February songsters

Hello

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Great Northern Diver was still between the causeway and Pintail Bay, crunching up crayfish near the Gorse Bushes off the Holcot bank. A Barn Owl and two Stonechats were nearby. North of the causeway and the Scaldwell Bay held a Great White Egret, fifty-one Common Snipe, two Ravens and at least one Tree Sparrow at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station.

Stanford Reservoir hosted an Egyptian Goose and nine Goosanders with four drake Smew at Eyebrook Reservoir.

The two White-fronted Geese were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, on the water near the Fishing Lodge late morning with two Jack Snipe found at nearby Hollowell Reservoir.

In the Nene Valley the drake Ring-necked Duck was again on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits, spending much of its time on Heronry Lake. A hunting Marsh Harrier there was seen to catch a Moorhen. Three Pintail were seen at Clifford Hill Pits and four Egyptian Geese were in a field near Cogenhoe Lock. A Marsh Harrier and an Oystercatcher were at Summer Leys LNR this morning.

A pair of Stonechat were at Towcester, a Grey Wagtail and a Siskin were at Kelmarsh Hall and the bright cool weather brought forth a chorus of songsters with Mistle and Song Thrushes perhaps being the loudest. Catkins, aconites and tits checking out nest boxes are all indicators that spring isn't too far away but I think we have plenty of wintry weather to endure yet!

A Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl, two Woodcock, a Brambling and at least two Siskins were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon but interestingly there was no sign of the Short-eared Owls near Maidwell - this and the fact that one of the birds has a distinctive wing marking confirms that (as suspected) at least one of the birds moves freely between the two sites.

The Summer Leys LNR map on the Birdwatching Site Maps page has kindly been updated by Neil Hasdell (the last map as you scroll down).

Regards

Neil M

Little Grebe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

British White Cattle, one of the oldest
 cattle breeds, at Kelmarsh courtesy of
 Jane Neill.

Male Nuthatch courtesy
 of Jane Neill.