Christmas Greetings

Very little to report for my efforts over the last two days. Yesterday I only managed 4 Red Crested Pochards in the mist at the sailing club Pitsford Reservoir.  
Harrington Airfield seems extremely quiet and rather bleak.  
There are several Brambling still feeding with a Chaffinch flock infront of the old cattle barn below Hanging Houghton village. They roost in the hedge next to the barn and their numbers fluctuate during the day.  Also a Barn Owl regularly in the area.
Eric Graham reports that it was quiet at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston today with the only birds of note being Great White Egret and a pair of Egyptian Geese.

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR READING AND CONTRIBUTING TO OUR BLOG, FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK, PHOTOGRAPHS AND ALL THE PEOPLE WE HAVE MET AS A RESULT.  
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND VERY BEST WISHES FOR A BIRD FILLED 2019 XX

Eleanor + Neil

image courtesy of Robin Gossage

Festive birds

Hello

A mild but wet and breezy affair today but the birds were still pleased to see me at the usual feeding stations!

The Ring-necked Duck managed to stay hidden at Pitsford today despite plenty of people looking for it! The regular birds seen included the eleven Whooper Swans, the adult Bewick's Swan, sixteen Red-crested Pochard, a few Pintail, three Great White Egrets and a pair of Stonechat. A drake Smew and the two Great Northern Divers were reportedly still present.

Thrapston Pits also kept its usual birds today with two Great White Egrets, the juvenile Whooper Swan and the Scaup all still present (courtesy of Nick Parker).

A Grey Wagtail was at Brixworth Treatment Works today and the usual Bramblings and the Barn Owl were still in situ at Hanging Houghton.

The Hen Harrier was again see fleetingly between Ringstead and Stanwick this afternoon.

A flurry of more ringing recoveries have proved interesting as follows:-

A first year male Blackcap was caught and ringed at Stortons Pits on 28th August 2018 and then captured and released again on 30th September 2018 at St Margarets, Dover in Kent. Presumably on its way to warmer climes this bird had travelled 201 km in a south easterly direction and taking up to 33 days to complete it.

A young drake Mallard caught and ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 23rd December 2003 was found dead with an injury at Towcester on 20th December 2018 at the ripe old age of fifteen years!

Finally a first year Blue Tit ringed at Linford Lakes (Milton Keynes) on 29th September 2018 was caught and released at Deangarden, Buckinghamshire on 20th December 2018, travelling 52 km south within 82 days.

Regards

Neil M

Robin

Sparrowhawk courtesy
of David Arden.

A Robin is always festive and
the Sparrowhawk is trying it's best!

Ringing recoveries

Hello

Jacob finally managed to see the drake Ring-necked Duck at Pitsford Reservoir today, initially picked up in flight and then in the vicinity of the mouths of the Scaldwell and Walgrave Bays. This has been a difficult bird for many local birders to connect with and like all the feeding 'aythya' ducks on the reservoir it clearly moves around a bit!

At least six Bramblings were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton early this afternoon, again in the vicinity of the large barn.

Stanwick Pits hosted the six White-fronted Geese and the Pink-footed Goose on the Roadside Pit but efforts at seeing the Hen Harrier at the eastern end of the complex between 10.30am and 12 noon proved negative.

Some ringing data has been received reflecting the activities of bird ringing locally and elsewhere...

EZ55626 was a ring placed on a nestling Kestrel near Stanwick on 1st June 2018 and despite fledging successfully sadly this bird was found dead (cause unknown) near Twywell on 6th December 2018.

FH95075 was a ring placed on a leg of a juvenile Carrion Crow at Hanging Houghton on 25th July 2018, not a species we ring very often. This bird was reportedly shot at nearby Lamport in early December 2018.

GV11773 was a ring used on an adult drake Mallard at Pitsford Reservoir on 28th July 2018 and this bird was then shot near Brixworth in November 2018.

Sadly these bigger birds didn't fare too well but better news has been received of the following two much smaller birds...!

