Monday 22 January 2024

A travel-lust Blue Tit

Hello

As is often the case it would seem that Northamptonshire was treated lightly from the storm last night but we are not out of the woods yet with another storm arriving tomorrow!

Reports of birds were rather light today but Eyebrook Reservoir still held onto seven Smew which included five drakes.

The four Waxwings were still on show at Priors Hall Corby today but the two birds at Lambrook Drive, East Hunsbury were not seen with the majority of berries now consumed.

The Great Northern Diver was located in the Catwalk Bay at Pitsford Reservoir today, the best place for it with all these south-westerly storms and boat craft activity over the weekend.

A Raven was between Pitsford Reservoir and Brixworth and two were at Hanging Houghton. A pair of Grey Partridges were noted at Harrington Airfield and Summer Leys LNR hosted three Goosanders and a Common Sandpiper. A Barnacle Goose and a pair of Stonechats were at Upton Country Park today and four Goosanders were at Stortons Pits.

The first winter Scaup and a Pink-footed Goose were at Hollowell Reservoir early this afternoon and a first winter Caspian Gull was in the gull roost at Stanford Reservoir where there were also four Pintail and fifteen Goosanders.

Details of an interesting Blue Tit recovery have come through which relates to a nestling being ringed at Rabbithill Spinney on the Kelmarsh Estate on 23rd May 2022. This bird was caught and processed by a ringer on 12th January 2024 142 km away at Lone Lane, Penalt, Monmouthshire. Long distance movements of Blue Tits are scarce but occasionally we receive such reports of individuals which clearly are stimulated to travel long distances and probably establish a territory in a completely different region of the UK.

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant.


Stonechats.


Goosanders.

Above images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

A basic map illustrating
the movement of the Blue
Tit from the Kelmarsh Estate
to Monmouthshire, Wales
courtesy of Nick Wood.


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