Birds of Christmas Day

Hello

Lovely cool, crispy weather provided the stimulus to be out and about for much of the day, the last two cold nights also ensuring there were lots of hungry birds to feed too!

An enjoyable stroll around Harrington Airfield catalogued plenty of common birds but the only ones of note were a single Raven, ten Golden Plovers and a covey of five Grey Partridge.

A Raven was very noisy at Hanging Houghton on my return as I fed the birds in the garden for the second time - three Pied Wagtails and plenty of Starlings and Blackbirds and others were quickly back in to hoover up all the treats.

With similar duties to perform at Pitsford Reservoir, I visited the south end and after topping up the feeders etc I had time for a scan around and picked up on a juvenile Great Northern Diver initially in the Pintail Bay but later off the dam. With multiple Great Northerns at other large waters in middle England during November/December I think we've all been scratching our heads as to why we only had the one at Hollowell. Two Yellow-legged Gulls were off the Sailing Club.

With more birds to feed at the Brixworth Feeding Station I moved on to there next and was then able to count three Water Rails (two seen) and a Grey Wagtail at the Treatment Works there.

It was afternoon before I arrived at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir where the water level had risen considerably to 100% capacity. David Arden had located four 'redhead' Smew in the Scaldwell Bay in the morning and after I had filled up the feeders etc I had a scan around. A Great White Egret flew past and I located the Smew with a stunning drake leading them around (a total of five birds). They were active and as I continued 'scoping them they swam past a small gathering of swans which included three adult Bewick's! The swans went on to graze the Scaldwell Meadows with the geese.

An adult Yellow-legged Gull may have been a third individual for the day and a pair of Stonechat, a Redshank and six Snipe were found along the water's edge with a Chiffchaff in the perimeter hedge.

Elsewhere and Bob Webster located eight Cattle Egrets and a Great White Egret at the north-east section of Stanwick Pits.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Great Northern Diver.

Drake Smew.

Bewick's Swan.