Chats and friends

Hello

Lots of exciting developments on the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir currently which include further enhancements around the Kingfisher Screen in the Scaldwell Bay, a new viewing screen next to the James Fisher hide, a new and very modern Lagoon Hide (between the Holcot and Walgrave Bays) and a series of extensive ponds on the reserve which will include new habitats in the 'no mans land' at the back of the Scaldwell Bay and Christies Copse. If funding can be found it is hoped that we can also create spits in the Scaldwell Bay and enhance the profiling of the bund and existing headlands. A couple of new owl boxes were erected on the reserve today to replace failing structures.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included a Wood Sandpiper, a Garganey, two Greenshanks, four Snipe, five plus Pintail, two Stonechats and four Great White Egrets with Small Coppers still on the wing.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton the chats were vying for perches as they moved around the fields and hedgerows but the tally appeared to be four Whinchats, four Stonechats and a Wheatear. Good birds of prey included an adult male Merlin and a Marsh Harrier, perhaps attracted to the good numbers of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits there.

Harrington Airfield continued to attract two Wheatears, four Stonechats and a Common Redstart and birds at Ravensthorpe Reservoir included a first year Caspian Gull, a Ruddy Shelduck, three Pintails, three Snipe and a Green Sandpiper. A juvenile Little Stint was found at the north New Workings at Earls Barton Pits today.

Yesterday the ringers at Stanford Reservoir ringed their 10,000th bird of the year with over two hundred birds ringed during the day which included a Hobby.

Regards

Neil M

Rainbow Catcher
(Great White Egret).

Storm Pirate
(Hobby)

Images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.