Cuckoos, owls, Grasshopper Warblers and baby birds!

Hello

Yesterday evening (Tuesday) and Kenny Cramer tried his luck at continuing his Cuckoo ringing project at Linford Lakes and successfully caught his second bird within a week.

Eric's expedition on the Titchmarsh Reserve yesterday provided two Hobbies, three Cuckoos and the now standard breeding birds on site which includes excellent numbers of all-sorted warblers.

Sad news that the Barn Owl taken into care after being found in Scaldwell village last week didn't make it and died, but the good news is that another bird was seen flying around the village at the week-end. A adult Tawny Owl was dead alongside the A508 south of Maidwell today.

Up to two or three 'reeling' Grasshopper Warblers have been present at Harrington Airfield this spring and there were still two this morning. None of these individuals have been easy to spot but Pete Gilbert set about trying to see one of these birds and capturing a digital image- well done Pete!

Stanwick Pits this morning (Wednesday) provided sightings of two Cattle Egrets and a Curlew and two Ospreys were over the A5199 near Hollowell this afternoon. The drake Mandarin Duck was north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and was feeling amorous towards, of all things, a Greylag Goose! A Turtle Dove was heard 'purring' at a site in the county today.

Birds recently fledged during the last couple of days include Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch and Starling and for those researchers completing nestbox surveys, this is the time to be ringing the nestlings of Great and Blue Tits and other species too. Some Swallows in the county have young in the nest already (it feels like they've only just arrived)!

Just a reminder that there will be some bird ringing at Harrington Airfield tomorrow (Thursday) which ensures that there will be access restrictions on the old airstrip and bunkers. The concrete track and footpaths remain unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Cuckoo courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Skulking Grasshopper Warbler at
Harrington Airfield courtesy
of Pete Gilbert.

Fledgling Blackbird
courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Nestling Great Tits
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Stock Dove squabs
courtesy of Chris Payne.
They definitely look much
prettier when they grow up!

Birds of soaring temperatures

Hello

A dull, cloudy and breezy start to the day which then gave way to strong sunshine and high temperatures.

A ringing session took place at Harrington Airfield this morning and with the social distance rules it meant just a single ringer on-site which also means that just four mist nets were deployed. The catch was a modest forty-eight birds of seventeen species, thirteen of these were birds previously ringed on-site. The total was made up of a Woodpigeon, two female Green Woodpeckers, two Blackbirds, a Song Thrush, three Long-tailed Tits, a Blue Tit, two Great Tits, three Willow Warblers, a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Common Whitethroat, a Robin, a Dunnock, two Goldfinches, two Linnets, twenty-three Yellowhammers and a Tree Sparrow.

Two of the Willow Warblers were returning birds from 2018 and 2019, the Common Whitethroat from last year and one of the Linnets was a returning male from 2017.

Two Grasshopper Warblers were 'reeling' there (one for only a short time) and butterflies included Orange-tip, Small Heath and Common Blue.

Elsewhere and Bob Bullock watched a Marsh Harrier overfly Summer Leys this morning and another Grasshopper Warbler was singing in the Nene Valley between Ecton SF and Whiston Locks.

Regards

Neil M

Grasshopper Warbler
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Tiger Cranefly sp
courtesy of Robin
Gossage.

Raptors and more!

Hello

Adrian's early morning muster at Earls Barton was successful at locating a Garganey on the Summer Leys reserve and a Cattle Egret frequenting the area around Hardwater Lake. A Ringed Plover was there briefly this evening.

The Red-footed Falcon was reportedly still present at Ringstead Pits today, apparently showing to the south west of Kinewell Lake.

Thrapston Pits today hosted two Cuckoos, four Hobbies, a Curlew, the family of Oystercatchers and plenty of butterflies and dragonflies on the wing - information courtesy of Eric Graham.

An Osprey fished successfully at Pitsford Reservoir early this afternoon and took it's trout to a tree to eat and this evening a Dunlin flew around the Scaldwell Bay and then continued on it's way north west. A Broad-bodied Chaser (dragonfly) paid our garden a very brief visit this afternoon and a Raven passed over. Two Hobbies were hunting at Greens Norton today.

A Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling' well at Harrington Airfield this morning near to Bunker One and butterflies included a pair of Small Heaths. Please note that bird ringing is planned for this site tomorrow and Thursday and access to the old air strip and Bunkers is not possible during this time. Access via the footpaths and concrete track is not affected. 

This evening a male Peregrine was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and a Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Thank-you

Neil M

Kestrel.

Linnet.

An Osprey over Harrington Airfield
a few days ago...

Red Kite.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Sunny Sunday

Hello

A stunning day's weather in sunny Northamptonshire but the breeze still had an edge to it, particularly when the sun hid behind the clouds!

Yesterday's star bird the Red-footed Falcon was seen on and off over Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits today but it seemed to be habitually feeding higher up and consequently less easy to track. There were several Hobbies there too.

Elsewhere and there were singing Grasshopper Warblers at Harrington Airfield today and also in the Nene Valley between Cogenhoe Mill and Whiston Lock. On territory Nightingale and Turtle Dove were noted in the county today (site locations withheld) and two each of Cuckoo were noted near Ashton Treatment Works and Ditchford Pits at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve. A single Hobby was noted at Stortons Pits, a Spotted Flycatcher was still at Beck Dairy (Cottesbrooke) and Ravens were noted at Maidwell (three) and near Old.

