Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was WeBS count day at Pitsford Reservoir and the forecast proved accurate with a strong breeze and sunshine and showers!

Birds south of the causeway included a female Common Redstart in a bush by the spillover at the dam, two Whinchats by 'The Holly Tree', two Grey Wagtails, two Common Sandpipers, a female Peregrine, a Kingfisher and two Ravens.

North of the causeway there were four Great White Egrets, four Pintail in the Walgrave Bay, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Snipe, two Common Terns, a fishing Osprey, a fly-over juvenile Marsh Harrier and at least one Hobby plus two Kingfishers. Meadow Pipits and wagtails were on the move and plenty of hirundines were dominated number-wise by House Martins. There were still one or two begging nestling Cormorants in nests in the Scaldwell Bay.

Odonata included Common Blue Damselfly, Ruddy and Common Darters and Migrant Hawker. Six species of butterfly included a single fresh Small Heath, Common Blue and a very recent hatch of many Commas.

The Black-necked Grebe was again at Clifford Hill Pits today, a Black Tern was at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve and the adult Caspian Gull and Black-tailed Godwit were again on the main lake at Stanwick Pits.

A Bittern and a Hobby were at Summer Leys LNR today and birds noted at Stanford Reservoir were another Black Tern, three Common Sandpipers, a Hobby, a Kingfisher and a Cetti's Warbler.

Regards

Neil M

'Alba' wagtail courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Migrant Hawker courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Darters courtesy
of John Tilly.

Great White Egret courtesy
of John Tilly.

Little Egret courtesy
of John Tilly.

Jaeger and Rouzel
on Blueberry Hill.