Birds of ice and frost

Hello

Bright sunshine all day would have hopefully warmed up those little birds!

I spent the day checking owl boxes and removing any unnecessary detritus and also spinning around six different feeding stations to try and keep the birds well fed! One of the owl boxes looks like it's a victim of the high winds earlier in the month and will have to be erected again at the week-end in preparation for the Tawny Owl breeding period which begins this month.

Yesterday's female Ring-necked Duck was still at Stanwick Pits today, keeping a presence on the main lake despite much of it being iced up.

The north side of Pitsford Reservoir was similarly iced over with ice holes attracting large numbers of common wildfowl with Wigeon dominating. Common Snipes, a Stonechat and a Chiffchaff persevered in the margins despite the challenging conditions. A Fox was sun-bathing in a nearby field!

Ravens were noted at Scotland Wood and New Covert on the Kelmarsh Estate and Scaldwell village today and a Barn Owl was at Hanging Houghton hunting just below the village this morning. At dusk two Woodcock flew over Mill Road between Scaldwell and Hanging Houghton villages.

Some Crossbills were still present at Fineshade Wood next to the hide and pool and the four Waxwings remained at Priors Hall, Corby. The two Waxwings were at Lambrook Drive, East Hunsbury, Northampton during some of the morning but couldn't be found later on. Two Stonechats were at Sixfields, Northampton.

Also today Stanford Reservoir hosted an adult Caspian Gull, ten Goosanders and two Chiffchaffs.

Regards

Neil M

A frozen Pitsford Reservoir today.

Common Buzzard.

Grey Wagtail.

Bullfinch.

Above three images
courtesy of Tony Stanford.