Provence and return...

Hello

I'm just back from an eight day tour of the Provence region in France, the last two days being spent in the Camargue. It might have been the south of France but the weather over the Easter week-end was definitely warmer here in sunny Northants! Nevertheless we witnessed some interesting wildlife which for a change included some good mammals (Wild Boar, Chamois and others) and smart birds such as Citril Finch, all four European vultures and good views of Red-footed Falcon, Montagu's Harrier, Little Bustard and flocks of Wood Sandpipers and Spotted Redshanks as well of course the pink army of Greater Flamingos!

On arrival back home this afternoon I was met with several Yellowhammers feeding on the lawn including the very bright males that always look good but positively shine at this time of the year!

Yesterday (24th) and Eleanor's visit to Harrington Airfield confirmed the arrival back of a Turtle Dove (one of the very few summering sites locally), the male Common Redstart still, two Wheatears, a Cuckoo and two reeling Grasshopper Warblers.

Today (25th) and the county continues to enjoy some pretty good wader passage with birds such as Turnstone, Ruff, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper all on show in the Nene Valley and with Little Terns putting in an appearance at Thrapston Pits and Boddington Reservoir and a Black Tern at Clifford Hill Pits. A pair of Garganey remain at Summer Leys NR - a long-staying drake has been here since early spring.

Pitsford Reservoir (sometimes the poor relation to the Nene Valley in the spring) supported sightings of Osprey, Common Sandpiper and three Arctic Terns this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Griffon Vulture.

Wild Boar.

Eurasian Scop's Owl.

Catch Up

It has been a rather busy week which has left very little time for birding.  As the week progressed and the temperatures rose due to the change of the wind direction to the south then so did the numbers of migrants increase.
A Common Restart was present at Harrington Airfield earlier in the week and despite several visits there it has been quiet. But today saw a few new birds, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, one of which was showing well in the roadside bushes a short distance from the main entrance. There were 2 Northern Wheatears around the bunkers plus a Sedge Warbler, Willow Warblers, Yellow Wagtails and a pair of Grey Partridge.
This morning I had an early morning wander around Blueberry area and there was a Common Redstart, Cuckoo and 2 Grasshopper Warblers, one of which was sitting out in full view.   I have noticed that the first arrivals tend to sit perched out in the open.   Other birds included Grey Partridge , Tree Sparrows and 10 Fieldfares.
We still have plenty of Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings visiting our garden and today there was a superb male Brambling.  A Cuckoo was calling from a nearby hedgerow and it was still calling this evening from the same place !!!

Yesterday [19th] Eric Graham visited Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston and had a good selection of birds. Pink Footed Geese and adult Whooper Swan in a field behind Aldwincle Marsh.  3 singing Nightingales by the footbridge, 2 adult Little Gulls , Great White Egret and plenty of warblers including Garden Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, Sedge Warblers, Cettis Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaffs.

Some of you will have met one of our dogs Tor who often accompanies me whilst I am out birding and/or running.  He also competes in agility under his posh name " Spot the birdie twitcher Tor", quite apt as he has a good birding list !!  Yesterday he took part in the Rescue Dogs Agility Final where he put on an awesome performance earning him a 2nd place in jumping, a 1st place in agility and an overall 1st place for the day.  He has been putting his paws up today !!!

Regards Eleanor 

Today has been a strange day where I have literally bumped into some good birds whilst out and about doing chores. However the day started on a very quiet note with nothing seen on my early walk followed by a run.
I headed to Pitsford Reservoir with my young pup in tow and decided to walk part of the bigside with her hoping to meet lots of runners, cyclists, people etc so that she gets used to them.  I was not disappointed with the lovely weather bringing everyone out.  Of course I took the opportunity to do some birding and I was amazed to see a Great Northern Diver present just beyond the Pintail Bay. Whilst scanning I picked up an Osprey coming in over the dam . I didn't see it catch anything but it was certainly interested.
Back home and a quick change before heading out but I was side tracked by a huge flock, approx 400 strong, of Fieldfares feeding in the field behind our house.
Early afternoon whilst visiting relatives in Sywell I heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling well from small spinney close to the road.
Then it was time to feed the birds at Harrington Airfield. The rough area/bunkers was quiet so I decided to complete a circuit taking in the main track.  I came across a male Ring Ouzel in the bushes around the shooting wall and a further two birds flew over. 
I finished the day with a Barn Owl hunting below the village but no sign of the Great Grey Shrike today.

