Pittswood Birds

The sky soon cleared this morning, and bright sunshine was enjoyed for this mornings full patch walk.

A good tally of 46 bird species was recorded in the four and a half hour visit, but not one of them was new for my year list, which seems to have stalled on 60 species! Most interest was, as usual during winter, centered on the lakes and wooded parts of my patch, where on the lakes things had livened up a bit. As well as the regularly seen MALLARDS and MOORHENS, I was also able to enjoy the likes of single KINGFISHER, COOT, CORMORANT and GOOSANDER, plus the MUTE SWAN pair and 2 pairs of MANDARIN DUCK.

Goosander

Goosander

Whilst waiting for the Goosander to come near enough for a respectable photograph, I heard a LESSER REDPOLL call as it flew over, GOLDCREST, BULLFINCH, GREEN WOODPECKER, and JAY were also heard, and a TREECREEPER sang as I watched it feeding on a nearby fir tree. Two COAL TITS chased around, and a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER drummed again.

Out on the fields it was mostly a case of counting ROOKS, JACKDAWS and WOODPIGEONS, and noting a few fly over REDWING and FIELDFARE, all in singles. BLACK HEADED GULL and HERRING GULL also flew over, as did a skein of 7 GREYLAG GEESE, but the blue sky remained mostly empty again today.

Both the SPARROWHAWK HAWK and KESTREL were seen up hunting around the Greenhouse Grounds, and the pair of LITTLE OWLS were in their tree at the Greenhouse Copse. The Greenhouse Grounds also had all the regulars, despite the raptors about, plenty of GREAT TITS, BLUE TITS, WRENS, DUNNOCKS, BLACKBIRDS, SONGTHRUSHES and ROBINS, plus eight MEADOW PIPITS, 4 PIED WAGTAILS and half a dozen each of GOLDFINCH and CHAFFINCH with just one pair of Bullfinch. Just two LONG TAILED TITS were seen there though, surely not pairing of from the flock already ?  A single PHEASANT that flew up was the first ive seen for 4 days.

This afternoon I noted the first HOUSE SPARROW of the year feeding in my garden, the 19th species so far to do so, these two are more regular though  :-)

Dunnock

Great Spotted Woodpecker