Snow birds

Hello

A truly beautiful day out there today with stunning sunshine bouncing off the bright, snowy landscape! It's amazing to think that only a few days ago four different species of butterfly were seen on the wing in the county and here we are now in the middle of some very cold, wintry weather.

The county gritters did an excellent job of keeping the main roads open and moving and it was a good time to tramp about and try and identify the animal footprints in the snow from overnight. Personally I managed to identify Badger, Fox, Hare, Rabbit and unidentified rodents!

Three Fieldfares were our best birds in the garden today, feeding on apples, but Steve managed a female Blackcap in his garden at Brixworth.

In the Nene Valley yesterday a huge flock of thirty-five Whooper Swans were reported from Nassington and today birds between Mary's Lake below Earls Barton and Wellingborough included a Jack Snipe, a pair of Stonechats and fifty plus Meadow Pipits. At Ecton SF and surround below Cogenhoe, Bob enjoyed some solitude watching three Little Egrets. one or two Green Sandpiper(s), a Water Rail, a Kingfisher, three Grey Wagtails, a Cetti's Warbler, two Stonechats and at least fifteen Chiffchaffs.

Further east and Steve Fisher located two White-fronted Geese at Stanwick Pits plus a Cattle Egret, two Great White Egrets, thirty Snipe and four Redshanks. A Cattle Egret and a Great White Egret were reported from the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows complex.

Two pairs of Stonechats are hanging on still in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and birds at Pitsford Reservoir comprised of a Great White Egret, a Redshank, twenty-four Snipe, a Kingfisher, two pairs of Stonechats and a Redpoll. There were four Grey Wagtails at Brixworth and a single at Scaldwell village.

Regards

Neil M

Snowy scenes at
Harrington Airfield.

Goldfinches in the snow
courtesy of John Tilly.

Super snowy Starlings
courtesy of John Tilly.

Robin -waiting to be
fed in the snow!