Pitsford has it!

Hello

A modest ringing session at Pitsford Res utilising the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station produced a nice variety of birds including quite a few Goldfinches and Greenfinches, a Redwing and an adult male Lesser Redpoll.  Birding the site confirmed the continued presence of three Great White Egrets with two birds north of the causeway and a third ensconced south of the causeway on the Brixworth bank.  Other birds included 12 Red-crested Pochard in the Walgrave Bay and 5 Pintail and an adult Yellow-legged Gull in the Scaldwell Bay.  A Shelduck appeared north of the causeway and the day's surprise was three Black Swans touching down and swimming in to the Scaldwell Bay.  Waders were well represented with a gaggle of Snipe, 2 Redshank, a Green Sandpiper and 10 Golden Plovers.  There were plenty of Goldeneye and a Raven was heard croaking.

Birds elsewhere were hard work, Harrington Airfield provided 4 Bramblings by the shooting wall and the Blueberry Farm area yielded just 2 Stonechats and a Brambling.

Regards

Neil H, Neil M and Eleanor

 

Adult Redwing

Pitsford Res

Long-tailed Tits out in force!

Hello

A ringing session in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning was enjoyable in the super late autumn sunshine and produced 91 small birds.  Bird of the session was definitely the Long-tailed Tit with 30 birds captured.  Other birds processed included 3 Song Thrushes, 6 Goldfinches, 2 Coal Tits and a Marsh Tit.

Other birds noted in the Walgrave Bay included a Raven, 7 Red-crested Pochard, a Little Egret, a Grey Wagtail and a Kingfisher.

A wander around Harrington Airfield this morning provided another viewing of an immature male Merlin, 2 Crossbills over heading towards Kettering, 8 Bramblings and 4 redpoll sp.

A Sparrowhawk took a Greenfinch off our garden feeder this afternoon, it all happening so quick that I don't think the prey item knew much about it.

This afternoon, birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and at the adjacent Blueberry Farm complex included a female Peregrine, 2 Red Kites, 2 Ravens, 2 Barn Owls and 2 Stonechat.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

November status quo

Hello

A visit to Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon produced the adult Mediterranean Gull in the gull roost again (assumed to be the regular returning wintering bird).  Two Great White Egrets and four Little Egrets were south of the causeway on the Brixworth bank and a Grey Wagtail was in the grounds of the yacht club.

A pair of Stonechat and a Barn Owl were noted at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon.

Earlier in the day and an exploration of Harrington Airfield only provided heavy numbers of migrating Fieldfares plus four Bramblings.

Regards

E & N

Red-crested Pochards!

Hello

A quick scan at Ravensthorpe Reservoir from the causeway this morning was sufficient to see a leucistic female Red-crested Pochard, a Siskin and a Grey Wagtail.

At Pitsford Reservoir today, a flock of 21 Red-crested Pochard were in the Walgrave Bay at 12.10pm (including a leucistic male), and a Great White Egret was visible from the causeway about half an hour later.

Regards

Neil M

Egrets steal the show !

It has been another one of those autumn days which meant that birding won hands down over indoor jobs......they will get done one day, honest !

I began the day with my collie companions in the valley below Hanging Houghton and walked towards Blueberry. There was certainly no shortage of birds around. There was a constant movement of Skylarks and Starlings, but I think that the most amazing sight was that of literally hundreds and hundreds of Fieldfare flying across the fields resembling a "snow blizzard".
Other birds included 3 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Grey Partridge, Barn Owl, 2 Red Kites, 2+ Ravens, a pair of Stonechat and a few Tree Sparrows.

After brunch I decided to visit Pitsford Reservoir. On the small side at least 20 Red-crested Pochard were easily visible, the males looked stunning in the sunshine. Two Great White Egrets were together in the Scaldwell bay, along with 3 Redshank and 8 Pintail.

I decided that I would walk around the whole of the bigside !! Bazra, my old collie didn't look too impressed at the prospect, whilst Bobbie was delighted to be pushed around and act as my "scope bearer". 

