Sunday 26 July 2020

The wandering Caspian Tern.

Hello

The return of the Caspian Tern to the county caused equal amounts of excitement and dismay as it was first seen at Stanford Reservoir just before 8am but quickly flew on in an easterly direction. It was subsequently seen at Summer Leys LNR where it was seen by a couple of the regular birders before it was off on its travels again!

Other birds noted at Summer Leys included a Marsh Harrier, a Great White Egret, twelve Black-tailed Godwits, two Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and two Green Sandpipers.

Stanwick Pits recorded a Cattle Egret, a Curlew, three Dunlin, four Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers, a Caspian Gull and eleven Yellow-legged Gulls.

Hollowell Reservoir hosted two Ospreys, the Ruddy Shelduck, two Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover and at Pitsford Reservoir an Osprey showed up plus five Dunlin and two Red-crested Pochards. A Common Sandpiper was at Naseby Reservoir.

A female/juvenile Common Redstart was along the Brampton Valley Way at the Draughton Crossing as were at least two Spotted Flycatchers. Further Spotted Flycatchers were seen in Scaldwell village and Mantles Heath. Bucknell Wood was today home to about twenty Crossbills and about five Siskins.

Regards

Neil M

Meadow Pipit.

Juvenile Wheatear.

Red Kite courtesy of
John Tilly.

Seven-spot Ladybird
courtesy of John Tilly.

Chrysotoxum sp hoverfly
courtesy of John Tilly.

Eupeodes sp hoverfly
courtesy of John Tilly.



2 comments:

Dave J said...

Lovely hoverfly shots by John, the first one is Episyrphus balteatus, commonly known as Marmalade Hoverfly. It’s a well marked individual with thorax markings similar to a Chrysotoxum sp. however they are a large hoverfly and more yellow. Marmalade Hoverflies can be very dark if the larvae hatch in cold conditions to very bright, like this individual when they hatch in hotter conditions.

The other is possibly Eupeodes luniger.

Dave J said...
This comment has been removed by the author.