Friday 15 December 2017

Friday's birds

Hello

Yesterday (Thursday) and Jacob saw a male Brambling with a large flock of Chaffinches at Moulton College.

I carried out a part-WeBS count at Ditchford Gravel Pits today, checking the pits between the Bailey Bridge and viaduct west of Ditchford Lane. Some of the pits were still affected by ice and the wildfowl numbers were generally low as a result. Highlights included a Peregrine, four Goosanders, a Black Swan, four Snipe, a Raven, two Kingfishers, two Cetti's Warblers and three Stonechats.

Eleanor saw her usual Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below  Hanging Houghton but also accidentally flushed a Long-eared Owl from a hedge. This species is both sensitive and scarce, it will be interesting to see if this bird settles to winter or as is more usual, never be seen again!

Jacob caught a Tree Sparrow at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station, Pitsford Reservoir back on 2nd December bearing a ring we didn't recognise. It transpires that this bird was ringed as a nestling at Stanford Reservoir on 15th July 2017. This is one of several Tree Sparrows over the years that have moved between the Tree Sparrow colonies at both reservoirs, both populations supported with on-site feeding stations.

Regards

Neil M


Male Bullfinch.

Female Bullfinch.

Common Buzzard.



Carrion Crow enjoying
a wash!

All images courtesy of
John Tilly.

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