Regards Eleanor

Woodlark!

Hello

The Hanging Houghton Great Grey Shrike was back along the brook in the Brampton Valley below the village this morning and a Peregrine was coasting around the Blueberry Farm area. Nearby the bare earth field that has been set for new grass alongside the A508 just south of the village continues to attract birds, particularly Fieldfares which numbered at least 900 today.

A singing Brambling was at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and a Common Sandpiper was on the causeway. A look around at the dam end of the reservoir provided the usual Yellow-legged Gull and a Common Tern and two Common Sandpipers on the dam itself. A couple more Bramblings were singing in the trees at the Sailing Club.

Small numbers of passerines feeding on the grass below the dam included a band of Meadow Pipits, a Wheatear and several singing Skylarks. One of these Skylarks almost drowned out the call of a Woodlark as it undulated past David Arden and I and flew strongly off towards the Moulton Grange Bay. It kept low in the strong easterly breeze and continued to call as it disappeared from view. I think the only previous record for Pitsford was a well-watched bird in a field next to the Scaldwell Bay probably three decades or more ago!

Regards

Neil M

Common Sandpiper.

Fieldfare courtesy
of Jacob.

Woodlark courtesy
of Robin.

Stortons ringing

Hello

It seemed a quieter day for birds in the county today, or maybe it's the local birders fed up with the cold northerly winds!

A ringing session at Stortons Pits today recorded -3C temperatures on arrival but the small band soon put up the nets and caught some quality birds consisting of five Chiffchaffs, six Blackcaps, an excellent six Cetti's Warblers, two Dunnocks, two Wrens, two Treecreepers, two Great Tits, a Song Thrush, two Blackbirds and three Reed Buntings.

One of the Chiffchaffs and one of the Cetti's Warblers were bearing rings from ringing efforts elsewhere, no doubt we will find out from where and when in due course.

Harrington Airfield doesn't seem to have attracted a notable bird for a long while now and today was little different with the best on show being three Grey Partridges, a Swallow and a Yellow Wagtail.

This evening and the Great Grey Shrike was relocated back to it's original hedge and field at Hanging Houghton, about half a mile west of the Brampton Valley Way.

Regards

Neil M

Reed Bunting at
Stortons Pits today
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Great Grey Shrike
near Hanging Houghton
today.

Pitsford CBC

Hello

The cold northerly winds we are experiencing seem to be blocking the passage of birds seeking to move north and east, today providing examples where these birds are amassing and awaiting a conducive air flow.

The Great Grey Shrike still present near Hanging Houghton today should be on its way any day now but is probably one such bird waiting for good weather before migrating back to the breeding grounds.

I conducted a Common Bird Census on the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir today beginning at 6am and finishing at 1pm. It was cold for the first couple of hours but the sunshine made it pleasant to be out and about.

A single Willow Tit was found in the Scaldwell Bay opposite the ringing hut and Marsh Tits were pretty widespread. Two Nuthatch territories were in the same places as last time and in excess of twenty Bramblings were feeding and singing in tall trees behind the Bird Club hide in the Scaldwell Bay and at Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay. At least one Lesser Redpoll was attracted to the feeders in Christies Copse and the singing Cetti's Warbler remained on territory nearby. Blackcaps are aplenty now and a few Willow Warblers were singing at three spots. The pair of Oystercatchers were joined by three other birds today. The white Peacock first observed last year was in the Walgrave Bay, the occupied Cormorant nest count has now reached forty-five and various colonies of Ashy Mining Bees were active on the tracks around the reserve.

This afternoon a large Fieldfare flock in excess of the 745 birds counted were feeding on a bare earth rolled field next to the A508 just south of Hanging Houghton. I watched them for some time and despite the dry conditions they were successfully pulling lobworms from the manicured top soil. Plenty of other birds were finding bits to eat in the field and included about six Redwings and a female Brambling.

Birders working the lakes and vegetation at Earls Barton pits today saw an overflying Osprey, the drake Garganey still, fifty Fieldfares, a Great White Egret, a Dunlin, a Common Tern, an early singing Reed Warbler, a House Martin and a Yellow Wagtail.

Regards

Neil M

It was sometimes rather
noisy at Pitsford today!

Muntjac Deer.

Peacock!

Skokholm cameras, more Harrington ringing and a Crane!

