Birds of the mist and murk

Hello

A ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir yesterday afternoon and this morning provided forty-three captures of twelve species with the highlights being two Moorhens, a Common Snipe, four Redwings, five Blackbirds, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and three Tree Sparrows.

Another ringing session was held at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes today where Northants Ringing Group members caught a modest number of birds but it included seven Redwings, two Blackbirds, a Chiffchaff, a Kingfisher and the highlight a first year female Sparrowhawk.

Birds seen at Pitsford Reservoir today included now two juvenile Shags off the Sailing Club and north of the causeway the adult Yellow-legged Gull was flying around and a male Peregrine made an unsuccessful attempt at a flock of Redwings. Great White Egret numbers must have been around the eight mark.

Elsewhere there was a Peregrine and a Water Rail near Brixworth and two Woodcock and about twenty Bramblings at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. Four Cattle Egrets were in a field below Irthlingborough church early this afternoon and over at nearby Stanwick Pits two Cattle Egrets  and at least seventeen Great White Egrets roosted.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included an adult Caspian Gull, two Great White Egrets, two Water Rails, a Cetti's Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, a Brambling and an impressive gathering of one hundred and eighty-five Great Black-backed Gulls were in the afternoon roost.

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe.

First year female
Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.