Pittswood Birds

Lifting fog at Migrant Alley

The early fog lifted gradually this morning and once it had gone, the day turned out sunny and warm  :-)

Another full patch walk was undertaken and in the five hour visit 42 birds species were recorded, a little below par, but not significantly so. Quite a number of regulars went unseen, Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Long Tailed Tit, Greenfinch, Mistlethrush, and Stock Dove all avoided detection today, as did the Sparrowhawk, I wonder why thats keeping low ?

On the plus side, a few species were found that weren't seen yesterday, all being new for the October list, and one, the GOLDEN PLOVER (106,54) being a new species for the year, a lone bird called repeatedly as it flew over Migrant Alley then over the Greenhouse Grounds, a good bird to get here, as is any wader species!

Both CANADA GOOSE (55) and GREYLAG GOOSE (56) flew over, adding themselves to the October species list, the former in a skein of 32 birds, the latter in two skeins, one of 6 and one of 22. Another bird was added to the months list, and I was particularly pleased to see it as it is just the second record this year, the last being on January 19th -  a REED BUNTING (57) not a particularly rare bird, but it can be very scarce on my patch  :-)

Of the summer birds, just 2 CHIFCHAFF were noted and a pair of SWALLOWS flew over heading south, a party of half a dozen HOUSE MARTINS also went over, briefly circling the Lake area before moving on.

Other noteworthy species, for my patch, seen today, were a GREY HERON on the main lake, KESTREL and BUZZARD up hunting and two LITTLE OWLS, one calling from a private garden along Ashes lane, the other called from the Small holding.

The months list is moving along nicely now, but it is still a long way behind the best October tally of 77, I cant think where I will find another 21 species to beat that!!

In the sunny warm conditions, I saw Small White, Speckled Wood, Red admiral, and Peacock Butterflies, plus  a couple of dragonfly species, those being Migrant Hawker and Ruddy Darter.

BLUE TIT

Migrant Hawker

Migrant Hawker