HVWG sent us this fine roe pic from last Thursday:
Other sightings inlcude the usual multiple brambling, willow tit, woodock in D woods, goosander on the D reservoir and barn owl on North Scrub. Harrogate and District Nats managed to take in most of these birds in their visit today.
Best bird of the week was a waxwing within the Water Treatment Works compound - unfortunately too late for the BTO Challenge. Talking of which see the challenge page above for the final quarter's round up - 3 new species in 3 months is not too great!
A little egret has been observed a few times at Watton of late, nice to know it survived the ice, likewise a kingfisher sighting on North Lagoon today. A few water rails were squealing there at dusk too and the tawnys are starting to get more active.
Whilst I may not have had chance to get out with the camera the trail camera never sleeps!. Whilst checking the boiler I was scolded by a stoat from a cavity under the eaves of the Wildlife Centre! I have known of their presence for a while - but not where they were getting in. This attained the trail camera was duly set up.
A word of warning! If you are squeamish about predation of blue tits then look away as instructed on the video - As I always say - you'd pay a fortune to see this behaviour in Africa! Seriously though it will be interesting to see what prey items they are returning. The blue tit was brought in at 4:18am - presumably pulled from its roost somewhere:
Likewise Michael Flowers has also been visiting with his group recently and has some equally murderous photos here.
If you want to see the stoats then the centre is as good a spot as any - I would love to say they are present at a regular time, but their behaviour is stoatally erratic...
