Wednesday 16 January 2013

A late morning and afternoon visit to Northamptonshire - January 16, 2013


Dave and I had decided to go to Blatherwycke in Northamptonshire to hopefully see some Hawfinches that had been present for a few days.  We delayed our departure until 11:00 due the fog and arrived at Blatherwycke with fog still present although a little more patchy.

We walked the short distance to the church seeing a number of Fieldfare and Redwing before we reached it.  As we reached the far side of the church we found a group of birds feeding on the ground that included several Fieldfare, Redwing, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and a single Song Thrush.  After a few minutes Dave picked up a Hawfinch and then two before a car disturbed then and they flew off.  I then picked up three in flight before they disappeared.  The Chaffinch and the thrushes began to return and I picked up a  lesser Redpoll that was perched on some dead vegetation before it flew off.  We then found two of the Hawfinch at the top a tree before they came down to the ground again to feed where we left them for some lunch.  Whilst having lunch a Red Kite emerged out of the fog and then disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

After lunch we decided to go to Pitsford Reservoir in Northamptonshire.  The fog during the journey was rather patchy as it was at Pitsford.  It did clear on occasions to see all the areas on the northern part but there was no sign of the Great White Egret.  As we walked towards the hide there were five Meadow Pipit moving towards us and I picked up another bird keeping to the more dense vegetation that eventually showed itself well enough to be identified as a Chiffchaff.  At and near the feeding station we had several Snipe, Blackbird; Fieldfare; Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch; Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting and there was a single Brambling.  A Sparrowhawk also flew over scattering all of the birds and it was some time before they returned to feed.

No comments:

Post a Comment