Mid December birding

Hello

A day of catch-up for me with data inputting, a little garden ringing and replenishing two feed stations on the Kelmarsh Estate.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the two drake Smew were again in the Holcot Bay and visible from Goosander Hide with the Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Redshank, at least four Great White Egrets, a Cetti's Warbler, five Bramblings, two Redpolls and a Grey Wagtail elsewhere north of the causeway. 

There are plenty of winter finches about at the moment with a fresh influx of Siskins, Redpolls and Bramblings funneling into the centre of the county. By way of example there were ten Redpolls at Stortons Pits today, thirteen at Scotland Wood and smaller numbers elsewhere. Five Bramblings were in Scaldwell village yesterday and today there were twenty more by 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton (plus a pair of Stonechat) and small numbers of roving birds elsewhere. A female Blackcap was in a Priors Marston garden today.

A Stonechat was at Upton Country Park this morning and four Goosanders were at Stortons Pits. Birds in the village at Hanging Houghton today included Siskin, Brambling, Raven and Grey Wagtail. A female Sparrowhawk made one of her regular visits to our garden, terrorising the Starlings in the process.

I shall look forward to some fresh air tomorrow conducting the Pitsford WeBS count!

Regards

Neil M

Female Sparrowhawk.

Drake Goosander.

Adult Grey Heron.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.