Cold and windy Sunday

Hello

A cold and windy May day which will have been a significant upheaval to our breeding birds used to much warmer weather!

Bob Bullock kicked off proceedings in the county with the find of a Sanderling at Clifford Hill Pits this morning. This arctic-bound wader was in company with two Dunlin. A Ringed Plover was in the roadside quarry at Earls Barton next to the A45 and early this afternoon Adrian located two Cattle Egrets at Summer Leys where there was also a Dunlin.

There are still a few wild bird feeding stations requiring maintenance at this time of the year including three at Pitsford Reservoir and I visited one of these this morning to refill the feeders. Birds over the water included just-arrived Swifts, hirundines and Common Terns and still a variety of gulls but nothing of particular note.

The garden feeding station is more of a challenge trying to keep up with droves of Starlings, Jackdaws, Blackbirds and more coming in for protein-based food to feed their chicks!

Regards

Neil M

The village of Hanging Houghton
as viewed from Blueberry Hill. The
pink of the campion just below the
village contrasts with the yellow
of oil seed rape.

Yesterday evening's
sun prior to sunset,

Common Tern in this
morning's shower of
rain at Pitsford Reservoir.