Thursday 31 March 2011

Hayling Pit: Buzzard, 20+ Sand Martins over the allotments; 3 Blackcaps singing, several Chiffchaffs.

Island Pit: Cetti's Warbler still.

Northern Pits: 3 Little Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, 1st winter Little Gull, adult Yellow-legged Gull and the first Common Tern of the year.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Northern Pits: 4 Shelduck, 7 Oystercatchers, 3 Avocets, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 30 Golden Plovers over, 9 Redshank, 3 Sand Martins, Swallow, singing Blackcap.

Island Pit: Cetti's Warbler singing.

Sunday 27 March 2011

Northern Pits: 2 Little Egrets, 4 Pintail, 5 redhead Smew, Red Kite, female Marsh Harrier south early evening, immature male Peregrine, 2 Avocets, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, c.30 Golden Plovers over, 3 Dunlin, c.12 Redshank, 3 Mediterranean Gulls (2 adults and a 2nd summer), 40+ Sand Martins, 22 Fieldfares over, Cetti's Warbler, possible Mealy Redpoll seen briefly.

Sailing Lake: LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER heard briefly on north side of pit late morning; male Blackcap.


Adult Mediterranean Gulls, Paxton Pits © Martin Davis.

Saturday 26 March 2011

Northern Pits: 2 Pintail, 4 redhead Smew, 8 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin, 13 Redshank, adult Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Pipit.

Rudd Pit: singing Cetti's Warbler.

Sailing Lake: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls on smaller island early afternoon, 4 Sand Martins.

Heronry North: first 2 Willow Warblers of the year singing in east scrub.

Island Pit: Cetti's Warbler singing.

Friday 25 March 2011

Heronry Pits: drake Red-crested Pochard still, 2cy Little Gull.

Thursday 24 March 2011

Northern Pits: Little Egret, 2 redhead Smew, 6 Oystercatchers, 3 Avocets, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 9 Ringed Plovers, 11 Redshank, 3 Sand Martins.

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Heronry South: 2 drake Red-crested Pochards, 4 singing Chiffchaffs.

Moorings: Blackcap.

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Northern Pits: 7 Smew (1 drake), 4+ Buzzards, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers displaying, 2 Dunlin, Ruff, 3 Snipe (including 1 drumming), 14 Redshank, 2w Yellow-legged Gull, Greylag x Canada Goose hybrid.

Heronry Pits: drake Red-crested Pochard, c.12 Goldeneye, 4-5 Buzzards, 2 singing Chiffchaffs, Marsh Tit.

Rudd Pit: Cetti's Warbler singing.

Visitors' Centre: First Swallow of the year past centre at 14:50, also single Sand Martin.

Other wildlife: Peacock & Brimstone butterflies; frogs calling.

Monday 21 March 2011

Northern Pits: Little Egret, female Pintail, 5 redhead Smew, 6 Oystercatchers, 5 Avocets, Little Ringed Plover (flew west - first of the year for Paxton Pits), 5 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 15 Redshank, 3 Sand Martins, Scandinavian Rock Pipit.

Saturday 19 March 2011

Northern Pits: 4 redhead Smew, redhead Goosander (flew south), 2 Snipe, 2 Kingfishers.

Rudd Pit: Cetti's Warbler singing near boardwalk, single Redpoll over.

Moorings: Red Kite circling fairly low down.

Little Paxton village: male (singing) and female Blackcap at end of Hawthorn Close.

12+ Chiffchaffs around complex.

Friday 18 March 2011

Highlights from around complex: 2 Little Egrets, 5 redhead Smew, redhead Goosander, up to 16 Buzzards (including 11 together over visitors' centre), 7 Dunlin, Snipe, Sand Martin, 7 Chiffchaffs & Marsh Tit.

Thursday 17 March 2011

Diddington & Pumphouse Pit: 4 Little Egrets, 7 Smew (2 drakes), 2 Oystercatchers, Avocet, 8 Ringed Plovers, 12 Dunlin, 10 Redshank, adult Yellow-legged Gull, probable 3rd winter Caspian Gull.

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Diddington & Pumphouse Pits: 2 Little Egrets, 2 redhead Smew, 8 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin, 3 Snipe, 15 Redshank and a count of 66 Pied Wagtails.

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Diddington & Pumphouse Pits: 3rd winter Caspian Gull, 5 Oystercatchers, 4 Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, 15 Redshanks.

Monday 14 March 2011

Diddington Pit: 2 Avocets, 10 Ringed Plovers, Golden Plover, 7 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, 2 Oystercatchers.

Sunday 13 March 2011

Diddington & Pumphouse Pits: 8 Smew (2 drakes), Little Egret, Peregrine, 72+ Golden Plovers over, 5 Ringed Plovers, 4 Avocets, 4 Dunlin.

Visitors Centre/Meadow: 5 Mealy Redpolls early morning. Around 20 Redpolls around the same area early afternoon also, but flock highly mobile and seen mostly in flight only.

Great Meadow: 3 Buzzards displaying, plus Sparrowhawk.

Little Paxton village: male Blackcap in Gordon Road garden.

At least 5 Chiffchaffs singing around complex.

Saturday 12 March 2011

Diddington & Pumphouse Pits: pair Pintail, 5 Smew (1 drake), 12 Golden Plovers flew east, Avocet, 9 Dunlin, 2 Curlews, Jack Snipe, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (an adult and a 1st winter), Rock Pipit.

Diddington Village: 2 Red Kites.


Rock Pipit (record shot!), Diddington Pit.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Diddington & Pumphouse Pits: 10 Smew (1 drake), Little Egret, 5 Oystercatchers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 4 Dunlin, Curlew and the first Sand Martin of the year.

A1 North Pit: Red Kite hanging low above the A1, just west of A1N Pit.

Saturday 5 March 2011

Diddington & Pumphouse Pits: Little Egret, 4 Shelduck, 16 Smew (3 drakes), 3 Buzzards, 6 Oystercatcher, 2 Dunlin, Curlew, 3 Redshank, 8 Siskins over, Bar-headed Goose.

Island Pit: single Siskin over.

Ouse Valley Way: 4 redhead Goosanders on river.

Diddington Village: 2 Red Kites over A1 west of the village.

Wednesday 2 March 2011

A1 Pits: 2 drake Smew.