I covered most of my patch today, only leaving out the College Grounds as they get so busy during the week, none-the-less I recorded a reasonable total of 44 species, 6 of those were new for the November list.

The COOT (44) was the first of those, it was relocated at the Lakes after not showing yesterday, a couple of BULLFINCH (45) were heard in the adjacent Scrubby woods, where a REDWING (46) was also seen atop of an Oak tree.

It took an hour or so to find another species to add to the November list, but I at last found a PHEASANT (47) over at the Greenhouse Grounds, where I was again pleasantly surprised by two fly over SWALLOWS, making these the latest to be recorded on my patch. I continued to sky watch whilst I walked a circuit of Migrant Alley, and saw a small flock of 8 FIELDFARE (48) fly through, shortly followed by a pair of YELLOWHAMMERS (49), a species that is rapidly only being recorded as a flyover here unfortunately  :-(

As well as the monthly additions, the likes of BUZZARD, SPARROWHAWK, and KESTREL were seen today, plus SISKIN and LESSER REDPOLL, a pair of the latter were feeding in Alders at the Greenhouse Grounds. A chance meeting with a Weasel was a nice non-avian treat, it was encountered in the Greenhouse Copse as I waited fruitlessly for one of the two TREECREEPERS seen high up in an Oak, to get near enough to photograph  :-)

DUNNOCK

GREEN WOODPECKER, looking a bit like the ''morning after''  :-)

Weasel

Weasel

Weasel

Weasel

Into another month already! Most of the Migration action is over now, but November can bring in some good winter species, and I look forward to finding some  of them :-)

I kicked off this morning a bit late, as I waited for the heavy overnight rain to pass through, but by 08:00hrs I was out, immediately finding a COMMON BUZZARD as it flew over my house with a mobbing CARRION CROW. A flurry of species went into the book as I headed along Ashes lane, JACKDAW, COLLARED DOVE, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, MISTLE THRUSH, COAL TIT, PIED WAGTAIL, BLUE TIT, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD and GOLDFINCH took me rapidly to the first dozen species for November.

I cut across the Tree Nursery, picking up WOODPIGEON, GOLDCREST, MAGPIE, WREN, and MEADOW PIPIT, plus flyovers from LESSER REDPOLL and SISKIN. A circuit around the Wet Woods was a bit of a brief affair, as the trees were still cascading with water, but I added MOORHEN, plus a good few species in a mixed feeding flock, including NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, GREAT TIT, MARSH TIT ( The one that comes to my garden feeders) about a dozen LONG TAILED TITS and more interestingly another 6 Goldcrests.

The lakes and Scrubby Woods was visited next, but little was on the water, only a KINGFISHER and 3 MALLARD were added to the list. The surrounding Scrubby Woods didn't give me a Bullfinch today, but JAY, SONGTHRUSH, CHAFFINCH, and an impressive display by no less than 3 KESTRELS which chased around above me, were all added to Novembers tally, a SKYLARK flew over whilst I watched the falcons.

I walked back home for a half way snack, via the Small Holding, where a LITTLE OWL called from cover, a pair of SPARROWHAWKS chased through, 4 GREEN WOODPECKERS fed on a large garden lawn, and both BLACK HEADED and HERING GULL flew over.

After a drink I headed out to the Greenhouse Grounds, Migrant Alley and the College Grounds, at the Greenhouse Grounds I at last recorded STARLING, HOUSE SPARROW and DUNNOCK, but the sighting of two SWALLOWS heading south was a surprise, this is the latest date I have recorded Swallows on my patch! Migrant Alley yielded ROOK for the months list, and the College Grounds gave me the GREENFINCH that I was seeking - this species really takes some finding now, what a decline they have had here  :-(  On the upside though, four more Goldcrests, and two more Kingfishers were seen, as well as another Sparrowhawk.

In all I found 43 species to start the month off, the best November species tally was back in 2010, with 68 being found, so the challenge is on!

I managed a couple of photo's today  :-)

Jackdaw

Jackdaw

Pied Wagtail