Lesser Scaup.

Hello

Another cold but glorious start of the day with a spectacular pink sunrise and sunshine followed for the last of the butterflies and large insects.

Chris Hubbard's patchwork with almost daily visits to Stanford Reservoir paid off again today when he found Northamptonshire's first Lesser Scaup, an eclipse drake. Perhaps the most overdue bird not on the county list this species has been long-awaited. To see the bird it is essential to be in the reservoir grounds which is strictly permit only, there are no apparent viewing opportunities from adjacent land.

Other birds there were the three Glossy Ibis, a Bittern, a Marsh Harrier, two Pintail, a Common Sandpiper, a Common Tern, a Great White Egret and ten Little Egrets.

A Caspian Gull was at Naseby Reservoir and nearby at least three Yellow-legged Gulls were in fields at Naseby village opposite the entrance to the playing field. A Grey Wagtail and a Redpoll were at Welford Reservoir.

Hollowell Reservoir hosted eight Stonechats, a Whinchat and a Common Snipe and birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir were a Glossy Ibis, a Ringed Plover, two Ruff, a Dunlin and seven Common Snipe.

Two Greenshanks and a Raven were at Clifford Hill Pits, a Redpoll was at Scaldwell and three or four Tree Sparrows were at Rectory Farm, Old.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR with two Yellow-legged Gulls on nearby Mary's Lake.

Passerines in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton early this morning were a Corn Bunting, a Wheatear, a Whinchat, three Stonechats, a Yellow Wagtail, a Raven and two hundred Linnets but with the exception of the Linnets they soon dispersed.

A Purple Sandpiper at Draycote Water (Warks) continues an excellent run of good birds there recently.

Regards

Neil M

Common Sandpiper.

Blackcap.

Robin.

Little Egret.

Chiffchaff -  huge numbers
in the county at the moment.

All images courtesy of
Tony Stanford.