Mark and I decided to stay in the county despite the Daventry Country Park Northamptonshire Grey Phalarope being reported (thanks Kevin) as it had the makings of a good day locally.
Unfortunately the pond was not going to be the place to be apart from the arrival of a female Red-crested Pochard and a good passage of Skylark and Redwing overhead it felt dead. Not helped by hundreds of joggers and fishermen. There was no sign of the Little Stint on farborough spit or the island and the only wader present was a Dunlin while 3 Rock Pipit and the Black Tern remained.
male Shoveler
female Red-crested Pochard
female Goosander
all pics by Bob Hazel
Napton on the Hill was a more like it with an increase in Blackbirds, Mistle Thrush and Chaffinch numbers while overhead at least 250 Redwing, 40 Fieldfare and 2 Brambling along with smaller numbers of Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch and Skylark were all heading south. Because the wind was lighter there were only a few Raven present until 17 appeared so now I wish I had counted them all – must at least 25 in the area. Other bird’s seen included Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and 2 Nuthatch while Paul and Martin had more Fieldfare and Redwing over and a large Long-tailed Tit flock before we arrived.
The long staying Black-necked Grebe was at Napton Reservoir joined by 10 Wigeon while overhead the thrush passage continued early afternoon with another 150+ Redwing, 20+ Fieldfare, 2 Swallow and 2 Snipe.
Richard
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