Pittswood Birds

I finally recorded  TAWNY OWL (73) for the months list, when two were heard last night at just before 02:00hrs.

Four and a half hours later, I was out for the months last patch visit, in yet more gloomy and misty conditions, typically, it brightened up as my four and a half hour full patch walk was ending!

There were no further additions the October list, but a good total of 46 species were seen or heard, 47 if I include the Tawny Owls  :-)

Best birds seen on my walk today were singles of LINNET and YELLOWHAMMER that were at the Greenhouse Grounds along with the nearby SISKIN and GOLDFINCH flock. Also the LITTLE OWL that called from the Small Holding area, where a few REDWINGS were present.

Flyovers from LESSER REDPOLL, MEADOW PIPIT, MISTLETHRUSH, a flock of 22 FIELDFARE, a skein of 14 GREYLAG GEESE and a few SKYLARK flocks, the biggest being of 8 birds, helped the days list along, as did the mixed flock of 43 Gulls on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, which included a lone LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL with the HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULLS .

BUZZARD and KESTREL were the only raptors for the day, while the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods between them provided most of the more sometimes difficult to find species, like GOLDCREST, NUTHATCH, BULLFINCH, COAL TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, JAY, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, GREEN WOODPECKER and SONGTHRUSH, but no Treecreeper today. The lakes were occupied by just the usual MALLARDS and MOORHENS..

So the months list ended on 73 species, the fifth best October total of the 14, just one short of the mean species tally for the previous 5 years, but six ahead of the 14 year October mean. Only one species was added to the 14 year combined October tally which now stands at exactly 100,  that was the Goosander.

A little bit of brightness this afternoon allowed for a couple of bird images to be taken from my garden.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

GREAT TIT

BLUE TIT, this one has a deformed, crossed beak.