Pitsford WeBs Count

Hello

Fairly comprehensive coverage at Pitsford Reservoir today as three of us completed the WeBs count and we took note of anything else we encountered. The drake Scaup and it's hybrid companion were again off the dam and north of the causeway the two Barnacle Geese were in adjacent fields, there were two Great White Egrets, about thirty-five Snipe, two Jack Snipe, two Oystercatchers, a vocal Curlew that spent some time on-site, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail, at least seven Siskins, a Redpoll, a Crossbill and seven Chiffchaffs. A flock of two hundred and fifty Golden Plovers flew over and later a flock of about five hundred birds could be viewed distantly circling Sywell Airfield.

In some respects the mammals stole the show with a Weasel nipping across the causeway, lots of Muntjac and an Otter providing views in the Catwalk Bay. The first spawning Pike were active in the shallows.

A Barn Owl was showing nicely in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon where there were also three noisy Ravens.

Twenty Redpolls were at Harlestone Heath near to the railway line and three Crossbills were again at Hollowell Reservoir and a Mediterranean Gull was at Stanwick Pits this morning with a first year Kittiwake turning up in the gull roost at Stanford Reservoir this afternoon.

At Summer Leys LNR today there was a Black-tailed Godwit, a Curlew, a Dunlin, four Snipe and two Shelduck; the drake Ring-necked Duck was again on Big Lake at Ditchford Pits and the Thrapston Pits Glossy Ibis has taken to feeding in an adjacent horse field behind the A605 layby. A Redpoll and three Reed Buntings were in a Scaldwell village garden today.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Squirrel.

Female Muntjac.

Jack Snipe.

Otter courtesy
of Beth Clyne.