As I walked across the causeway I noticed a group of walkers looking quite intently at something and laughing.  They were watching a Little Egret which was standing on a bed of weed next to the causeway and this bird was really playing to its audience. The bird was dancing about, turning from side to side and not remotely bothered by the people who were within touching distance. It evoked memories of being in the Everglades many years ago with Egrets etc literally walking over our feet.  This bird certainly gave a lot of pleasure to folk and who knows may have ignited a spark of interest in bird-watching. 

Later I was stopped by a couple of folk walking around as they said that they had just seen a "huge White Heron"!, and I was able to confirm that indeed they were looking at a huge White Heron or more specifically the third Great White Egret currently present. We then chatted and they were keen to find out more about the birds and some of the other birds nearby.

Other birds around the big side included a Redshank, Ruff, 2 Dunlin, 10+ Lesser Redpoll and another pair of Red-crested Pochard.

It took me just over 4 hours to walk around and it was dark by the time I returned to my car; a couple of Little Owls were making all kinds of weird and wonderful noises near to the causeway.

Regards

Eleanor

And an afternoon of drizzle too...

Hello

A wander in the midday drizzle at Harrington Airfield today provided views of a Peregrine and about c100 Golden Plovers.  Good numbers of Chaffinches are currently feeding on the seed at the concrete track entrance, and some days a few Bramblings join them.

At about 1.20pm this afternoon, 4 Red-crested Pochard were visible in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res, and presumably different birds from the birds seen in the Scaldwell Bay earlier on.

A change of scenery this afternoon with a visit over to Stanwick GP; however the birds were about as dismal as the weather!  The gulls didn't behave and kept away from the main lake and other birds noted included a Kingfisher, a Little Egret, a Redshank, a Dunlin and two Chiffchaffs with plenty of Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers audible from the reed margins.

A ringing session at Stortons GP on Sunday was very successful with 60+ birds being captured which included Water Rail, Redwing, Song Thrush and Treecreeper in addition to the usual Reed Buntings, Chaffinches, tits etc.

Regards

E & N

Birds of the heavy drizzle!

Hello

In pretty filthy conditions this morning, a couple of Ravens were near Cottesbrooke and two each of redpoll sp and Brambling were on the Brampton Valley Way below Brixworth.

At Pitsford Res, scanning in to the Scaldwell Bay revealed that the Red-crested Pochard flock had increased to 18 birds including a leucistic male.  Apart from a scattering of Goldeneye the only other bird of note visible in the wet and murky conditions was an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

Regards

E & N

A sunny November day!

Hello

A bird ringing session took place in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res this morning, after setting up yesterday afternoon.  In excess of sixty birds were caught, the majority being tits but also included a Treecreeper, 4 Goldcrests, 2 Linnets, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and several of the thrush family.  Highlights amongst the tits included singles of both Willow and Marsh.  Three Crossbills flew south west over the bay shortly after 9am and a couple of redpoll sp and Little Egrets were seen on and off.  A migrant flock of about a hundred Woodpigeons flew south west shortly after dawn and small numbers of Redwings were fidgeting about and flying over.

At Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) this morning birds included a female Peregrine, 3+ Red Kites, a Barn Owl and a pair of Stonechat.  The warm sunshine was sufficient to attract Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral butterflies to fly again today.

At Harrington Airfield this afternoon, the young male Merlin was again present and spending time around the third bunker.

At Pitsford Res late this afternoon, the gull roost attracted an adult Mediterranean Gull and quite an influx of Herring Gulls which included many of the 'argentatus' types.  A Great White Egret and at least 4 Little Egrets were active between the causeway and the dam, the GWE spending time fishing the shoreline between the Gorse Bushes and the Pintail Bay.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Willow Tit

 

Dodgy digi-scope images of

adult Mediterranean Gull

Pitsford Reservoir!

A day of heavy passage...

Hello

Today was a day of very heavy diurnal migration with thousands of Starlings passing south through the county and regular very large flocks of Woodpigeons and Fieldfares flapping the same way.  A large skein of about a hundred Pink-footed Geese flew over Blueberry Farm this morning, disappearing off towards Haselbech at about 9.45am.  A couple of Red Kites and the pair of Stonechat were still present and two Ravens were about.

