Sunday 1 March 2015

North county birding

Hello

This morning there was a Barn Owl and two Ravens in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A visit to Blatherwycke Churchyard this morning provided good views of plenty of common birds but alas no Hawfinches. Blatherwycke Lake hosted four Mandarin Ducks, a Black Swan, two Chinese Geese, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail and three Oystercatchers.

Nearby Deene Lake held fifteen Shelduck and a variety of common wildfowl plus a Grey Wagtail.

All day the Common Buzzards and Red Kites were up and about in the bright and breezy conditions as we toured some birding locations in the north of the county.

We spent some time looking for the Great Grey Shrike near Deenethorpe but drew a blank in very windy conditions. A male Brambling was consorting with a flock of Chaffinches and Yellowhammers around nearby barns and a small plantation.

Scanning from a couple of areas included from the roadside near Lyveden New Bield provided distant views of a small herd of Fallow Deer and a number of single Brown Hares were presumably preparing themselves for a hectic month?

Fermyn Woods Country Park was quiet and short term visits to Fineshade and Wakerley Woods provided few species of note. A walk around the disused Harringworth Airfield provided views of a Snipe and a Woodcock. Areas of the Welland Valley were flooded and two Oystercatchers were present in the valley below Cottingham. We finished the day looking over a rough area off Wire Lane, East Carlton village where one or two Barn Owl(s) were hunting.

Nothing scarce or rare seen today but it was good to notch up over 80 species in a different area of the county.

Regards

Neil M


Fallow Deer



Red Kite



Barn Owl

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