Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Phil Horsnail was pleased to see two Ravens east of Polebrook Airfield today, close to the Cambridgeshire border. These are the first Ravens Phil has managed to find this far east in the county and they remain very scarce in the Oundle area. Quite different to the west of the county where you expect to see several during a day's birding.

Jim Dunkley watched a female Blackcap coming to apples in his Sywell garden today and Chris Payne committed to some ringing at Bradden in South Northants where a short session provided over fifty captures which included a fine female Green Woodpecker, a Nuthatch and a Marsh Tit.

Six of us tried our best at counting the waterbirds at an ice-affected Pitsford Reservoir today but despite the cold conditions we didn't find anything new. The Slavonian Grebe was in the Pintail Bay and other birds included a drake Goosander, one or two Great White Egret(s), six Little Egrets, ten Pintail, two Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, forty Snipe, four Kingfishers, a Grey Wagtail and a Brambling. Checking the gull roost this afternoon provided a view of a first year Caspian Gull.

A return home to Hanging Houghton this afternoon was necessary for a welcome cuppa, and the big surprise was a flock of Waxwings in the trees behind our garden! In all we counted sixteen birds and they came in to our garden, seemingly attracted to Guelder Rose berries. They stayed for a little while but then flew off and were perched in a tree off the A508 south of the village. Fourteen of them returned again later in the afternoon and a Brambling was noted too...

Regards

Neil M

Female Blackcap
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Marsh Tit at Bradden
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Female Green Woodpecker
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Male Blackbird courtesy
of Steve Bennison.

Song Thrush courtesy
of Steve Bennison.

Snowdrops at Pitsford Reservoir.

The frozen Walgrave Bay
at Pitsford Reservoir.