Pittswood Birds

The continued cool, dull and overcast conditions once again meant a camera-less walk over to the College Grounds this morning, and those same conditions are making for frustrating visits, as very little bird song is heard, and no chance of finding any Butterflies or Damselflies either  :-(

It was very much as yesterdays visit, with a couple of singing BLACKCAPS on their respective territories one at the Greenhouse Grounds and one in the large garden adjacent Migrant Alley, where a slight increase in the CANADA GEESE flock on the sheep pasture, 14 to 21 was noted, and also a slight increase in GREYLAG GEESE from 11 to 14. The 100 plus ROOKS were feeding around the geese, and in an adjacent paddock 22 LINNETS were feeding on Dandelion seed heads, with 20-30 STARLINGS probing for inverts around them. A COMMON WHITETHROAT sang from the Wooded Headland to the North of the paddocks.

The SPOTTED FLYCATCHER was heard, but went unseen at the College Grounds, also heard were GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, MISTLETHRUSH, CHIFFCHAFF and another Blackcap. SONGTHRUSH, BLACKBIRD, ROBIN, DUNNOCK, PIED WAGTAIL, and JACKDAW were all seen carrying food, however I have not seen any newly fledged young for these species as yet.

I left it until early afternoon to visit the Scrubby Woods and Lakes, as the forecast was for it to brighten up, so I took my smaller lens in case any Damsels or flutters were seen, however it didn't brighten up at all, it just got windy! Needless to say the camera didn't leave my shoulder :-(

I stayed for around 90 minutes, checking up on the COOT family, they are doing well, and looking over the water finding just a GREY HERON of note. BULLFINCH were seen, as well as more Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Blackcap, and Chifchaff. GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS 'drummed' and GREEN WOODPECKERS 'yaffled', a fleeting glimpse of a TREECREEPER was had, and a pair of LONG TAILED TITS were seen carrying food, another species that will produce fledglings very soon now.

In all then, not a very inspiring day, but looking at the weather to come for later this week today might prove to be one of the better days! Looks like Friday i'll be staying in bed, ''wet snow on hills'' they said - it is Summer isn't it? I hope those fledglings don't come out just yet!

I snatched a couple of garden photo's later in the afternoon, having done the STARLINGS and Great Spotted Woodpeckers already, there was little else to photograph, its not very busy at the feeders at this time of year  :-)

WOODPIGEON

CHAFFINCH