Pittswood Birds

It was overcast and grey again this morning, with a cool NE breeze blowing.

I spent 3 and a half hours out this morning, undertaking a full patch walk, in which I recorded 48 bird species, of those regularly seen, only the Redwing, Treecreeper, and a bit more surprisingly, the Green Woodpecker, evaded detection today.

I looked for the two pairs of COOT that have been on the lakes recently, but found a single bird on the ornamental lake and another on the main lake, so there still may be two pairs about. The MUTE SWANS were present though, along with 4 GREYLAG GEESE and 14 CANADA GEESE, plus the ever present MALLARDS and MOORHENS, a KINGFISHER brightened things up as it sped across the main lake.

Both the male and female KESTREL were seen today at the Greenhouses, over which a SPARROWHAWK was seen, a pair of BUZZARDS in the Wet Woods made up the trio of raptors that can be found here.

The BLACK HEADED GULL flock on the sheep pasture and paddocks at Migrant Alley had diminished slightly, I reckon there were 150 birds there today, but the MEDITERRANEAN GULLS still tagged along with them, plus, today, the two LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS were also out there, a couple of HERRING GULLS also dropped in for a short time.

Of the more notable flyovers, SISKIN, PIED WAGTAIL, CORMORANT, SKYLARK and FIELDFARE were had, the latter had all disappeared from the Ashes Lane Fields.

Still no sign of a Chiffhaff !

Later this afternoon I was pleased to see the BRAMBLING back at my garden feeders, and although the light was poor I managed to get a few images of it, but multiple Sparrowhawk attacks prevented getting any better shots!

Male Brambling, stunning birds

 

Male Sparrowhawk - ruining my photographic session with the Brambling  :-(

Pest!  :-)