Pittswood Birds

Another very grey morning for todays patch visit and quite cold with it too, but again, as yesterday, at least it was dry and virtually windless.

The MEADOW PIPIT flock of around 40-50 birds was seen at the Ashes Lane Fields as I made my way to the lakes, where I was quite surprised, to say the least, to find no fewer than 11 GOOSANDERS, (5M and 6F) on the small lake, this is a new peak count for my patch! Whilst around the lakes I checked among a flock of GOLDFINCHES that were feeding in some Alders, finding with them, at last, my first SISKIN (65, 60) of the year, only one though!

More excitement was had later in the visit when I did my usual check of the BLACK HEADED GULL flock over on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, with them today not only were there a couple of COMMON GULL, but also my first MEDITERRANEAN GULL (66,61) of the year, just goes to show, keep checking the bird flocks, you never know when something unexpected may turn up  :-) The flock soon moved on though when a SPARROWHAWK flew low over!

The overwintering GREY WAGTAIL was still at the Greenhouse Grounds, where the KESTREL pair sat together in an old fruit tree, a GREY HERON that flew low over as I walked home was the only other noteworthy sighting in the short two and a half hour visit, but it was a very productive one, taking the year list to 66, and the February list to 61, which now makes this the 7th best February out of 14, with less than half the month gone  :-)

Hopeless for the camera out there again this morning, so here's the last of the images taken at the beginning of the week...............

This BLUE TIT had got itself quite a breakfast!

WREN, skulking about under my Ivy bush