Corn Buntings, Otter and other winter wildlife

Hello

Another cold day so I felt it necessary to pop back up to Harrington Airfield this morning to feed the hungry birds! About thirty or so Bramblings were there to meet me and soon came down to feed. Twenty Golden Plovers were present first thing and birds on the fields included about forty Skylarks.

Eleanor popped into Market Harborough this morning and saw one of the Otters on the River Welland near to Welland Park. A female Peregrine was on the church and other birds included a Grey Wagtail, a Chiffchaff and a Kingfisher.

This afternoon two Corn Buntings (one singing a little) were found amongst a flock of buntings and finches in the Brampton Valley all attracted to some bird feed cover at 'shrike hedge' below Hanging Houghton. Other birds there included a Brambling and three Grey Partridges with a Little Owl nearby and a Barn Owl was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Elsewhere and the Dark-bellied Brent Goose was still at Clifford Hill Pits today and Ravensthorpe Reservoir hosted a Pink-footed Goose and a first year Caspian Gull. Nearby at Hollowell Reservoir there was a Jack Snipe and three Stonechats.

Thrapston Pits attracted a female Scaup on Town Lake and a 'redhead' Smew was reported there too. Other birds on the complex included two Great White Egrets, a Stonechat and a Raven. Seven Cattle Egrets and two Great White Egrets flew to roost at Kinewell Lakes, Ringstead Pits this afternoon (plus a Goosander) and birds on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve included three Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret and a Kingfisher. The White-fronted Goose was again reported at Stanwick Pits today.

Thirty Siskins were located at Harlestone Heath today near the railway line and birds coming to the Summer Leys Feeding Station included about a dozen Bullfinches and a Brambling.

At Pitsford Reservoir today Tony located the two drake Smew in the Holcot Bay and the Wood Sandpiper and a Redshank were north of the causeway.

Two adult Caspian Gulls were reported at Rushton Landfill this afternoon and the Black Redstart was also reported again from the Borough Hill Country Park concrete blocks. Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included three Egyptian Geese, three Goosanders, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher, two Cetti's Warblers and three Chiffchaffs.

Regards

Neil M

Corn Bunting courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Caspian Gull courtesy
of Jacob Spinks.

Otter.