Scoters, Med Gulls, Black-necked Grebes and raptors

Hello

Another grey and sometimes dreich weather day with a gentle but cool north-easterly breeze.

Morning birds at Pitsford Reservoir included the drake Scaup and his hybrid friend between the dam and Moulton Grange Bay, two Yellow-legged Gulls off the Sailing Club and a couple of Siskins in the trees there. A Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers and a Snipe were seen north of the causeway.

Over at Earls Barton Pits a Black-necked Grebe and a Mediterranean Gull and a Snipe were on the Summer Leys LNR with two more Black-necked Grebes on Mary's Lake. Three Mediterranean Gulls were at Stanwick Pits this morning and a flock of eight Sand Martins were over Town Lake at Thrapston Pits.

Ian saw an eagle in flight over Byfield this afternoon flying towards Fawsley and it was presumed to be a White-tailed Eagle, and Gary saw a Marsh Harrier over Byfield subsequently.

A/the Merlin was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon, there were two Peregrines towards Haselbech and there were still about two hundred Golden Plovers and a couple of Bramblings at Harrington Airfield (restricted access tomorrow due to ringing operations).

Jacob's nocmig sound recordings over Scaldwell village during the night confirmed two over-flying flocks of Common Scoters, one just before 10pm last night and another at 3.09am this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Common Scoters.

Merlin.

White-tailed Eagle.

Drake Scaup courtesy
of Robin Gossage.