Pittswood Birds

After spending two days indoors with a cold virus, I made a three hour patch visit this morning, what a relief to be out in the fresh air!

It was a very quiet visit though, with nothing much of note seen, but it was very springlike out there and once the early cloud dispersed some sunny spells were had, in which I heard song from SONGTHRUSH, DUNNOCK, WREN, ROBIN, TREECREEPER, COAL TIT and a very welcome GREENFINCH which sang from the Greenhouse Grounds, where a party of 4 LONG TAILED TITS were also found. The spring calls of both BLUE and GREAT TIT were also heard, as was the song/call of the STOCK DOVES from the Wet Woods, where at least 3 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS drummed.

The lakes were almost birdless today, only a single COOT, 4 MOORHENS and 4 MALLARDS were on the ornamental lake, the immature Mute Swan has moved off again, the main lake was devoid of water birds, but the small lake had a CANADA GOOSE and a feral White ''Farmyard Goose'', which wont be going on my year list, ( to the surprise of some readers!)

At least 30 MEADOW PIPITS were flushed up from the Ashes Lane Field by a SPARROWHAWK going low over, the female KESTREL was also on the border fence line causing even more panic among the airborne Pipits!

Over at Migrant Alley a COMMON BUZZARD flew low over the sheep pasture, putting up the 78 BLACK HEADED GULLS and the lone COMMON GULL that were there. I felt a bit rough again shortly afterwards, and sat down on my skywatching seat to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine and maybe get to hear a Siskin or Lesser Redpoll flyover, non did though, but I did see two single YELLOWHAMMERS and a single SKYLARK fly past as some compensation.

last evening, around 20:30hrs, I heard a TAWNY OWL calling from close by the back of my house, nice to hear  :-)

Still a few images left in my 'blog photo folder'......................

REDWING

Dunnock

....and yet more of the Long Tailed Tits