Z976742 was the ring placed on a juvenile Blue Tit at a place called Caer Du, Howey in Powys on 19th October 2017 and this little mite turned up in a mist net at Bradden, South Northants on 9th December 2018 by which time it was an adult bird! A 160 km journey for a Blue Tit is pretty astonishing and I wonder what the stimulus for flying almost directly east was -and where is it now and where is it off to next?

AYD7995 was more of a conformist - a ring that was affixed to a first year male Goldfinch on 21st October 2018 at Anglers Country Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire - this bird was re-caught by Chris Payne at Greens Norton, South Northants on 26th November 2018 having travelled 168 km in a southerly direction.

Regards

Neil M

Kestrel.

Carrion Crow.

Mallard courtesy
of Jacob Spinks.

Blue Tit.

Goldfinch.

A quiet day...

Hello

Birds at Hanging Houghton today included three Bramblings in our garden and others heard calling below the village in the Brampton Valley. A Raven was heard too.

Efforts at locating the Ring-necked Duck at Pitsford Reservoir today didn't pay off but presumably it is still there somewhere! Other birds noted included the adult Bewick's Swan, the eleven Whooper Swans and a drake Smew all north of the causeway, courtesy of Jacob.

Harrington Airfield seemed quiet this afternoon and has been for some time...just resident species and winter thrushes are the current norm.

Regards

Neil M

Pintail.

Mute and Whooper Swan.

Whooper Swans.

Stonechat.

All recent images from
Pitsford Reservoir courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Birds of a windy and then wet day!

Hello

Eric paid Blatherwycke Lake a visit today and notched up two pairs of noisy Egyptian Geese, a pair of Black Swans and three pairs of Mandarin Ducks. Deene Lake just down the road hosted an excellent six pairs of Shelduck, another pair of Black Swans, four Snipe and a Green Sandpiper.

Nick Parker saw three Goosanders at Ringstead Pits today on Kinewell Lake (this species seems scarce this winter) and Eleanor saw four Bramblings in the Chaffinch flock in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

I undertook the remainder of the WeBS count at Ditchford Pits this morning concentrating on the more central pits. A female Red-crested Pochard was present and other birds included just one Kingfisher, a Snipe, a Cetti's Warbler and two or three Chiffchaffs.

In pretty inclement conditions this afternoon a Great Northern Diver was in the Pintail Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and a smart adult Yellow-legged Gull was also present.

Regards

Neil M

One of the juvenile
Great Northern Divers
at Pitsford Reservoir.

Red-crested Pochard.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

It took six hours and four observers to complete the Pitsford Reservoir WeBS count today, the day of the month when we attempt to count all birds utilising the waterbody. We managed to find all the known scarcer birds with the exception of the Ruddy Shelduck (if still present).

The drake Ring-necked Duck was with other diving ducks and quite mobile between The Point (between the Scaldwell and Walgrave Bays) and towards the Lagoon Hide. Although closer to the eastern shore, the best place to watch it is from the Maytrees Hide area. A female Scaup was in the Walgrave Bay and the eleven Whooper Swans and the adult Bewick's Swan were mobile between the Scaldwell and Walgrave Bays. Six of the Red-crested Pochard were in the Walgrave Bay with ten more off the Sailing Club near the dam. Most of the Pintail seemed to have left us with just three birds found today.

A Great Northern Diver was seen in the Pintail Bay and an individual was by the dam - both birds were not seen simultaneously but there is probably still two birds! Four Great White Egrets were present north of the causeway but there appeared to be only one or two Little Egrets.

Waders included a Redshank, a Ruff, two Green Sandpipers and fifty-seven Snipe. Ninety Little Grebes was noteworthy and two Grey Wagtails and a pair of Stonechat were present too.

Elsewhere birds at Thrapston Pits consisted of two Great White Egrets, the juvenile Whooper Swan, a pair of Red-crested Pochard, a Peregrine, a Little Owl and a Stonechat. A Great White Egret remained at Summer Leys Nature Reserve.

The male Hen Harrier was seen again north east of Stanwick Pits this morning, hunting over fields and rough ground between Mallows Cotton derelict farm buildings and Stanwick Quarry.