Hello

Eric's sustained efforts at Thrapston Pits today yielded a perched Osprey surveying Elinor and Aldwincle Lakes, three Pink-footed Geese, two Egyptian Geese, a Great White Egret, six Common Terns, a pair of Oystercatchers and plenty of early warblers.

Stanwick Pits attracted a migrant Knot today plus an adult Little Gull and the Summer Leys reserve continues to hold on to it's drake Garganey (Gull Island) and a Great White Egret was on the scrape.

Some bird ringing took place at Harrington Airfield during the last two days which provided the temporary capture of eighty birds of fifteen species. This number was made up of 33 Yellowhammers, 3 Reed Buntings, 14 Linnets, 4 Chaffinches, a Goldfinch, a Robin, 8 Dunnocks, 2 Wrens, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers, 3 Blackcaps, a Long-tailed Tit, 3 Great Tits, a Blackbird and a Song Thrush.

Two of the Willow Warblers were ringed there as adults on 3rd May 2018 and 14th June 2017 so have presumably returned to breed on the scrubby habitat around the bunkers. Several of the Yellowhammers were also several years old and are likely to breed close by. A Raven was seen to over-fly the old airfield but nothing else of note was seen.

The long-staying Great Grey Shrike was seen a couple of times in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today, showing better in the morning (as did a Barn Owl). I was there late this afternoon but couldn't locate it, but was rewarded with a fly-by Swallow, then two Ravens and then a high-flying Common Crane flapping slowly north over the village.

Up to a hundred and fifty Fieldfares were flying over Hanging Houghton this afternoon (probably held up by the northerly winds) and our garden was brightened up with at least seven feeding Yellowhammers.

A strong relationship exists between members of the Northants Ringing Group and the diminutive but very special Pembrokeshire island of Skokholm. Chris Payne has cemented this further, using his entrepreneurial and technical skills to successfully apply for a grant and build and utilise high tech camera equipment to remotely record the antics of breeding sea-birds on the island. Chris has just returned from the island where he has sought to set up and maintain cameras as activated by hand-held digital devices. These cameras can be used to monitor the activity of adults and nestlings, thus preventing physical intervention/disturbance and will be used with species such as Storm Petrels, gulls and auks. Chris will be returning during the year to ensure smooth progress and quality data collection.

Regards

Neil M

Willow Warbler.

Reed Bunting.

Yellowhammers.

Chiffchaff.

Blackcap.

Linnet.

All images above courtesy
of John Tilly.

Guillemot ledges.

Herring-bone design
'petrel station' wall purposely
built for breeding Storm Petrels.

Camera monitors set up
and running!

Images from Skokholm courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Harrington ringing

Hello

The Hanging Houghton Great Grey Shrike was on show again today, sometimes showing well along the brook and hedgerows below the village and viewable from the hard standing next to the large barn. A Peregrine was on show over woodland towards Cottesbrooke.

Birds at various places within the Earls Barton Pits complex today included an Osprey over east, a male Redstart (in bushes north of Mary's Lake) and a Grasshopper Warbler at the back of the screen hide, Quarry Walk.

Bird ringing will be taking place at Harrington Airfield tomorrow and access to the old airstrip and bunkers will be restricted during this time. The footpaths and concrete track will remain unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Yellowhammer.

Linnet.

Willow Warbler.

Preliminary ringing this afternoon
at Harrington Airfield provided captures
 of these three species.

Cold air migrants

Hello

The cold north easterly airstream continues but doesn't stop incoming summer migrants!

Yesterday (Tuesday) and Eric's visit to Thrapston Pits provided views of the two Pink-footed Geese, three Egyptian Geese, two Great White Egrets and four species of warbler, but just a single Sedge Warbler so far. Deene Lake was also visited by Eric and hosted a single Snipe, three pairs of Shelduck and 100 plus Teal. Nearby Blatherwycke Lake attracted a pair of Shelduck and two pairs of Black Swans. Also noteworthy yesterday was a flock of about eighty Fieldfares near Naseby Reservoir - they're leaving their departure to the breeding grounds a little late!

Today (Wednesday) and the Great Grey Shrike was still showing well alongside the brooks below Hanging Houghton and a Barn Owl was present too. A couple of flocks of high flying Cormorants heading NE over Pitsford Reservoir this morning was interesting as it seemed they were very much on passage. It was tempting to think they may have been the 'carbo' nominate forms on their way to coastal breeding colonies (it is thought most of our breeding birds are of the race 'sinensis').

