a flyover GREYLAG GOOSE joined the list as it called noisily heading SE. The surrounding scrubby Woods were searched, and LONG TAILED TIT, BULLFINCH, and  COAL TIT were added to the months list. A look at the feeders in the nearby garden feeding station was worth it, as a LESSER REDPOLL was again on the niger feeder ( note for K and A, have you seen it ?)  The final species to go on the March list today was a flyover SPARROWHAWK, seen over at Migrant Alley as I was sky watching - the only thing that did flyover, not even a gull species today!!

So 38 species to start the month off, which is a moderate start, but still way behind the record total for March, which is 71 species, this was recorded back in March 2010.

Just a couple of photo's today, that of a Female Blackbird  :-)

Blackbird

Blackbird