Pittswood Birds

Into another month already! Most of the Migration action is over now, but November can bring in some good winter species, and I look forward to finding some  of them :-)

I kicked off this morning a bit late, as I waited for the heavy overnight rain to pass through, but by 08:00hrs I was out, immediately finding a COMMON BUZZARD as it flew over my house with a mobbing CARRION CROW. A flurry of species went into the book as I headed along Ashes lane, JACKDAW, COLLARED DOVE, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, MISTLE THRUSH, COAL TIT, PIED WAGTAIL, BLUE TIT, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD and GOLDFINCH took me rapidly to the first dozen species for November.

I cut across the Tree Nursery, picking up WOODPIGEON, GOLDCREST, MAGPIE, WREN, and MEADOW PIPIT, plus flyovers from LESSER REDPOLL and SISKIN. A circuit around the Wet Woods was a bit of a brief affair, as the trees were still cascading with water, but I added MOORHEN, plus a good few species in a mixed feeding flock, including NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, GREAT TIT, MARSH TIT ( The one that comes to my garden feeders) about a dozen LONG TAILED TITS and more interestingly another 6 Goldcrests.

The lakes and Scrubby Woods was visited next, but little was on the water, only a KINGFISHER and 3 MALLARD were added to the list. The surrounding Scrubby Woods didn't give me a Bullfinch today, but JAY, SONGTHRUSH, CHAFFINCH, and an impressive display by no less than 3 KESTRELS which chased around above me, were all added to Novembers tally, a SKYLARK flew over whilst I watched the falcons.

I walked back home for a half way snack, via the Small Holding, where a LITTLE OWL called from cover, a pair of SPARROWHAWKS chased through, 4 GREEN WOODPECKERS fed on a large garden lawn, and both BLACK HEADED and HERING GULL flew over.

After a drink I headed out to the Greenhouse Grounds, Migrant Alley and the College Grounds, at the Greenhouse Grounds I at last recorded STARLING, HOUSE SPARROW and DUNNOCK, but the sighting of two SWALLOWS heading south was a surprise, this is the latest date I have recorded Swallows on my patch! Migrant Alley yielded ROOK for the months list, and the College Grounds gave me the GREENFINCH that I was seeking - this species really takes some finding now, what a decline they have had here  :-(  On the upside though, four more Goldcrests, and two more Kingfishers were seen, as well as another Sparrowhawk.

In all I found 43 species to start the month off, the best November species tally was back in 2010, with 68 being found, so the challenge is on!

I managed a couple of photo's today  :-)

Jackdaw

Jackdaw

Pied Wagtail