Pittswood Birds

There were a few short lived sunny spells this morning, but it stayed mostly cool and cloudy in a light NW breeze.

My early walk around the paddocks and sheep pasture of Migrant Alley produced no grounded migrant species today, but I did hear a SISKIN (54) fly over. A look around the Greenhouse Grounds provided views of WHITETHROAT and at least 5 CHIFFCHAFFS that were in a nettle patch. One of the KESTRELS was back again on the Greenhouses, where there was a GREY WAGTAIL further along.

One of the Chiffchaffs at the Greenhouse Grounds

I had a bit of a surprise awaiting me as I crossed the Ashes Lane Field when a WHINCHAT was seen on the drainage ditch fence line, this may well of been the one seen at the Greenhouse Grounds / Migrant Alley yesterday. 

Approaching the Wet Woods I heard the trill of my first LONG TAILED TITS (55) of the month, at least 15 of them! They made there way along the edge of the Wet Woods and were joined by at least 5 TREECREEPERS and similar numbers of BLUE and GREAT TITS.

Trying to get a photograph of the Long Tailed Tits was problematical with all the leaves still on the trees and the shady conditions

The Treecreepers proved equally as frustrating, not staying still for a moment!

I made my way to the Scrubby Woods and lakes, where the latter gave me a KINGFISHER (56) for the September list, but little was noted around the woods, just one BLACKCAP a couple more Chiffchaff, GOLDCREST, NUTHATCH and a BULLFINCH family, however I also noted another 5 Siskin fly over, calling all the while. On my way back, through the Small holding, a LITTLE OWL (57) called from one of the adjacent large gardens, always good to get an Owl species on the months list :-)

The 4 hour visit was finished off with a sky watch from my seat over at Migrant Alley, this gave me fly overs from HERRING GULL and CORMORANT, as well of plenty of BUZZARD sightings, 5 were seen together, but many more were probably involved. At times the sky seemed empty, but looking through my binoculars I could make out hundreds of HOUSE MARTINS very high up, unseen with the naked eye.

Just one of the many Buzzards seen this morning