If you go down to the woods today....

... you will find a carpet of Snowdrops, well you will at Putnoe Wood in Mowsbury Park, Bedford.

Snowdrops

Snowdrops by fallen tree

The Snowdrops can be found along the west side of the wood. Get down there soon and enjoy the show while it lasts.

On Sunday it was time for the monthly bird survey in the wood and a break in the weather tempted a few birds out. This Nuthatch surprised me by flying into the tree I was standing next to. It was just a few feet above me so I grabbed my camera and started shooting. These two photographs were the best of the bunch!

Nuthatch

Nuthatch

There were at least 3 "singing" Stock Doves in the wood and I managed this shot of one high up in the canopy, I love the iridescent green patch on the neck:

Stock Dove

Another surprise was a Moorhen calling from within the wood. They are always around the ponds on the golf course but I haven't had one in the wood before. A little less surprising when you see the ponds in the wood following all of the rain we have had recently. 

A Buzzard was a little less surprising, although a new species for the site since I started surveying, they are regularly in the area and eventually I was bound to catch up with one in the wood.

Here are the counts for the day:

Blackbird 7

Blue Tit 22

Buzzard 1

Carrion Crow 9

Chaffinch 6

Coal Tit 1

Dunnock 1

Goldfinch 7

Great Spotted Woodpecker 3

Great Tit 25

Green Woodpecker 2

Jackdaw 20

Magpie 3

Moorhen 1

Nuthatch 1

Redwing 20

Robin 8

Song Thrush 6

Stock Dove 3

Treecreeper 3

Woodpigeon 16

Wren 1

Putnoe Wood Survey - Sunday 14th April

Completed my monthly bird survey at Putnoe Wood today and can officially announce that Spring is here with the arrival of the Chiffchaffs. It was a bit disappointing that there were no Blackcaps but I'm sure they will be arriving any time now as there are plenty of reports around the county.

The wood was alive with bird song and the Green Woodpeckers were particularly active. 

Green Woodpecker (Female)

Carrion Crows and Jackdaws were seen with nest material. The female Sparrowhawk may be on territory as she was seeing off all comers, I'll have to keep an eye on that.

The full species list follows:

Species	Count
Blackbird	4
Blue Tit	11
Carrion Crow	5
Chaffinch	5
Chiffchaff	4
Coal Tit	1
Collared Dove	1
Dunnock	2
Goldfinch	1
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1
Great Tit	14
Green Woodpecker	4
Greenfinch	1
Jackdaw	6
Magpie	1
Nuthatch	2
Redwing	9
Robin	10
Sparrowhawk	1
Stock Dove	3
Treecreeper	1
Woodpigeon	22
Wren	5

A pair of Nuthatches were also very active and vocal allowing some scope for photography, although they stayed a bit high in the trees.

Nuthatch

Nuthatch

These are both big crops of the originals but I think there may be potential at this site over the next few weeks so hopefully I'll find some time to get back there again, time and patience will be the key.

Also saw a Brimstone Butterfly just as I was leaving.