Pittswood Birds

After a short lived sunny start to the day, it soon clouded over with a NW wind blowing some heavy showers of rain, hail and sleet by 09:30hrs.

To add to the poor conditions today, I had developed a bit of man flu overnight, so much of the visit was spent sneezing a feeling shite!

I got round to most parts of my patch though, finding 43 species in all, 12 of those new for the March list, most of them the common regulars that were missed on yesterdays weather shortened visit. The first new addition for the month was a TREECREEPER (37) one was heard singing in the Wet Woods, plus another two were seen in the Scrubby Woods.

The lakes provided 7 new additions to the March tally, with MUTE SWAN (38), CANADA GOOSE (39), GREYLAG GOOSE (40), MALLARD (41), COOT (42) and MOORHEN (43) all turning out as expected, but a KINGFISHER (44) that flew across the main lake was a bit more of a surprise.

A STOCK DOVE (45) flew across the Ashes Lane Fields, while the Greenhouse Grounds added GREEN WOODPECKER (46) and PHEASANT (47). Out on the sheep pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley there were fewer FIELDFARE, around 40-60 were with a flock of the same number of STARLINGS, but there were no gulls on the fields, although HERRING GULL and BLACK HEADED GULL (48) were seen flying over.

Raptors today included BUZZARD, which was seen at the Greenhouse Copse and KESTREL at her usual place on the Greenhouses.

Once again no pics today  :-(