Lockdown approaches

Hello 

With national lockdown looming, it is likely that the contents of this blog will become a little sparse during the next coming weeks until opportunities begin again in March! I'm sure that our gardens and footpaths close to our abodes and local patch birding will again be the main focus for wildlife sightings.

The birds at Harrington Airfield were ready and waiting for their food today with Robins, tits and even a few finches following me around as I distributed their treats. The Golden Plover flock on the top fields was about eighty strong, a couple of Ravens flew through and two or three Bramblings were again by the airfield museum.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon was again full of birds which included an actively-hunting female Merlin, four Bramblings and four Stonechats.

At Pitsford Reservoir the Great Northern Diver was hugging the Brixworth bank south of the causeway and other birds there included a Grey Wagtail, two early Oystercatchers and a pair of confiding Stonechats.

The Bearded Tits were heard calling at Stanford Reservoir today, another female Merlin was seen at Helmdon, a now rare Willow Tit was recorded at Delapre Abbey and twenty Crossbills were still by the toilet block at the Wakerley Wood car park.

In the Nene Valley in excess of twenty White-fronted Geese were still at Stanwick Pits plus eleven Goosanders, four Pintail and two Cattle Egrets. Five Cattle Egrets were still in the vicinity of Wollaston Lock between Earls Barton Pits and Wellingborough with two Goosanders on the river.

Regards

Neil M

Common Gulls.

Male Stonechat.

Female Stonechat.

All images from Pitsford
Reservoir today...