Northamptonshire Birding: Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

It was the turn of Ditchford Pits to be assessed for it's waterbirds today and after a cold start the sunshine and breeze made for a day of pleasant weather. Birds west of Ditchford Lane included two Egyptian Geese, two Kingfishers, a Peregrine, three Stonechats, a Grey Wagtail, plenty of Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers and migrant Siskins whizzing through. The section east of Ditchford Lane was quieter for birds with two Common Snipe, a Kingfisher, four more Stonechats, more Chiffchaffs, Siskins, a Redpoll and five Cetti's Warblers. Odonata noted were quite a number of Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters and a couple of Willow Emerald damselflies.

Elsewhere and the Ring-necked Duck remained at Thrapston Pits on the Titchmarsh Reserve (plus a Common Sandpiper). The bird thought to have been an American Wigeon from the 10th onwards at Pitsford Reservoir has been re-assessed and is now thought to probably be a hybrid American x Eurasian hybrid and today it was showing well in the Walgrave Bay. In the Scaldwell Bay there was a pair of Stonechats, five Pintail and three Green Sandpipers noted.

A Merlin was seen twice during the day in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton with nine Ravens powering south over the village early on.

Stanford Reservoir hosted a Whooper Swan, a Marsh Harrier, a Great White Egret, five Red-crested Pochard and a Brambling flying over.

A Glossy Ibis was seen first thing on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR but not subsequently and other birds seen later were a Cattle Egret, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, at least three Great White Egrets, a Common Snipe, a Raven, a Goldeneye (on Mary's Lake), a Pintail, a Stonechat and three Swallows.

At Stanwick Pits two Cattle Egrets flew over north-east this morning and two were at Eyebrook Reservoir this morning.

Two Short-eared Owls were hunting over the north side of Borough Hill Country Park (Daventry) this afternoon, with eight Stonechats also being present.

Two Short-eared Owls were high over Harrington Airfield this morning heading south-west and there were two pairs of Stonechats, two Bramblings, at least four Redpolls and twenty-five Siskins.

Regards

Neil M