Pitsford CBC

Hi

Yesterday evening provided a beautiful summer sunset in the Brampton Valley and over Blueberry Farm.  A Hobby was seen just below the village at Hanging Houghton.

This morning I accompanied David Arden to complete the last Common Bird Census of the season at Pitsford Res.  Plenty of common birds on-site and good to see plenty more juveniles than last year.  Ducks included a female Red-crested Pochard, a Wigeon and a pink or red-billed Tufted Duck all in the Walgrave Bay and several Teal and about 140 Gadwall scattered about north of the causeway. There were plenty of broods of Coot and a couple of broods of Great Crested Grebe and a brood of Tufted Duck.  Eight species of warbler were recorded and some of the young Common Terns have fledged from the rafts in the Scaldwell Bay.

We saw a Grass Snake and when the sun did finally come out, insects included Emperor and Brown Hawker dragonflies. Butterflies included large numbers of Ringlets, smaller numbers of Meadow Brown and a single Gatekeeper.  Large and Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma were also on the wing.

Regards

Neil M

Sunset over Blueberry Farm

Small Skipper

Large Skipper

Ringlet