Regards

Neil M

Marsh Tit.
Scotland Wood, Kelmarsh Estate.

Little Grebe. Ninety birds
were present at Pitsford today.

Ruddy Shelduck...may still be
present but we didn't see her today!

Long stayers

Hello

Today Pitsford Reservoir remained the focus for many local birders with some excellent long-staying species on show. The drake Ring-necked Duck materialised again north of the causeway and eventually showed well. All eleven Whooper Swans were still present plus the adult Bewick's Swan, a Scaup, at least nine Red-crested Pochard, several Pintail, three or four Great White Egrets and two Green Sandpipers. South of the causeway both Great Northern Divers were seen simultaneously and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was present in the currently tiny gull roost.

The other site providing quality birds for some time is Stanwick Pits and today the sightings included a Marsh Harrier, a male Hen Harrier and a Merlin, the latter two possibly roosting in a hedge at the far east of the complex.

Mike Alibone located an adult Caspian Gull with other gulls around cattle sheds north of the minor road between Chacombe and the A361 and the Brambling count at Hanging Houghton was two on the feed in the Brampton Valley and a male again in our garden. And yes the Barn Owl was hunting the Brampton Valley below HH this afternoon!

Regards

Neil M

Whooper Swan.

Wigeon.

Grey Heron and
Great White Egret.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Storm Deirdre

Hello

This week-end sees our birds under stress as Storm Deirdre hits with cold and wet showers, strong winds and overnight temperature lows, so I was busy feeding the birds at the usual feeding stations. The local Common Buzzards often hunt the feeding station at the Old Scaldwell Road at Pitsford Reservoir in an effort to catch Brown Rats attracted to the bird food but this morning one was actually perched on the wooden bird table. Not surprisingly the rats were keeping a low profile!

Little in the way of opportunity for birding today but bits and pieces include the usual pair of Ravens at Staverton with a single at Great Oxendon.

A Great White Egret was still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir viewable from the causeway and of course after I said they had seemingly gone, the Chaffinch flock by the barn in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton re-appeared as fifty strong this afternoon and included at least eight Bramblings.  A male and a female Brambling were also in our garden this afternoon.

Ian Moore's efforts at Pitsford Reservoir today yielded the Bewick's Swan, ten Whooper Swans, six Pintail, three Great White Egrets and a Peregrine. Ian didn't see the Ring-necked Duck but another observer reported seeing it.

Steve Fisher again espied the male Hen Harrier at Stanwick Pits this afternoon, again at the eastern end of the complex.

Regards

Neil M

Common Buzzard.

Great Tit and Chaffinch
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Tree Sparrow courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Birds of mid-December

Hello

Yesterday (Thursday) and the search for the Cattle Egret seen at Pitsford Reservoir the day before sadly drew a blank. The Great Northern Diver was still in the vicinity of the dam as were a pair of Red-crested Pochard. To the north of the causeway on the reserve, much of the wildfowl was pushed up into the Walgrave Bay but wildfowl on show included the adult Bewick's Swan, eight Whooper Swans, four Great White Egrets and four Red-crested Pochard.

A Great White Egret was also seen at Summer Leys and Nick Parker saw the now regular birds at Thrapston Pits comprising of a first year Scaup, a first year Whooper Swan, five Little Egrets and a Great White Egret. Nick went on to see the male Hen Harrier at the very far east end of Stanwick Pits at 3.40pm.

Today (Friday) saw two male Bramblings in our garden at Hanging Houghton but it seems that the Chaffinch and Brambling flock in the Brampton Valley below the village may well now have dissipated.

A period of bird ringing at Woodford Halse today proved successful with the capture and processing of 77 birds of 12 species. The birds comprised of a Coal Tit, 30 Blue Tits, 21 Great Tits, 2 Robins, 6 Dunnocks, a Blackbird, 3 Redwings, a Grey Wagtail, 3 Chaffinches, 5 Goldfinches, a Nuthatch and 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. One of the Great Tits was already bearing a ring suggesting it is not a local bird.

