Pittswood Birds

A full patch walk was undertaken this morning, the 100th of the year, and in some cool but sunny conditions it proved to be quite an interesting one  :-)

In all I recorded a total of 47 species in the five hour visit, a better than average tally for an October day, that despite not finding a Coal Tit or Bullfinch. Two CHIFFCHAFFS were seen along Ashes Lane first thing, and the KESTREL pair were sitting on their posts at the Greenhouse Grounds when I arrived there, plus the usual gathering of BLACKBIRDS and a couple of SONGTHRUSH. Migrant Alley had a dozen or so MEADOW PIPITS on the sheep pasture, along with 3 SKYLARK, more of both species flew over during my circuit, as well as at least 2 SISKIN.

The maize stubble in the Pub Field hadn't attracted anything, but the border hedgerow had a mixed flock of BLUE, GREAT and LONG TAILED TITS moving along it, as well as a few ROBINS and DUNNOCKS tagging along. The adjacent Ashes lane Field had a LITTLE OWL sitting on the old shack there.

Next up was the lake area, although no new species of duck were seen, there was a KINGFISHER and GREY HERON that had joined the MALLARDS and MOORHENS, as well as a CORMORANT that sat in a bankside tree, allowing me my only photo of the morning  :-) I heard a MISTLETHRUSH fly over, its rattling call echoed around the quite Scrubby Woods, as I watched it, five REDWING also went through, a NUTHATCH called from nearby, but then I heard the unmistakeable call of a RING OUZEL, I looked up into the blue sky and saw not one, but a pair of them! Three Ring Ouzels here in two days is unheard of! What a fantastic record though, a real treat for me to see, although as rare as they are here, it didn't qualify as a months tick!

I made my way through the Wet Woods and Small Holding next, adding TREECREEPER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, GREEN WOODPECKER, GOLDFINCH, GREENFINCH, STOCK DOVE, JAY, and GOLDCREST to my days list.

My sky watch was beckoning, so I made my way over to my seat at Migrant Alley, via High House lane, where HOUSE SPARROWS were at last found, but on my mind was the possibility of finding a Fieldfare, and in doing so recording all six thrush species in one a day, a first and not likely to repeated event!

I reached my seat, and began to scan and listen for my first Fieldfare of the Autumn, A LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (66) was a welcome additon to the months list, one went over with a few HERRING GULLS. BLACK HEADED GULLS also went over, as did more Skylark and Meadow Pipits. Another Grey heron flapped slowly past, and a few PIED WAGTAILS made their way onto the Greenhouse Rooves, then after about forty minutes, I heard it, ''Chack Chack Chack'' FIELDFARE (67) !! My first two of the Autumn flew over, giving me the great satisfaction of having recorded, for the first time, the six Thrush species on my patch in one day, an event that surley wont happen again for a long time, if ever.

The day was rounded off when I saw both Chiffchaff and BLACKCAP in my garden, A COAL TIT also visited, making it 49 species seen today   :-)

Here's my only photo's for the day - :

I don't usually get the chance to photograph Cormorants

But I saw this one before it saw me

So I sneaked up as close as I could

Getting a few shots of it through the tree canopy.