Pitsford Wildlife

 Hello

An early morning foray to Harrington Airfield today but it was a case of just walking really as the passerines kept low in the strong southerly wind! A juvenile Marsh Harrier immediately made it's presence known as it swept across the top fields and very slowly filtered south into the wind, using the blustery conditions to hunt the field edges as it slowly disappeared towards Lamport. A couple of Ravens and an Osprey similarly had no problem countering the conditions as they moved over the old airfield. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was present and what I suspect is the original Common Redstart was heard calling from bushes between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One.

Pitsford Reservoir today provided views of a Great White Egret, two Garganey, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, a Hobby, two Green Sandpipers. several Swifts and good numbers of House Martins - most of these birds were noted in the Scaldwell Bay.

At Summer Leys LNR observers notched up a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper and two Great White Egrets and Pied Flycatchers appeared at private sites at Chapel Brampton and Denton Wood - neither afford general public access. Two Whinchats and a Wheatear at Borough Hill Country Park were probably left-overs from yesterday and a Turtle Dove was at another withheld location.

A flock of Yellow Wagtails remain with us at Hanging Houghton, most of the time in the grazing fields with cattle but regularly visiting the lawns in adjacent larger gardens. It is likely that there is a constant flow of birds moving through and so far the maximum flock size has been ten birds but they have to watch out for the regular forays from hunting Sparrowhawks and Hobby that patrol the village daily.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebe
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Red Fox courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Brimstone moth
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Canary-shouldered Thorn
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Little Grebe
courtesy of Robin Gossage.