Pittswood Birds

I set off for the Lakes and Scrubby Woods area this afternoon, in some gloomy overcast conditions, I'll be visiting this area more frequently as the chance of picking up migrant passerines over on the pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley diminishes, and the chance of finding something on the water increases ( albeit slightly!).

I passed through the Small Holding and Wet Woods on the way to the lakes, where it was almost completely silent, ( birdwise) just the sound of a 'ticking'  ROBIN was heard, 4 MALLARD were seen in the Wet Woods as I scanned the growing pools of water for a Teal, of which there were none!

Reaching the lakes I scanned the three small water bodies and was pleased to find a pair of MANDARIN DUCKS (60) to add to the October list, as well as a KINGFISHER (61), but failed to find a Grey Heron for the month. I didn't find the Coot today, but it may have been roosting up somewhere and hidden away, the only other bits on the water were 4 MOORHEN and two Mallards.

Hardly a sound came from the Scrubby Woods, a GOLDCREST called as did a DUNNOCK, then I was alerted by a splash on the water, only to find it was a pair of CANADA GEESE dropping in, and not a flock of Tufted Ducks..........  One day!

I made my way over to the Tree Nursery, where a couple of MAGPIES were seen, plus three KESTRELS, I wondered if they were the ones that had bred on patch ? Two MEADOW PIPITS flew up from the vegetation, then back down again, a PIED WAGTAIL flew over giving an alarm call, which was in response to a SPARROWHAWK.

I spent 40 minutes on my sky watching seat at Migrant Alley, which wasn't too bad, LESSER REDPOLL, and SISKIN, went over in ones and two's, and a short passage of around 100 SWALLOWS flew NE with at least 2 HOUSE MARTINS. Over on the paddocks I could just make out a flock of around 35 LINNETS, whilst behind me, in the Greenhouse Complex, 20-30 GOLDFINCH were feeding, plus a CHIFFCHAFF called.

Camera stayed at home today :-(