Sunshine and hail showers

Hello

Today was very much a day of visiting feeding stations and beginning the preparation for a ringing session on Saturday. For the most part the day was cool but pleasant with some sunshine and a succession of hail showers this afternoon.

Stanford Reservoir hosted two Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers, two Kingfishers, a Goosander and a Cetti's Warbler and a Slavonian Grebe was logged at Eyebrook Reservoir. Not too far away and two Ospreys were back at Rutland Water, both using the well-known Manton Bay nest platform at different times of the day.

White-fronted Geese have been a welcome feature during the winter and as we advance into spring there were still two at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, at least five in the Nene Valley below Cogenhoe and east of Cogenhoe Mill (plus four Egyptian Geese) and three were at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits.

Also in the Nene Valley, two Cattle Egrets were seen in flight at Stanwick Pits and the drake Smew was still at Clifford Hill Pits. Two Goosanders were at Higham Lock.

Hollowell Reservoir was visited by a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier this morning and subsequent birds were a Sand Martin flying north, a Jack Snipe and two Common Snipe.

Over a hundred Golden Plovers and a pair of Grey Partridge and about forty Yellowhammers were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon. A Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh Hall and a Siskin was at Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir. A Raven was in Hanging Houghton village and two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below the village this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Peacock butterfly after
wintering as an adult.

Barn Owl.

Black-headed Gull - most 
of the adults are now depicting
their summer plumage brown faces.