More Sunshine !!

 It has been an absolutely glorious winter day with hours of sunshine and blue skies.  It was just so nice to have so much light rather than the gloom of the recent foggy days. As usual I was up and out early and as I took Rouzel for her walk we were treated to a wonderful sunrise with an amazing mixture of colours. Just a short walk for her as she is recovering from surgery.  Then it was time to take the boys out for their walk. It is amazing what just a bit of brightness and sunshine does as the birds were definitely more vocal and up and about early too.  A good start to the day with Barn Owl,  Green Sandpiper and 2 Grey Wagtails.  The hedgerows and weedy area near shrike hedge were alive with passerines including at least 60 Linnets and a similar number of Goldfinches.  The noise was deafening but so nice to hear.  There was also 15 Skylarks and several Meadow Pipits.   As expected the Red Kites and Common Buzzards were enjoying this weather too as were 4 Ravens who were tumbling around and being very vocal.  Just a joy to watch.                                                                                             Not surprisingly there were plenty of people out and about today.  I only walked across the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and it felt as if I was on the M25 as the whole world seemed to be out . The water was also pretty busy with fishing boats. The only bird of note was the long staying Great Northern Diver just beyond Pintail Bay.                                     I was out at sunset which too was pretty spectacular and a  Barn Owl was my final bird of the day.                                        Birds reported today include 2 Egyptian Geese and 2 White Fronted Geese at Ravensthorpe Reservoir whilst at nearby Hollowell Reservoir Caspian Gull,  Jack Snipe and 2 Stonechats. Over at Daventry CP a Goosander and in the roost at Stanford Reservoir a Mediterranean and Caspian Gull.  There were at least 2 Hawfinches again in  Cottesbrooke Village and the Glossy Ibis and Black Tailed Godwit at Summer Leys. 

Yesterday my heart sank when I got up and saw that it was still foggy, but thankfully it had lifted by lunchtime.  I had to visit someone in Flore so called in at Ravensthorpe Reservoir on my way home. 2 Whooper Swans had been found there a few hours earlier and I didn't hold out much hope of seeing them, but eventually they gave themselves up. The 2 White Fronted Geese were feeding with the goose flock in a field between the reservoir and village.  I'd forgotten just how striking the markings are on the adult bird and this bird looked very smart in the sunlight.               A Slavonian Grebe was reported from Perio Mill Stream at Fotheringhay,  a lovely part of the county but not somewhere that I'm very familiar with.   The Glossy Ibis was showing at Summer Leys,  Cattle Egret near Barnwell CP and 3 Hawfinches at Blatherwycke Churchyard.           

In Milton Keynes Kenny Cramer and his team held their final ringing session of the year. 94 birds were processed of 13 species and 34 were newly ringed birds. The bulk of the numbers were tits, notably 43 Blue Tits,  15 Great Tits and 9 Long Tailed Tits.  Other birds included 2 Goldcrests, 6 Greenfinches, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The accolade of star bird was awarded to another new Water Rail which fitted all the criteria for a young male. 

Regards Eleanor