Finches and gulls on show

Hello

Although elusive, the two Hawfinches were seen in Cottesbrooke village again this morning, showing at about 10am in the tall poplars opposite the bus shelter in Station Road, close to the Creaton Road junction. The Nuthatches were vocal there and a pair of Ravens patrolled the village.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning the Great Northern Diver was in The Narrows and towards the Pintail Bay and the regular adult Yellow-legged Gull was just off the Sailing Club.

About twenty Bramblings remained at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and the drake Smew turned back up at Ravensthorpe Reservoir just north of the causeway; the Pink-footed Goose was with other geese in fields between there and Ravensthorpe village. A Caspian Gull was spotted at Hollowell Reservoir again today as was a Jack Snipe.

Two more Caspian Gulls were seen today at the regular venue off the A5 on pools near Lilbourne and the very popular Dartford Warbler was still at Duston Mill. A Cattle Egret was with Little Egrets close to the River Nene adjacent to the Summer Leys LNR and a Peregrine was nearby.

At Stanford Reservoir the adult Mediterranean Gull again turned up in the afternoon and three Goosanders were seen too.

A Blue Tit was ringed as a nestling at Rabbit Hill Spinney, Kelmarsh on 24th May last year and on or about 9th February this bird died after hitting a window at Desborough, 261 days later and at least 7km away from where it was hatched.

A first year male Brambling that was ringed near RAF Marham in Norfolk on 19th January 2020 was caught again at Harrington Airfield on Saturday just gone, 754 days later. Of course this bird has summered the last two years well to the north, perhaps in Scandinavia, so who knows how many kilometres this bird has clocked up during it's time. These details indicate of course that this migrant has wintered in the UK during 2019/2020 and again during 2021/2022. Most Bramblings winter on the continent, sometimes in vast flocks but clearly small numbers favour the relative mildness and food availability of the UK.

Regards

Neil M

Carrion Crow.

Grey Wagtail.

Map indicating ringing and control
locations of the Brambling first ringed
in Norfolk and then controlled
at Harrington Airfield courtesy of
Nick Wood.