A visit to the small Wildlife Trust reserve at Barnes Meadow, Northampton today yielded fifteen Snipe and a singing Cetti's Warbler, and nearby a food-carrying Raven flew in to trees in the grounds of St Andrews Hospital suggesting local breeding. Ian Moore saw a possible Cattle Egret in flight near here too.

Other birds reported today included a Little Gull and two Black-tailed Godwits at Stanwick Pits, a drake Garganey and an Osprey at Summer Leys, a single Grey Plover at Hollowell Reservoir and two Little Gulls, three Little Ringed Plovers, a Wheatear and nine White Wagtails at Clifford Hill Pits.

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant.

Common Buzzard.

Images courtesy of
John Tilly.

Waders, gulls and more...

Hello

Kenny Cramer and crew have conducted some ringing at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes during the last two week-ends (31st March and 7th April) resulting in a good mix of birds. Perhaps the highlight was a Snipe caught and ringed on the first date but other birds included a re-trap Blackcap from 2017 and two re-trap Long-tailed Tits from 2015.

Today the Great Grey Shrike was on show again below Hanging Houghton for most of the day, spending much of the time in bushes and small trees along the brooks. A visit to the dam at Pitsford Reservoir at lunchtime provided views of two adult Little Gulls hawking insects and a fly-by immature Peregrine.

Most of the action today though was in the Nene Valley. The Summer Leys reserve at Earls Barton Pits hosted four Common Scoters, a Great White Egret, a Common Tern, four Little Ringed Plovers and two White Wagtails. Stanwick Pits attracted two Little Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, four Common Terns, a Little Ringed Plover and two Black-tailed Godwits. Clifford Hill GP was also busy with a Bar-tailed Godwit, twelve Little Gulls, singles of Arctic and Common Tern, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and up to ten White Wagtails.

Reservoir birds included three Little Gulls at Boddington and a Grey Plover, two Little Ringed Plovers and three Dunlin at Hollowell.

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Little Ringed Plover
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

White Wagtail.

Little Gulls and other birds!

Hello

I've just returned back from an eight day trip to SE Poland where a group of us explored the forests and meadows of Bieszczady, some of it up close to the Ukraine border. Mammals were the tour focus and we managed views of Wolf, Pine Marten, Wildcat and Bison but only found the tracks of Eurasian Lynx and not the beast itself! The birds are always good there and included both storks, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Goshawk, woodpeckers, Ural Owl and early summer migrants.

At Hanging Houghton today a Yellow Wagtail flew over calling and two Ravens were embarking on some high altitude synchronised flying (without calling) suggesting they are perhaps intent on making this area their territory. The Great Grey Shrike was on show in the Brampton Valley during the day, generally close to the barn on the west side of the Brampton Valley Way. One male Brambling was on the feed by the barn and a Wheatear was present nearby too.

Little Gulls were the migrant theme today with birds at Stanford Reservoir, Hollowell Reservoir, Clifford Hill GP and Earls Barton GP. A Black Tern was with them at Clifford Hill GP and other birds at Hollowell Reservoir included two Grey Plovers, a Dunlin and a Raven. Steve Fisher saw a second summer Mediterranean Gull at Stanwick Pits and there were three Goosanders there too.

Pitsford Reservoir seemed to miss out on most of the action today but David Arden saw a perched Osprey in the Scaldwell Bay and a singing Brambling at the back of the bay and still the drake Red-crested Pochard. Eleanor saw a Great Northern Diver near the Holly Tree, a Common Tern and Yellow Wagtails. All three hirundine species were feeding over the reservoir, the pair of Oystercatcher and the Little Owl were still present as was the second calendar year Yellow-legged Gull. The afternoon storm brought in over a hundred gulls, mostly Common Gulls, but nothing else of note.

Eric's endeavours at Thrapston Pits provided sightings of two Pink-footed Geese, three Great White Egrets, a pair of Oystercatchers, six Common Terns and warblers included Sedge, Willow, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Small numbers of Swallows were moving through.

Regards

Neil M

Brambling.

Osprey.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Good timing !!

