Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was the water bird count day at Pitsford Reservoir which coincided with mild conditions, low water levels and unfortunately Pheasant shooting on land adjacent which made the water birds nervous and flighty.

As a result the two drake Smew were mobile, initially being in the Holcot Bay but visiting all the other bays north of the causeway too. Thirteen Pintail were doing much the same thing but gathered together in the Scaldwell Bay this afternoon. A Black-necked Grebe near The Holly Tree and in The Narrows was a good find and a drake Scaup with a raft of Tufted Ducks near to Catwalk Bay was also new in.

Waders included the Wood Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, a Redshank and sixty-one Snipe and there were approximately six Great White Egrets and six Little Egrets present. A Peregrine harried the Lapwings and made several passes at individual Lapwings but didn't seem to catch one. The resident drake Mandarin Duck was still present.

Smaller birds included up to five Grey Wagtails, c50 Siskins, a couple of Redpoll and six Bramblings with Nuthatches in the Holcot and Walgrave Bays.

A female/immature Merlin was seen over fields adjacent to Ravensthorpe Reservoir and a Brambling was noted too. A Cattle Egret and seventeen Great White Egrets were counted going to roost at Stanwick Pits this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

This Tench has probably
been ignored by fish-eating birds
since it acquired a large size, but this
Cormorant was determined!

Grey Wagtail.

Redshank.

All images from Pitsford Reservoir today.