Harrington Airfield today hosted c100 Golden Plovers, a female Peregrine, c8 Bramblings and 2 Red Kites.

Birds in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res this afternoon included 4 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Goldeneye, a Grey Wagtail and a Barn Owl.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Birds before the rain...

Hello

A ringing session at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station at Pitsford Reservoir provided 57 captures, the majority of which were new birds.  Birds included 10 Tree Sparrows, 7 Goldfinches, 5 Chaffinches, 2 Redwings and a Meadow Pipit.

Other birds seen in the Scaldwell Bay included 12 Red-crested Pochard, c10 Pintail and 2 Green Sandpipers, a couple of Little Egrets and a Grey Wagtail

Also this morning there was a Grey Wagtail at Hanging Houghton, a Red Kite in the Brampton Valley below the village and 2 Ravens near Cottesbrooke.

A wander around Harrington Airfield produced a heavy passage of Starlings, 2 Little Egrets on standing water on the top fields, c50 Golden Plovers, 2 Red Kites and 10+ Bramblings (shooting wall area).  However the best bird was a first year Ring Ouzel around the third bunker.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

A day of Kites !!

The day started with an early morning wander at Harrington Airfield, where there were at least 10 Bramblings along the main track. At the moment there does appear to be good numbers of Yellowhammer, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Linnet and Skylark which are worthy of a good long scan.......just in case!
There were also 2 Ravens, 2 Red Kites and 2 Grey Partridge.
Late morning found me walking around Sywell Reservoir where there are muddy margins and this afforded good views of 2 Water Rails running around squealing their heads off. How does such a lovely bird make these blood curdling noises ?! Even the dogs were bemused by the noise.
There was also a Green Sandpiper, 2 Grey Wagtails, pair of Stonechat, 2 Red Kites,  6 Lesser Redpolls and at least 30 Siskin.
Whilst enjoying lunch at Beckworths Emporium with friends I noticed 3 Red Kites circling above us.
My final outing was the southern end of the Blueberry Complex where the pair of Stonechat remain, and nearby 2 further Red Kites, a Barn Owl and a male Merlin whizzed over towards Hanging Houghton.
I saw 9 Red Kites today, that was without really trying, but I never tire of watching them, such graceful birds with their evocative call.

Regards Eleanor

Wet birding!

Hello

Eleanor's excursions today included a visit to Harrington Airfield which saw two over-flying Crossbills, 12 Bramblings and smaller numbers of Siskins and redpoll sp plus a couple of Ravens.

At Harlestone Heath there were at least two flighty Crossbills, c50 Siskins and a few redpoll sp.

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford a.m.

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today include at least two Great White Egrets (Scaldwell Bay and Gorse Bushes), 12 Red-crested Pochard and 13 Pintail (Scaldwell Bay), a Grey Wagtail and a Brambling.

Regards

Neil M

Welland and Woods!

Hello

With bright and breezy conditions today we decided that an excursion to the north of the county was well overdue.  However before we set off four Crossbills flew south-west over the garden here at Hanging Houghton (7.20am).

Our first venue was East Carlton Country Park which hosted plenty of common birds which included a Woodcock, a Kingfisher, c20 Siskins, several redpoll including a large pale bird seen only in flight, a Brambling and a Grey Wagtail.

We then meandered up the Welland Valley and took a diversion on to the old Harringworth Airfield.  Plenty of passerines and Red Kites galore but nothing was found out of the ordinary.  Adjacent Wakerley Wood provided views of four Crossbills, c10 Siskins, a few redpoll sp and tits and woodpeckers.

More views of Red Kites in the afternoon sunshine at Fineshade were enjoyable, with plenty of Common Buzzards competing for air space too.  A Kingfisher, a Brambling and just a few redpoll sp and Siskins were noted and the feeders in front of the Wildlife Hide were providing good views of common woodland birds.  Insects included Hornet, Red Admiral and Comma.

