Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was the monthly WeBS count at Pitsford Reservoir in weather which was mild, breezy but dry and with some nice periods of sunshine.

The juvenile Whooper Swan was still present this morning, flying south over the causeway and relocating near to the Holly Tree. A first year Little Gull was mobile in the Scaldwell Bay and slowly flew south over the fields. Three Stonechats were in the Scaldwell Bay and forty-three Common Snipe and two Jack Snipe were between the Old Scaldwell Road and the causeway and a Tree Sparrow was heard calling at the nearby feeding station bushes. Pochard were present in small flocks, four Green Sandpipers remained in the Holcot Bay and there was a Grey Wagtail, a Raven, two Great White Egrets and reasonable numbers of Lapwings all north of the causeway.

Birds south of the causeway were the Black-necked Grebe again in the Pintail Bay, two Green Sandpipers in Catwalk Bay, six Stonechats, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, three Grey Wagtails, eight Redpolls, two Bramblings and small numbers of Siskins plus two Ravens.

Elsewhere and the two Glossy Ibis were again feeding in wet fields at the Embankment at Wellingborough, a Marsh Harrier was at Stanwick Pits and a pair of Blackcaps were feeding apples in a Woodford Halse garden.

Two adult Caspian Gulls were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Hollowell Reservoir was good for an adult Caspian Gull, a first year Mediterranean Gull, two Stonechats and a drake Mandarin Duck.

A Glossy Ibis was still at Stanford Reservoir today, an adult Caspian Gull and seventy Great Black-backed Gulls were in the afternoon roost and seven Goosanders were present.

Four Smew were at Eyebrook Reservoir, the two Greater Scaup were reported from the south end of Town Lake at Thrapston Pits again and there was a report of two Short-eared Owls yesterday in a field at Wollaston by the junction of Harrold Road and Dungee Road.

This afternoon the 'ringtail' Hen Harrier was seen again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton where also a pair of Stonechats and at least six Bramblings.

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant.

Stonechat.

Jack Snipe.