Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

It was a rather late and quiet WeBS count at Pitsford Reservoir today, the strong north-easterly wind making it feel rather cold too!

Wildfowl were in very low numbers which is the norm for the time of the year and the water levels are extremely high with lots of brown water still. A Great White Egret was in the Walgrave Bay and a Little Egret was south of the causeway. A Jack Snipe and about eighty-three Common Snipe was a decent number considering most of their usual waterside vegetative cover was in the water. Other than that there were a few Siskins and a Redpoll flying around and lots of Common Buzzard and Red Kite activity in the sunny, breezy conditions. About twenty Siskins were at the adjacent Brixworth Country Park.

At least one Cattle Egret was reported at Summer Leys LNR today and late reports from yesterday include four at Ditchford Pits again to the west of Ditchford Lane and a single near Stanford Reservoir.

Three Siskins were at Scotland Wood today with others heard at Kelmarsh Hall. A Stonechat and an Oystercatcher were at Upton Country Park.

Details of a ringing recovery received recently refers to a Tawny Owl ringed as a nestling at Kelmarsh Hall on 10th June 2023. Unfortunately it was found freshly dead having sustained injuries at Great Bowden, Market Harborough on 26th October 2023. It was tested for avian flu and the result came back as negative. Sadly this young owl didn't live long and was found at least eight km due north from where it was hatched, 138 days elapsing between the date of ringing and recovery.

Regards

Neil M

Basic map detailing
movement of the Tawny
Owl ringed at Kelmarsh
Hall and recovered at
Great Bowden courtesy
of Nick Wood.

Greylag Geese courtesy
of John Tilly.

Black-headed Gulls
 courtesy of John Tilly.

Stonechats.

Oystercatcher.

Above four images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.