Wildfowl in the sunshine.

Hello

Very warm and sunny for much of the day but little change in the birds with most of the action further to the south of us.

Nevertheless two Avocets at Barnwell Lower Lock was a good find and they lingered to at least early afternoon.

Plenty of passage Meadow Pipits were moving overhead all day long, their calls barely a whisper as the temperature and their overflying height rose. Pied Wagtails, winter thrushes and Woodpigeons were on the move too, mostly heading north or east.

At Pitsford Reservoir both Curlew and Whimbrel were reported north of the causeway where there were also three Great White Egrets; an adult Yellow-legged Gull was again off the dam this evening.

An Osprey with a Bream or Bream hybrid was photographed at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon and the warm temperatures in the county brought forth a variety of butterflies with Brimstone dominating proceedings. The two White-fronted Geese remained at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning.

Stanford Reservoir recorded double-figure Chiffchaff numbers plus two Goosanders, two Oystercatchers, a Water Rail and a Common Snipe. A pair of Grey Partridge were at Harrington Airfield this morning.

The drake Scaup at Earls Barton Pits was on Mary's Lake today and two Ruff and a Dunlin were on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR. Clifford Hill Pits hosted a Cattle Egret still plus three Dunlin and two Little Ringed Plovers. Four Cattle Egrets were noted at North Lake, Stanwick Pits and a single Little Ringed Plover was on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve. Eight Sand Martins were already showing an interest in the Sand Martin nesting wall on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits.

Two Barn Owls were again hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Gadwall.

Great Crested Grebe.

Shoveler.

Teal.

Tufted Ducks.

All images courtesy
of John Tilly.