Bee-flies, Garganey and snow!

Hello 

For many today the birding highlight was a close pair of Garganey at Summer Leys LNR, a scarce duck which are perhaps more frequent in the late summer and autumn but they definitely look at their best in the spring.

Today's somewhat extreme weather conditions provided me with the view of a flock of Swallows and Sand Martins feeding low over the water at Welford Reservoir in driving snow, and then a flock of Fieldfares and Redwings flying over them!

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the drake Scaup and the hybrid female, a pair of Oystercatchers, a Yellow-legged Gull, all three species of hirundines, two Grey Wagtails, thirteen Golden Plovers, two Siskins and a Brambling. Harrington Airfield played host to a pair of Grey Partridge and sixteen Golden Plovers this morning.

In a good spring for Sand Martins there were about a hundred at Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits today plus fifteen singing Blackcaps (I think it's going to be a bumper year for them too)!

At Thrapston Pits today three Great White Egrets were seen plus three Little Egrets, a drake Goosander plus hundreds of hirundines.

At least two Crossbills were with Siskins and a Redpoll at Hollowell Reservoir today and also where Jim Dunkley found a Dotted Bee-fly, a species currently colonising Northamptonshire. Three Little Ringed Plovers and two Yellow Wagtails were on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve.

Regards

Neil M

Dark-edged Bee-fly
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Spotted Bee-fly
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Egyptian Geese courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

The Summer Leys
pair of Garganey
courtesy of Dave Jackson.