A stunning Autumn Day

 It has been a stunning Autumn day and one of those days where you wanted to be outdoors.  Luckily I was able to be out and about enjoying the warm sunshine and gentle breeze.    An early visit to Harrington Airfield was productive. As I checked the area around bunker one I flushed a Short-eared Owl.  I don't know who was the most surprised, me or it. The corvids soon had it spotted and started to annoy it.  The Owl wanted to land but it's attempts were thwarted so it headed off in a southerly direction with the corvids in pursuit.    A pair of Stonechat were at bunker two.  As I continued my wanderers several Brambling, Siskins and a single Redpoll flew over calling.  There was a noticeable number of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks over the fields.                                            Next stop was the "shrike hedge" area below Hanging Houghton where at least 8 Stonechat a Whinchat remain plus good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.                Early afternoon I went to Pitsford Reservoir.  The water level continues to drop exposing more mud. It looks very promising and it is certainly attracting a large number of birds on the small side. The Walgrave arm was particularly packed with birds but I concentrated on the Scaldwell bay.  A good variety of birds noted including 5 Dunlin, Common and Green Sandpiper,  4 Stonechat, Whinchat,  20+ Pintail,  Garganey, and a rather splendid drake Red Crested Pochard.  A bonus as I stood having a final look round was a Marsh Harrier.                                                                                                                              I thought that the sunshine would bring out  some butterflies.  I bumped into a Clouded Yellow at Pitsford Reservoir and a further 2 below Hanging Houghton and another  was reported from Harrington Airfield. 

Generally it appears to have been a quiet weekend in the county.  There has been a Grey Plover on Aldwincle Lake Thrapston,  Black Tailed Godwit at Summer Leys and Hollowell,  Cattle Egret at Stanwick and Jack Snipe at Hollowell.                                                 Stanford Reservoir is always an interesting place even though it can be very frustrating if the bird is only present on the Leicestershire side rather than Northamptonshire.  There has been a Rock Pipit around the dam area but spends most of it's time just in Leicestershire and a Yellow Browed Warbler was trapped and ringed there on Friday. 

I wonder what this new week will bring ??

Regards Eleanor 

A few images from a Scilly
pelagic trip today where Neil
is leading a Naturetrek group.
The top image is a first winter
Mediterranean Gull, the latter
two images are of Cory's Shearwater.