Tuesday 26 March 2019

Common Cranes, Tawny Owls and incoming Blackcaps!

Hello

The Great Grey Shrike was again present from the track that leads between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke this morning.

Matt Hazleton saw two Great White Egrets at Summer Leys NR this morning plus a Green Sandpiper and a Blackcap.

Pitsford Reservoir hosted at least one Great Northern Diver today with one bird in the Pintail Bay, and a drake Red-crested Pochard was feeding off the Sailing Club. A Grey Wagtail was at Brixworth Treatment Works.

Martin Swannell saw a pair of Common Cranes thermalling over Moulton village at about 10.25am and Eleanor saw presumably the same birds soaring over Holcot village heading towards Pitsford Reservoir at midday.

Harrington Airfield provided views of a male Peregrine, a male Wheatear and four Grey Partridges. Birds at Thrapston Pits today included a Great White Egret, three Pink-footed Geese, the long-staying Whooper Swan, a Green Sandpiper, two Snipe, a Redshank and two Oystercatchers. Five Siskins were also present as were plenty of Chiffchaffs and singing Blackcaps and a Peregrine.

Deene Lake attracted an Osprey, five pairs of Shelduck, a pair of Black Swans, a flock of over a hundred Teal, three Snipe and four Green Sandpipers.

A check of the owl boxes at Pitsford Reservoir today confirmed four boxes occupied by Tawny Owls. One of these was a bird first ringed as an adult on 19th March 2015 and another was ringed as a nestling on 23rd April 2014. Other birds noted included a Raven, a couple of singing Blackcaps, four Marsh Tits on territory and Nuthatches holding territory in two areas. However the rarity for the site was a singing Cetti's Warbler in the Walgrave Bay, the first confirmed record for perhaps eighteen years!

Regards

Neil M


Common Cranes.

Tawny Owl
courtesy of
Chris Payne.

Bathing Blackcaps
courtesy of
Robin Gossage.



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