Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was chosen for the WeBS count at Pitsford Reservoir, which was rather nice in the last of the warm, sunny and still conditions. Quite a lot of disturbance made for difficult counting but the counters persisted and made the best of it! At least five, and possibly six Great White Egrets were present north of the causeway and other birds on the reserve included seven Pintail and a Green Sandpiper, and four Yellow-legged Gulls included one on the reserve. Two Ruff were on the water's edge just south of the causeway car park. Passerine migrants on the move overhead included Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Grey Wagtails, Swallows, House Martins, Siskins and Redpolls. Butterflies included Red Admiral and Comma.

One or two Common Redstart(s) remained at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and the Black Redstart was reported again at Borough Hill Country Park. At Stanwick Pits the Cattle Egret count was eight and Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Great White Egret and a couple of Snipe.

The ringers at Stanford Reservoir again located the best bird in the county today in their mist nets with the capture of a Yellow-browed Warbler - anticipated but still a great find locally!

A Wood Sandpiper at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon was another good find.

Ringing at Linford Lakes (Milton Keynes) this morning was eventful too with over a hundred captures which included a Common Snipe, a Kingfisher, a Cetti's Warbler, ten Reed Warblers, eighteen Blackcaps, fifteen Chiffchaffs, an excellent sixteen Reed Buntings, seven Meadow Pipits and eight Redpolls. Perhaps the most remarkable of the captures was that one of the Meadow Pipits was a re-trap from 2018 - very unusual for a species that doesn't breed in any real numbers locally. Other birds seen on-site included another four Snipe, two Green Sandpipers and a Dunlin. A Poplar Hawk-moth caterpillar fell out of the canopy and the usual Grass Snakes, Common and Great Crested Newts were still present and correct!

Regards

Neil M

Ruff at Pitsford Reservoir
today. Note the swollen right
knee. Images courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Poplar Hawk-moth caterpillar
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.