Pittswood Birds

I snatched another couple of hours out for a patch visit mid morning, where once again it was very dull, damp and misty, but it was at least a bit milder than yesterday  :-)

Three GREEN WOODPECKERS were seen as I walked to the Lakes, one on the roof of the Greenhouses, which looked very out of place, and a couple in the Ashes lane Field. Over on the water today it was all very empty, just the KINGFISHER was of note, keeping company with 13 MALLARDS and 4 MOORHEN.

The adjacent Scrubby Woods was much livelier than yesterday, with song being heard from MISTLETHRUSH, SONGTHRUSH, WREN and ROBIN, plus sightings of BULLFINCH, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and a whole host of species that had joined a 13 strong LONG TAILED TIT flock, including BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, 2 COAL TIT, 3 GOLDCREST and a TREECREEPER, three Mistlethrushes also chased around nearby.

Making my way back to the Greenhouse Grounds I had good views of the LITTLE OWL that has a territory around the old shack in the Ashes Lane Field, the female KESTREL was seen hunting over the Pub Field again, but nothing else was on the old Maize stubbles there.

The Greenhouse Grounds were less disturbed than of late, the pile of old timber that had been slowly incinerated over the last week or so had finally gone, and consequently more birds were seen, only the usual stuff, BLACKBIRDS, DUNNOCKS, more Wrens, Robins and a couple of Songthrush, plus four PIED WAGTAILS, and another Long Tailed Tit flock, this one at least 12 strong. I checked the nearby stretch of track to the front of the Greenhouses where I had put down some seed at the weekend and was pleased to see that it was attracting quite few birds, mostly the small flock of a dozen GOLDFINCH, but there were also at least 5 CHAFFINCH, a few more Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Blue and Great Tits. Whilst I watched them feeding, at least 4 SISKIN flew over, but not the hoped Yellowhammer, I still need that for the November list. I've just 2 more November visits left now to try and find 4 more new species for the month if I am to set a new November species tally, at least on Saturday i'll get a full patch walk in, that might be my best chance  :-)

My Garden feeders were quiet for most of the day, once again the SPARROWHAWK is keeping everything away, but every now and then there is a flurry of activity as the Sprawk flies off to try its luck somewhere else, and in one of these short, Sprawk free interludes, a mass invasion of birds took advantage, with 3 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, 2 COAL TITS, 2 NUTHATCH, at least 14 LONG TAILED TITS, a minimum of 10 BLUE TITS plus 4 GREAT TIT, 6 GOLDFINCH, 4 GREENFINCH a BLACKBIRD and a ROBIN all appearing from there hide aways, then just as quickly as they appeared they all vanished again! The Long Tailed Tits that visit are probably from both the flocks that are out on my patch, maybe their visits will coincide, it would be fantastic to see 20+ of them in my garden!

Photo's are from my garden again today, taken during last weekends sunshine  :-)

STARLING

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Goldfinch

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