Pittswood Birds

A busy day with my builders again meant little time was spent out birding my patch, just a couple of hours from 09:00hrs was all that I got.

My walk over to the Lakes via the Small Holding and Wet Woods, in mild and still conditions, didn't give me anything new for the months list, but the Wet woods were a bit more livelier than is usually the case, a pair of COAL TITS were feeding there, along with at least 6 SISKIN which were in an Alder tree, a few BLUE and GREAT TITS had joined them, while nearby 2 TREECREEPERS were seen and a group of BLACKBIRDS were foraging along the edges of the pools of water.

On the water today the MUTE SWANS remain, and the KINGFISHER was seen again, 22 MALLARDS were spread over the 3 water bodies, and at least 1 MANDARIN DUCK was hiding under the tree overhang on the main lake, the only other wildfowl seen were a few MOORHENS, I was hoping for a Grey Heron to turn up for the months list.

One bird I felt sure would make it onto the December list today was found where I thought it would be, a look around the old shack in the Ashes Lane Field produced the LITTLE OWL (49) that has a territory there.

I had a quick walk around the Greenhouse Grounds, which looked quite promising, as I entered I saw a few CHAFFINCH and 2 MEADOW PIPITS amongst the old Raspberry canes, but as I went for a better look around a SPARROWHAWK flew through putting everything up, an assortment of small passerines all flew off and I could only identify Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit, GOLDFINCH and two BULLFINCH in the short space of time.

A very short sky watch was had, where SKYLARK, CORMORANT, a single FIELDFARE and numerous BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULLS were amongst the better species seen.

Once again the weather was in dull, gloomy and overcast mode, so photo's are not really possible - all very frustrating !