Pittswood Birds

Misty Start

After the mist and variable amounts of cloud cleared this morning, todays patch walk was undertaken in some decent spells of sunshine. Once again a good tally of 46 species was recorded, in a little over 3 hours, and at last the years list was added to!

It wasn't until after I had visited the lakes that the first addition to my year list since 11th appeared when 4 GREAT BLACK BACKED GULLS (61) were seen flying over the Ashes Lane Field, its unusual to see more than one at a time here, with just one sighting of this species in each of the two previous years.

Earlier, on the lakes, I had recorded 2 female GOOSANDER with a CORMORANT on the main lake, also 2 pairs of MANDARIN were there, plus 6 MALLARD. The ornamental lake was again home to the MUTE SWAN pair and the lone COOT, with those were another 5 Mallard and 2 MOORHEN.

PHEASANT at the Greenhouse Grounds

Just one raptor species was seen this morning, that was the KESTREL hunting at the Greenhouse Grounds, where in the adjacent Greenhouse Copse my second LITTLE OWL of the day was seen, the first one being over at the old shack in the Ashes Lane Field.

There was still plenty to see in and around the Greenhouse Grounds, with the likes of LESSER REDPOLL, SISKIN, BULLFINCH, GOLDCREST, LONG TAILED TIT, and MEADOW PIPIT all being recorded, along with the common and regular species of BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH, HOUSE SPARROW, WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, PIED WAGTAIL, SONGTHRUSH, and BLACKBIRD.

As I made my way home along ashes lane, I heard the call of a REED BUNTING (62), which I then picked out in the sky, I watched it alight along the drainage ditch in the Ashes lane Field, one more for my year list! January's list now sits in joint 5th place out of 13, joint with January 2008 and 2012  :-)

Early this afternoon I noticed the Lesser Redpoll pair were back at my garden feeders, the sun was shining today, so i hoped to get some better photo's of them, but the only photo chances came whilst they were actually on the feeders, not ideal, but I took the chance anyway :-)

Lesser Redpoll

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