Pittswood Birds

There was a moderate frost this morning, with partly cloudy skies and very little wind.

Just after dawn this morning, the few clouds in the sky were of course the ones obscuring the sun!

I under took the 6th full patch walk of the month today, where I recorded a bit of a disappointing 41 species, (42 if I include the TAWNY OWL which I heard in the early hours) Some of the recently seen regulars went unrecorded today, like Meadow Pipit, Mistlethrush, the female Kestrel, and Lesser Redpoll, plus the likes of Greenfinch and Sparrowhawk weren't found when they could have reasonably been expected, although the last 3 mentioned species were all seen at my garden feeders later in the afternoon.

SPARROWHAWK, not seen on my full patch walk, but this fine male specimen turned up at my garden feeding station. Another of those ''through the double glazing shots' !

Of the species I did encounter today, the undoubted highlight was glimpsing a LITTLE GREBE (61) as it dabbled among the overhanging branches on the main lake, but I soon lost it to view. This is a real bonus species for my year list, a rare bird on my patch! The only other birds seen on the lakes were the usual MALLARD and MOORHEN.

Mallards on the icy ornamental lake this morning.

The Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods yielded what was as expected, but it was good to also see a few LONG TAILED TITS in the Wet Woods, they have been absent for a while, plus the likes of GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, SISKIN, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, BULLFINCH, JAY, STOCK DOVE and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER were all seen as well.

Goldcrest in the Scrubby Woods

There were far fewer STARLINGS out on the pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley and the Ashes lane Fields, just a few dozen, where the FIELDFARE and REDWING only numbered a dozen between them, there was however a decent size flock of 100+ BLACK HEADED GULLS at Migrant Alley, with them were the MEDITERRANEAN GULL, plus a few HERRING GULLS and a 4 COMMON GULLS.

The only raptor seen on the visit was a flyover BUZZARD, the only other noteworthy flyovers today came from a single YELLOWHAMMER and 23 GREYLAG GEESE.

In one of the more sunnier moments, this SONGTHRUSH was belting out its song!