Wednesday 24 June 2020

Let there be sun, birds and butterflies!

Hello

A modest ringing session was undertaken in Christies Copse at Pitsford Reservoir this morning after setting up yesterday evening and provided just 26 captures (plus a Mallard in the duck trap). In the absence of quantity, quality birds included two Willow Warblers, two juvenile Marsh Tits, three Treecreepers. a re-trap Green Woodpecker and two re-trap Garden Warblers both of which are five or more years old.

A male Crossbill was there first thing and narrowly missed being captured and a Brown Hawker was another odonata species not seen yesterday.

Kenny in the meantime continued with his Cuckoo quest at Linford Lakes and caught and ringed his eleventh of the year this morning!

A small but merry ringing team at Stortons Pits this morning enjoyed a great session before the heat brought proceedings to a halt with an excellent 86 birds caught on the south side of the pits. Only 13 of these birds had been previously encountered on-site. Highlights included a Lesser Whitethroat and a juvenile Grasshopper Warbler, and there were good numbers of Blackcaps and Whitethroats.

Bucknell Woods proved a popular venue today and Martin Dove saw a flock of 16 Crossbills there which then flew west. A Purple Emperor delighted and landed on his trousers briefly and other butterflies on show there today included White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, Wood White, Comma and a single White Letter Hairstreak. Two Purple Emperors were seen on the north side of Salcey Forest today and about six more were reported at Lady Wood.

Two Siskins flew south west over our garden at Hanging Houghton this afternoon and adult Swallows remained pensive with a Hobby lingering. A late May Bug (Cockchafer) in flight was quickly intercepted by a House Sparrow.

At Summer Leys LNR, two Black-tailed Godwits and a Green Sandpiper were on the scrape and Adrian's urban Wellingborough garden list is on the rise again after a flock of nine Crossbills flew over south-west at lunchtime. At Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon, Jonathan Cook saw an Osprey and a Common Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M


Dark Green Fritillary
Ring Haw yesterday
courtesy of David Arden.

Silver-washed Fritillary
courtesy of David Arden.

Pyramidal Orchid
courtesy of David
Arden.

Juvenile Grasshopper Warbler
Stortons Pits today courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Adult female Green
Woodpecker Pitsford
Reservoir today.

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