Pittswood Birds

This is what greeted me this morning :-

Yep, more snow

Although none of the snow accumulated, it went on all morning, I did attempt a full patch walk, but got soaked by both the snow and the cascading water from the trees in the Wet Woods, so I abandoned the walk - another day lost to the weather  :-(

I was out barely 90 minutes, and saw very little birdlife at all, unsurprisingly! However, my visit to the lakes proved of good fortune, as I found a pair of GOOSANDER (60) my first this month, and the latest record for this winter visiting species for my patch. I was able to sneak right up on them, to within 5m and watched the female catch a medium sized fish, which wriggled about in its bill - would have made a cracking photograph, if, like so many mornings this year, the conditions hadn't of prevented the camera being taken out  :-(

Also on the Lake were a pair of MALLARDS, one of the COOT pair, a Pair of CANADA GEESE and 4 MOORHENS.

I trudged back home, through the at times shin deep mud, but at least the mud was so watery it didn't stick to my boots  :-)

Once home there is always my garden to watch over, maybe my first Brambling of the year would visit, or maybe the first Lesser Redpoll of the month, but no, a pair of SPARROWHAWKS constantly harassed the feeders, keeping out most other species, only the quick reacting Tit species came in for any time.

Here's one of the trouble makers !! Shame I had to take the photo's through the double glazing, mind you I had the ISO racked right up, and had the exposure compensation down by two thirds, but still only got a shutter speed of 1 60th of a second.

Nothing behind it!

Nothing to its left

Nothing to its right

Nothing below it, so it flew back to its concealed perch and waited for another opportunity!