Pittswood Birds

My second full patch walk for April was a bit of a shock to the system, the weather had turned cold and grey, with a biting NE wind, what a turn around from the summer weather of the last few weeks. I spent 4 hours visiting the various different habitats of my patch, and managed to find a reasonable total of 46 species, two of those were new for the month, both found whilst walking through Migrant Alley, and both were flyovers, the first being a lone SKYLARK (52) a species that is getting more scarce here every year, the second was a pair of MANDARIN DUCK (53), I wonder where they were off too?

Nothing was seen of any left over winter species, I'm hoping to boost the April list with at least a couple of these, maybe a late Siskin, Redwing, or Fieldfare. A few Gulls were seen, which included 6 LESSER BLACK BACKED  GULLS on one of the horse paddocks at Migrant Alley, and flyovers of both HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULL. Of the raptors, SPARROWHAWK was seen numerous times, and the KESTREL was up hunting around the Greenhouse Grounds, at one point it was harassing two CARRION CROWS in a tree, where a large nest box has been placed, I wonder if the Kestrel has any breeding intentions for the box? The other raptor seen today was a BUZZARD, this flew low from the Scrubby Woods, where two BLACKCAPS were singing, along with at least 3 CHIFFCHAFFS. The nearby lakes had 6 CANADA GEESE, 4 MALLARD, 4 MOORHEN, and the COOT pair, plus the feral BARNACLE GOOSE, I was rather hoping a different duck would have dropped in, but no luck .

Still no sign of any new spring migrants, cant be too long now before something turns up!

The camera stayed at home today, just too dark and dingy for it, and the only photo left in the blog folder is of this BLUE TIT at my garden feeder, taken some weeks ago!

Blue Tit