Purple Heron(s)

Hello

I spent the day at Rectory Farm, Great Easton and the margins of Eyebrook Reservoir today assisting on a Naturetrek Day Tour looking at Farming and Conservation. We spent some time looking for wildlife on the farm which included Brown Hares, a good view of a Stoat, Small Copper butterflies, a variety of summer migrants (including three singing Lesser Whitethroats), a pair of Grey Partridges and a just-fledged Raven with parents still in attendance. After some refreshments we finished at Eyebrook Reservoir which provided a Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, a fishing Osprey, five Black Terns, four Little Gulls, a Caspian Gull and four more Lesser Whitethroats. A Black Redstart was reported there in the morning.

Eleanor's run around Pitsford Reservoir between the causeway and the dam was eventful with the discovery of a fishing Purple Heron at the water's edge which remained there for some time before flying towards the reserve north of the causeway. The wintering Great Northern Diver was also present and was calling evocatively and flapping it's wings a great deal, perhaps in preparation of leaving any time soon. Two Greenshank flew through and a Cuckoo was also present.

North of the causeway there was an Osprey, a pair of Common Terns and a Small Copper butterfly. A distant bird seen in flight up to 1km away may well have been the Purple Heron (at about 9.15am).

Summer Leys LNR had a busy time today too with a possible sighting of the/a Purple Heron in flight there at about 6.10pm and earlier there were two Little Terns, an Osprey, three Black Terns, three Little Gulls, six Common Terns, six Ruff, two Wood Sandpipers, a Black-tailed Godwit, five Greenshanks, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Great White Egrets and a Cuckoo.

The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits was also interesting with a Whimbrel, a Spotted Redshank and a brief Little Tern. Clifford Hill Pits attracted three Little Gulls, two Ringed Plovers, a Little Ringed Plover and a Dunlin. A Cuckoo was at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve.

A Nightingale was at Old Sulehay again today and a Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening with a Whinchat near 'shrike hedge' and a gathering of thirty-five Red Kites and twelve Common Buzzards on a bean field.

Regards

Neil M

Small Copper butterfly
at Pitsford Reservoir today
courtesy of David Arden.

Black Tern.

Great White Egret.

Grey Heron and spawning Carp.

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