Pittswood Birds

A slight frost was present first thing this morning, after which some welcome sunshine was had, all-be-it a bit hazy at times.

In the better conditions, I undertook a four and a half hour full patch walk, in which I found an excellent total of 51 bird species ( a SISKIN was later added when one visited my garden feeders this afternoon)

There was just one addition to the months list during the visit, that was MEDITERRANEAN GULL (60) two were present on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, bringing up the 60 species for April. There were also 4 BLACK HEADED GULLS, 4 HERRING GULLS and a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL with them. A MEADOW PIPIT was heard flying over, plus a couple of SKYLARK were up singing and four SWALLOWS were whizzing about.

View looking across Migrant Alley and the Greenhouse Grounds, towards the hamlet of Pittswood.

Pairs of KESTREL and BUZZARDS were seen up hunting this morning, as was a male SPARROWHAWK. The Wet Woods, Scrubby Woods and Small Holding between them yielded all that could be expected from the regular resident species, the best of those being - GOLDCREST, LONG TAILED TIT, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, BULLFINCH, JAY, STOCK DOVE, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, GREEN WOODPECKER, SONGTHRUSH and a MISTLETHRUSH that was sitting tight on a nest, which was placed in exactly the same place as last year  :-), also the summer species of BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF were heard singing.

On the lakes there were pairs of CANADA and GREYLAG GEESE, plus the MUTE SWAN and COOT pair, the former look to be getting down to nesting bussiness, plus the usual MALLARDS and MOORHENS were present.

A GREY HERON flew low over as I photographed the Geese.

There was a pair of LINNETS at the Greenhouse Grounds, along with a few GREENFINCHES and GOLDFINCHES.