More Ibis, Grey Partridges and 26 degrees

Hello

Some strong diurnal passage witnessed early this morning at Harrington Airfield with large numbers of hirundines moving south at low level, mostly Swallows but a few House Martins and at least one Sand Martin. 'Alba' wagtails and Meadow Pipits were also moving into the southerly headwind and four Siskins flew over. The bushes were busy with routine species including quite a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps and two Ravens. If there was anything scarcer it managed to elude me! A few Grey Partridges were present together with large numbers of released Red-legged Partridges.

The habitat at Pitsford Reservoir with the superb 'draw-down' of water continues to attract the juvenile Glossy Ibis and a variety of waders which included three Greenshanks, five Ruff and at least three Common Sandpipers and two Green Sandpipers. At least three Great White Egrets prowl the shallows and other birds included two Marsh Harriers seen together, an Osprey, a Hobby, three Common Terns, nine Grey Partridges and a Pintail. A Clouded Yellow was also seen in the Scaldwell Bay.

Stanford Reservoir attracted it's first Glossy Ibis with three seen briefly this morning and one seen again briefly this afternoon. Other birds included a Cattle Egret, a Common Sandpiper and twenty Siskins over.

Sticking with reservoirs and there were two adult Caspian Gulls at Naseby Reservoir this morning plus a Green Sandpiper. Hollowell Reservoir was good for four Stonechats, three Common Sandpipers and a Hobby and Ravensthorpe Reservoir provided a Great White Egret, a Kingfisher, a Siskin, a Hobby, Grey Partridges in adjacent fields and a Grey Wagtail. Odonata were numerous in the warm sunshine and included Willow Emeralds in cop. A Water Rail and two Common Sandpipers were at Daventry Country Park.

The Earls Barton New Workings/Whiston Wetlands yielded a Marsh Harrier, two Grey Partridges, three Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a Hobby and a Kingfisher. Nearby and the Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR this morning.

A Wood Sandpiper was reported from Cransley Reservoir this evening and good birds in neighbouring counties include a Lesser Scaup, a Ferruginous Duck, six Black Terns and a Grey Phalarope at Draycote Water (Warks), a Lesser Yellowlegs in Cambridgeshire and a Caspian Gull and two Spotted Redshanks at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Willow Emerald damselfly.

Buck Muntjac.

Chiffchaff.

Red Admiral.

All images today courtesy
of Tony Stanford at
Pitsford Reservoir.