Pittswood Birds

Light winds and long sunny spells were enjoyed this morning, a rare frost was present very early on.

I decided to carry out a full patch walk this morning, taking advantage of the kinder conditions, in all I recorded 42 species, which is one or two lower than average, but a TAWNY OWL that awoke me this morning at 05:40hrs makes up for one of those  :-)

Species missing from todays walk that I would have expected to find were, Sparrowhawk, Pheasant, Long Tailed Tit, Skylark and Greenfinch, the latter has only been recorded on one of the four full patch walks undertaken this year, very worrying  :-(

On a more positive note, I added YELLOWHAMMER (56) to the Year/month list, just a single bird was seen at the Greenhouse Grounds, where half a dozen LESSER REDPOLLS and the female Kestrel had returned. I again had the pleasure of seeing the 100 or so PIED WAGTAILS leave their roost from the greenhouses, as the automatic windows opened whilst I was there.

The female Kestrel in the early morning light

A few BLACK HEADED GULLS, HERRING GULLS and a lone LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL were the best of it out on the sheep pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley.

There were 6 SONGTHRUSHES singing from various parts of my patch this morning

This is the only one I could get near to for a photo though

A bit of a twiggy shot, distracting the camera's focus, but ok shots overall  :-)

Three BUZZARDS were seen as I crossed the Ashes Lane Fields, where todays count of MEADOW PIPITS reached 13, there were also around 40-50 STARLINGS out on the soggy pasture, they flew up as one as I passed, alighting in a nearby Oak Tree.

Starlings in the Oak.

Over at the lakes the only species of interest was a visiting GREY HERON again, whilst the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods turned out COAL TIT, BULLFINCH, GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, MISTLETHRUSH, and a lone SISKIN only the second record of one this year.

GREEN WOODPECKER, STOCK DOVE, JAY and FIELDFARE were added to my days list from the Small Holding area, while a walk along High House Lane found the only HOUSE SPARROWS present on my patch today.

I took a few garden bird images this afternoon while the light was still decent, I'll post them tomorrow probably. Whilst doing so, I noted both Songthrush and Goldcrest briefly visit, good garden species now-a-days, they are the 20th and 21st species to use my garden so far this year  ;-)