Pittswood Birds

There were a few welcome, but fleeting glimpses of sunshine this morning, before cloud and wind increased later.

A TAWNY OWL (60) became the 60th bird species for the month, when one was heard calling at 05:15hrs from the back of my house, sounded like it was in the Wet Woods.

The Tawny Owl was the last of the resident species left on my patch that had not been recorded this month, so any more November additions will have to be bonus species, probably flyovers, or maybe something visiting the lakes. So it was off to the lakes I went first thing this morning, alas, nothing but MALLARDS and MOORHENS were on the water, but at least I got to see the KINGFISHER again  :-)  A CORMORANT flew low over, but decided not to drop onto the main lake.

A look through the adjacent Scrubby Woods for a possible, but unlikely Woodcock was made, I wasn't surprised not to find one though, November has only produced Woodcock records in two years ( 2010 & 2013). There was little bird activity there again, with just a flock of LONG TAILED TITS, 2 BULLFINCH, a NUTHATCH and a pair of MISTLETHRUSH of any note.

I made my way across the Ashes lane Fields, where again there were 4 MEADOW PIPITS in the pasture there. I kept a watch on the sky as I headed for the Greenhouse Grounds, seeing HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULLS go over, but also I noted hundreds of WOODPIGEONS moving south, in flocks of 30-50.

The Greenhouse Grounds, like yesterday, had a good number of bird species present, but the SISKIN and GOLDFINCH flock at the Alder Trees were way down in number, probably having already been flushed, just 5-10 of each were present. On the other hand, the weedy patch of ground had an increase in LESSER REDPOLL numbers, with 25 - 30 birds seen, I wonder how long the weed seed will last out for? My supplementary feeding along the boundary hedgerow had attracted fewer GREENFINCH and CHAFFINCH than yesterday, but at least 10 of each were seen, more of surprise was seeing 3 HOUSE SPARROWS in the hedgerow  :-)  LINNETS and YELLOWHAMMERS were also present, with 5 of the former and 6 of the latter found, plus the female KESTREL put in an appearance on one of the greenhouses.

Out on the sheep pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley, half a doxen more Meadow Pipits were seen, plus the BLACK HEADED GULL flock was present, but it only contained around 100 birds today.

Male Greenfinch at the Greenhouse grounds

Female Greenfinch at the Greenhouse Grounds

Lesser Redpoll atop the boundary Hedgerow, this was the only chance I got of photographing one today, a fleeting opportunity  :-)

My old mate Mr. Sprawk was back at my garden feeders this afternoon, LoL......another poor ''through the double glazing'' shot, thought I'd post it up anyway  :-)