Pittswood Birds

This mornings Sunrise At Migrant Alley

Clear skies overnight helped produce a slight frost Early this morning, making it feel very Autumnal, but once again there were plenty of bird species about, with an excellent total of 51 being found, none new for the month, or the year, but still some nice sightings to end September.

Before the sun was even above the horizon, skeins of GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE were honking there way over, smaller groups, plus a few individuals passed over all morning. I watched the sun rise over Migrant Alley and as it did so the birds began to appear, hundreds of HOUSE MARTINS soon moved in to feed over the sheep pasture, along with slightly fewer SWALLOWS, MEADOW PIPITS dropped in amongst the sheep, and at least 3 YELLOW WAGTAILS were heard calling at they flew high above. STARLING numbers increased as the sun grew warmer, up to 150 fed warily with the JACKDAWS, ROOKS and CARRION CROWS.

I walked a circuit of Migrant Alley, and heard a TREECREEPER calling from the Greenhouse Copse as I passed, a CHIFFCHAFF called from the Wooded Headland , where BLACKBIRDS, WRENS, DUNNOCKS, and a PHEASANT were also seen. I scanned the paddocks and fences for a passage Wheatear or Whinchat, but none there this morning. I watched the first HERRING GULLS with a few BLACK HEADED GULLS fly over towards a ploughed field just off patch, two LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS also joined them today.

The College Grounds were relatively quiet, but the likes of GREENFINCH, CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH, LINNET, GOLDCREST, GREAT SPOTTED and GREEN WOODPECKER plus another CHIFFCHAFF were found, a GREY HERON flew over whilst I was there. I made my way back to the Greenhouse Grounds and checked the boundary hedgerow, and rather fortuitously this SISKIN dropped in, it had clouded over by now and was against the light but I took a photo anyway  :-)

Siskin

This Blackbird was in the same hedgerow, seen as I passed earlier, notice the sun was out then!

Blackbird

Walking back up Ashes lane towards home and a quick snack, this KESTREL was seen in a large Garden

Kestrel

After my snack I wandered through the Small Holding, here another Chiffchaff called, and the first of many JAYS was seen, a BUZZARD was chased out of the Wet Woods by Carrion Crows as I entered, although the woods was mostly quiet apart from BLUE and GREAT TITS, but an early bit of drumming was heard from a Great Spotted Woodpecker, and more pleasingly a Treecreeper was in full song  :-)

Next up was a scan of the lakes, where just one canada Goose was seen, plus five MALLARDS six MOORHEN, a Grey Heron and the COOT. The Adjacent Scrubby Woods had a good haul of birds for the days list, those not seen already included COAL TIT, BULLFINCH, MISTLE THRUSH, LONG TAILED TIT, NUTHATCH and SONGTHRUSH.

 I finished up walking over to the Tree Nursery, where two STOCK DOVES were found, but nothing new for the day was evident, more of interest was seen flying over, the likes of SKYLARK, PIED WAGTAIL, CORMORANT, and SPARROWHAWK, all entertained.

A decent last weekend to end September with then, the month finishing on 73 species, which is the joint 2nd best September total, along with 2010 and 20011, but 5 species behind the September record set in 2009. There were two species recorded this September that have not occurred in any other, the Shoveler Duck and the Barnacle Goose.

Bring on October!