Pittswood Birds

There was a slight frost this morning, but it was overcast, with poor visibility, especially early on. I decided to do a full patch walk and in the four and a half hours I was out, 45 species were found, although none were new for the year list, its proving to be a very slow start this year, my total of 58 species is the joint tenth lowest January out of 14 so far.

It was good to see a few REDWING and FIELDFARE on the pasture at the Ashes Lane Fields, only half a dozen of each, but more than most days this winter, with them were a pair of MISTLETHRUSHES and 8 MAGPIES.

The COOT was back on the ornamental lake, maybe it had never left and was just well hidden, the immature MUTE SWAN and 4 MALLARDS were with it, as well as a few MOORHENS. A GREY HERON was on the main Lake, but nothing else was there, or on the small lake.

LONG TAILED TIT, COAL TIT, NUTHATCH, GOLDCREST, plus GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS were all seen in the Scrubby Woods, as were CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH, BULLFINCH and GREENFINCH, the latter species being the first to be seen away from my garden this year, incredible how this finch species has declined here  :-(

A BUZZARD was seen taking off from the Small Holding area, but nothing much of note was seen on the rest of my walk until I reached the Greenhouse Grounds and the associated copse where the LITTLE OWL was seen, the grounds of the greenhouses had the female KESTREL and singles of GREY WAGTAIL and PIED WAGTAIL present, plus a couple of MEADOW PIPITS.

Flyovers from YELLOWHAMMER and STOCK DOVE were noted as I watched the BLACK HEADED GULLS out on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, a pair of LAPWING were a bonus, but they didn't stay long, as the college students were on the adjacent sports pitch today, a place that itself used to be frequented by Lapwings when it was farmland :-(

There was a short bright-ish spell around midday, so I attempted to get some garden bird images, but it wasn't really light enough, here's the results of an hours work...............

Coal Tit

Long Tailed Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Blackbird