Pittswood Birds

A pre dawn downpour was followed by a clear spell and then a brief foggy spell, after which it became warm with sunny spells.

Dawn just before the fog bank rolled in

Looking across Migrant Alley in the direction of Hadlow Tower, just as the fog rolled in

In the benign conditions I decided on a full patch walk today, which I took at a casual stroll, spending 6 hours out on my patch in all. I found 49 species during the visit, nothing too out of the norm, but most of the local birds showed, apart from the Nuthatch, they spend more time at my garden feeders than in the woods!

There was a flock of around 60 birds at Migrant Alley, comprising of LINNETS and GOLDFINCHES, at times they mixed with the 30-40 MEADOW PIPITS, making for a nice sight as the flock wheeled around the sheep pasture and paddocks. A LITTLE OWL was seen perched in the old shack at the Ashes Lane Field, where I noted a few HERRING GULLS and two BLACK HEADED GULLS flying over.

The lakes were a little busier today, the MUTE SWAN family, a dozen MOORHEN and 12 MALLARD were on the Ornamental lake, while no fewer than 74 CANADA GEESE, 4 GREYLAG GEESE and the feral BARNACLE GOOSE were on the main lake. A CHIFFCHAFF was seen in the bankside vegetation, the only summer bird seen today.

The Scrubby Woods, Wet Woods, and Small Holding provided most of what could be expected, GREENFINCH, BULLFINCH, CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT, COAL TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST, SONGTHRUSH, BLACKBIRD, GREAT SPOTTED and GREEN WOODPECKERS, WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, HOUSE SPARROW STOCK DOVE and JAY were all found.

My sky watching proved rewarding, when a YELLOWHAMMER (69) was seen and heard as it flew over, the first here since August. GREY HERON, SKYLARK, SPARROWHAWK, BUZZARD and another new species for October, a COMMON GULL (70) were all added to my days tally. The KESTREL pair were eventually seen, hunting along Ashes Lane  :-)

There were quite a few Red Admiral Butterflies about today, as well as Common Darter Dragonflies and a few Migrant Hawkers  :-)

Sunrise again, nice to actually see the sun this month! I think that speck is is a ROOK flying through,