Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Yesterday (Sunday) and the drake Ring-necked Duck was located on the Higham (Main) Lake between Higham Ferrers and Irthlingborough. This is east of the Rushden Lakes complex not west as quoted on a national network.

With a change in guidance from the British Trust for Ornithology in relation to conducting surveys during this current lockdown, the monthly WeBS count was completed at Pitsford Reservoir today. Waterfowl numbers were very low and it is concerning how the numbers in general have been on a slide for a couple of years now. More drastically the numbers of gulls on-site really have tumbled and are now present in unprecedented very small numbers.

Waders today included two Jack Snipe, fifty-eight Snipe and three Woodcock north of the causeway and a walk around the whole of the reserve totting up some of the passerines after the cold period of weather included a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff, twenty Treecreepers, at least eleven Goldcrests, seven Great Spotted Woodpeckers, five Green Woodpeckers, fifty-nine Blackbirds, sixteen Skylarks heading north and another twelve in full song! There were several Siskins, two Ravens, a Redpoll and a Kingfisher and the best of the mammals included a Stoat and a Brown Hare. Up to four Peacock butterflies were on the wing in the Scaldwell Bay.

South of the causeway there was a pair of Stonechats, five Chiffchaffs, two Ravens and two Grey Wagtails, several Siskins and a drake Mandarin Duck which was grazing with the geese.

The singing Blackcap and a pair of Ravens were still at Hanging Houghton with a Barn Owl and a female Stonechat in the Brampton Valley below the village.

At Harrington Airfield today the Short-eared Owl was again by Bunker Three and other birds included two male Bramblings, seventy Golden Plovers and four Ravens.

The female Scaup and a Great White Egret was seen again at Hollowell Reservoir and the three 'redhead' Smew and a Great White Egret were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir again.

Stanwick Pits again hosted about thirty White-fronted Geese and a Pink-footed Goose and the Bar-tailed Godwit had changed location to the Roadside Pit. Single Great White Egrets were at Grendon Lakes and on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows Reserve at Ditchford Pits (where there was also a Stonechat).

A Peregrine was seen circling St Mary's church in Wellingborough today.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owl Hanging Houghton
courtesy of Nathan Jones.

Common Buzzard Hanging Houghton
courtesy of Nathan Jones.

Female Stonechat Hanging Houghton
courtesy of Nathan Jones.

Male Stonechat at
Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Dave Jackson.