Pittswood Birds

This mornings full patch walk started with an ominous grey sky, but it slowly brightened up and there was even some sunshine at times, making for a much better visit than recent days.

The daylist reached an impressive 52 species, with the first two LAPWINGS (64) of the month flying over in the first minutes of the walk :-) . The first newly fledged GOLDFINCH were seen at Migrant Alley, being fed by both parents, while on one of the paddocks there, 40 Geese were counted, split roughly 50/50 between GREYLAG and CANADA, also the BARNACLE GOOSE was seen with them   :-)

A distant shot of the first newly fledged Goldfinch of the year

Greylag Goose going over

More Greylags going over, they were leaving the paddocks for the lakes.

The college Grounds were full of birds, GREENFINCH, Goldfinch, CHAFFINCH, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, COAL TIT, COLLARED DOVE, MISTLE THRUSH, SONG THRUSH, LINNET, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF to name but a few, but the one I was after for photographic purposes was the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, it showed well, but briefly, and I got my shots, but not quite as good as I thought they would be.

Spotted Flycatcher, shame about the blurry foliage on its bill  :-(

This shot was abit further away

Walking back through Migrant Alley both SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL were seen hunting, and as the sun started to come out, so did the SWIFTS and SWALLOWS, but no House Martins today. A flock of LINNETS had gathered since my earlier passing, and a PIED WAGTAIL posed for a photo on the fence rail.

Pied Wagtail

Pied Wagtail

Pied Wagtail, as you can see I went a bit mad with the photo's today!

I made my way over to the Lakes and Scrubby Woods, via the Wet Woods, the latter in which I was pleased to see a family of MANDARIN DUCKS but they didn't hang about for a photo, this is only the second record of successful breeding for this species on my patch  :-) The nearby MOORHEN chick did pose for a photo though  :-)

Young Moorhen in the Wet Woods

Over on the Lakes more Canada and Greylag Geese were seen, a couple of MALLARDS and Moorhens were about, and a GREY HERON was fishing, also the COOTS continue to bring up the two young. In the adjacent Scrubby Woods, a CUCKOO was heard, only the third morning I have heard it calling, very sad state of affairs :-(.  I checked the JAYS nests, both were occupied, they will be hatching young soon. BULLFINCH, STOCK DOVE, GOLDCREST,  and LONG TAILED TIT were all found, the latter were feeding their young at the nest, but when I first arrived to see them they were fending off a MAGPIE, lets hope it didn't find the nest!

Long Tailed Tit - again shame about the twigs!

I took some very quick feeding shots, not wanting to disturb them, but I was a bit too quick, didn't quite hold the camera steady, another nearly shot  :-)

Long Tailed Tit again, by the looks of the size of the food items, the young will be fledging pretty soon :-)

whilst watching the Long Tailed Tits, I was at last rewarded with my first NUTHATCH (65) this month as it came down to feed on the garden feeders nearby. Two newly fledged CARRION CROWS were seen next to their nest site, another for the patch 'confimed successfully breeding' list.

On the way back home I passed through the Tree Nursery, and looking up saw 3 BUZZARDS circling quite high up, whilst in the shrubs both LESSER WHITETHROAT and COMMON WHITETHROAT were seen. A grass snake was photographed as were a few butterflies, i'll post them tomorrow, along with the other pics I took today, as it looks like tomorrow the rain returns! 
A fantastic day today then, much as a May walk should be  :-)