Pittswood Birds

There was a light frost this morning, but once the sun was up it melted away and the day became sunny and springlike, although a bit of fog rolled in for an hour or so at one point.

Sunrise

The crocus' that I posted yesterday were encouraged to open by the sun this morning, reciprocating its warm yellow glow back out into the blue sky, but they didn't attract an early Bee.

Sunny Crocus

The sunshine also encouraged me to stay out a bit longer than usual, recording a total of 44 species in the 4 hour full patch walk. There wasn't the excitement of finding Waxwings and Med. Gulls today, but a lone SKYLARK (62) that drifted over the Tree Nursery, singing as it did so, was the first seen this month and was a joy to hear   :-)

Other highlights included 3 Raptor species, the first being a COMMON BUZZARD that was seen perched in a tree at the Pub Field/Tree Nursery boundary, the second was a female SPARROWHAWK that sped across Migrant Alley, putting up about 40 FIELDFARE, and 30 BLACK HEADED GULL, I had already scanned the gulls for a Med. Gull but none was found, although six COMMON GULLS were found, an all time peak count for my patch! The third raptor species for the day was the pair of KESTRELS that were again perched up at the Greenhouse Grounds, where the only SISKINS and BULLFINCH seen this morning were also to be found. This LITTLE OWL was seen in the adjacent Greenhouse Copse, enjoying some warm sunshine.

Little Owl

Little owl

The Lakes today were home to 6 CANADA GEESE, 4 MALLARD, 2 MOORHEN and the COOT pair, two very feral looking GREYLAG GEESE flew over but didn't drop onto the water.

Songsters today, along with the lone Skylark, were, BLACKBIRD, SONGTHRUSH, MISTLETHRUSH, ROBIN, DUNNOCK, GREENFINCH, CHAFFINCH, WOODPIGEON, GREAT TIT, COAL TIT, WREN, GOLDCREST and STOCK DOVE - spring is certainly fast approaching now  :-)

Blackbird