Town Centre Birding!!

Due to various appointments/commitments I found myself wandering around two of our local town centres.  Quite an alien environment for me as I'm far happier traipsing around the fields with my collies in tow. I did take the pup Tystie with me yesterday and we wandered around Market Harborough which is quite a pleasant town centre. Tystie had a lovely time and I came away with Peregrine,  Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Little Egret and several singing Chiffchaffs.  But the highlight was a view of an Otter as it swam in the river.       Today I had a couple of hours to kill whilst waiting for my car so found myself wandering around Kettering town centre and I managed to notch up Peregrine,  Little Egret, Chiffchaffs and quite a few Red Kites plus several Brimstones and Peacock butterflies enjoying the sunshine.                                                                     Of course I have also visited shrike hedge/Gamboro/blueberry area and Harrington Airfield,  but all quiet.  The only birds of note being a flock of Golden Plovers which have settled in one of the "bean fields ". I have been keeping a close eye on this field and flock.  Initially there were 8 birds and this afternoon there were 80 birds.  

A few interesting birds around yesterday.  2 Common Scotors at Daventry Reservoir,  5 Corn Buntings between Deanshanger and Wicken, Red Throated Diver and Jack Snipe at Hollowell Reservoir,  Slavonian Grebe at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, Ruddy Shelduck at Lilbourne Meadows and Smew, Caspian Gull, Dunlin and Little Ringed Plovers at Clifford Hill GP.                                                               Today the Red Necked Grebe was found on the Big Lake at Ditchford GP,  looks like it's hopped over from the Delta Pit and seems to be having a tour of the complex!!   There was a Mediterranean Gull at Daventry Reservoir,  Glossy Ibis and Marsh Harrier at Summer Leys and approx 30 White Fronted Geese at Stanford on Avon in the field with the Percy Pilcher monument.   I was intrigued about this monument as I'm not familiar with it's origins and it is very local.  A quick search on the Internet provided the answer. He was a pioneering British aviator who died in 1899 following a glider crash at Stanford Hall.  The monument stands in the field where he fell.      So if this question comes up in a quiz you will all know the answer !!

Regards Eleanor