Monday's reported wildlife

Hello

Some proper autumnal weather with hearty gusts and showers on and off and with periods of warm sunshine too!

I took a morning outing to Market Harborough but devoted less than an hour to an Otter search which proved negative. An adult Little Egret was fishing very successfully under the railway bridge and taking advantage of the plentiful supply of minnows and a Water Vole showed briefly as did a Blue Emperor dragonfly.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were at least three Red-crested Pochard and six Little Egrets in the Scaldwell Bay plus singles of both Common and Green Sandpiper, plus three Yellow-legged Gulls off the dam.

The birds at Summer Leys this morning remained good with now three Great White Egrets, a juvenile Marsh Harrier still plus two Dunlin and a Green Sandpiper. Presumably it was the same Marsh Harrier seen by Adrian quartering the grass fields below Great Doddington.

Several Grey Wagtails were near Brixworth today.

Regards

Neil M

Lauxanild Fly Sapromyza
sexpuncata courtesy of John Tilly.

Juvenile Starling courtesy
of John Tilly. Like most
of the juvenile Starlings now this
bird is moulting through to it's
winter and nuptial plumage illustrating
the characteristic spots of the species.
These spots wear off during the breeding
season and the adults look all dark. Both
adults and juveniles are currently undertaking
complete wing and tail feather replacement.

Ringlet.

Emerald Damselfly.

Green-veined White
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Oystercatcher courtesy of
Dave Jackson.