Good birds at Pitsford

Hello

It seems that Pitsford Reservoir was the place to be today albeit that it took time to find the better birds! North of the causeway there were sixteen Pintails, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a male Peregrine, a Dunlin and three Stonechats, with most of these birds in the Scaldwell Bay. Great White Egrets were well-scattered and probably amounted to twelve birds (nine seen at any one time) with one individual exhibiting a very bright orange beak and yellow legs and feet.

Waders were well represented with a few Snipe and Lapwings and a Wood Sandpiper and a Little Stint just north of the causeway, utilising the spit between the causeway and Maytrees Hide. A gathering of waders in the bund pool visible from the James Fisher Hide amounted to two Wood Sandpipers and five Green Sandpipers. One Wood Sandpiper in November would have been unprecedented had it not been for last year's individual, but three Wood Sandpipers re-writes the books!

Later in the afternoon there was a Common Sandpiper, two Kingfishers and at least two Grey Wagtails around the dam and in fading light a Great Northern Diver was located between Yacht and Pintail Bays. Sadly there were a number of dead and dying geese and swans north of the causeway, presumably subject to the Avian Flu epidemic.

Elsewhere and a Short-eared Owl was discovered hunting over fields on the Litchborough to Farthingstone road near to Farthingstone village. Ten Cattle Egrets flying north-east over the A45 Layby Pit at Stanwick Pits this afternoon was a good record.

Two Woodcock and a female Peregrine were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon, a few Siskins were at Kelmarsh Hall and birds near Brixworth included a Water Rail, three Siskins and at least five Redpolls.

Birds noted at Stanford Reservoir this morning included a first winter Mediterranean Gull, two Yellow-legged Gulls, fourteen Red-crested Pochard, a Great White Egret, four Pintails, a Water Rail and two Bramblings.

Regards

Neil M

Wood Sandpiper.

Little Stint.

Great Northern Diver.