Pittswood Birds

I was out at first light this morning, eager to kick off the April list of species, which got off off to a flying start with 48 species being recorded plus another two added during an afternoon session  :-) 50 for the month already, that leaves 27 to find to equal the best April count, set last year, very much easier said than done!

Encouraged by some early sunshine, the first dozen species were quickly found as I walked along Ashes lane, those being STARLING, BLACKBIRD, WOODPIGEON, JACKDAW, GREAT TIT, COLLARED DOVE, WREN, HOUSE SPARROW, ROBIN, BLUE TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, and GREENFINCH. The Greenhouse Complex added flyover STOCK DOVE, LINNET, SONG THRUSH, GOLDCREST, CHAFFINCH, CARRION CROW and PIED WAGTAIL. Things slowed up as I passed through Migrant Alley, not much habitat here, but the paddocks and sheep pasture added ROOK, and flyovers by CANADA GOOSE as well as a MEADOW PIPIT, good to get a winter bird on the April list  :-)

The College Grounds and gardens were full of activity, with all the following seen, CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKHEADED GULL, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, HERRING GULL, PHEASANT, DUNNOCK, MISTLE THRUSH, BLACKCAP, TREECREEPER, MOORHEN, COAL TIT, MALLARD, JAY, GREEN WOODPECKER and GOLDFINCH. Two GREYLAG GEESE were seen flying low over the Greenhouse Complex on my return journey back home for a half time drink.

Five minutes later I was back out, visiting the lake area, via the Small Holding and Wet Woods, most of the regular species had already been found in the first half of the walk, but YELLOWHAMMER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, and a flyover GREY HERON were added to the months list before I got to the lakes. The only waterfowl seen here that weren't already recorded earlier, were the COOTS, and the feral BARNACLE GOOSE   :-)  NUTHATCH and BULLFINCH were seen in the Scrubby Woods, where two more recently arrived Blackcaps were also found.

As usual, I made my way back over to Migrant Alley for a skywatch to end the morning, no migrants were seen, in the clear blue sky, but SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL were seen numerous times. A subsequent afternoon walk, mainly to try and find some butterflies, added a COMMON BUZZARD, seen low over the Wet Woods, and a LITTLE OWL called from the Greenhouse Copse, as for the butterflies, a tatty Small Tortoiseshell was seen, as well as my first Green Veined White  :-) Phew - I think everything got a mention!
As the sunshine was back, the camera came out too.....

Immature Herring Gull

Immature Black Headed Gull

Immature Black Headed Gull

Coal Tit

Coal tit

Songthrush

Sparrowhawk