Grey Phalaropes!

Hello

Yesterday Robin Gossage was down at Banbury and took some fabulous images of a wind-blown Grey Phalarope...

Today Mike Alibone found a juvenile Grey Phalarope at Hollowell Reservoir which was still present at 5.30pm (mostly around the Guilsborough Bay point) and although showing quite closely at times it was in fierce, adverse sunshine (well that's my excuse for iffy images)! Thanks are due to Cathy Ryden for relocating the bird and making sure visiting birders were able to see it.

And with Gary Pullan finding a juvenile Sabine's Gull at Daventry Country Park today, the scene is set for some more good birds to follow (we hope)!

Regards

Neil M

Grey Phalarope courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Grey Phalarope
at Hollowell Reservoir.

Round Up

I haven't been out and about as much as I would have liked and my birding has been confined to Blueberry area, Harrington Airfield and Pitsford Reservoir.  The latter site looks as if it should be dripping with "rare" birds, but sadly this is not the case. However there is a good selection of birds to be found including Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Ruff, Black Tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Garganey, Great White Egret and Whinchat. All these birds have been viewed from the feeding station looking into the Scaldwell and Walgrave arms.
The fields below Hanging Houghton have been scuffled and are ready to plough. The stubble and freshly turned soil has been attractive to large numbers of gulls and corvids, as well as a steady stream of Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and the odd Northern Wheatear.
The hedgerows have been fairly quiet with a couple of Common Redstart and a Whinchat.
On Saturday 9th I stopped at Ravensthorpe Reservoir briefly on my way to Staverton and saw a Wood Sandpiper and 2 Green Sandpiper.   The resident Ravens at Staverton were up to their usual playful games and making all kinds of weird and wonderful noises which always make us laugh.
Harrington has been a bit hit and miss for birds. On some visits I have seen absolutely nothing and on others have connected with Common Redstart, Whinchat, and Wheatear.  This afternoon there was at least one Common Redstart, Whinchat, Siskin, 2 Turtle Doves , Marsh Harrier and a constant stream of Swallows and Martins heading south.

Regards  Eleanor

Ringing at Harrington...

Hello

A respectable ringing session at Harrington Airfield today provided 73 captures, the highlights being a young Green Woodpecker and a stunning adult male Redstart. 

Other birds included 4 Blackbirds, 19 Dunnocks, 6 Yellowhammers, 7 Great Tits, 14 Greenfinches, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Robins, 3 Chaffinches, a Goldfinch, 5 Blue Tits, a Goldcrest, a Willow Warbler and 2 Chiffchaffs.

Other birds noted on-site included a Golden Plover, a Raven and two Yellow Wagtails.

Jacob saw some good birds at Pitsford Reservoir today which included a Spotted Redshank, a Great White Egret, a Garganey, a Pintail, a Dunlin, eight Greenshanks, three Ruff, two Black-tailed Godwits, two Common Sandpipers, a Hobby and a White Wagtail.

Regards

Neil M

Green Woodpecker.

Adult male Redstart.

Spotted Redshank at
Pitsford Reservoir today,
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Northants Bird Club meeting 6th Sept

Hello

The next indoor meeting of the Northants Bird Club will be on Wednesday 6th September starting at 7.30pm and will be at the usual venue of the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Reservoir. Bob Bullock will be presenting the second instalment of 'Northants Birds', depicting birds that have occurred in the county during the last decade. As well as an avid county birder, Bob is an excellent photographer and makes a determined effort to see and photograph many of the scarcer birds which occur in Northamptonshire.

Hot drinks and biscuits will be available during the evening and the main presentation follows just a few notices and recent news of interest. All welcome!

Bob Gill caught and photographed a scarce moth called a Mullein Wave this week-end, the first specimen recorded in Northamptonshire for eleven years (image below).

Regards

Neil M

Mullein Wave moth.
Image courtesy
of Bob Gill.

Swallow.
Many have already flown
south but there are plenty around
still, congregating on wires and
lines in traditional pre-migration
style!

Robin.
This year's youngster's are
already finding their voice and
will now be singing and vying for
 territories against more mature birds.
The majority of the adults will be
 just finishing their main wing and
 tail moult, the moulting period being
about the only time during the year when
they go relatively quiet.

Sunday's observations

Hello

Today (Sunday) and Kenny Cramer presided over a busy ringing session at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes, catching over a hundred birds of fifteen species, the majority of them being new. These birds included a juvenile Kingfisher, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 10 Blackcaps, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, 7 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 5 Wrens, 6 Dunnocks, 4 Robins, 22 Great Tits, 29 Blue Tits, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Goldfinches and a Chaffinch.

Interesting non-avian wildlife seen included an impressive list of a Water Shrew, 2 Common Shrews, 4 Bank Voles, 2 Common Frogs, 3 Great Crested Newts and 5 Grass Snakes.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today, seen mostly by Jacob, included a Great White Egret, 2 Garganey, a Black Tern, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff, 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 2 Snipe, 8 Greenshanks, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Peregrine, a Hobby and a Grey Wagtail.

