January sunshine

Hello

A pleasant sunny day with relatively mild temperatures but with a significant amount of rain overnight.

Single Ravens were at Scotland Wood and Kelmarsh Hall this morning with up to thirty Siskins at the latter site too. Two Green Sandpipers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton both this morning and afternoon with a Grey Wagtail present too. Two Chiffchaffs and a Grey Wagtail were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this afternoon.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Great Northern Diver was in 'The Narrows'  today and there were two Woodcock and a Siskin in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay.

There were still about five Redpolls in Brixworth Country Park today with a Barn Owl in an adjacent fallow field. A male Blackcap was again in our Hanging Houghton garden and two Redpolls were lingering.

Chris enjoyed a run of good sightings at Stanford Reservoir this afternoon with a Cattle Egret, a Great White Egret, two Red-crested Pochard, an adult Caspian Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull.

The first winter drake Scaup remained at Hollowell Reservoir today, two Cattle Egrets were again seen at Townholme Meadows, Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve and two Waxwings were still in East Hunsbury, Northampton as seen at the junctions of Butts Road and Hedgeway at about 10.40am this morning. A Great White Egret was at Summer Leys LNR this morning where there were still Siskins at the feeding station and Stonechats present.

Five Waxwings were again seen at Priors Hall, Corby (plus a couple of Stonechats) and nearby Eyebrook Reservoir today hosted six Smew (five drakes).

Other birds noted today included a Goosander on a lake opposite Sainsbury's in Wellingborough and the Barnacle Goose and two Stonechats still lingering at Upton Country Park. A single male Crossbill was reported from Fineshade Wood next to the hide and pond this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Mediterranean Gull

Waxwing.

Cattle Egret.

Chiffchaff.