Pittswood Birds

Spits and spots of rain this morning soon fizzled out, leaving a day of showers, with the odd bright spell. That was good enough for me to get round for a full patch visit and find a good tally of 49 bird species, some good patch birds were included, but anything new for the year list was not amongst them, frustratingly!

Top birds of the day must go to the pair of PEREGRINES that flew low and slow over the Scrubby Woods, a fantastic sight, also, 2 female GOOSANDERS were on the main lake for the third day running. The was quite a selection of species on the three water bodies today, as well as the Goosander there were the MUTE SWAN pair, 6 CANADA GEESE, a pair of MANDARIN DUCK, the COOT, a KINGFISHER, a CORMORANT, plus the regular MALLARD and MOORHENS, its unusual for so much to be seen on these small water bodies.

Before the Peregrines flew over the Scrubby Woods I had heard TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, SONGTHRUSH, MISTLETHRUSH, WREN, ROBIN, and DUNNOCK all singing, with NUTHATCH, JAY, BULLFINCH and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER all calling, along with the common regulars of BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, CHAFFINCH and GOLDFINCH.

Out on the fields it was a bit harder going, but a few REDWING and FIELDFARE were sat in the boundary trees of the Ashes lane Field, a small party of ROOKS and JACKDAWS were on the Pub Field, and at Migrant Alley 20-30 BLACK HEADED GULLS with a dozen HERRING GULLS, of mixed ages, sat out on the sheep pasture.

The LITTLE OWL was again at the Greenhouse Copse, but the Greenhouse grounds were disturbed today by a work crew, however, a few MEADOW PIPITS and PIED WAGTAILS still hung around the poly tunnel frames. I retired to my sky watching seat, which was not too bad vigil as i added two more Gull species, those being LESSER BLACK BACKED and more impressively for my air space another GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL, my third record of this species this month. A couple of single SISKIN were also heard going over, and the female KESTREL was up hunting, then a pleasing sound was heard when a SKYLARK got up from the sheep pasture and started to sing, the first one heard this year  :-)

Quite a good visit today, and with GREENFINCH and SPARROWHAWK being seen at my garden feeders this afternoon, the days tally reached a very good 51 species, the only species I think that I could of added today would have been Stock Dove and Pheasant, both eluded me today.

I got a few images in the short brighter spells, mostly of the Mute swan pair, just nice to have the camera out with me !

Mute Swan, they always come and greet me if they think I have some food  :-)

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''The'' Coot

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Mallard pair