Pittswood Birds

Frosty Teasel

There was a slight frost this morning, but that soon lifted and another sunny patch walk was had, I could get well used this!

Leaving the house I barely had time to look up from my note book as I scribbled in everything I heard, WOODPIGEON, HOUSE SPARROW, WREN, SONGTHRUSH, GOLDFINCH, JACKDAW, ROBIN, GREENFINCH, BLUE TIT, MAGPIE, BLACKBIRD, DUNNOCK, GREAT TIT, CHAFFINCH, CARRION CROW, MISTLETHRUSH and COLLARED DOVE were active along Ashes Lane.

The LITTLE OWL was at the old shack in the Ashes Lane Field, and both GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and GREEN WODPECKER were heard as I crossed the field.

Over at the Lakes, the MUTE SWAN pair were again obvious on the ornamental lake, as were the COOT pair with them, and once again a third Coot was seen on the small lake, where 17 CANADA GOOSE were with the feral BARNACLE GOOSE, but best of all the first GOOSANDER (57) of March was also present, a splendid male. The main lake had just a few MOORHEN and MALLARDS on it, with another 4 CANADA GEESE, a GREY HERON looked on from the top of a bankside tree.

I again had a look to see if the Water Rail could be found, but it wasn't, just a couple of Moorhen were seen....

Moorhen

Not quite a water Rail!

All the expected regulars but the Nuthatch were found in the Scrubby Woods and Wet Woods, with singing heard from STOCK DOVE, GOLDCREST and COAL TIT, plus calls from BULLFINCH, LONG TAILED TIT, SISKIN and TREECREEPER. There were 3 Treecreepers chasing around a large Oak in the Wet Woods at one point, a pair of MANDARIN were also seen on the pools of water there.

Out on the Fields it was mostly quiet bird wise, but the warm sunshine was enjoyed, flyovers from GREYLAG GOOSE, HERRING GULL, and BLACK HEADED GULL were noted as I made my way to the Greenhouse Grounds. Here there were 10 MEADOW PIPITS, 3 LINNETS, 1 PIED WAGTAIL, a JAY, and the KESTREL pair of note. The LITTLE OWL was again in the Greenhouse Copse, as were 2 COMMON BUZZARDS, one of which had alighted in a tree with a Magpie nest in it, which caused much arguing to break out  :-)

Linnet

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A skywatch was not very productive at all, but I enjoyed watching up to 5 Buzzards soaring over the sheep pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley, where the SKYLARK song had increased. I also found my first Comma Butterfly of the year which, alighted nearby, allowing a record shot. This is my earliest Comma sighting, mind you I've only been keeping records since 2011, that year my first Comma was on the 23rd March, 2012 has a first date of the 12th march. Last year was totally different, with the cold spring the first comma didn't get recorded until April 15th!

Comma Butterfly

Back at home this afternoon the garden feeders were much quieter, but at least 6 Siskin were still coming in, plus the LESSER REDPOLL, all which I got some photo's of, i'll post them up on a later post  :-)