Pitsford WeBs count

Hello

The Pitsford WeBs count was completed today in mild, pleasant weather which even brought forth a nectaring Red Admiral and dragonflies and damselflies. The Wood Sandpiper was still present, initially in the Walgrave Bay and later in the Scaldwell Bay, plus three Green Sandpipers, fifty-five Snipe and a Dunlin. The number of Great White Egrets present was difficult to count and at different times there were nine in the Scaldwell Bay, three in the Walgrave Bay, one in the Middle Section, five in the Holcot Bay and one south of the causeway. These birds were mostly sedentary but the mobile individuals make it difficult to be sure of the exact number but somewhere between 16 and 20 which is a site record. Twenty-five Little Egrets were also on-site as were fifteen Red-crested Pochard, fifteen Pintail, a Water Rail, two Kingfishers, two Chiffchaffs, a dozen Bramblings and small numbers of Siskins.

Harrington Airfield this afternoon was hanging on to at least fifty Bramblings and a few hundred Redwings and Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits harboured seven Cattle Egrets, five Great White Egrets and seventy-three Pochard. Martin Izzard saw a Merlin zoom over Harlestone Lake this morning.

At Hollowell Reservoir a Pink-footed Goose was present plus three Great White Egrets and four Stonechats.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

Great White Egret.