Pitsford Naturetrek Tour

Hello

A Naturetrek Day Tour around the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir was blessed with sunshine during the morning into early afternoon which ensured a few insects in addition to the expected birds. The bird highlights included a Great White Egret, a Goosander, a Yellow-legged Gull, about eight Snipe, the pair of Oystercatchers, a Little Ringed Plover, four Kingfishers, a Grey Wagtail, three stunning male Yellow Wagtails, all three hirindines, two each of Siskin and Redpoll and Marsh Tits seemingly at every turn. The best of the insects were Ashy mining-Bee, Dark-edged Bee-fly and Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma butterflies. Before our walk Mischa kindly showed us the contents of the reserve moth traps which incuded Early Grey, Hebrew Character, Common Quaker, Small Quaker and Powdered Quaker. There were plenty of Muntjacs moving around in the undergrowth and very good numbers of Bumblebees!

An excursion to Harrington Airfield provided views of over twenty Bramblings, three singing Willow Warblers and two Wheatears with a flock of about a hundred Fieldfares moving over north.

Birds at Thrapston Pits included two Green Sandpipers and two Oystercatchers with a Common Sandpiper by the Sailing Club and birds at Stortons Pits included an Osprey over at 9.50am, two Water Rails and warblers including three Cetti's, two Sedge and Willow, Chiffchaff and Blackcap. The Glossy Ibis was at Stanwick Pits first thing but flew off east and wasn't seen anywhere in the Nene Valley afterwards.

The pair of Garganey were again at Summer Leys LNR today and the Common Sandpiper was at Earls Barton new workings. Two Spoonbills overflew the complex today and were then seen twice in flight over Stanwick Pits - I wonder where they are now?

The Ring-necked Duck was again at Clifford Hill Pits together with four Little Ringed Plovers, three Ringed Plovers, a Yellow Wagtail, a White Wagtail, a Sedge Warbler and two singing Willow Warblers.

An excellent larid session over at Lilbourne on the pool off the A5 by DIRFT3 initiated by Gary Pullan included a juvenile Glaucous Gull, a juvenile Iceland Gull, a Caspian Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

Other birds seen in the county today included an Osprey over Harlestone Lake towards Althorp this evening and two White Wagtails on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Ashy-mining Bee.

Song Thrush.

...and the nest of a
Song Thrush courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

The first of the Bluebells
courtesy of Lynne Barnett.

Fledged juvenile
Blackbird courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Fledgling Robin
courtesy of Chris
Payne.