Local waterbirds

Hello

Birding at Stanford Reservoir today yielded about 1200 Common Gulls coming into roost, a Great White Egret, a Pintail, ten Goosanders and four Ravens. Just across the border, Eyebrook Reservoir continues to hang on to six Smew and a Scaup.

The Glossy Ibis put in a series of appearances at Summer Leys LNR and the White-fronted Goose remained at Whiston Pits. At Stanwick Pits there were two Cattle Egrets in a sheep field at North Lake and a Water Rail was espied. A Pink-footed Goose and a Great White Egret were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and nearby there was a Jack Snipe and a Woodcock at Barnes Meadow LNR.

The Great Northern Diver may have eaten most of the crayfish at Pitsford Reservoir but was still in situ in The Narrows late this morning.

An afternoon wander at Harrington Airfield was good for a Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl, twelve Grey Partridges, two Woodcock and two Ravens. Another Barn Owl was seen at Newton Bromswold and another was picked up dead alongside the busy A508 between Brixworth and Hanging Houghton, this road claiming multiple such victims each year.

A male Merlin, a Stonechat and later a Brambling were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and two Green Sandpipers were on ponds near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

The Pitsford Great Northern Diver
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Great Crested Grebe.

Drake Mallard.

Tufted Duck.

Drake Wigeon.

Above four images courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.