Quality November birding.

Hello

Another very grey day in the county provided much the same birds as the last week and further proof that November can be a very rewarding time for birding inland.

The two Bearded Tits were seen at Stanwick Pits again this morning and nearby at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve there were eight Cattle Egrets, a Goosander and a Knot. A Turnstone was at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

Harriers in the Nene Valley between Cogenhoe and Earls Barton included a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier and a Marsh Harrier and other birds included five Stonechats at Whiston Lock with a Pink-footed Goose with Greylags at the New Workings near Whiston. An adult male Hen Harrier was seen in the Catesby/Staverton area early this afternoon, on the county border with Warwickshire and the male Hen Harrier was again near Bozenham Mill flying towards Ashton this morning. A Green Sandpiper was seen there too.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Mediterranean Gull, a Caspian Gull, two Red-crested Pochards, a Great White Egret, two Water Rails, two Cetti's Warblers, a Stonechat, a Peregrine and a Raven.

The late Swallow remained at Station Cottages, Brixworth and up to four Hawfinches were in Cottesbrooke village, generally mobile around the village hall.

A Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton with at least one Raven in the village. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon.

Starling roosts of about a thousand were noted at Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits and with about eight hundred in the Pintail Bay at Pitsford Reservoir with larger murmurations reported recently from Earls Barton Pits and Stortons Pits.

A Red Kite pre-roost gathering of over seventy birds were noted yesterday at Roundhay Farm with the likely roost site being Sane Copse on the county border with Bedfordshire.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Herons courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Stonechat courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Frog. With the current
mild temperatures many amphibians
and creatures due to hibernate are
remaining active this month.