Happy New Year!

Hello

I don't think we will forget 2020 in a hurry and we still have some major health challenges for the first part of 2021 it seems!

Another very cold day sees the old year out with a continuation of bitter weather forecast well into January. There was more evidence of displaced birds arriving in the county today - there were thirty Blackbirds crammed on to our small back lawn at dawn with plenty of fresh Goldfinches and new Robins too. These and others are probably fleeing snow and harsh conditions elsewhere in the UK. A bright male Nuthatch was another additional garden bird.

Down at Greens Norton Chris still has his pair of Blackcaps visiting the garden and today a Fieldfare was a new arrival on the fallen apples.

Kenny and Keith completed a last fling ringing session of the year at Linford Lakes, catching a small number of birds which again included a new Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest as well as more common fare. A re-trapped Robin was ringed as a juvenile there in 2015.

A flock of fifteen finches disturbed from hedging along the Brampton Valley Way near Draughton Crossing included at least some calling Bramblings and singles of Grey Wagtail were at both Hanging Houghton and Kelmarsh Hall.

The twenty-six White-fronted Geese and a Great White Egret were again in the Nene Valley at Earls Barton with seven more still at Stanwick Pits together with six Cattle Egrets and three Redshanks. Interestingly the White-fronted Geese at Earls Barton were seen to head off east at 11.10am by Adrian and were seen continuing east over Oundle at 3.20pm (Phil Horsnail) and so have presumably left the county.

Another Great White Egret was seen in flight over Stortons Pits and twenty-three Crossbills were located at Bucknell Wood in the south of the county.

Two adult Caspian Gulls appeared again at the Rushton Landfill site today and birds at Pitsford Reservoir amounted to the Great Northern Diver, a Great White Egret and two Stonechats.

Tomorrow (New Years Day), there will be ringing operations being conducted at Harrington Airfield in the morning and access to the old airstrip and bunkers will be restricted during this time. It is anticipated this will be the last ringing session there for quite a while.

Happy New Year!!

Neil M

Robin.

Today's Chiffchaff at
Linford Lakes courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Drake Goosander courtesy
of Robin Gossage.