Sunday 15 November 2015

Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

A very breezy but incredibly mild weather pattern today as we completed the Ditchford GP WeBS count. Not that many birds about, the highlights being a Great White Egret on a small pit west of Ditchford Lane, at least eight Egyptian Geese on fields near there, 6 Kingfishers, 4 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Water Rails, 3 Grey Wagtails and just a few Siskin and redpoll sp. 

It seems that storm-driven birds are mostly to the south and west of the Midlands but it will be interesting to see if an ocean-going bird turns up in Northants during the next couple of days...

A brief scan from the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon was sufficient to note a single Great White Egret on the reserve plus half a dozen Little Egrets and the very long-staying Shelduck. There was a pre-roost gathering of 75 Cormorants and the large corvid roost was looking and sounding lively!

Regards

Neil M

Saturday 14 November 2015

Grafham Boat Birds

Hello

A boat safari trip at Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire this morning was a little different and we managed to complete it before any heavy rain or high wind hit. Good numbers of common wildfowl were inevitably present with Tufted Duck, Coot and Mallard being the most common. Two Pintail, small numbers of Shoveler and a couple of flocks of Goldeneye provided some variety. There were particularly large numbers of Little Egret, one of which was watched consuming small Zander one after another. A Kingfisher, a Green Sandpiper and a flock of ten Redshank were located near to the Mander car park.

Back in the county this afternoon and some feed station maintenance in the lovely rain. It was good to see that the local Marsh Tits had found the Kelmarsh Estate feeders, joining numbers of Blue, Great and Coal Tits. By next week the Nuthatches, Long-tailed Tits, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and finches should be feeding regularly ahead of some early winter cold weather.

Regards

Neil M

Friday 13 November 2015

Crooked Spire 2 Birders 0

Hello

Out of the blue the Crag Martin reappeared at the Crooked Spire in Chesterfield town centre (Derbyshire) today, which caused a car-load of Northants birders to head up north along the M1! Typically this rock-loving hirundine had disappeared again by the time we arrived at 3pm. We watched the light disappear rapidly in the vain hope that it may show but to no avail! The much cooler air and lack of insects and the wet weather of the week-end causes me concern for it's welfare, albeit the Crag Martin is probably one of the hardier of the swallow family. Will it be third time lucky?

Regards

Neil M







Images of Crag Martin
taken in Georgia earlier
this year. A chunky brown
martin with creamy underparts
blackish auxiliaries and pale
tail spots. The typical habitat
is rock-dominated and they
particularly like gorges, rock-
strewn upland valleys and low
mountains. The eastern population
is at least partly migratory but many
birds in the west will endeavour to
winter north of the Mediterranean Sea.

Thursday 12 November 2015

Pitsford ringing

Hello

The last ringing session in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford this year was completed by Dave Francis and Neil Hasdell, taking down the Constant Effort nets as they worked. This provided 51 captures which included 6 Redwings, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Treecreepers, a Willow Tit, a Song Thrush, a Pied Wagtail and a Moorhen.

Most ringing sessions at Pitsford for the winter will concentrate on the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station with the occasional foray in the Walgrave Bay around Christies Copse and hopefully a couple of other efforts trying for Snipe and similar wintering and passage birds. Please let me know if you would like to come along and watch proceedings or would like to become more involved in the discipline of wild bird ringing.

Regards

Neil M

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Crooked Spire 1 Birders 0

Hello

A trip to Chesterfield in Derbyshire early this morning to see a lingering Crag Martin ended in failure! It seems that the bird was sharing the famous crooked spire with a pair of Peregrine and a Kestrel and there was no sign of it today. Oh well whilst we were looking up we saw a couple of Grey Wagtails, views of Sparrowhawk and a couple of large skeins of Pink-footed Geese presumably en-route to Norfolk from Lancashire.

Back in the county by lunchtime, some feed station maintenance was called for and then some scrub clearance at Kelmarsh Hall where birds of interest included c25 Siskins and a Kingfisher. Wagtail numbers at Brixworth Sewer Works included c30 Pieds and a couple of Greys and the Magpie flock was also about thirty birds. Scanning the gull roost at Pitsford Reservoir yielded an adult Mediterranean Gull.

