Eyebrook Egret

 Back home in Northants and my first trip out was over the border (though only just!) to Eyebrook with Alan Shorrock. The weather was grey and rather windy though it was surprisingly mild and I was able to leave my jacket at home. Water levels remain high which effectively ruled out any late waders though wildfowl numbers appear to be building up.

Pintail and Dabchick

At the bottom of the hill on the Great Easton side a Cattle Egret was in the field adjacent to the res with some gulls and geese for company. Apparently it had been in Sam's Dyke but was flushed by two people having a stroll along the shoreline. The birds were flushed by some unseen menace and the egret disappeared out of view. We then moved on the the island bunker from where a distant Yellow-legged Gull was seen in the company of some Lesser Black-backs. A Raven was heard calling from here and two were present near the entrance to Hollyoaks Farm.

Willow Emeralds

Good numbers of Pintail, some thirty plus, were present at the Sharp End where a good sized flock of Shovellers were also present. Surprise find was a juvenile Common Tern sitting on one of the orange buoys, I've not seen an October one here before. Not too far away at the bridge a Kingfisher was the highlight though Alan also found a small flock of Siskins. Scanning the willows on either side of the bridge produced views of at least four Willow Emeralds and there were a couple of migrant Hawkers hunting too. The only other insects braving the gloom were a few Small Whites and a likely Red Admiral. We finished our visit where we began near Sam's Dyke where the Cattle Egret had returned and was showing quite well.

Kingfisher

Cattle Egret