Dispersing birds in the heat.

Hello

Another warm day and a few more to come yet!

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Scaldwell Bay hosted two Great White Egrets, four Red-crested Pochard, two Green Sandpipers, one Common Sandpiper and a male Common Redstart with a Kingfisher in the Walgrave Bay. There are two noisy broods of juvenile Sparrowhawks on the reserve which are just beginning to disperse and become independent.

At Stanford Reservoir a Black-tailed Godwit was present first thing and other birds included a Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Flycatcher and four Ravens. An Osprey was seen at Hollowell Reservoir this evening and this morning there was a Golden Plover, two Green Sandpipers and two Little Ringed Plovers.

The Ferruginous Duck remained elusive and mobile at Daventry Country Park where there were also three Green Sandpipers. The White-rumped Sandpiper remained at Eyebrook Reservoir and the Cape Gull was still at Grafham Water until late afternoon when it apparently flew off east.

Mary's Lake at Earls Barton Pits still hung on to a Wood Sandpiper today with a Green Sandpiper and with two Black-tailed Godwits still at adjacent Summer Leys LNR.

A Common Redstart remained at Woodford Halse today and at least one Common Redstart and about ten Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall. Two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm this evening and there were at least eight Spotted Flycatchers in the belt of trees next to Beck Dairy, Cottesbrooke this morning. A family party of Spotted Flycatchers and a Raven were in Hanging Houghton village with four Clouded Yellows in the Brampton Valley below the village.

A Common Redstart and a Wheatear were at Harrington Airfield this morning, both around Bunker Two and four Grey Wagtails were near Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Sparrowhawk.

Kingfisher

Grey Wagtail courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Post-breeding dispersals of the above three
species will ensure they can be encountered
almost anywhere until they settle to establish
a winter territory.