With time running out at Brandon Marsh to complete various projects before the arrival of our spring migrants the pressure is certainly on! I'm also in the process of editing the 2015 Brandon Marsh Report, along with Jim Rushforth, which we normally have ready for publication in April and so birding has been a little curtailed of late!
I've been spending a lot of time recently on the Farm Reedbed clearing invasive willow and birch. One of my long-term goals here is to produce a small area for growing seed crops. The work is ongoing and the aim is to eventually be able to feed seed-eating birds during the winter months. Of course with Brandon being a SSSI site there is a long way to go yet and various permissions need to be undertaken.
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| Amazed to snap these two Bewick's Swans on Saturday morning not far from the marina! |
Closer to home I was alerted on Saturday morning by a fellow moorer to a group of swans that had gathered on the adjacent field. At first there was no sign so with time on my hands I decided to have a look a little further afield. You can imagine how amazed I was to snap two
Bewick's Swans as they departed the area, thanks to Narrowboat Enigma for the heads up!
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| Green-winged Teal, Daventry CP - Courtesy of Alan Boddington |
The same afternoon Dee and I had a stroll around Daventry Country Park and managed to catch up with the now long staying
Green-winged Teal. Asleep on reeds in the small pool during our visit offered no photo opportunities but thanks to Alan Boddington for his record shot, who'd visited earlier in the day!
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| Gorgeous colours over Napton Reservoir during our walk! |
Sunday afternoon Dee and I took a walk around Napton reservoir and the surrounding footpaths. The water itself held Circa 30
Tufted Duck, (10)
Pochard, (5)
Great-crested Grebes and the usual large selection of Gulls.
Raven activity at the marina and in the general area has been obvious more recently and three birds passed noisily overhead during our walk.
