The Season Kicks Off

 Alan Shorrock and I spent much of the day in the Nene Valley starting at Stanwick Lakes. For much of the morning it was sunny if somewhat blustery though by the afternoon several squally showers blew through bringing some heavy rain with them. Birding was far from brilliant though we did see a few interesting bits of which an early Willow Warbler was perhaps the highlight.

Most of a Willow Warbler and Chaffinch.

An Otter showed briefly on the A45 pit where the usual squawking horde of Black-headed Gulls were in residence. The main lake had a couple of Redshanks as well as a brace of Snipe, a group of ten plus Sand Martins were noted a little further on from the bridge that bears their name. Alan picked out a Swallow amongst them but I just couldn't get on to it. Kingfisher Bridge provided good views of a female Goosander fishing in the river, we watched her catch a large fish before she flew off down river with her prey.  Having failed to identify a butterfly at Deenethorpe Airfield at the end of February it was good to see a Small Tortoiseshell which settled briefly allowing me the chance to get a picture. It's always nice to get the season up and running even if it is a bit later than usual.

GSW, Reed Bunting and Small Tortoiseshell

Yesterday a Ring-necked Duck was reported from Kinewell Lake at Ringstead and that was reason enough to call in on our way past. This is far from being my favourite spot for birding as views of the lake are limited by waterside trees. It didn't matter today as there were very few birds of any sort on the lake and certainly no sign of any Ring-necked Ducks! Highlight was a couple of female Goosanders though a Goldcrest provided me with my best ever photos as it actually paused for a minute or so. Normally these hyperactive little blighters are too fast for me to track with the camera. Deciding that we'd suffered enough and with the call of the Dukes at Woodford singing a siren song in our ears we headed off for a compensatory pint.

Goosander and Goldcrest