A quiet week!!

 

Well I am not quite sure where that week has gone to or even how January has slipped past. How did that happen?? It is scary how time flies. I feel as if I have been on the go all week but have very little to show for it.  I have made several visits to Harrington Airfield and Pitsford Reservoir but both places rather bleak and devoid of birds.  Even a walk around Sywell Reservoir produced nothing which is unusual as I normally see something of note there.                                                                                                                                             I have spent quite a bit of time around Blueberry and the area below Hanging Houghton,  but again it has been very quiet.   My best bird's being a large female Peregrine sitting on prey in the middle of a field and the following day I watched transfixed as a female Merlin chased the Skylarks . She relentlessly pursued a single bird and they went higher and higher in the sky to the point where they became dots. I was really willing the Skylark to get away but this was not the case. It was amazing to watch. 

It would seem that the county as a whole has been quiet.  Long staying birds include Ring Necked Duck and Mandarin at Ravensthorpe Reservoir,  Scaup at Hollowell Reservoir,  Mediterranean Gull at Boddington Reservoir, Caspian Gulls at Hollowell Reservoir,  Pink Footed Goose at Wicksteed Park,  Siberian Chiffchaff at Ecton and Red Crested Pochards at Summer Leys and both Daventry and Stanford Reservoir. 

It has certainly been an abnormally mild week for the time of year.  Plenty of small insects about and even a few butterflies.  I did a double take when a Peacock Butterfly whizzed past me whilst I was walking across the fields near Blueberry.   For those interested in the butterflies of the county have a look at David James blog where there is an excellent report . So far 27,460 records detailing the whereabouts of 80,000 adult butterflies!!!!, eye watering numbers. http://davidjameswildlifediary.com/

The mild weather has influenced the birds visiting our garden.  Prior to the mild weather we had plenty of Blackbirds,  Fieldfares and Redwings eagerly devouring the apples we had put out. Now they have all disappeared and returned to feeding in the fields and have been replaced by Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers.  Interestingly we have had a flock of 7 Pied Wagtails daily for several weeks.                                                                            It looks like we could be heading for another cold spell so no doubt it will be all change again in the garden and fingers crossed in the county.

Regards Eleanor