Pittswood Birds

A light frost, with clear blue skies greeted me for the last patch visit of the month, cloud soon built up though and a chilly wind blew again before midday.

I spent 4 hours out early on, then another two later into the morning and early afternoon, but I couldn't find anything to add to the months bird species tally, I felt sure i'd get a Swift, or some other passage migrant, but I'll will have to wait until May arrives for that possibility  :-)

As it was I didn't do too bad for the morning, I recorded 46 species, the highlights of which were seeing 3 SPARROWHAWKS up together over Migrant Alley, as well as at least 4 BUZZARDS. I also watched the male KESTREL hunting at the Greenhouse Grounds, where it successfully caught a vole then carried it to the waiting female in the nest box, it was probably for her or maybe fledged young, hopefully the latter  :-) The nearby Greenhouse Copse was home to the LITTLE OWL again, plus a newly arrived WHITETHROAT was seen singing there, the Greenhouse Grounds pair were also seen again.

It was good to hear a YELLOWHAMMER singing along High House Lane, similarly it was good to hear and see four SKYLARKS over the adjacent bean crop at 'Bustard Hill'.

The Woods provided most of what I expected, singing from BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, STOCK DOVE, BLACKBIRD, SONGTHRUSH, WREN, ROBIN and DUNNOCK were all heard, as were the calls from TREECREEPER, BULLFINCH, JAY and LONG TAILED TITS.

Notable flyovers today only included GREY HERON and HERRING GULLS.

So the month ends on 77 species, frustrating in some ways, as, if the winter species of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll had been around this year like they usually are and the Fieldfare and Redwing had stayed a couple of days later, I would be looking at an April tally of over 80 species, a figure never achieved in any month of any year.

On the other hand 77 species for April is a great tally for my patch, the joint second highest for any April, plus it was rewarding to have five new species added to the 14 year combined April list, which is now on 113, those five being Great Black Backed Gull, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Whinchat and of course the mega find of the Great Bustard!

Finally......this afternoon, whilst sitting in my garden eating lunch, I recorded the first Odonata species of the year, a Large Red Damselfly, 9 days later than last years first sighting, it didn't hang about for an image unfortunately.

Images for today.......................

GREYLAG GEESE over Migrant Alley

Plus few more of those Fox cub images  :-)

This one was totally uncropped.

Shame about the stick up its backside!