Pittswood Birds

Early rain ceased around 07:00hrs when it then became overcast and showery in a light SW wind.

I allowed the heaviest of the rain to pass before getting out today and was later for my patch walk than normal, but still found 5 more new species for the November list.

The female KESTREL at the Greenhouse Grounds had caught itself a small passerine for breakfast and was eating it on one of the greenhouses, nearby in the Alder Trees there were again fewer SISKINS and GOLDFINCHES than last month, but again there were at least 3 LESSER REDPOLL with them.

Quite a few flyovers were noted as I walked a circuit of a birdless Migrant Alley, these included FIELDFARE, MISTLETHRUSH, REDWING, MEADOW PIPIT, SKYLARK, plus my first STOCK DOVE (49) and GREYLAG GEESE (50) of the month, bringing up the 50 species mark.

A look through the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods provided sightings of a LONG TAILED TIT flock, with it were a few BLUE and GREAT TITS, at least 4 GOLDCRESTS, plus, at last, the first TREECREEPER (51) of the month  :-) NUTHATCH, BULLFINCH, COAL TIT and a SPARROWHAWK were also noted.

On the lakes this morning the first GREY HERON (52) of the month was visiting and the KINGFISHER was seen again, but no interesting wildfowl were present  :-( A GREY WAGTAIL was again around the outbuildings next to the main lake, as I watched it, I saw the first CORMORANT (53) for November fly over  :-)

That was about the best of it for this morning, however, this afternoon I felt the urge to visit the paddocks and pasture at Migrant Alley, which proved very exciting when I found 6 BRENT GEESE (54) feeding on the sheep pasture, I have only ever recorded Brent Geese as flyovers here and then only in two years, so to have them on the ground is a real treat - fantastic!! The fields at Migrant Alley never stop surprising me with what visits them, I wonder, if there was less disturbance, what else may visit!

Luckily, despite the gloomy conditions, I had my camera with me ( take note Mr Heath!) The light was awful and I was at least 80m away from the Brents, but I got some record shots to remember the occasion by. Maybe I could have got closer, but they seemed in need of a rest and feed up, so I didn't want to flush them up, I left them feeding happily after watching them for 40 minutes.

6 visiting Brent Geese - brilliant patch find  :-)

I took over 60 photo's, trying my best to get a decent image with different camera settings, but nothing helped, the images have been brightened considerably on my computer.

The pink blurry blob to the right of the Goose is the head of a football player, there was a football match going on 100 meters away, that pitch used to be part of Migrant Alley a few years back.