Pitsford Common Bird Census

Hello

It was time for a Common Bird Census around the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir today, with a cool start again which didn't put off many of the songsters. Birds of note on-site included a Great White Egret, an Osprey, a male Common Redstart in the Walgrave Bay, half a dozen Redpolls, a few Siskins and about a dozen singing Willow Warblers. Many of these birds are waiting to move north, presumably being held up due to the strong winds affecting the county. There are already plenty of singing Blackcaps around the reserve together with plentiful numbers of Robins and Wrens. The Yellow-legged Gull was also present and a Common Snipe was noted.

Early morning birding at Clifford Hill Pits secured a migrant Whimbrel and two Common Sandpipers and the Earls Barton area provided two Wheatears in a field between there and Ecton and a Common Redstart was found between the railway track and the Rive Nene from Summer Leys towards Great Doddington.

Summer Leys LNR was the venue for a female Ring Ouzel in a field off Mary's Lane, a Marsh Harrier, a Common Tern, a Common Sandpiper and three Little Ringed Plovers.

The Red-throated Diver was still at Hollowell Reservoir plus an Osprey, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover and two Yellow Wagtails. A Common Sandpiper was on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

A Little Ringed Plover and a White Wagtail were brief visitors to Stanford Reservoir and other birds were a Redshank, three Common Sandpipers, a Great White Egret, a Raven and a Garden Warbler.

A Common Redstart was by Bunker One at Harrington Airfield this morning and other birds were a Wheatear, three Yellow Wagtails, plenty of singing warblers, two Fieldfares, five Golden Plovers and with nine Cormorants flying over.

We still have a couple of Reed Buntings visiting the garden.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebes.

Willow Warbler.

Kestrel courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Speckled Wood.