A WeBS count at the western section of Ditchford Pits provided views of a Great White Egret, four Little Egrets, four Water Rails (heard only), a fly-over Crossbill. two Grey Wagtails, six Cetti's Warblers and a couple of Siskins.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Great Northern Diver was seen in the Pintail Bay and birds to the north of the causeway included the Bewick's Swan still, eleven Whooper Swans and two Great White Egrets. The drake Ring-necked Duck was also reported, apparently in the mouth of the Walgrave Bay early afternoon.

The Barn Owl was again hunting in the Brampton Valley below HH this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Coal Tit.

Long-tailed Tit.

Marsh Tit.

The beautiful Redwing.

Blue Tit.

Bullfinch.

Treecreeper.

All the above images were taken
by John Tilly during the ringing
at Pitsford Reservoir on Wednesday.

Grey Wagtail Woodford Halse
today, courtesy of Chris Payne.

Christies Copse ringing

Hello

A ringing session at Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir today proved to be busy with 220 birds of fifteen species (132 new birds and 88 birds ringed previously). Despite plenty of Woodcock being on-site (at least eight), we didn't manage to net one of these special woodland waders. The total was made up of 2 Blackbirds, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 22 Redwings, 3 Goldcrests, 3 Treecreepers, 3 Dunnocks, a Robin, 17 Long-tailed Tits, 62 Great Tits, 79 Blue Tits, 14 Coal Tits, a Marsh Tit, 8 Chaffinches, a Lesser Redpoll and a Bullfinch.

Many of the re-trap tits were birds that had been raised in the nest boxes on the reserve and there were also some rather long-lived birds noted.

Other birds noted in the Walgrave Bay were a noisy group of Whooper Swans, two Great White Egrets, twelve Red-crested Pochard, several Pintail, a Chiffchaff, a Grey Wagtail and a Green Sandpiper.

Other observers reported the continuing presence of the Ring-necked Duck and the Great Northern Diver at Pitsford and a Cattle Egret was reportedly in a cattle field below the south end of the dam at lunch time (not there later). This is the first time that a Cattle Egret has been recorded at Pitsford.

Eric's walk at Thrapston Pits today yielded views of two Great White Egrets, at least 12 Little Egrets, two pairs of Egyptian Geese, the juvenile Whooper Swan still and five Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Woodcock. This is the view
we would have enjoyed today
but sadly we were unsuccessful
at catching any of the Pitsford
 wintering population!

But of course we caught
plenty of Blue Tits...

...and plenty of Great Tits...and
also...

...quite a few Coal Tits too (this image
courtesy of John Tilly).

The ringing session today
confirmed that the feed station
at Christies Copse is clearly
supporting some high numbers
of local tits and other birds!

NN6 Birding

Hello

Local birds included a Brambling again at Hanging Houghton in the village and the Barn Owl again in the Brampton Valley. Half a dozen Siskins were at Brixworth Country Park and the village Water Treatment Works hosted a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Siskin, a Water Rail or two and two Grey Wagtails.

At risk of sounding repetitive, the Great Northern Diver has been in the vicinity of the dam and Sailing Club during the day and both George Witt and Bethan Clyne saw the sometimes elusive drake Ring-necked Duck, initially off the Point between the Walgrave and Scaldwell Bays and later much closer to the Maytrees Hide. Other long-staying birds included the Bewick's Swan, six Whooper Swans, the drake Smew, at least three Great White Egrets, two Red-crested Pochard and the Ruddy Shelduck. Four Woodcock and a Redpoll were noted in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay (a ringing session is planned there for tomorrow).

Away from Pitsford and the male Hen Harrier was seen again at the north east end of Stanwick Pits, as was a Short-eared Owl briefly and a Cattle Egret. A Great White Egret and some Golden Plovers were at Summer Leys.

Barbara Nunn and Neil Hasdell had somewhere between nine and twelve very noisy Ring-necked Parakeets in Abington Park, Northampton this morning, plus a solitary Goosander on the lakes there.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Heron with a Jack Pike.

Great White Egret.

Bewick's Swan.

Stonechat.

All images taken at Pitsford
Reservoir yesterday by Robin
Gossage.