Pittswood Birds

I did another full patch walk this morning, the weather was dull, and misty with a thick cloud cover, but with little wind it felt quite warm out.

The birding was awfully slow,  just 25 species were found as I walked the Greenhouse Grounds, Greenhouse Copse, Migrant Alley and the Ashes lane Field, with very few highlights to note. One of those would have to be the HOBBY that flew low over the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, the average last sighting date for Hobby over the past 11 years is the 27th September, so I suspect this will be one of the last sightings.

SWALLOWS and HOUSE MARTINS continue to head south west passing over in small mixed flocks, but the only other summer species seen today was the CHIFFCHAFF, they are still about in reasonable numbers, with at least 11 seen this morning all told.

A LITTLE OWL was calling from the private garden along Ashes lane, where atop a large Eucalyptus tree 3 MISTLE THRUSHES perched for a while before flying off SE.

The main lake had a KINGFISHER on it today, but little else, the Scrubby Woods and the Wet Woods had relatively few birds in them, BULLFINCH, COAL TIT, GOLDCREST, and NUTHATCH being the most notable of those, a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER was heard to 'drum' for a short time.

An hours skywatch from my seat at Migrant Alley was pretty sleep inducing, just a KESTREL, a SPARROWHAWK and a few HERRING GULL were seen, along with the continuing passage of the Swallows and House Martins, a disappointing tally of just 40 species were noted in the 5 hours I was out, well low for a September day.

In the gloomy, dull light, It was hopeless for photo's, the sun was forecast to make an appearance later this afternoon, and I had hoped to get some garden feeder shots, but the sunshine never materialised  :-(  a pity, as I had the Nuthatch and a flock of 8 LONG TAILED TITS on the feeders.

better luck tomorrow I hope!