Birds of the murk

Hello

A grey, gooey day again and it never did seem to get light!

At Stanford Reservoir today there was an adult Caspian Gull, one hundred and forty-six Great Black-backed Gulls in the roost, seven Goosanders, a Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff.

Not too far away the Ruddy Shelduck was at Winwick Pools, a drake Smew was again at Eyebrook Reservoir and the two White-fronted Geese were with Greylags at Ravensthorpe Reservoir. An adult Caspian Gull, a Kingfisher and two Great White Egrets were at Hollowell Reservoir but the Slavonian Grebe of the last two days wasn't seen.

This afternoon a Cattle Egret was seen off Mill Lane, Earls Barton and then flew towards Grendon. Also this afternoon a Barn Owl and a Green Sandpiper were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and five Goosanders were at Daventry Country Park.

A ringing session took place at Harlestone at a new site resulting in over seventy common birds being processed, the majority being tits including a Marsh Tit and three Coal Tits but also a Song Thrush, three Blackbirds, a couple of Goldcrests and the highlight was a Woodcock. Other birds seen there included at least one more Woodcock, one or two Raven(s) and a Siskin.

Regards

Neil M

Blackbird courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Muntjac courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Woodcock.