The rain and mud continues...!

Hello

Kenny Cramer presided at a rather soggy ringing session at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes this morning and caught 43 birds. The more interesting birds included a Redwing, a Song Thrush, 8 Goldcrests, 17 Long-tailed Tits, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Bullfinches and 3 Lesser Redpolls.

Jim Dunkley kept an eye on garden birds in his Sywell garden today and noted a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a female Blackcap and a Sparrowhawk (please see image below).

Eleanor and I completed a WeBS count at Ditchford Gravel Pits today in somewhat wet and very muddy conditions. It was generally quiet with many birds keeping a low profile but a surprise awaited us when we located a juvenile Great Northern Diver on the watersport pit just west of Ditchford Lane. Other birds included a pair of Stonechat, an adult female Peregrine, three Little Egrets, four Goosanders, four Grey Wagtails and three Kingfishers.

Four Siskins were noted feeding in alders at Kelmarsh Hall this afternoon and Chris Payne caught and ringed four Lesser Redpolls in his Greens Norton garden including a nice pink male.

Regards

Neil M

Sparrowhawk at Sywell.

Courtesy of Jim Dunkley

Chris Payne and John Boland
captured this suspicious-looking
creature at Stortons Gravel Pits
earlier in the year. After some
debate they have named it as a
Boom Owl. With John 's technical
skills and Chris's occupation as a
producer and cameraman I think
they were trying to have me over!
It doesn't normally take much but
on this occasion I think I have
 unearthed their conspiracy!! :~)

Image courtesy of
Chris Payne.

Barn Owl in the rain by
Simon Wantling