Sunny but restricted Tuesday

Hello

Some stunning weather out there today, such a shame that it wasn't possible to properly exploit it with the new restrictions on movement and leaving home.

Eleanor's permitted outdoor exercise regime ensured she went out running with the collies and Tor in tow. The best bird located was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming and calling along the Brampton Valley Way south of the Kelmarsh Tunnels and between the junctions of the respective footpaths to Harrington Airfield and also Maidwell.

My limited excursion today provided me with a north-bound Swallow flying over the road between Pitsford Reservoir causeway and Brixworth village, my first in the UK this year.

Birds in the garden included up to seven Reed Buntings and a few Yellowhammers and a couple of fly-through butterflies included a smart male Brimstone or two.

These are extraordinary times and it is important we all play our part at reducing risks with appropriate social distancing; hopefully we can all see a little of our local wildlife whilst doing so!

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gull.

Drake Goldeneye.

Above two images courtesy
of John Gamble.

Bearded Tit.

Black-tailed Godwit.

Above two images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Lock Down!

Hello

Yesterday (Sunday) and I picked up a dead Barn Owl between Maidwell and Scotland Wood which appeared to be a road casualty. It seemed to be a male bird and is now retained for toxicology analysis.

Also yesterday Kenny and Sarah completed a short ringing session at Linford Lakes and they processed a Song Thrush, three Redwings, a Wren, two Chiffchaffs, five Blue Tits, a Great Tit, five Long-tailed Tits, a Treecreeper, two Dunnocks, a Goldcrest and a Chaffinch. 

Today and new birds in the county seemed to be sparse - a Hooded Crow was reported near to Elinor Lake at Thrapston Pits but wasn't seen subsequently. At Summer Leys there was a Ruff, several Redshanks, ten plus Common Snipe, a Great White Egret, a Ring-necked Parakeet and a Wheatear nearby at Wollaston Sewer Works.

The two drake Scaup and a Redshank were seen at Clifford Hill Pits and Harrington Airfield hosted a flock of about thirty Golden Plovers and at least one Raven.

Today all Anglian Water sites and associated reserves were closed to the public and permit holders, and this includes Pitsford Reservoir. This is partly in recognition of the huge numbers of people visiting over the weekend and the risks that this potentially creates.

And the latest ministerial direction (this evening) is that we are now to stay at home so I'm afraid the contents of this blog will be rather limited in the days ahead!

Stay safe everyone!

Neil M

'Tis the season for romance!

Great Crested Grebes by
Robin Gossage.

Sunny Sunday!

Hello

This morning there were two Barn Owls again hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton with the village again attracting Chiffchaffs and Ravens.

A pleasant walk at Harrington Airfield this morning didn't produce much of any note except an adult Peregrine and plenty of finches and thrushes.

Stanwick Pits provided two Great White Egrets and a female Scaup this morning and Summer Leys produced a Little Ringed Plover, at least four Curlews, a Dunlin and a Great White Egret. Thrapston Pits hosted a Great White Egret and up to seven Curlews and the Ditchford Lane pits west of Ditchford Lane attracted another Great White Egret and six Oystercatchers.

Clifford Hill Pits hung on to at least one Scaup, the Dark-bellied Brent Goose and a Wheatear and the two Black-necked Grebes were reported again. Elsewhere a Willow Warbler was noted at Sixfields Lake, Northampton and the Ravensthorpe Reservoir Firecrest showed well in bushes and hedging at the Coton-end of the causeway.

Regards

Neil M

Plenty of Curlews
in the county today!

...and there are still
plenty of Redwings
moving through too!

Both images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Blocking wind from the east

Hello

A cool and blustery easterly wind has created a bottleneck of migrants trying to move up the UK and the county is full of these migrants which include flocks of gulls, Golden Plovers, thrushes, finches, Meadow Pipits and wagtails and others. Chiffchaffs are numerous and vocal as they push up gently through the spine of Britain.