Our last venue was Blatherwycke Lake as the sun began to seriously dip and the temperature plummet.  The large flock of Greylag and Canada Geese also included a Barnacle, the Mandarin Duck flock totalled twenty-two and other birds included lots of Red Kites, three Little Egrets, two Kingfishers and a Grey Wagtail.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

With a bumper autumn of goodies on

offer here's hoping the Grey Squirrels stay

off our bird feeders!

 

Blue Tit

Fineshade

 

Common Buzzard

 

Red Kites

 

Greylag Geese

Blatherwycke

Yet more windy conditions!

Hello

The regular autumn theme of strong wind and showers continued today, with the sun coming through later in the day and the temperature dropping to the point where gloves were required for the first time this autumn!

Morning birds included a Short-eared Owl and 2 Stonechats at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and a couple each of Siskin and redpoll sp in Scaldwell village.

Birds in Hanging Houghton village today included a Brambling and a Grey Wagtail.

A scan at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this afternoon provided views of the expected Grey Wagtail and Green Sandpiper but nothing out of the ordinary, unless you include the stunning black and pebbled emulsion-white plumage Coot that is currently in residence!

Harrington Airfield this afternoon again attracted a male Merlin, a Red Kite and two Bramblings.

The gull roost at Pitsford Res was sufficient to attract a third year Yellow-legged Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull, with a Grey Wagtail at the water-line.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Blustery Blueberry !

A very entertaining walk around Blueberry area this afternoon thanks to the antics of a Common Buzzard and a collie called Bazra !!.
We started our walk below Hanging Houghton and as we headed towards Blueberry the fields were "pulsating" with literally hundreds of Fieldfares and good numbers of Redwing, Starling and Skylark. These proved irresistible to a Peregrine Falcon, who could easily have caught any of these birds, but instead seemed happy to play in the wind.
The largest and highest field of the Blueberry complex has been cut and this appeared very attractive to 2 Red Kites, a male Merlin, several Kestrels and 4+ Common Buzzard. 
As we neared the summit I could hear a "squeaking" noise coming from an area of grass which hadn't been cut. Bazra went ahead to investigate and in doing so he "flushed" a Common Buzzard from the ground, which flew up carrying it's prey. I don't think the Buzzard realised that I was only a few metres behind and as it rose the wind blew the Buzzard my way. I could have caught it's prey item as it dropped it at my feet.......a slightly stunned Weasel, which shook itself off and disappeared into the grass with Bazra in pursuit, but being the obedient collie he is he soon left the Weasel in peace.  I can't remember the last time I actually saw a Weasel.
Birds seen on the walk back to the car included 2 Barn Owls, pr Stonechat and a "brown" Crow.
Prior to going out for a walk I had been tidying the garden and a Red Kite, 2 Ravens, Brambling, several Siskin and Grey Wagtail had gone over.

Regards Eleanor

Harrington a.m.

Hello

Eleanor spent some time up at Harrington Airfield this morning and again saw the male Merlin.  There were 10 -14 Bramblings present including two on seed by the main concrete track entrance.

A re-trapped male Sparrowhawk in the garden this morning was first captured in 2006 and is now eight years old!

Regards

Neil M

Local bird stuff

Hello

A ringing session at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station at Pitsford Reservoir this morning resulted in 45 captures, the majority of which were new birds.  New birds included a Lesser Redpoll, a Bullfinch, 3 Goldfinches, 7 Greenfinches, a Reed Bunting, 5 Tree Sparrows and 6 Goldcrests.

Other birds noted north of the causeway included 2 Great White Egrets, half a dozen Little Egrets, a Green Sandpiper, 7 Pintail and 7 Red-crested Pochard.

Birds noted at Harrington Airfield this morning included a male Merlin again, c200 Golden Plovers, 6 Bramblings, 4 Siskins and 8 fly-over redpoll sp.  A Raven and 2 Siskins were in residence at Scotland Wood (Kelmarsh Estate) this afternoon.

Regards

Neil & Eleanor