Pittswood Birds

A windless, relatively warm, but dull and overcast morning to start the week.

I decided to have a full patch walk as conditions were favourable, finding 46 bird species in the five hour visit, a good total, as the likes of Greenfinch, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove and Treecreeper weren't found today ( the GREENFINCHES and SPARROWHAWK were both seen at the garden feeders later in the afternoon though)

Early in the walk, at the Greenhouse Grounds, the regular flock of SISKIN / GOLDFINCH were busy feeding in the Alders and once again there were 4-5 LESSER REDPOLL among them, they were frequently spooked by the presence of the female KESTREL that was in it's usual place on the greenhouses nearby.

A CHIFFCHAFF was calling from the hedgerow that runs along the Pub Field and the adjacent Ashes Lane Fields had 5 MEADOW PIPITS dropping in and out of the pasture. The Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods were not very active, but between them I found NUTHATCH, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, BULLFINCH, GREAT SPOTTED and GREEN WOODPECKERS, plus a few more Siskin. The first 2 REDWING of the morning were seen as they flew over the lakes, where just a few MALLARD, MOORHEN and the lone CANADA GOOSE were to be found.

The only PHEASANT of the day was found in the Small Holding area, where 4 JAYS chased about the place, the few old pear trees there have got a little fruit lrft on them, which were being enjoyed by BLUE TITS, GREAT TITS, CHAFFINCHES, DUNNOCKS and a SONGTHRUSH.

The best part of the day was my sky watch, which lasted a little under 2 hours, I watched a couple more flocks of 30+  Redwing flying West, a flock of 20+ FIELDFARE also heading West, a group of 4 MISTLETHRUSHES that dropped down briefly in the Greenhouse Grounds, a GREY HERON, a SWALLOW, 2 BUZZARDS, and a couple of LITTLE EGRETS (70) bringing up the 70th species for the month  :-)  I also saw a pair of MUTE SWANS, two small skeins of GREYLAG GEESE, a few BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULLS and a light passage of SKYLARKS all flying through the area. Not a bad visit at all  :-) 

I'm down to the last 3 images from my blog folder, just a few Goldfinch shots from my garden, taken yesterday.