Clifford Hill Pits held the same birds as the day before with the pair of Black-necked Grebes, two drake Scaup, a Dark-bellied Brent Goose, fifteen Sand Martins and a Wheatear. Summer Leys sounded quieter with the Brambling still at the Feeding Station, three Sand Martins and two Ravens. Thrapston Pits hosted a Great White Egret, a pair of Goosander, a pair of Oystercatchers, Sand Martins and plenty of Chifchaffs and nine Cetti's Warblers.

A Marsh Harrier was reported from Harrington Airfield and a Short-eared Owl and a Wheatear were at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry. A flock of one hundred and fifty plus Golden Plovers were in fields close to Yardley Gobion this morning.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there was a Great White Egret north of the causeway, a Sand Martin, a pair of Oystercatchers and a Water Rail remains under the bushes at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station. A third calendar year Yellow-legged Gull and a hunting Barn Owl were visible from the Sailing Club this evening.

Further Barn Owls included two in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and another near Lamport Station.

The best new bird found today was a Firecrest this afternoon at Ravensthorpe Reservoir as found by Jonathan Cook. The bird was present in trees and bushes at the Coton-end of the causeway at the 'T' junction there.

Regards

Neil M

Goldcrest.

Courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Firecrest.

Wheatears and more!

Hello

An early morning foray to the top of Blueberry Hill near Maidwell this morning produced a Wheatear!

Harrington Airfield also hosted a Wheatear plus a Snipe, a gaggle of Tree Sparrows and good numbers of Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, Chaffinches and Linnets and smaller numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare.

Another Wheatear was at Hartwell today and Summer Leys hosted a Mediterranean Gull, seven Black-tailed Godwits, a Kingfisher, a Wheatear, two Grey Wagtails and a Brambling. Stanwick Pits attracted two Great White Egrets, three Redshanks and a Dunlin.

However it was Clifford Hill Pits that provided the most interesting birds with two summer plumage Black-necked Grebes on the Nene Barrage as found by Adrian. The Dark-bellied Brent Goose was also still there plus two drake Scaup, a Raven, sixty Golden Plovers and sixty Sand Martins.

Four Green Sandpipers were at Deene Lake today and Pitsford Reservoir was good for a Great White Egret, a Little Egret, fourteen Sand Martins and another Wheatear. Chiffchaffs are in good numbers throughout the county now.

Regards

Neil M

Golden Plovers at
Clifford Hill Pits today
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Redwing.

Redwings and Fieldfares are
currently moving through the
county in high numbers.
Image courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Slow steps to spring

Hello

Birds at Brixworth Water Treatment Works this morning included a Barn Owl, three Snipe and three Grey Wagtails. Meadow Pipits, Redwings and Fieldfares were moving north in good numbers for the first couple of hours from dawn this morning...

Jim Dunkley noted a large flock of five hundred plus Golden Plovers at and close to Sywell Aerodrome today.

At Earls Barton Pits today the single Knot was still present as was a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, a Wheatear, a Ring-necked Parakeet, a Shelduck, eleven Snipe, and a Sand Martin. Clifford Hill Pits still hosted the Dark-bellied Brent Goose today plus two drake Scaup, a Redshank, a Peregrine and three Sand Martins.

This evening a Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A short ringing session took place at Bradden this morning before the drizzle hit and yielded 36 birds made up of Blue, Coal and Great Tits, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches. a couple of Robins and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Regards

Neil M

Part of the Golden Plover
flock at Sywell today, courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Eurasian Kestrel
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Damp birding

Hello

Limited opportunities for personal birding but a few bits and pieces seen in the county today despite a rather damp second half of the day...

A Chiffchaff in our Hanging Houghton garden and some noisy Ravens nearby were pleasurable sounds and Eleanor's foray in to the Brampton Valley below this village yielded a Barn Owl this morning and two north-bound vocal Curlews this afternoon. Another Barn Owl was hunting between Holcot village and the A43.

A quick check of the Sailing Club grounds at Pitsford Reservoir this evening provided an excellent view of a hunting Weasel as it sought high and low for a vole which it could obviously smell. The vole broke cover and hid in some waterside detritus but to no avail as the Weasel tracked it down by scent and dispatched it and ran off with it. A sad end for the vole which obviously knew it was being hunted; when you are that small you are a tasty morsel for a broad range of predators. Ten Sand Martins were noted flying around the Pintail Bay.

