Winter Walk

 After yesterday's haul of goodies today's pickings were always going to struggle to compete and they were slim in comparison. It was a beautiful day, cold but sunny and I enjoyed a stroll around the Northamptonshire countryside in the Deene and Deenethorpe area. Taking advantage once again of the cheaper bus fares I travelled as far as Upper Benefield and walked back from there.

Fieldfare and Yellowhammer

The countryside between Benefield and Deenethorpe did not hold too many birds, there was a selection of buntings and finches and a few winter thrushes but not much else. A Brown hare, the first of two today, stood out against a frosty grass field as it nibbled on grass. Near the barns at Burnt Coppice a male Stonechat was a welcome find. it was my first in the county this year. I continued my stroll towards Deene without adding too much more to my list.

Brown Hare and Stonechat

White-cheeked Pintail and Fallow Deer

The main lake at Deene was frozen though there was some open water near the inflow. At least fourteen Shelduck were present and there were a few Shovellers and a Pochard feeding with the more regular ducks. Also putting in an appearance was presumably the returning White-cheeked Pintail from last year. other wildfowl of dubious origin were four Black Swans. A flock of forty or so Lapwings were noted in flight over Deenethorpe village and a Snipe was flushed between the village and the airfield. Not much else was noted apart from a Fallow Deer grazing on the edge of Weldon Park Wood.

Starling and Wren