Pittswood Birds

The early sunshine soon disappeared for todays full patch walk, the cloudy and windy conditions made it feel quite cool compared to the last week or so.

My 5 hour walk turned out 45 species, but they were hard won, with the likes of GREAT TIT not being found until late in the visit, the 40th species recorded and DUNNOCK even later, the 42nd species recorded!

The first couple of hours of my walk seemed like the morning after a huge party, it was very quiet, apart from the wind in the trees, which blew off the dried out leaves, tumbling them across the fields like discarded litter. I pressed on all the same, checking the Greenhouse Grounds where 3 KESTRELS were seen, but i'm not sure how many were youngsters, also a WHITETHROAT scolded me from the bramble patch there.

Migrant Alley had the usual ROOKS, CARRION CROWS and JACKDAWS, as well as a few WOODPIGEONS, the odd PIED WAGTAIL and the 40-50 strong STARLING flock, 8 GREYLAG GEESE were also feeding on one of the paddocks, all these being overflown by 20-30 SWALLOWS and a couple of SWIFTS.

The bean fields, ditches and hedgerows on the arable part of my patch added the expected species, the likes of LINNET, CHIFFCHAFF, CHAFFINCH, SONGTHRUSH, BLUE TIT, GREEN WOODPECKER, PHEASANT, BLACKCAP were all seen.

A short sky watch from my seat on the return through Migrant Alley was not very productive, just LESSER BLACK BACKED and HERRING GULL went over, and a SKYLARK drifted past, singing as it did so.

I looked for the Spotted Flycatcher at the western end of Ashes lane, without success today, then moved on to the Lakes and Scrubby woods via the Small Holding and Wet woods, but it was hard going finding much, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, COAL TIT, STOCK DOVE, JAY, HOUSE SPARROW, and GREENFINCH were the only additions before reaching the Scrubby woods and lakes. Here, the Ornamental lake was still home to the COOT family and a few MOORHENS, along with 2 MALLARDS, the Smallest lake had just a GREY HERON, and the main Lake just 13 CANADA GEESE.

The Scrubby Woods was slightly livelier, at least 24 GOLDFINCHES fed on the thistle heads, and I was surprised to see 5 SISKIN associating with them. GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, and the already mentioned Great Tit and Dunnock were also added to the days list.

The last species on the list today was the LITTLE OWL, one was sitting outside the old Shack in the Ashes lane Field.

Not much action for the camera today, but I got a distant record shot of one of the Siskin

One of the 5 Siskin, a real surprise for July

 and one of the Kestrels at the Greenhouse Grounds

Kestrel, possibly one of the young ones

This afternoon whilst listening to the Cricket, I pointed the camera out into the Garden, just to get a few blog photo's :-)

Immature Male BLACKBIRD

COLLARED DOVE

Scruffy Nuthatch  :-)

This House Sparrow brought two newly fledged young with her, photo's of those tomorrow

A nice suprise visit from a pair of BULLFINCH was had yesterday evening, too dark for a decent image, but I took a photo anyway, as I write this the pair are back again, feeding on the seeds of Herb Robert  :-)

Bullfinch