Summer Leys was still home to the Knot this morning but the count went up to five birds, albeit it sounds like they became elusive later. Also a Redshank, nine Snipe, four Oystercatchers and a Great White Egret were on the reserve today. Other birds for the Nene Valley included an Osprey at Thrapston Pits, perched on a pylon next to Elinor Lake, and the Dark-bellied Brent Goose was still at Clifford Hill Pits together with a Great White Egret and over a hundred Golden Plovers.

Regards

Neil M

Common Buzzard
courtesy of John Tilly,

Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Nene Valley birding

Hello

A bird ringing session took place at Kelmarsh Hall today which resulted in 156 captures of 15 species. The majority of the birds were Blue Tits and Great Tits but other birds included two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Nuthatches, six Dunnocks, two Robins, a Wren, three Coal Tits, three Marsh Tits, two Long-tailed Tits, a Treecreeper, a Goldcrest, three Chiffchaffs, four Chaffinches and six Goldfinches. 

One of the Blue Tits was a ringed bird from elsewhere, we will find out where in due course.

Birds noted on-site included Raven, a Grey Wagtail and singles of Brambling and Siskin. There were a couple of big flocks of Fieldfares swirling around locally today, each flock a minimum of 150 birds.

A Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and another was hunting at Brixworth Water Treatment Works this afternoon.

The Nene Valley produced some interesting birds today with Clifford Hill scoring best with a Black Redstart at the west end of the complex near to Hardingstone Dyke, a Dark-bellied Brent Goose and the two drake Scaup still. Summer Leys held on to the Knot plus Redshanks, a Curlew, a Shelduck, five or six Snipe, a Great White Egret and a couple of Sand Martins. A Curlew was seen to fly through at Stanwick Pits this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Black Redstart.

Knot.

Blue Tit!
Nearly eighty of these
amazing little birds were
processed at Kelmarsh
 Hall today!

Brixworth Ringing

Hello

A bird ringing session took place today at Brixworth Water Treatment Works in pleasant conditions.

A few surprises among the seventy-five birds processed included a male Northern Wheatear and a Common Snipe. Other birds included two Blackbirds, seven Dunnocks, ten Wrens, six Goldcrests, four Chiffchaffs, thirteen Blue Tits, nine Great Tits, a Long-tailed Tit, a Willow Tit, six Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, three Meadow Pipits, a Chaffinch and nine Reed Buntings.

Other birds on-site included another nine Snipe, a Water Rail and an overflying Raven.

A Knot and two Great White Egrets were at Summer Leys today, an adult Mediterranean Gull was at Stanwick Pits and a female Scaup was on Dragonfly Lake, Ditchford Pits.

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe.

Northern Wheatear
(Southern European form).

Corona Virus

Hello

The Northants Bird Club have made the decision to cancel the next two indoor meetings which were planned for 1st April and 6th May 2020. This is due to the escalating Corona Virus pandemic and the fact that in due course it seems very likely that more of us will be required to self isolate even if we don't display symptoms. Any change to this policy and plans for meetings later in the year will be documented here and on the NBC blogsite.

I spent several hours at Brixworth Water Treatment Works this afternoon, preparing the site for a ringing session there tomorrow. Birds noted included a Water Rail, about a dozen Snipe, a male Stonechat, a singing Willow Tit and three Grey Wagtails. There were plenty of Redwings and Fieldfares and Meadow Pipits on the move this afternoon, particularly as the rain subsided.

The county was a good place to be today if you like Great White Egrets! Four birds were confirmed at Thrapston Pits, two were at Stanwick Pits and two were at Summer Leys. Two Cattle Egrets, a couple of Redshanks and a Peregrine were also at Stanwick and a Knot was seen in flight there this afternoon. Single Grey Wagtails were at Beck Dairy, Cottesbrooke and Maidwell.