Regards

Neil M

Peregrine.

Hobby.

Greenshank.

All images taken at
Pitsford Reservoir by
Robin Gossage.

Stortons ringing update...

Hello

John Woollett and team were busy at Stortons Gravel Pits on Thursday (31st Aug), catching some 78 birds identified as 14 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, 23 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 8 Reed Warblers, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Great Tits, 3 Blue Tits, 2 Robins, 8 Dunnocks, 2 Song Thrushes, 3 Bullfinches and a Reed Bunting.

A female Cetti's Warbler caught there on 25th August was first ringed at Teifi Marsh, Ceredigion, Wales on 22nd November 2014. This normally quite sedentary species travelled 255km to reach the outskirts of Northampton, 1007 days elapsing between the date first captured and then being controlled at Stortons.

Yesterday (Friday) and Cathy Ryden noted a colour-ringed Little Egret at Hollowell Reservoir plus two Dunlin and a Ringed Plover.

Birds noted today (2nd Sept) included a Redstart in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir, in hedging on the west side of the bay, and also two Ravens flying over. A Grey Wagtail was at Brixworth and at least three Grey Partridges and a couple of Yellow Wagtails were at Harrington Airfield this evening.

A ringing session is planned for Harrington Airfield on Monday 4th September 2017 and the area around the bunkers and along the old airstrip is out of bounds. Should you want to observe proceedings please let me know beforehand and access should be possible (all attendees are required to be invited).

Regards

Neil M

Bright but low level
sunshine at Harrington
Airfield.

Playful Stoat.

Dunlin.

Juvenile male
Green Woodpecker.

Sparrowhawk.

All above images taken by
Cathy Ryden.

Bits and Bobs from the last couple of days

Yesterday in the valley below Hanging Houghton there was a Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Redstart and a Whinchat.  
There were a further 2+ Common Redstart in a hedge between the villages of Old and Walgrave.  This is an "old" hedgerow which follows the fields from Old into the back of the Walgrave arm of Pitsford Reservoir and attracts a steady movement of passerines as they continue on their migration.
I have had a couple of very quiet visits to Harrington Airfield including one this morning in what seemed perfect conditions for a good bird, but sadly not. The bushes and fields were deadly.
At Staverton the resident Ravens were rather vocal and seemingly playing about, tumbling through the air and generally enjoying themselves.
On my way back home I stopped off at Borough Hill and it felt a bit like "old times" as there had obviously been a fall of birds. I lost count of the number of Spotted Flycatchers who were flitting about and flycatching along a couple of the hedges. There was easily 8 individual birds. These hedges were alive with birds, mainly Bluetits, Long Tailed Tits, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Whitethroats.   Also in the same area were 2 Common Redstart which were in addition to a Common Redstart seen near the car park.   There was a Whinchat in one of the furthest fields from the car park.  
A Marsh Harrier and Whinchat were again present in the valley towards Blueberry this evening.

Chris Payne undertook a ringing session at Stortons yesterday [25th] where 71 birds in total were trapped with only 6 being retraps.  The majority of birds caught were youngsters.  There were good numbers of Blackcaps and Chiffchaff. 
A retrap Cettis Warbler was initially ringed in 2014.
Birds caught : Blackcap 21, Reed Warbler 12, Cettis Warbler 5, Sedge Warbler 1, Whitethroat 2, Bluetit 7, Robin 2, Long Tailed Tit 8, Great Tit 1, Chiffchaff 9, Wren 2,.

Regards Eleanor 

Pitsford and Harrington Birds

Dave Francis completed the final CES ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir. 72 birds were caught of 19 species.
Blackcap 10; Long Tailed Tit 8; Great Tit 7; Blue Tit 6; Robin 5; Treecreeper 5; Bullfinch 4; Chiffchaff 4; Willow Warbler 4; Reed Warbler 4; Wren 4; Dunnock 2; Marsh Tit 2; Whitethroat 2; Garden Warbler 1; Greenfinch 1; Blackbird 1; Lesser Whitethroat 1; and Yellowhammer 1.

A visit to Harrington Airfield early evening was quite productive. The recently scuffled field proved attractive to a large flock of passerines including Linnet, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting and Goldfinch. On scanning the field I picked up 2 Wheatears and a Whinchat. The bushes yielded at least 2 Common Redstarts and rather surprisingly a Cuckoo. 
Not to be outdone there were plenty of raptors enjoying the warm sunshine and gentle breeze, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Peregrine were all on view.

Regards Eleanor 

Mid week round up.

During the last couple of days I have been concentrating my efforts at Pitsford Reservoir and Harrington Airfield, however both sites have been disappointingly quiet.
No birds of note at Harrington Airfield, just plenty of tractors muck spreading and scuffling the fields.
Birds at Pitsford include a Great White Egret [scaldwell bay], 10+ Little Egret, 2 Greenshank, 3 Black Tailed Godwits, Green and Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin.  Pitsford looks the best it has looked for years with plenty of muddy shoreline, spits and emerging islands due to the dropping water level.

The harvest is in full swing below Hanging Houghton and it was extremely dusty there this evening which made birding difficult.

