Pittswood Birds

Once again, as yesterday, the morning dawned bright and frosty, before cloud increased, bringing some showers, but at least the cold wind had dropped a little!

I did the ninth and penultimate April full patch walk today, finding 46 bird species on the way, these didn't include anything new for the month or year list, even though there are lots of species missing from both that could reasonably expected to be found.

It was good to hear the LESSER WHITETHROAT singing again today, hopefully it will find a mate, but will they find a nesting place in the dwindling scrub around the Greenhouse Grounds ? BLACKCAP, CHIFFCHAFF, COMMON WHITETHROAT and SWALLOW were the only other summer species recorded on my visit.

Common Whitethroat at the Greenhouse Grounds.

Flyover species were few today, just HERRING GULL, LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL went over today, plus the CANADA GEESE and GREYLAG GEESE as they went to and from the lakes, where I had been tipped off about some newly arrived Goslings, but I didn't see any as I scanned around the 3 water bodies, however, I did see the first MOORHEN chicks of the spring. This kicks off the 2016 ''successfully bred'' list, it was the 11th of May before Moorhen chicks were seen last year.

The local BUZZARD pair were seen over the wet Woods, the only other raptor today was the male KESTREL, the female I assume is on eggs in the nest box. I checked the MISTLETHRUSH nest that is in an Oak tree in a large garden adjacent to the lakes, the female is still sitting tight, ditto the MUTE SWANS on the Ornamental lake.

Not much else to report, certainly no more Butterflies species have hatched out yet in this cool weather, last April I recorded 11 species, this year its just 5 so far!

At least I got a few photo's today, i'll hold a couple back for tomorrow, but here's a WREN to brighten the post today............

Wren