January bits & Pieces

So the 2014 yearlist has begun! It isn't something I'm going to be putting as much effort into as last year. I think I'm going to struggle to beat 246! I am though determined more than ever to find my own birds, especially locally.

So with that thought in mind, I began the year trying out several sites around south Northants on Thursday 02/01. Disn't see anything particularly spectacular with highlights being a huge female Peregrine hunting over farmland between Edgcote & Culworth, Kingfishers at both Boddington Res & the small lakes just north of Syresham & a flock of around 300 Linnet in the same area as the Peregrine.

On Saturday 04/01, on route to friends in Little Irchester, I popped into Summer Leys seeing 2 of the 3 Long Tailed Ducks and at least 200 Golden Plover.
The next day, Sunday 05/01, I started at Ditchford GPs, west of Ditchford Lane. Both entrances into the pits were though completely flooded out, boat required. I did manage to get some sort of view of Viaduct Pit and managed to find a distant adult Caspian Gull and 2 Egyptian Geese in the field just north of the pit.

I followed this with a quick look from the feeding station and causeway at Pitsford Res, however in difficult, cold and wet conditions, all I could find were 5 Red Crested Pochard (3 drakes) and a drake Goosander in the Scaldwell Bay.

I paid another visit to a heavily flooded Summer Leys late in the afternoon on Tuesday (07/01). The 3 Long Tailed Ducks all showed very well right in front of the gate by Mary's Lake. A male Peregrine flew along the valley and a Little Egret was on the pit between Mary's and the river, however the site was largely quiet.

On Friday 10/01 I had an interview in Milton Keynes and so on my way back I made the small diversion to Steeple Claydon near Buckingham. Here I soon found the long-staying Cattle Egret amongst cattle in front of Briarhill Farm. Initially he showed well, however he soon became very illusive, playing hide and seek behind the cattle! Ropey over exposed photo below!

Completing the round up, on Saturday 11/01 in perfect still, sunny weather, Em and I went over to Bucknell wood for a walk. I managed to see a handful of woodland year-ticks, with the highlight being 2 Woodcock, my first here, in one of the clearings at SP649451.