Local birding mid-winter

Hello

A cool, settled and rather grey day but thank-fully without the fog.

The Great Northern Diver was again between the causeway and the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and a couple of Tree Sparrows were joined by a House Sparrow at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station north of the causeway.

Eyebrook Reservoir was still the venue for five Smew (four drakes) and two fly-over Bewick's Swans. Two Egyptian Geese were in the Welland Valley below Cottingham where there was also a Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was an adult Caspian Gull in the gull roost, a Great White Egret, eight Goosanders, a Water Rail and a Stonechat. Forty-eight Golden Plovers and a Raven were the only note-worthy birds seen at Harrington Airfield today.

A couple of Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley at Brixworth and the valley below Hanging Houghton attracted a Barn Owl, a Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail. There were two Ravens in the village. A Barn Owl was a roadside bird between Arthingworth and Kelmarsh this afternoon.

An adult White-fronted Goose was again sighted at Whiston Pits with the large Greylag flock and the Glossy Ibis was reported again from Summer Leys LNR where also a Redpoll. A pair of Egyptian Geese were in a field off the Embankment at Wellingborough this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Drake Shoveler courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Kestrel courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Grey Heron courtesy
of Robin Gossage.