Pittswood Birds

I was out at the crack of dawn today, but I might just of well had a lie in, as the whole area was covered in dense fog until 09:30hrs, my walk around Migrant Alley was good for the exercise only!

As the fog lifted I headed for the lakes via the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods, all was remarkably still, just the sound of the odd GREAT TIT, ROBIN, and GOLDCREST singing, plus the drumming of a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, and the distant cry of a GREEN WOODPECKER was heard.

On nearing the lakes I checked up on the MISTLETHRUSH nest, the female bird was sitting tight, then as the sun started to shine warmly, I heard a COAL TIT singing from the Scrubby Woods, followed by BLACKBIRD, SONGTHRUSH, DUNNOCK, WREN, plus the hoot of the TAWNY OWL, then a new song came rushing out at me, yes, the first BLACKCAP (76,61) of the spring had arrived, what a triumphant song it is too, a real herald of the spring  :-)

I looked over the lakes, but nothing much of note was found, the Coots really have left the ornamental lake by the looks of it, they weren't seen for the third day in a row now. A pair of MANDARIN flew off from the main lake, other than that it was down to the usual MUTE SWAN pair, MALLARDS, MOORHENS and a pair each of GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE.

I made another attempt to walk a circuit of the fields and paddocks of Migrant Alley, in some bright warm sunshine, but little was found, just ROOKS, WOODPIGEONS a few STARLINGS, and BLACKBIRDS. I didn't see the Little Owl in the Greenhouse Copse today, but I was happy enough, as another Blackcap was singing there  :-)  The Greenhouse Grounds had a flock of 8 LINNET present, plus yet another Blackcap, this one a female, they really have arrived big time  :-)

A sky watch from my seat, in some very nourishing warm sunshine, produced much the same as recent days, with BUZZARDS, KESTREL, SPARROWHAWK, MEADOW PIPIT, YELLOWHAMMER, SKYLARK, PIED WAGTAIL, SWALLOW and GREY HERON being the best of it.

Later in the afternoon I had an away trip to Bough Beech reservoir, where despite some noisy families, ( I must remember not to visit these places on school holidays!) I was able to hear my first CUCKOO of the year, a bit later on two flew over together. There is nothing quite like hearing the echoing call of the Cuckoo on a warm sunny spring day, just need one on my patch now!

Nothing much for the camera today, ive still got a few images to process from bough beech though, i'll post anything worthy tomorrow  :-) Here's a few I have done.

 BLACKBIRD

 HOUSE SPARROW

Dabbling Mallards