Friday 23 February 2018

Friday's musings!

Hello

This afternoon two Woodcock were seen in Sunderland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate and a walk at Harrington Airfield provided another Woodcock and two Grey Partridges.

Some quick analysis of some of the captures at Pitsford Reservoir yesterday suggests that we caught several quite old birds but perhaps the most spectacular individual was a Great Tit which if it survives through to the summer will be nine years old!

Another observation at Pitsford yesterday on the reserve north of the causeway was the arrival of large flocks of Woodpigeons, in total thought to be in excess of two thousand birds. It is tempting to think that this may be a cold weather movement associated with the cold air affecting the continent currently (and looming towards us).

Despite imminent cold winter weather, this is the time to think about repairing and clearing out old nest boxes and erecting new ones. Chris Payne reports that there is already a Blue Tit sitting tight in one of the tit boxes at Stortons Pits, but this is truly exceptionally early!

Regards

Neil M



A newly-erected Kestrel
box courtesy of Chris Payne.

Great Tit.
Courtesy of John Tilly.

Male Greenfinch
with a telling peck!
Courtesy of John Tilly.

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