Pittswood Birds

It felt a bit warmer this morning, under the lighter winds and long sunny spells.

A three hour patch visit early in the day didn't add any spring migrants to the year list, but it's still very early, even for the Chiffchaff, the earliest date they have arrived on my patch is the 8th March, that was last year, the mean average arrival date for the last 13 years is the 15th March, so I would have a stab at my first singing patch Chiffchaff this year to be the middle of next week  :-)

I did find two new species for the March list though, bringing that to 58 species, the first of those being a pair of LINNET (57) seen at the Greenhouse Grounds, whether they are passage birds or returning breeders only time will tell. The second species added to the March list today was LAPWING (58) two birds flew NW over Migrant Alley, where the BLACK HEADED GULL flock had gathered again, a scan through them revealed 2 COMMON GULL and the return of a couple of MEDITERRANEAN GULLS, which I got a couple of distant images of   :-)

 Mediterranean Gull

Winter thrushes remain in the area in small numbers, REDWING were seen at the Greenhouse Grounds and FIELDFARE at the bean field off High House Lane. The lakes had visitors in the form of GREY HERON, CORMORANT, 8 GREYLAG GEESE and 8 CANADA GEESE, with the resident pair of MUTE SWAN and COOT also being seen.

Half a dozen MEADOW PIPIT were seen on the Ashes Lane Field, as were a pair of SKYLARKS, a pair of BUZZARDS were up displaying for most of the morning, the only other raptor seen today was the KESTREL pair.

 Kestrel, I took these images earlier in the week