Regards

Neil M

Tuesday 10 November 2015

Summer in November !!!!

I wore a T shirt today .......so what you might ask ? I cannot recall the last time that I went out walking across the fields during the middle of November without my fleece. 
I was not alone in enjoying the unexpected warmth as there were numerous Red Admiral butterflies flitting about along the hedgerows looking splendid in the sunshine . There were  many other winged insects about providing a welcome food source for the birds.
The hedgerows laden with their fruit are a magnet for huge numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings as they are busy gorging themselves. This afternoon I felt as if I was caught in a blizzard of birds as these Fieldfares decided to fly out of the hedgerows and onto the soggy fields to feed on the worms etc.  At times I could have reached out and touched these birds and their chattering was quite deafening.
Birds seen below Hanging Houghton today included a pair of Stonechat, Barn Owl and a Short Eared Owl following the ditch along.
Now that the Vulcan has come to the end of her flying life and the Blades put away in their hangar for the winter the skies are pretty empty and quiet. However today I heard the very distinctive low thumping noise of the Chinook helicopter and infact they came right over my head on three occassions . Firstly they literally came over the garden then twice over the valley below Hanging Houghton.  They were low and I felt compelled to wave at them whilst the dogs just looked, one of them would have liked to have given chase !!!. Goodness only knows what the crew thought to me and my woofs .

Regards Eleanor 

Grafham Water Guided Boat Trips

Opticron will also be demonstrating various
optics at this event and there is an opportunity
of trying them out in the field...

However, if you fancy a boat trip be warned because
I'm one of the boat guides!
Neil M

Monday 9 November 2015

Blueberry Farm

Hello

Eleanor spent two periods in the Blueberry Farm area today, the morning session concentrating on the southern-end providing a male Peregrine, a Barn Owl, 6 Stonechats and 25+ overflying Golden Plovers.

The afternoon period was spent in Hill Field and the most northerly fields and birds noted included a female Merlin, two pairs of Stonechat (total of ten for the day), 2 redpoll sp, 10 Siskins and a Barn Owl.

Regards

Neil M

Sunday 8 November 2015

November birding

Hello

A ringing session took place at Stortons GP this morning under John Woollett's leadership and birds caught included a juvenile male Sparrowhawk (please see below).

Some ringing at a garden in Scaldwell village this morning provided 34 captures of common birds which included a Lesser Redpoll and three Goldcrests. A significant passage of winter thrushes and a variety of finches over the village included a Crossbill at 10.10am, a Brambling, six Siskins and about another 15 redpoll sp.

A pair of Stonechat remain in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and another three were still present in the southern-most field of the Blueberry Farm complex.

A regular flock of Red Kites has been consistently present around the fields west of this seta-side area for the last couple of weeks, taking advantage of the winds and air currents lifting them above the escarpment and allowing them to pick of invertebrates in the fields below. This afternoon the flock was at an all-time high of thirty birds, far and beyond anything I have seen in this part of Northamptonshire.

Regards

Neil M




Juvenile male Sparrowhawk.

Images courtesy of John Boland.

Saturday 7 November 2015

Quiet Day!

Hello

Eleanor was over at Staverton again today and saw two of the local Ravens. A visit to Daventry Country Park yielded two Green Sandpipers and the feeders there attracted a couple of Nuthatch and half a dozen Siskins. Half a dozen Lesser Redpolls were in nearby trees. Two Green Sandpipers were also on show at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, visible from the causeway.

I spent some time in the Kelmarsh Estate woodlands today but only noted a few Siskins. And I'm afraid the Pitsford Reservoir gull roost was unspectacular with no gulls of note seen...

Oh well there is always tomorrow!

