Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

A cold start but again sunshine and blue skies made it a great day to be out providing you added the layers!

Today a WeBS count was completed at Ditchford Pits and breeding Cormorants and Grey Herons were already on nests. Birds east of Ditchford Lane included a Jack Snipe, twenty-eight Common Snipe, four Great White Egrets, two Water Rails, two Grey Wagtails, two Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers, four Redpolls, twelve Siskins and two Bramblings.

The best birds west of Ditchford Lane were four more Great White Egrets, another Jack Snipe, eight Common Snipe, an Oystercatcher, a couple of Cetti's Warblers and a pair of Stonechats. Kingfishers and Goosanders were conspicuously missing again.

The remains of a Barn Owl was in the carriageway of the A508 just north of Maidwell village.

A Richard's Pipit not far from Newport Pagnell in Bucks was a surprise but just goes to show what can be wintering locally! Two Peregrines were on town centre buildings in Market Harborough today and just one Smew was reported from Eyebrook Reservoir.

In the Nene Valley the Glossy Ibis was seen again this morning at Summer Leys LNR where there were also four Great White Egrets, a Shelduck, two Oystercatchers and nine Common Snipe and a Siberian Chiffchaff and six White-fronted Geese were in the Cogenhoe Mill area with the Chiffchaff not far from Bridge K121 at the stream outflow. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was at nearby Whiston Wetlands.

The two wintering White-fronted Geese were still present at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and birds at Lilbourne Water Meadows included a Common Snipe, a Shelduck and two Oystercatchers. Two Redpolls were still visiting Steve's garden at Brixworth.

A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth, a Raven was at Scotland Wood, a Siskin was at Kelmarsh Hall and two Ravens were at Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Oystercatcher.

Shelduck.

Glossy Ibis.

All images taken at
Summer Leys LNR
today courtesy of
Tony Stanford.