Pittswood Birds

High cloud made the early sunshine very hazy at times this morning, but it was still very pleasant out for my 3 hour patch visit.

The MEADOW PIPIT flock are still using the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, despite the attentions of two SPARROWHAWKS that were chasing them around, only 4 LINNETS were seen on the adjacent paddocks though.

Meadow Pipit at Migrant Alley,

I was present at the Greenhouse Grounds when the automatic windows opened on the greenhouses, releasing the 15-20 PIED WAGTAILS that roost in them, they were straight away chased by the Sparrowhawks! I stayed a while to chat to the foreman, as we chatted, I heard a YELLOW WAGTAIL fly over, then a GREY WAGTAIL dropped in, saw us, then flew off again!

The KESTREL pair were hunting out on the Ashes Lane Fields this morning, where I also saw a BUZZARD fly out of a lone Oak tree that's there, not surprising not much else was about!

On the Lakes, there was a GREY HERON and a KINGFISHER seen, other than those it was down to checking the MUTE SWAN family, the lone COOT, half a dozen MALLARDS and dozen MOORHENS, Oh for a proper set of lakes ! Whilst there I saw two groups of 6 - 8 SWALLOWS fly over.

Checking the Scrubby Woods I found the only two CHIFFCHAFFS of the day, plus a few singing GOLDCRESTS, a COAL TIT and a NUTHATCH called, while unusually, a pair of BULLFINCH gave me some good binocular views   :-)

An hours sky watching from my seat at Migrant Alley was not too productive, I was hoping for my first Yellowhammer of the month to fly over, or maybe a Peregrine to add to the months list, but none were seen. I did see 4 more Buzzards up together, plus more sightings of both the Kestrels and the SPARROWHAWKS. A few HERRING GULLS flew over, as did a pair of CORMORANTS, also a few more Swallows flew through, but only in one's and two's. It was good to hear a few calling SKYLARKS as they passed through, groups of 15, 6 and 3 flew over heading SW.

Immature Herring Gull