Naturetrek Day Tour

Hello

A Naturetrek Day Tour took place today at Rectory Farm, Great Easton with a walk around the award winning farm which utilises modern farm techniques entwined with nature conservation. This is also the home of Eyebrook Wild Bird Foods. It was blustery and cool with squally showers but also plenty of sunshine. Birds of note were Grey Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher with the adjacent Eyebrook Reservoir providing fifteen Egyptian Geese, thirty Common Terns, two Great White Egrets, a leucistic Great Crested Grebe, a pair of Shelduck with a single duckling and a fishing Osprey. Several Brown Hares were visible despite the well-grown crops.

Odonata included Blue Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer, Beautiful Demoiselle and Common Blue Damselfly and butterflies were Painted Lady (in some numbers), Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

Two Oystercatchers and a pair of Egyptian Geese were with well-grown goslings in the Welland Valley below Cottingham. A pair of Grey Partridge were at Harrington Airfield.

A 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler was at Stanford Reservoir plus two Oystercatchers and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was in a field at Summer Leys LNR.

Violence at the Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits this evening saw an Egyptian Goose attack, drown and toss aside a Gadwall ducking. The goose had well-grown goslings.

A Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Egyptian Goose.

Black-tailed Skimmer.

Painted Lady.

Beautiful Demoiselle.