Today it was a case of being in the right place at the right time.   Just before 07.30am I was scanning the bushes along the stream below Hanging Houghton when the Barn Owl came into view and showed well. I had just started my walk with the dogs when I looked up and saw the Great Grey Shrike perched on top of a small tree in front of me.
Late morning I visited Pitsford Reservoir where it was quite misty and grey. On walking down the old road to the feeding station I checked the hedgerow for a Little Owl which often sits there, but no luck. However 20 mins later when I walked back up the road it was sitting out in full view.   Not much to see from scanning the small side apart from a drake Red Crested Pochard and a nice flock of displaying Goldeneye.
The dam area was more productive as 2 lovely adult Little Gulls dropped in by the tower. Other birds included a Yellow Wagtail, Northern Wheatear and several Swallows.
By the time I visited Harrington Airfield it was late afternoon and birds were hard to find and it was now drizzling. Northern Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Yellow Wagtail and over 100 Fieldfare were the best birds.
 However I then had two very different encounters. Firstly the dogs got highly excited over a scent which led them to stare rather tentatively into one of the many deep holes around the bunkers.  When I peered into the hole they were looking into I found myself staring into the rather cute face of a polecat !!!!   It had obviously fallen/jumped into the hole and couldn't climb the smooth deep sides to get out. It was a beautiful looking creature. So we all stared at each other for a few minutes before I collected some wood and branches and put them into the hole hoping that the polecat would climb out.   As it seemed reluctant to move whilst I was standing there I wandered off around the bunkers and left it alone.  About 30 mins later I decided to wander back and see how the polecat was getting on and as I neared the hole I had my second encounter, a group of young lads clutching armfuls of alcohol and bags.  I don't know who jumped the most, me or them. Anyway my young collie was not happy with them and sounded quite fierce as he barked at them and they scarpered very quickly over the field towards the main road.  Goodness knows what they were up to ?
I carried on to the polecat in the hole and thankfully it had managed to get out using my makeshift wooden ladder.
My good sense of timing continued as I just reached my car before a very heavy shower appeared, phew.

Regards Eleanor

" My " Great Grey Shrike was showing well today in the small bushes/trees running alongside the stream below Hanging Houghton village. I wished it both a good morning and a good evening today !!    Other birds seen in the valley included 2 Grey Partridge , male Wheatear, 2 Brambling and rather surprisingly a single Corn Bunting.
A visit to Harrington Airfield produced a singing Willow Warbler, male Wheatear and well over 200 Fieldfares in the bushes.
Our garden is still attracting good numbers of birds.  As I looked out into the garden I thought how colourful it looked with Yellowhammers, 2 male Brambling, 10 male Reed Buntings, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinches and Chaffinches.

Earlier in the week [3rd April] Eric visited Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston. A good variety of birds seen , 3 Pink Footed Geese, Great White Egret in breeding plumage and Curlew at the Aldwincle end. A Whooper Swan on town lake. A pair of Oystercatcher on long island.  Singing Chiffchaffs, Blackcap and 2 Willow Warbler and the sight of wave after wave of hirundines moving through.

Regards Eleanor

Although I didn't manage to get out and about as much as I had hoped today I did bump into the Great Grey Shrike three times. It seems to be favouring the small bushes/trees alongside the stream below Hanging Houghton. 
Whilst training near Mears Ashby I noted a large flock of Fieldfares, approx 90 birds feeding in the horse fields on the short grass.  This is the largest flock that I have seen for a while and it makes you realise that they most have already headed northwards.
A quick look at Sywell Reservoir produced a Swallow, Willow Warbler and Cettis Warbler.

A reminder that the Northamptonshire Bird Club meet tomorrow evening at 19.30hrs at The Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir.  The speaker will be Alan Peters and it promises to be an interesting talk on " Kazakhstan----Birding the Steppes and Mountains of Central Asia"
Everyone is welcome, tea/coffee etc provided. 

Regards Eleanor

I am amazed that the Great Grey Shrike which I found a few months ago is still here !!  This morning as I was walking the dogs it was perched on the bushes alongside the stream below Hanging Houghton. It was showing very well but by the time I had run back to the car to fetch my camera it had moved further along the stream, but I managed a few pics.
Late this afternoon when I was again walking the dogs it was still in the same place.  
As it was a lovely day and perfect "running" weather so I duly obliged. My route took me along the Brampton Valley Way and as I ran across a small horse paddock near Draughton Crossing I practically fell over a super male Ring Ouzel feeding on the short grass with 2 Fieldfares and several Blackbirds.
Other birds today include a singing Grey Wagtail, 2 Grey Partridge, Brambling, Siskin and Raven.

Regrads   Eleanor