Hello
Eric's efforts at Titchmarsh reserve yesterday (7th) provided views of two Great White Egrets, three Little Egrets, an Egyptian Goose and two Redpolls and today (8th) he visited Blatherwycke Lake and saw 15+ Mandarin Ducks and three pairs of Shelduck at nearby Deene Lake. There didn't seem to be any sign of the Hawfinches at Blatherwycke churchyard.
Jacob was at Pitsford Reservoir today but with the possible exception of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a few pipits and wagtails didn't witness much migrational movement. After an effort he saw the Slavonian Grebe in the Pintail Bay (it soon disappeared again), a drake Mandarin Duck, a Redshank, a Raven, a Grey Wagtail and a sub-adult Caspian Gull in the gull roost. A dead Dunlin may have been a casualty of the recent cold weather - it seems that waders in particular suffered with many casualties reported nationally.
On a positive note I saw some big congregations of thrushes today, with some of the mixed Fieldfare and Redwing flocks numbering a couple of hundred and surely an indication that the majority survived the freezing maelstrom of last week. Plenty of Reed Buntings in our garden with smaller numbers of Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow and common finches will hopefully be part of the scene for a little while yet!
A visit to Cottesbrooke village at lunch-time confirmed the continuing presence of Hawfinches with two vocal but furtive birds keeping to the yews off Station Road almost opposite the playing field. One did perch up in the tall ash tree for a short time. Ravens, Nuthatches and Red Kites are daily birds here...
Regards
Neil M
Eric's efforts at Titchmarsh reserve yesterday (7th) provided views of two Great White Egrets, three Little Egrets, an Egyptian Goose and two Redpolls and today (8th) he visited Blatherwycke Lake and saw 15+ Mandarin Ducks and three pairs of Shelduck at nearby Deene Lake. There didn't seem to be any sign of the Hawfinches at Blatherwycke churchyard.
Jacob was at Pitsford Reservoir today but with the possible exception of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a few pipits and wagtails didn't witness much migrational movement. After an effort he saw the Slavonian Grebe in the Pintail Bay (it soon disappeared again), a drake Mandarin Duck, a Redshank, a Raven, a Grey Wagtail and a sub-adult Caspian Gull in the gull roost. A dead Dunlin may have been a casualty of the recent cold weather - it seems that waders in particular suffered with many casualties reported nationally.
On a positive note I saw some big congregations of thrushes today, with some of the mixed Fieldfare and Redwing flocks numbering a couple of hundred and surely an indication that the majority survived the freezing maelstrom of last week. Plenty of Reed Buntings in our garden with smaller numbers of Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow and common finches will hopefully be part of the scene for a little while yet!
A visit to Cottesbrooke village at lunch-time confirmed the continuing presence of Hawfinches with two vocal but furtive birds keeping to the yews off Station Road almost opposite the playing field. One did perch up in the tall ash tree for a short time. Ravens, Nuthatches and Red Kites are daily birds here...
Regards
Neil M
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| Hawfinch in Forest of Dean 24th Feb courtesy of Jacob. |
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| Goldcrest courtesy of Jacob. |
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| Drake Mandarin Duck courtesy of Bethan Clyne. |
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