Pittswood Birds

More sunshine was had this morning, although there was a stiff NE wind blowing, making it feel cool out of the sun.

A four hour patch visit didn't turn up any new species for the month, but there were a few decent patch birds about though. The half dozen SISKIN still feed in the Alders at the Greenhouse Grounds, where they are joined by 15-20 GOLDFINCHES, there was also a CHIFFCHAFF with them, one of just two seen today. A GREY WAGTAIL dropped in to the water intake area of the greenhouses and a little later 10 MISTLE THRUSHES flew over.

The 15-20 strong MEADOW PIPIT flock was out on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, where 11 HERRING GULLS on one of the fields was a bit different from normal. It was good to see 4 YELLOWHAMMER fly over, but they didn't stay on patch.

Female Siskin in the Alders

A pair of LESSER REDPOLLS were heard calling as they flew over the Ashes Lane Fields, where three BUZZARDS were up interacting with one another, I took a few shots of them, but they were just too high up to get really decent images.

Common Buzzard

A check of the lakes was had, where the main lake had the 50-60 strong gathering of CANADA GEESE and 4 GREYLAG GEESE, these being part of the big skeins of hundreds of geese that flew over early in my walk. The small lake had a GREY HERON and a KINGFISHER present, but just MALLARDS and MOORHENS were found on the ornamental lake.

The Scrubby Woods was reasonably lively, with all the sometimes hard to find woodland species found, those being GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, LONG TAILED TIT, COAL TIT, BULLFINCH and NUTHATCH, but no Chiffchaffs or Blackcaps were seen.

I made my way back for a sky watch from my seat at Migrant alley, where a few bits and pieces were seen, SPARROWHAWK and KESTREL made up the usual trio of raptors for the day, 4 SKYLARKS called as they flew NW, 2 single SWALLOWS and a pair whizzed southwards low across the sheep pasture, but that was about it for the day.

Walking home, I bumped into the CARRION CROW again, a pair is often seen along Ashes lane

I reckon it likes posing for my camera now!