December migrants

Hello

A cooler and breezy day with some drizzle at times. As is often the way during the first week of December, a few new arrivals in the county which proves that migration never really stops.

Pitsford Reservoir hasn't featured strongly of late but today the crayfish-crunching juvenile Great Northern Diver remained in the vicinity of the Pintail Bay where a fresh-in drake Smew was also found. Just south of the causeway and a Pink-footed Goose was associating with Greylags and an adult Yellow-legged Gull lingered off the car park. A Woodcock and a Siskin were in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay and a Raven was by the dam.

A Black-necked Grebe at Stanford Reservoir this morning was also a new bird just arrived and other sightings included a Great White Egret, an adult Caspian Gull and one hundred and eighty-three Great Black-backed Gulls at roost.

Not too far away was an adult Glaucous Gull at Shawell Sand Pits in Leicestershire, in all probability the returning bird that has been roosting recently at Draycote Water (Warks). A Grey Wagtail was on the River Welland at Market Harborough.

Two Russian/European White-fronted Geese were a good find in fields adjacent to Ravensthorpe Reservoir today, loosely associating with two Egyptian Geese and Greylags in fields between the Fishing Lodge and the causeway on the west bank.

The now long-staying Glossy Ibis was on show at Summer Leys LNR again today.

At least one Raven was at Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

A male Blackbird already consuming
the rather unpalatable rose hips courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

 

Drake Smew courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Jay courtesy of
Robin Gossage.