Pittswood Birds

There was some pre dawn rain this morning, but by 09:00hrs the clouds parted and a beautiful, blue winters sky developed.

I was meet by a guest at 09:00hrs, he was wanting to see and maybe photograph a LITTLE OWL, so it was to the most likely place that we headed, that being the Greenhouse Copse. We soon located a Little Owl sitting in a sunny spot, although it was a bit obscured, some photo's were obtained  :-)

Before my guest arrived, I had already had look around part of the Greenhouse Grounds, where lots of activity was seen by the likes of BLACKBIRD, SONGTHRUSH, CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH, BULLFINCH, SISKIN, GOLDCREST, WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, PIED WAGTAIL, MEADOW PIPIT, as well as the usual BLUE TITS, and GREAT TITS. I also noted a SPARROWHAWK go over, which was being tormented by a ROOK.

A walk over to and around the Lakes was had, where the 3 lakes provided plenty of MALLARDS and a few MOORHENS, a CORMORANT flew off the main lake as we arrived, but it was the small lake that gave me a new species for the year, when my old mate the feral BARNACLE GOOSE (60) was seen with four CANADA GEESE.

Barnacle Goose, the 60th species for my patch this year

Barnacle Goose

A NUTHATCH was seen briefly around the main lake edge, and 4 -5 FIELDFARE flew over very high, their calls only just audible. A MISTLETHRUSH was singing loudly throughout our time around the lakes, and at least two more Goldcrest were heard to sing. A single LONG TAILED TIT was unusual in that it was on its own, and a nearby JAY was heard squawking raucously in a tall leylandi hedge, it could well of found an Owl roost there. The sound of a drumming GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER gave promise that spring is not far away now  :-)

We finished up back over at the Greenhouse Grounds, trying to get some photo's of the Meadow Pipits and Siskin there, then as we parted company both BUZZARD and KESTREL were seen up hunting in the blue sky ( Blue sky!!!)

Siskin

Siskin

Thanks to Glenn, who writes up the Blog ( http://bhabirder.blogspot.co.uk/ ) for keeping me company on my patch walk today, I'm glad the Little Owls showed up for you  :-)