Pitsford Reservoir CBC

Hello

A Common Bird Census was completed at Pitsford Reservoir this morning, as usual it's an early start and even more so today because of the heatwave!

A distantly calling Quail was north of the very back of the Scaldwell Bay, probably in fields closer to Scaldwell village itself. Other birds of note were rather minimal but the best were a Raven, a Siskin, a Green Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, four drake Pochard and a Spotted Flycatcher. A couple of Marsh Tits and at least three Kingfishers were also on the reserve.

Odonata included a Lesser Emperor in the Holcot Bay as seen from Goosander Hide, Beautiful Demoiselle and a late Hairy Hawker at Christies Copse Ponds. Fourteen species of butterfly included a very strong contingent of Marbled Whites and a single Purple Hairstreak.

A Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and a Garganey was on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

An overnight ringing session at Linford Lakes just outside the county at Milton Keynes secured four Quail with a fifth bouncing out of the net! A Little Owl was heard calling near Mawsley in the early hours, a bird that no longer can be called common.

Regards

Neil M

Quail!

Image courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Tufted Duck.

Great Crested Grebe.