Pittswood Birds

A cracking spring day today, with intermittent warm sunshine all the way though, surely a day when the first Chiffchaff would turn up ?

It wasn't to be though, but they have been heard singing now by other bloggers, so they will be on my patch this week :-)  It wasn't a disappointing visit though by any means, with the total species seen for the day hitting the magic fifty mark. A few winter species were involved in the count, with 4 REDWING seen again in the Alpaca enclosure at the Small Holding, and five FIELDFARE flew over later in the walk, as did a single LESSER REDPOLL. Two MEADOW PIPITS were seen over in the Greenhouse Grounds.

DUNNOCK

A KINGFISHER was again seen at the lakes, but there were no other surprises here today, all the regulars were picked up in the Scrubby Woods, mostly by ear, songsters included COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST, BULLFINCH, SONGTHRUSH and MISTLETHRUSH.

WREN

I spent time at Migrant Alley scanning the fields and paddocks, but no Wheatear yet, although it was good to hear a SKYLARK singing up high. Whilst there two GREYLAG and a single CANADA GOOSE, flew over, followed moments later by two CORMORANTS. I decided to have a quick look around the College Grounds, despite it being Lambing Weekend, I still had half an hour before it began. When I arrived it was, as expected, busy with workers, but a couple of sightings made there were of note, first off a NUTHATCH, its not often they turn up here, the other was altogether more unexpected and exciting. I looked up to tick off a ROOK that was flying over, when up above it I spied a large raptor, it turned out to be a RED KITE ( 71, 58), WOW!! What an excellent sighting! I have been seeing them for a few years now on my patch, ( 2006 was the first, but they have occurred yearly now since 2008) but I'm only treated one or two sightings a year  :-)  I managed some sort of photo of it, but only had seconds before it went over.

Red Kite

I finished up the walk with my customary sky watch on my seat at Migrant Alley, which proved quite useful for the days list. Two BUZZARDS and two SPARROWHAWKS showed up, the flyover Lesser Redpoll earlier mentioned, 3 Gull species, BLACK HEADED, HERRING and LESSER BLACK BACKED as well as a few PIED WAGTAILS.

Sparrowhawk, Female

Sparrowhawk, Male

This afternoon I had a look around the Greenhouse Grounds to see if I could locate some butterflies, I did, just one, a rather tatty Red Admiral, but it's a start  :-)

Red Admiral