A cold wind from the North

Hello

Cold out there today with the wind in the north but still good weather for the time of the year.

A Great White Egret and two Goosanders were the pick of the bunch at Stanford Reservoir with another drake Goosander showing nicely at Abington Park, Northampton (long gone are the days when this was a wintering bird at Pitsford Reservoir, sometimes in good numbers).

The female Ring-necked Duck and female Scaup were both still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and nearby at Hollowell Reservoir there was a Jack Snipe, two Common Snipe and two adult Caspian Gulls.

What may have been a Common Crane was heard calling over Thrapston Pits this morning but wasn't seen, the calling suggesting it flew over south.

The pair of Smew were at Blatherwycke Lake again today, a Brambling was seen at Harrington Airfield and birds at Summer Leys LNR included a first year Caspian Gull, two Oystercatchers, two Redshanks, about one hundred and fifty Golden Plovers, a Shelduck and several Bramblings at the feeding station.

The adult Yellow-legged Gull presided over the gull roost again at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and birds north of the causeway this morning included a Barn Owl, a Jack Snipe, up to about forty Common Snipe and two Stonechats (both caught and ringed). A Chiffchaff and two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this afternoon and Ravens were at Hanging Houghton and Kelmarsh.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Goosander Abington Park,
Northampton courtesy of John Tilly.

Grey Heron Abington Park, Northampton
courtesy of John Tilly.

Nuthatch.

Female Stonechat.