This evening the weather perked up and Eleanor enjoyed a nice suite of birds at Harrington Airfield including two unidentified 'grey geese' distantly on the deck (possibly Bean), a Short-eared Owl, two Barn Owls, three Stonechats, four Grey Partridges and lots of Fieldfares.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Wagtail.

Great White Egret.

Stonechat.

Avocets

Hello

A little exotica in the county today with an Avocet found at Boddington Reservoir followed by five more being found at Summer Leys. There were other birds seen in counties to the south and east of us and apparently the movement was emulated as far away as Holland with large flocks turning up at a variety of sites. It seems that the Summer Leys birds didn't last very long but the Boddington bird was still there this evening.

Pitsford Reservoir today sadly didn't seem to have an Avocet, the best birds being a Great White Egret, three Little Egrets, a pair of Oystercatchers, a handful of Chiffchaffs and a couple of Grey Wagtails. Thrapston Pits supported three or four Great White Egrets, two Little Egrets, a Goosander and several Chiffchaffs. Another Goosander was at Abington Park today and nearby at Clifford Hill Pits Mark Williams saw the two drake Scaup, a Great White Egret, fourteen Goosanders, a pair of Oystercatchers, a Raven and three Stonechats.

Stanwick still hung on to three Great White Egrets today plus two Egyptian Geese and other birds for Summer Leys included a Great White Egret, two Yellow-legged Gulls, Snipe and Oystercatcher.

Two Barn Owls were hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and Harrington Airfield birders today saw a Stonechat, a Barn Owl, a few Snipe and a female Brambling.

Regards

Neil M

Robberfly sp with victim.

Wasp sp.

Spring is nearly here and it'll
be the return of the insects soon.
Both images courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Garden Rook nest!

Garden Sparrowhawk!

Both above images courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

Today it was the WeBS count at Ditchford Pits which for the most part was completed in pleasant weather conditions. A Water Pipit was located west of Ditchford Lane near to the Viaduct Pit but then it flew further west over the railway line. Other birds included a Great White Egret in the same area and at least one pair of Oystercatchers, forty-one Snipe, five Kingfishers, plenty of Cetti's Warblers and Chiffchaffs, a Grey Wagtail, three Water Rails and plenty of nesting Cormorants and Grey Herons. Two Egyptian Geese were seen on the Delta Pit but were otherwise conspicuous through their absence.

Stanwick Pits today hosted five Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret, two Redshanks and three Ravens and Summer Leys continued to attract a Great White Egret, four Oystercatchers and three singing Chiffchaffs.

A single Egyptian Goose was seen flying fast and east over Oundle this evening.

After the rain had passed this evening Harrington Airfield was the place to be for two hunting Barn Owls, four Stonechats, a stunning male Brambling and three Ravens. The wintering flock of eight Tree Sparrows remain too.

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant.

Male Stonechat.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Female Eurasian Wigeon.

Drake Eurasian Wigeon.

Images courtesy of John Tilly.

Subtle migration

Hello

A breezy and cool couple of days and not much different on the local birding scene. Although the strong winds reduce overhead migration it doesn't stop it. Still at night it is possible to hear the calls of Redwing, Moorhen and Coot all strong, regular nocturnal migrants and in the day time perhaps Meadow Pipits, wagtails and gulls are the more obvious movers.

Migration is further evidenced by the lack of certain birds...most of the wintering Lapwings have slipped away, as have many of the Teal, Wigeon and other waterfowl. Fieldfares and Redwings are in swirling flocks around the wet fields or sub-songing unobtrusively from copse or orchard. Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests are now joining the Robins, Skylarks, Blackbirds and Mistle and Song Thrushes in the dawn chorus. Chaffinches, Reed Buntings and chats are all on the move but it is subtle and not so easily to discern - visual skills are not always sufficient and audio plays a huge part in our appreciation of what our feathery friends are up to!

