A very warm spring day!

Hello

A warm day with plenty of sunshine and butterflies and other insects!

The Glossy Ibis was still at Summer Leys LNR where also a Marsh Harrier, a Little Ringed Plover, four Oystercatchers, four or five Common Snipe, at least ten Common Redshanks, a Curlew, two Egyptian Geese, two Sand Martins, a Peregrine, a Raven and two singing Blackcaps. An Avocet was found at the New Workings section of Earls Barton Pits this afternoon where also two Shelducks, three Common Redshanks and a Redpoll; a Marsh Harrier flew over Stanwick Pits this morning. Four Redpolls flew over Billing Fishponds this morning.

Ravens and a Kingfisher were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and Hollowell Reservoir hosted the Red-throated Diver still plus two adult Caspian Gulls, three Siskins and a Lesser Redpoll. At Ravensthorpe Reservoir there was an adult Caspian Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

Ten Brown Hares chasing each other around near the village of Old were a great sight this morning and three Tree Sparrows were at nearby Rectory Farm.

Small finches and Meadow Pipits were more audible than viewable as they passed over Hanging Houghton on migration for much of the morning, the finches including Siskins and Redpolls.

A Wheatear was in a bean field with at least one hundred and twenty Golden Plovers in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, with another Wheatear at the top of Blueberry Hill, Maidwell.

Another Wheatear was at Harrington Airfield where also two pairs of Grey Partridge, at least fifteen Golden Plovers and an Osprey flew over high up heading north.

Two singing Blackcaps were in Wellingborough and singing Chiffchaffs are widespread now.

Regards

Neil M

With the shooting season
concluding at the end of
January, the surviving Pheasants
are becoming very tame!

Peacock butterfly at
Pitsford Reservoir today.