Pittswood Birds

At last the weather has calmed down a bit, allowing an afternoon stroll over to the Lakes and Scrubby Woods area, plus a 40 min skywatch at Migrant Alley. I was hoping to hear the sound of Turtle Dove or Lesser Whitethroat in the Scrubby Woods, both these migrants species are due in any day now, but they were not forthcoming, however, a bit of a surprise was in store when I heard, then managed to track down my first GARDEN WARBLER (87, 67) of the year, I was a bit surprised to find it, as this species is normally not seen until May on my patch, todays record is only the second April record in eleven years, last year I didn't record one at all in spring, and had to wait until the return migration in Autumn.The eleven year median average arrival date for Garden warbler is now the 3rd May.

Whilst in the Scrubby Woods, BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF, GOLDCREST, BULLFINCH and COAL TIT were all seen well, and with all the resident birds singing, it felt much more like April  :-)  A quick check on the COOT chicks over on the lake confirmed they are now down to just the two.

As I walked over to my sky watching seat, I noticed a good flock of STARLINGS in sheep pasture next to the Tree Nursery, at least 35 were collecting food for hungry nestlings. Before taking my seat, I had a scout around the Greenhouse Grounds, and was pleased to find the WHITETHROAT had returned there, also a Blackcap has set up territory here, as usual the commonest bird here is the WREN and as usual I got lots of photo's of one  :-)

The Skywatch was an average affair, with three raptor species being seen, those being the KESTREL pair, a single BUZZARD and a pair of SPARROWHAWKS. The eagerly awaited first Swift of the year didn't show, but that can only be days away now, a few more SWALLOWS have arrived though, and they were watched feeding around the sheep. Lets hope for some decent weather for tomorrows early full patch walk  :-)

Garden Warbler - First of the year  :-)

Garden Warbler. It was singing away in an Elder tree, whilst in a Hawthorn tree just yards away a Blackcap was in full song too, thats more like April !

Whitethroat at the Greenhouse Grounds

Female BLACKBIRD, also at the Greenhouse Grounds

Wren.  I took about 21 shots of it, and they all had they annoying white stick spoiling the photo

I had to wait for it to re-appear and shoot over again   :-)

SONGTHRUSH. I took a photo of this same bird in the same tree earlier in the year, it had its back to me on that occasion too !