Pittswood Birds

It stayed cool, cloudy and dull for much of the day today, but at least it remained dry which enabled me to have a couple of hours out visiting my patch this morning.

There was very little to see though, even the most common species like BLACKBIRD, ROBIN, DUNNOCK, CHAFFINCH and BLUE TIT were difficult to find, and only around in small numbers, most of those in the Greenhouse Grounds. Over on the adjacent sheep pasture and paddocks at Migrant Alley, I did find 10 newly arrived MEADOW PIPIT, and the STARLING flock of around 300 birds, but they all soon left when a SPARROWHAWK came over low, there were at least 3 Sparrowhawks around today, which doesn't help when looking for passerines, a HOBBY, the KESTREL and a BUZZARD all did their best to keep the birds well hidden!

Summer birds were almost none existent, with only the two dozen locally bred SWALLOWS, and 3 CHIFFCHAFF being seen on my entire visit, which included a look around the lakes and Scrubby Woods where the highlight was seeing a pair of pristine looking COAL TITS.

My skywatch, which lasted 90 minutes today, gave me more views of the Sparrowhawks, another or the same Hobby, plus a SAND MARTIN, also 2 YELLOW WAGTAILS were heard going over, its been a good year for them  :-) Apart from those, it was a case of watching HERRING GULLS and a couple of BLACK HEADED GULLS fly through, not very exciting :-(

I took my camera out -  just in case, but in the poor light and with few birds about I ended up taking photo's of the Autumn harvest - come on Warblers, the fruit is here waiting!

Blackberries

Hawthorn Berries

Elder Berries - all good migrant grub, but where are they ?