Pittswood Birds

Clear blue skies this morning, with just a few fair weather clouds late on in a light NE breeze made for a very pleasant patch visit today.

GREYLAG GEESE

I made a full patch walk, which lasted four and a half hours and yielded 46 bird species, none were new to the months list, but I don't really expect to add any more, possibilities are Reed Bunting, or maybe a flyover Lapwing, but I am hoping a bit for those!

They were far fewer SWALLOWS about today, just 4 were circling over the Greenhouse Grounds, plus three pairs flew through at speed on various parts of my walk. It was good to see a YELLOW WAGTAIL fly up from the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, but no other departing summer migrant were out there, however the MEADOW PIPITS were still much in evidence, if lower in numbers, they always seem to be in a continual chase with the PIED WAGTAILS that exit the greenhouses!

Meadow Pipit

A CHIFFCHAFF called from the Greenhouse Grounds, one of just two recorded today, plus the SISKINS continue to feed in the Alder Trees there, but much more of a surprise, was a LESSER WHITETHROAT, this is the latest date I have had one on my patch by 2 days.

The Pub Field and Ashes Lane Fields had little to offer this morning, just the usual WRENS, DUNNOCKS, ROBINS, BLACKBIRDS, CHAFFINCH, GREAT and BLUE TITS occupied the hedgerow and drainage ditch, but all the time I was walking, the Greylag and CANADA GEESE continually flew over. The GOLDFINCHES were again photographed on the Teasels.

Goldfinch

The Wet Woods had a mobile feeding party of LONG TAILED TITS, but only a NUTHATCH and a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER was with them of any note. The lakes held no surprises today, though 55 Canada Geese and two Greylag Geese had dropped in. The adjacent Scrubby Woods was similarly quiet, but I found GREEN WOODPECKER, GOLDCREST, BULLFINCH and JAY for my days list there.

Walking back through the Small Holding this Fox was spotted walking through, giving me a chance to photograph it.

Red Fox

I called it over by ''squeaking'' so as to get a closer shot, it did come even closer but it entered the shady area, no good for photo's there!

I made my way along High House Lane, where 2 SKYLARKS flew from the crop at Bustard Hill, I then made my way back down across Migrant Alley and the Greenhouse Grounds, the latter had a GREY WAGTAIL fly up from it, nice to get all 3 Wagtail species so late in the year  :-)  My skywatch was not too successful, but 3 BUZZARDS were up soaring together over the sheep pasture and the KESTREL had turned up on the Greenhouses, the only Gull species seen were HERRING GULLS.