Pittswood Birds

Apart from two brief sunny spells just before noon, today was very dull and gloomy. This morning it was cool enough for the woolly hat to come out!

I spent 3 hours out, but it proved to be a very disappointed visit after the excitement of recent days. My early walk of Migrant Alley was ''migrantless'' I did however add PHEASANT (58) to the months list!

The Greenhouse Grounds had 3 CHIFFCHAFFS in the nettle bed, but no other summer birds were found there. Just 1 KESTREL was up hunting around the greenhouses, plus the GOLDFINCH flock was up to around 20, well below the peak reached before all the strimming took place.

I checked the Ashes Lane Fields, peering into the brambles along the drainage ditch only revealed a single WHITETHROAT, this date last year was the last date I had for this species, but they normally hang around a little longer, the average last date being the 18th Sept. Looking up in the sky, HOUSE MARTINS passed over in small numbers, along with a few SWALLOWS, a CORMORANT was also watched as it flew towards the lakes, but when I arrived there it wasn't present, the only notable species seen there was the KINGFISHER.

I had a quick look through the Scrubby Woods, finding a few BLACKCAPS and Chiffchaffs feeding on the Elder Berries, along with a couple of young BULLFINCH, two SISKINS were heard, then spotted as they fed on the seeds of a Silver Birch Tree.

On the walk home, the LITTLE OWL was again heard at the Small Holding and two BUZZARDS flew low over, calling loudly to each other, as I watched them, a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (59) was seen higher up, one more for the September list  :-)

I was in my garden when the sunny spell arrived, which coincided with the arrival of 7 LONG TAILED TITS, ironic that I over exposed the images in the strong sunlight!

A washed out NUTHATCH also visited, which I also over exposed!