Ditchford WeBS count.

Hello

I suspect like most WeBS counters this morning I was a little disheartened when I saw the mist and drizzle knowing that it would reduce visibility for counting the birds associated with water bodies. Nevertheless I drove over to Ditchford Pits and counted my section of this very large complex. Birds west of Ditchford Lane included a Great White Egret or two, three Water Rails, four Cetti's Warblers, a Raven and a Redpoll. East of Ditchford Lane there were six Jack Snipe, twelve Snipe, a pair of Red-crested Pochard on Delta Lake, a Goosander, two Water Rails, a Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher and a couple more Cetti's Warblers.

A Scaup was found on the west pit of Stortons Pits today and eight Goosanders were on the complex too. Three Stonechats were found on the land between the Lilbourne Meadows reserve and the M1 today and birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir included at least six Great White Egrets and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. Two Ruff were still at Summer Leys LNR late this morning.

Eleanor went for a good walk around Harrington Airfield in the murk this afternoon, flushing a Short-eared Owl by the Shooting Wall and seeing a hunting Barn Owl at the end of the concrete track. Some forty Bramblings were on-site, the majority of them close to the stand of sunflowers near to the Shooting Wall. Four Grey Partridges and two or three Woodcock also put in an appearance.

Dave Francis committed to some garden bird ringing today where all the encounters were new birds and amounted to thirty Goldfinches, seventeen Blue Tits, two Reed Buntings, a Long-tailed Tit and three Nuthatches.

Regards

Neil M

Jack Snipe.

Barn Owl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Cetti's Warbler courtesy
of Pete Gilbert.