Birds of the cool northerly air

Hello

Another day of cold air, at times a lively northerly breeze and showers this afternoon, some wintery.

A bit of a lag in GPS data but it transpires that the White-tailed Eagle of the last couple of days spent another full day in the county yesterday. After flying from Church Brampton the data indicates that the bird flew over Kingsthorpe and Northampton early morning, over Billing Pits to the east of Brackmills and then flew south-east before arriving at Yardley Chase where it remained for much of the day. Data tracking has yet to tell us where it was today!

At Yardley Chase today a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was calling and drumming and another was heard calling at Pitsford Reservoir where this morning there were three Great White Egrets, a Raven and an adult Yellow-legged Gull all north of the causeway. There were at least four Yellow-legged Gulls in the roost off the dam this evening (two adults).

At Stanwick Pits a Marsh Harrier flew from the main reedbed at dawn and Clifford Hill Pits was still the venue for a drake Smew, a Cattle Egret, three Ringed Plovers, three Little Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today were two Great White Egrets, three Oystercatchers, a Goosander, a Barn Owl and two Common Snipe.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were two Barn Owls, two Peregrines, two Green Sandpipers and two Grey Wagtails. At least one Raven was in the village.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Teal courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Tufted Duck courtesy
of John Tilly.

Barn Owl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.