Pittswood Birds

Another fog bound morning meant another late patch visit, it was 11:00hrs before it cleared so not much was seen when I did get out.

The fields and paddocks of Migrant Alley were heavily disturbed, the annual lambing event takes place this weekend, and the fields were being turned into car parks  :-(  I had a look around anyway, just in case a bold migrant Wheatear was on one of the fence lines, but it wasn't. Around 50 ROOKS that were feeding among the sheep were spooked up by a couple of BUZARDS, and a SPARROWHAWK also flew over whilst I was there. I checked the Greenhouse Copse for the LITTLE OWL which was again at home today. A couple of SKYLARKS sang nearer to the Greenhouse Grounds, where a MEADOW PIPIT was seen around the poly tunnel framework.

I took the long way round to get over to the lakes, walking through the maize stubbles at the Pub Field, again hoping for an early Wheatear, but all there was were 4 BLACK HEADED GULLS. Crossing the Ashes lane Field a couple of MISTLETHRUSH were seen, and a small party of mixed REDWING and FIELDFARE flew over, as did a calling SISKIN.

On reaching the lakes I found no surprises, the MUTE SWAN pair happily devoured some bread I had brought for them and they were joined by the COOT pair, then another Coot turned up, very nice for my patch  :-) The only other birds on the water were 2 CANADA GEESE, 4 MOORHENS and 2 MALLARDS.

A walk through the scrubby woods, in some now warm sunshine was had, where I heard the first CHIFFCHAFF singing and holding territory here, a TREECREEPER and COAL TIT also sang making it feel really springlike  :-)

Hopefully there will be no fog tomorrow so i can get out early for a more meaningful visit, maybe even find an early singing migrant Blackcap  :-)

Coot, a scarce bird on my patch, once they have bred, they leave!

Mute Swan, I'm not sure I want them to breed, they will chase off the Coots!

Butterflies were out in force again, with Comma, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshells seen, plus my first Small White Butterfly of the year, the earliest yet in my 4 years of recording flutters here, the March Butterfly list is already on 4, how different from last year, when just one species was seen all month!

Peacock

Small Tortoiseshell