Northamptonshire Birding: Pitsford Day Tour

Hello

Pitsford Reservoir was the venue for a Naturetrek Day Tour today and we were treated with some great sunshine during the first half of the walk. However if failed to bring forth butterflies and only Speckled Wood were in decent numbers. Odonata included a Hairy Hawker, a Blue Emperor, Broad-bodied Chasers, Four Spotted Chasers, both Banded and Beautiful Demoiselles and plenty of common damselfly species. Moths from the reserve moth traps included the superb Bufftip and both Pine and Elephant Hawk-moths. Hornets and Great Pied Hoverflies were in good numbers.

The birds were mostly hidden but Garden Warblers were singing well and other highlights included a singing Cuckoo, Ravens, a Hobby and an Osprey which flew over the Scaldwell Bay in the afternoon.

Elsewhere and the Wood Warbler continued to sing and show well at Harry's Park Wood and plenty of Black Hairstreak butterflies were again on show at Glapthorn Cow Pastures.

Some ringing at Stortons Pits this morning yielded ten species of birds which included a Garden Warbler, six Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, two Common Whitethroats, three Blackcaps and a Cetti's Warbler.

Two Little Terns were at Eyebrook Reservoir this morning, a Cattle Egret was in a cattle field between Ecton and Earls Barton early this afternoon and sightings at Stanford Reservoir yesterday included a female Mandarin Duck, two Oystercatchers and two Cuckoos.

Regards

Neil M