First day of February

Hello

As we creep into February the temperatures remain low and the strong northerly winds and bright sunshine provide an excellent backdrop for our resident raptors to perform - in particular today wherever I've been in the county Red Kites have been hanging in the air, cruising around in pairs and calling excitedly! It might still be winter but these birds are already responding to the longer, brighter days and reminding us that the early breeders will now be preparing for the breeding season ahead.

Eleanor noted the Slavonian Grebe at Pitsford Reservoir in the Pintail Bay early this afternoon and again saw the regular Barn Owl hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A quick wander around Cottesbrooke failed to locate any obvious Hawfinches.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite.

Drake Smew courtesy of
John Gamble. These images
were taken at Rutland Water
recently where small numbers
of these birds have successfully
wintered. They have been very
scarce in Northamptonshire
 this winter, possibly due to the
low water levels at Pitsford and
Ravensthorpe Reservoirs earlier in
the winter (usually the two best sites for
this species in the county).