Yesterday (Wednesday) and birds reported locally included five Cattle Egrets and two Great White Egrets at Stanwick Pits plus the seven Redshanks still. Clifford Hill held two Scaup, two Oystercatchers, five Goosanders, eighty plus Golden Plovers and a couple of Ravens. A pair of Goosander were on the River Tove near Shutlanger and Andrew Cook saw a Woodcock and several singing Chiffchaffs at Harlestone Heath.

Today (Thursday) and birds reported included a Great White Egret and four Oystercatchers at Summer Leys. Pitsford Reservoir continued to attract the almost resident Yellow-legged Gull (now a third calendar year bird) near the dam and a Grey Wagtail, with a Great White Egret and two Oystercatchers and a reasonable flock of Yellowhammers in the Scaldwell Bay.

For me and a couple of other volunteers, the day was spent erecting, checking and maintaining nest boxes and topping up the feeders on the Kelmarsh Estate with no birds of note found I'm afraid!

Regards

Neil M

Second calendar year
Black-headed Gull courtesy
of John Tilly.

Adult Common Gull
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Lots of spring lambs
about now!
Image courtesy of John Tilly.

Pairs of prospecting Oystercatchers
are now at most of our bigger wetland
sites...image courtesy of John Tilly.

Kestrel. My impression is that
there has been a reasonable number of
wintering birds in the county over
the last four or five months.
Image courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

The small numbers of wildfowl present meant that the WeBS count at Pitsford Reservoir today was completed by two observers in just over five hours! Eleanor walked the perimeter south of the causeway and I walked around the reserve north of the causeway in windy but mild conditions and even some weak sunshine!

Two Great White Egrets were together in the Walgrave Bay and a single seen later in the Scaldwell Bay could potentially have been a third bird. Three Little Egrets were also present in the Scaldwell Bay and Grey Herons were easy to see today as they went about their early breeding efforts. One pair has elected to build a nest in bushes between the Bird Club and James Fisher Hides.

At least two Kingfishers were in the Holcot Bay where fishing must have been difficult in the muddy, discoloured water and two Oystercatchers and twenty Snipe were between the causeway and Maytrees Hide. Migrants included a Grey Wagtail on the causeway and four Chiffchaffs.

Elsewhere and Chris Green saw a Great White Egret at East Pit on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows section of the Ditchford Pits complex.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebe. Present in just small
numbers at Pitsford today, some will remain
to breed.

Grey Heron. A dozen or so pairs
are expected to nest at Pitsford this year.

Just one drake Shoveler
was seen at Pitsford today!

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Ringing at Scotland Wood.

Hello

Some pleasant spring weather today which then gave way to rain this afternoon (and overnight apparently). A ringing session at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today provided 113 captures of eleven species made up of 73 newly-ringed birds and 40 birds with rings previously affixed.

The birds were made up of a Blackbird, two Dunnocks, two Robins, two Goldcrests, twenty-five Great Tits, fifty-three Blue Tits, five Coal Tits, a Marsh Tit, ten Long-tailed Tits, a Nuthatch and eleven Chaffinches. A Chiffchaff was present early on and a Peregrine flew low over the wood and visible migration overhead included a spattering of Meadow Pipits. Another Chiffchaff was noted at Hanging Houghton.

At Harrington Airfield this morning more visible migration saw two Grey Wagtails, more Meadow Pipits and a seasonal Sand Martin moving through. A pair of Stonechat were present and a Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl were hunting almost together.

In the Nene Valley, Stanwick Pits hosted a fly through Barnacle Goose again, four Cattle Egrets and a Great White Egret plus seven Redshanks, six Oystercatchers, ten plus Goosanders, a Snipe and a Water Rail plus three singing Chiffchaffs. Nick Parker saw a Great White Egret at Ringstead Pits and Clifford Hill provided for two drake Scaup, two Oystercatchers, fifty plus Golden Plovers and a Peregrine.

Regards

Neil M

Long-tailed Tit. Nationally it is
thought that last year was a particularly
productive year for this species
 but my impression was that it was much
 more of an ordinary year locally.

Eurasian Wigeon. The wintering population
is fast diminishing but the remaining birds are
vocal and active and preparing for the
forthcoming breeding season.

Both images courtesy of Robin Gossage.