Pitsford WeBs Count

Hello

We took on the Pitsford Reservoir WeBs count today in what turned out to be a pleasant window of weather between rain at the start and end of the day. The Wood Sandpiper was again next to the causeway and other waders included seven Green Sandpipers, a Redshank, fifty Snipe and two Dunlin. Seventeen Pintail were in the Scaldwell Bay but were very nervous after a period of shooting next to the reservoir and some left the reservoir for good. The same gunfire also caused a great deal of disturbance amongst the Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler and provided counting difficulties! Two drake Red-crested Pochard were in the Holcot Bay and there was a scattering of Goldeneye across the whole reservoir.

Egrets are difficult to count as they are so mobile but there were probably at least twelve Great White Egrets and about twelve Little Egrets. Grey Herons were in small numbers and a dead one was presumably as a result of avian flu which has hit this site hard. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was to the north of the causeway and other birds included a pair of Stonechats, a Kingfisher, a Chiffchaff, a Water Rail and several Redpolls, Siskins and a couple of Grey Wagtails.

At Stanford Reservoir today there were still fourteen Red-crested Pochards, a Great White Egret, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Kingfisher, a Brambling, a Lesser Redpoll and a Chiffchaff.

About a hundred Golden Plovers were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and the Short-eared Owl was again seen near Farthingstone, showing between 3.40pm and 4.45pm.

Regards

Neil M

Buck Muntjac.

More Dog Vomit Slime
Mold, this time next to 
Willow Hide at Pitsford
Reservoir.

Common Darter at Pitsford
Reservoir today, one of several
on the wing in the sunshine.