Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

A WeBS count was completed at Pitsford Reservoir today, the movement of birds north of the causeway caused something of a compromise on the accuracy of the count but hopefully we managed something reasonable!

A group of three Common Scoters were between the causeway and the dam, disturbed by fishing boats. North of the causeway there was a Black-tailed Godwit, twenty-four Ringed Plovers, a Common Snipe, four Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers, six Pintail, six Shelduck, seven Yellow-legged Gulls, a Hobby, a curious Tufted Duck with a pink bill and brown plumage, a drake 'aythya' hybrid (probably a Pochard x Tufted Duck), eleven Great White Egrets, a Raven and a Grey Wagtail.

A Turnstone was at Daventry Country Park still today and the Osprey was again showing nicely at the Earls Barton Pits New Workings where also a Hobby and two Ravens. A Bittern was seen in flight over the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits. The Short-eared Owl was again in the Blueberry Farm, Maidwell area this afternoon after first being in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A Common Redstart and a juvenile Peregrine were also at Blueberry Farm.

A Hobby flew over Woodford Halse and a Dunlin and three juvenile Ringed Plovers were at Boddington Reservoir.

Two Bitterns were at Stanford Reservoir today plus two Ringed Plovers, the 'aythya' hybrid again, two Common Sandpipers and three Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Yellow-legged Gulls.

Clouded Yellow butterfly.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.