Lockdown 3

 Now that the country has entered its third period of lockdown I am having to do my birding as part of a daily exercise regime. Given that there does not appear to be a limit on how long we can be out as long as we remain local my stroll today took me to Deene and back via Deenethorpe and Weldon. Although it remains very cold it was sunny and at least slightly warmer than the last few days.

Raven and Meadow Pipit.

My walk took me through Willowbrook Industrial Estate where I failed to find any Stonechats. Several Meadow Pipits were noted and a Raven was calling from the old Rockingham Speedway grandstand. Kirby Lane failed to produce much of interest until the very end where it meets the Deene to Harringworth road. Here a flock of Lapwings had a single Golden Plover for company which was my first of the year. The farm ponds at Deene were all frozen except one which held a selection of ducks and some dabchicks, a drake Shoveller was probably the pick. A Kingfisher showed along one of the channels at the dam though it was too distant for pics. Best bird at the main lake was a Great White Egret which took off and headed eastwards in the direction of Blatherwycke. Other birds included a growing number of Tufted Ducks and the nine Shelduck while the inflow held a single Snipe and  a large number of Teal.

Golden Plover and Snipe.

At Deenethorpe village a Kingfisher showed well but distantly while the airfield was fairly quiet except for a Redpoll. Not too much to see for the rest of the walk though I did see a few typically open country species such as Linnet, Yellowhammer and Skylark between the A427 and Harry's Park Wood.

Kestrel and Kingfisher