Regards Eleanor 

Autumn Days !!

It certainly appears that summer has been and gone and that we are already into Autumn !!. The air has a "distinct nip" about it, the mist hangs over the valley in the early morning and the evening's are drawing in.  This is undoubtedly my favourite time of year.  Birds also change as the breeding season comes to a close and the Autumn migration begins. Most of the birds which I have seen over the last few days are ones which I always associate with this time of year.  On Wednesday [16th] there was a Marsh Harrier, Grasshopper Warbler and Turtle Dove at Harrington Airfield . Several visits to Harrington has produced Common Redstart, Turtle Dove, Grey Partridge, Raven and Peregrine.
I ran around Sywell Reservoir the other day and there was a family party of Grey Wagtail on the dam, a calling Cettis Warbler and Green Sandpiper and Curlew flying over calling.
The hedgerow between Old and Walgrave continues to be attracting Common Redstart and on a couple of visits I have seen 2 or 3 birds which have been a mixture of males and female type and are clearly passing through.
There have also been a couple of Common Redstart, Wheatear, Peregrine, Grasshopper Warbler  and Grey Partridge in the Blueberry Area.
Yesterday at Staverton the Ravens were in attendance at our agility training and caused a great deal of commotion where a Peregrine strayed onto "their patch".
This morning there was a Tree Pipit, Common Redstart and Wheatear in the valley below Hanging Houghton and a Siskin and Raven over the garden.
The harvest is slowly being gathered in and some of the fields have already been ploughed. I love the rich earthy aroma of a newly ploughed field and the birds also find this attractive with good numbers of Gulls, Corvids and Raptors busy foraging. Always worth checking out these fields as you just never know what might turn up. 
Autumn is equally as exciting as Spring as you just never know what or where something good could turn up.

We have a new edition.......a Border Collie pup called Jaeger who we are just introducing to the joys of birdwatching. I couldn't resist posting a few pics !!

Regards   Eleanor 

Black-crowned Night Heron

Tree Pipit.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth
at Watford village on Sunday,
courtesy of Bill Draper.

Hello

A juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron arrived in a Blisworth village garden at the end of July and was last seen on 7th August. This bird, a rare visitor to the county, was seen in trees at the private property and on one occasion actually at the garden pond. Sadly it seems this bird has now gone...

An all night vigil at Harrington Airfield last night in still, mild conditions provided a singing Quail between 1.30am and 2am and a hunting Barn Owl against the backdrop of a harvest moon and shooting stars.

Ringing operations began at dawn and concluded at lunch-time with 79 captures (17 re-traps). Nine Tree Pipits were present first thing, four of which were caught and ringed and another was killed by a marauding Sparrowhawk. Other birds trapped and released were made up of 3 Blackbirds, 10 Yellowhammers, 12 Greenfinches, 11 Dunnocks, 13 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, 7 Robins, 2 Linnets, 3 Goldfinches, 3 Chaffinches, a Bullfinch, 4 Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap, 2 Blue Tits and a Great Tit.

Other birds present included Marsh Tit, two Hobbies, a Wheatear, a Turtle Dove and a few Grey Partridges.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Black-crowned
Night Heron

Waders on the move

Hello

Neil Hasdell was at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and noted a Great White Egret, six Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Sandpiper.

Yesterday we had a Hummingbird Hawk-moth making repeat visits to the garden, the flowers of choice being phlox and verbena!

Regards

Neil M

Ruff.

Wood Sandpiper.

Black-tailed Godwit.

Begging juvenile
Common Buzzard.

All images taken by John
Gamble at Frampton Marsh
on Saturday.

Pitsford surveys

Hello

It was the WeBS count day at Pitsford Reservoir today and resulted in sightings of a Great White Egret, 15 Little Egrets, a Ferruginous Duck x Pochard hybrid, 2 Garganey, a Wigeon, 7 Green Sandpipers, a Dunlin, a Greenshank, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Kingfishers, a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls and 3 Peregrines (adult male, adult female and juvenile female). The latter Peregrine had emptied the Scaldwell Bay of birds and it sat perched on a stick protruding from the mud for a long period of time!

The last but one Constant Effort ringing session of the season took place at Pitsford Reservoir this morning with 16 species being encountered totalling 42 birds. Warblers were made up of 8 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers and 3 Blackcaps and other interesting birds included a Kingfisher, 2 Marsh Tits, 3 Bullfinches, 3 Treecreepers and 3 Goldcrests.

A couple of Grey Partridges and a Turtle Dove were noted at Harrington Airfield and this evening there was a Spotted Flycatcher at Lamport Hall.

Please note that there will be another ringing session at Harrington Airfield during the morning of Wednesday 16th August, the last session of the month. General access is not permitted in the catching area but observers and visitors are welcome as long as you can let me know beforehand (landowner's stipulation). The concrete track and adjacent footpaths remain open and unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

Reed Bunting.

Tree Sparrow.

Whitethroat.

All images taken at Pitsford Reservoir,
the latter three courtesy of Dave Jackson.