The mild conditions continued into the New Year with showers and sunshine in equal amounts. Many of the long-staying birds from 2021 were still in situ for the start of 2022 and anyone interested in compiling a county year list would have had the potential of a great start!
The Dark-bellied Brent Goose was still at Clifford Hill Pits today and other geese out there included the three White-fronted Geese which for a time were at Stanford Reservoir. Other birds noted at this latter site were two Egyptian Geese, two Water Rails, six Goosanders, four Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, four Ravens and a Chiffchaff.
Pitsford Reservoir was a popular venue today and Michael the on-site warden was busy checking permits! The three drake Smew had split up today with two of them spending much of the day in the Scaldwell Bay and the third bird mobile south of the causeway. The first ever wintering Wood Sandpiper for the county was seen in the Scaldwell Bay and also near the causeway with a Redshank - it appears this is the only Wood Sandpiper in the country currently with few records anywhere since early autumn. About half a dozen Great White Egrets were still present as were three Dunlin and at least one of the juvenile Shag(s) was seen at the water's edge by the causeway car park and later on the Sailing Club pontoon. The drake Mandarin Duck was also about and there were several Pintail too.
Elsewhere and two Hawfinches were at the occasional venue of Blatherwycke churchyard, there were about fifteen Bramblings at Harrington Airfield near Bunkers One and Two plus two Woodcock, a Barn Owl and three Ravens, and two Grey Wagtails and a Water Rail were near Brixworth. Two Ravens, a Siskin and a Brambling were in Hanging Houghton village.
An impressive thirteen Cattle Egrets were together at Stanwick Pits near to North Lake this morning and two Ruff and a Red-crested Pochard were at Summer Leys LNR with a wintering Common Sandpiper at Earls Barton Pits new workings.
This morning there were c50 Bramblings along the road near Draughton on the Maidwell Road with a few along the Brampton Valley Way between Lamport and Draughton; eight Grey Partridges were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.
A Peregrine on Higham Ferrers church had seemingly deposited a dead Lapwing on the ground underneath, presumably half-eaten.
Regards
Neil M
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| Drake Smew from Pitsford Reservoir courtesy of Robin Gossage. |
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| Great Crested Grebe courtesy of Robin Gossage. |
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