Regards

Neil M

Friday 6 November 2015

Soggy Sywell

Another day of wet dog walking !!
A pair of Stonechat remain below Hanging Houghton but the surrounding fields and hedgerows appeared very quiet.
I walked around Sywell Reservoir this afternoon. It was such a pity that it was raining as it detracted from the beautiful Autumn colours and the fallen leaves were simply a soggy mess. However the dull day was brightened up by the sight and sound of at least 80+ Siskins. Such gorgeous little birds and always so happy.
Other birds in the wooded areas were several noisy Jay's, 6+ Lesser Redpoll, 2+ Brambling and plenty of Goldfinches.
Two Water Rails were making all sorts of high pitched squeals as they chatted to each other and at times popped out from the cover of the reeds. 
I nearly over looked a pair of Red Crested Pochard which were sitting among the Wigeon and blended in very well.
My surprise find was a Jack Snipe, found accidently as I went to retrieve the ball which the dog had lost !!
Other birds present included Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtail and a flock of 50+ Skylark on the nearby fields.

Regards Eleanor

Wednesday 4 November 2015

Harrington in the rain

Hello

This morning's rain ensured that no ringing took place at Harrington Airfield. Birds present included a vocal Water Pipit over there heading south at 8.05am and a mobile Short-eared Owl. Only small numbers of Golden Plover were present and the thrush numbers were unspectacular, both perhaps because of the mild weather. A few Siskins and redpoll sp joined the Linnet and Goldfinch flocks briefly.

Eleanor espied two Ravens near Walgrave this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Tuesday 3 November 2015

Less fog, more birds...

Hello

A second morning ringing at Harrington Airfield today was more productive than yesterday with 45 birds caught and assessed. Eight thrushes were made up of four Redwings, two Song Thrushes, a Blackbird and a handsome Fieldfare. Smaller birds included two more diminutive Goldcrests, four Reed Buntings and eight Yellowhammers plus a couple of Chaffinches and eight Goldfinches. Three re-trap (birds ringed previously at this location) Green Woodpeckers provided more colour, this area being a focal site for local birds.

Other birds noted at Harrington Airfield today included a Raven, a Chiffchaff, six Bramblings and a couple each of Siskin and redpoll sp plus a flock of up to seventy Linnets.

Eleanor saw a Barn Owl and a pair of Stonechat in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Monday 2 November 2015

Fog!

Hello

Foggy all day today which prevented much in the way of birding, but local ringers were active in the murk...

Chris Payne ringed birds in his garden at Greens Norton and caught an impressive 84 birds which included a superb total of 46 Goldfinches. Other birds included 3 Coal Tits, 9 Long-tailed Tits, a Goldcrest and 2 Collared Doves.

In the meantime Neil Hasdell and I checked nets at Harrington Airfield which were surprisingly quiet with just 30 birds caught and processed. These included migrants in the shapes of 4 Redwings, a Song Thrush and a likely continental Blackbird. Other birds included a Magpie, 6 Chaffinches, 3 Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting and 2 Goldcrests.

Birds noted consisted of a single Brambling and a couple of Siskins cruising about.

Eleanor located a pair of Stonechat in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Sunday 1 November 2015

Is it really November?

Hello

Several members of the Northants Ringing Group provided a bird ringing demonstration at the Wildlife Trust Pocket Park at Woodford Halse this morning. Ian Dobson the reserve warden organised a wildlife day for residents of Woodford Halse and was keen to provide an opportunity to showcase a variety of fauna and flora.

The ringing provided a modest catch of birds but of a significant variety which included all the common tits, Goldcrest, Wren, Robin and several species of finch including a single Lesser Redpoll. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird and Treecreeper provided more variety.

Other birds noted on-site included a couple of Bramblings, c6 Siskins and another 4+ redpoll sp plus a couple of Ravens. The incredibly warm weather brought forth insects such as Brimstone and Red Admiral butterflies, wasps, bees and a Hornet.

A brief stop on the causeway at Ravensthorpe Reservoir early this afternoon provided views of three Green Sandpipers, three Goldeneye, a Snipe and a couple of Kingfishers. Significant disturbance caused the ducks to fly and we couldn't see the long-staying Garganey (and reported today).

Simon Hales took a photo of a Comma butterfly near Oundle today (please see below) and reports that a small murmuration of Starlings took place at Titchmarsh Local Nature Reserve this afternoon, possibly a modest start to greater numbers later this month as happened last year...

Regards

Neil M


Comma butterfly on
bramble/blackberries

Courtesy of Simon Hales