Rain at last!

Hello

The last few weeks have been very dry in the county, in stark contrast to the winter and early spring. The dryness and winds caused the daffodils to experience only a short flowering season so today's rain should rejuvenate plenty of plant growth.

At Clifford Hill Pits today the migrant Whimbrel was still present and no doubt feeding up before it's next hop to Iceland or Scandanavia. Other birds were a couple of Common Sandpipers, five Wheatears and a White Wagtail.

The drake Ring-necked Duck popped up again on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning.

Birds at Summer Leys LNR included two Avocets briefly, a couple of sightings of the Mary's Lane Ring Ouzel, an adult Mediterranean Gull, eleven Common Terns and a White Wagtail. A Common Redstart was also reported but details of the sighting are not known. 

Away from the Nene Valley and a Wheatear was at Desborough Airfield, a male Stonechat near Ashton Lock was very unseasonal unless there is some local breeding going on, and five Mandarin Ducks were at Barnwell Country Park with two more on the River Nene near the north bridge at Oundle.

Four Common Terns were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and two Arctic Terns flew north there. An Osprey fished successfully at Hollowell Reservoir where the fish of choice is the large Bream and Bream hybrids. A few Common Terns have arrived back at Pitsford Reservoir and several Siskins were at Scotland Wood with at least one nearby at Kelmarsh Hall. Three Tree Sparrows were at Rectory Farm, Old.

Regards

Neil M

Cock Pheasants dueling on a frosty morning.

Drake Tufted Duck.

Whimbrel at Clifford Hill
Pits courtesy of Tony Stanford.