Pittswood Birds

After missing yesterdays patch visit due to the continuous rain, it was good to get out this morning, despite the rather cool and blustery conditions, a few sunny spells by mid morning were welcome.

I carried out a 4 hour full patch walk in the hope that the wind and rain had dropped a wandering species onto my patch, but alas, it hadn't and I had to be content with recording the regular crew that occur here. Of the 44 species I found, the most notable counts and finds were the 53 Geese on the pasture at Migrant Alley, 42 of those being CANADA GEESE, the others being GREYLAG GEESE. The KESTRELS were back on patch, at least one of the young was seen up hunting, along with the adult male, a BUZZARD that flew from the trees around the main lake was the only other raptor seen today.

A pair of WHITETHROATS were seen in the Greenhouse Grounds, where I watched 30-50 PIED WAGTAILS flying around in the greenhouses, a safe roosting place for them, but they have to wait until the temperature rises in the greenhouse before the automatic windows open to release them all. I have known Hobbies to await this moment in previous years  :-)

I saw a newly fledged family of at least 3 CHIFFCHFFS in the Scrubby Woods, where there was also a newly fledged family of at least 2 BLACKCAPS. A mixed feeding flock was watched as it passed through the Oak canopy, scores of birds were seen, made up of BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, CHAFFINCH, GREENFINCH, NUTHATCH, GOLDCREST, plus more Chiffchaff and Blackcap, but I found no Coal Tit or Treecreeper among them.

Flyovers noted today were few, GREY HERON, BLACK HEADED GULL, HERRING GULL and a loose flock of 6 SWIFT were the best of them.

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I had a visit to Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve early afternoon, where a Black tailed Godwit was the star bird, but I didn't get to see it! I was in a different hide, waiting for a Kingfisher to show, but it never did, I at least took a few photo's whilst I waited!

There wasn't too much on offer, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese and Egyptian Geese were around in good numbers

Plenty of Moorhens, Coots, and Mallards were about, plus a couple of Great Crested Grebes, and a Little Egret.

This Magpie came down to the waters edge for a drink