A short winter's day

Hello

Another short winter's day with few reported sightings during a very mild period of double-figure temperatures.

Birds at Harrington Airfield were few in number this morning and the bushes there didn't produce their usual mass of berries during the autumn and what few they did produce have now mostly been consumed. Golden Plovers were heard calling and at nearby Draughton Pool the local drake Mandarin Duck was lording it over hundreds of Teal and small numbers of Mallard.

Yesterday there were at least eight Common Snipe and a Grey Wagtail in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and today birds at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate included Raven, at least one Siskin and two Bramblings.

The 'ringtail' Hen Harrier was again espied at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning. Nocturnal video work confirms the presence of three Otters on the River Welland at Market Harborough in recent days and a single Willow Tit (one of very few in the county these days) maintained a presence at Pipewell Wood during the cold weather, teaming up with a mobile flock of Nuthatches and Treecreepers.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Ruddy Shelduck, a Red-crested Pochard and a Great White Egret.

Regards

Neil M

Great Tit courtesy
of John Tilly.

Grey Wagtail courtesy
of Dave Jackson.