Pittswood Birds

Just after sunrise, on a cold, frosty December morning

There was a hard frost this morning, with just a veil of thin cloud across the sky, allowing for some brightness to be had.

I spent a little over 2 hours out, visiting the lakes, Scrubby woods and Wet Woods, with a short look over Migrant Alley.

I was surprised to see the immature MUTE SWAN had returned, it was now on the main lake, after watching it fly off with its parents yesterday morning I thought that would be the last i'd see of it, however, it's back, but there was no sign of the adult birds today. The GREY HERON turned up again and the KINGFISHER was seen, but they would have to wait for the ice on the lakes to thaw before they got breakfast. The COOT pair were on the ornamental lake, with 18 MALLARDS, the most seen here since last winter. Whilst at the lakes I again had a flyover of GOOSANDER, this time 4 birds circled the main lake, but didn't venture down to the ice covered water.

In the scrubby woods I located the LONG TAILED TIT flock, with them were a few BLUE and GREAT TITS, plus a pair of GOLDCRESTS and a pair of NUTHATCHES, there was no sign of Coal Tit, Treecreeper or any Bullfinch there today though.

A pair of TREECREEPERS were found in the Wet Woods though, feeding along with another pair of Goldcrests, also, both GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS were seen.

A BUZZARD and the female KESTREL were found on the Ashes Lane Fields, where, perhaps not surprisingly, I didn't find any of the 20 or so Meadow Pipits that were here yesterday.

Over at Migrant Alley it was down to the 40-50 ROOKS and 28 BLACK HEADED GULLS to entertain, I searched through the latter, hoping a Mediterranean Gull would turn up, but no luck today! Nothing much flew over of note, except a couple of single SKYLARKS, just the second record this month. My good luck in adding new species for the months list ran out today!

Immature Mute Swan, back on the icy main lake, I wonder why it came back and without the adults ?