Kenny and Sarah completed some bird ringing at Linford lakes on the outskirts of Milton Keynes this morning and processed 37 birds of eleven species. The star bird was a first year Cuckoo, not a bird caught regularly anywhere, but Sarah and Kenny have the knack of catching them (five in 2017)! Much of the rest were an excellent number of twenty-one Reed Warblers including a bird ringed elsewhere. Other birds included singles of Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap and a Robin, six Reed Buntings, two Long-tailed Tits, a Blue Tit and a dapper Kingfisher.

Two or three Barn Owls were hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Cuckoo. The moult break with the
grey adult feathers contrasting with
the chestnut barred feathers of the
juvenile plumage from last year makes
it an easy bird to age as a first year.
Images courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Iron Prominant moth.

Lesser Swallow Prominant moth.

Moth images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Red-footed Falcon

Hello

A lively birding day in the county today!

Steve Fisher commenced proceedings as early as 4.15am when he heard a minimum of two Common Cranes calling east of Irthlingborough. He went on to Stanwick Pits and saw a drake Garganey on the Main Pit.

Nick Parker was at Summer Leys this morning and located a drake Garganey there plus the Black-tailed Godwit too. David Arden witnessed a Marsh Harrier flying east over Spratton village at 8.50am.

Birdguides reported the Wood Sandpiper on a pool to the east side of Ecton SF again today and two Hobbies were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton again today.

However it was that man Nick Parker again that stole the show by finding a superb first year Red-footed Falcon feeding over Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits. Nick was just commencing his monthly WeBS count when the falcon flew through his binoculars, and that was after he had spent some hours at Thrapston yesterday going through the Hobby flock there looking for a Red-foot! Up to five Hobbies were also over Kinewell Lake today, also catching insects.

Regards

Neil M

Red-footed Falcon.

Hobbies, Barn Owls, waders and more

Hello

Very similar weather to the last few days, it was again bright and breezy today!

A Barn Owl was out hunting near Old this morning and the early shift at Stanwick Pits provided news of a Whimbrel on the islands of the Layby Pit and a couple of Dunlin on the Main Pit. Summer Leys hosted two drake Garganey, a Black-tailed Godwit, two Redshanks, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Hobby, Shelduck and Egyptian Geese.

Thrapston Pits provided a super sight of 14 Hobbies hawking over the Titchmarsh Reserve this morning plus a Cuckoo and the Oystercatcher family.

A Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and two Spotted Flycatchers were at Beck Dairy, Cottesbrooke. Two Ravens overflew the garden but didn't linger.

Regards

Neil M

Dunnock.

Juvenile Blackbird.

The Common Frog!

Garden Lockdown images
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Cool, bright and fabulous!

Hello

Another frost and another day of cold air but plenty of sunshine - I don't think I can remember such a bright spring!

Quite a bit of ground covered locally and it's great to hear and see so many warblers - Common Whitethroats and Blackcaps in particular seem to have enjoyed an excellent arrival. A Spotted Flycatcher flew over our garden twice this morning and made it on to the May garden list as did Bullfinch and this evening two vocal Common Terns flew over and were further additions. We missed a Cuckoo which was calling north of the village this morning! A Turtle Dove was seen in the NN6 postal district today.

The best find in the county today was a Wood Sandpiper at the rarely visited Ecton Sewer Works, on a pool at the eastern end of the complex. Stanwick Pits yielded a pair of Garganey, two Cattle Egrets and a Common Sandpiper on the main pit.

Thrapston Pits hosted a Hobby, three Cuckoos, a pair of Shelduck, a family of Oystercatchers, a Green Sandpiper and a mass of singing warblers of nine species. The Earls Barton Pits complex attracted good numbers of Hobbies today with four at Quarry Walk and others over Summer Leys and Mary's Lake. A Peregrine was at Quarry Walk too and a Black-tailed Godwit was in Wader Bay on the Summer Leys reserve with a Common Sandpiper and Four spotted Chaser Dragonfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly too. Graham Martin saw a Curlew between Bozenham and Hartwell.

Two Barn Owls were hunting at Blueberry Farm this evening, a Little Owl was again in the valley below Hanging Houghton and a Spotted Flycatcher was at Maidwell churchyard.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Pied Wagtail
Pitsford Reservoir dam.

Robin. Some pairs of this
species and also Blackbirds will
already be trying for their second
 broods of the season and many of
 the adults are already looking
 worn out!

There seem to be plenty
of Brown Hares about this
spring, definitely one of my
favourite mammals!

Birds of the cool spring breeze

Hello

Another breezy and cool day today but with periods of bright sunshine too and still dry, with a similar outlook for the next series of days ahead.

A female Sparrowhawk, possibly a first year, was marauding around our garden several times today and took a Blackbird at barely first light and later a Starling. Breeding female Sparrowhawks should be on the nest now with the male providing for her so she is either a non-breeding bird or she has lost her mate.

A day with opportunities to remain out and take plenty of exercise but the birding highlights remained rather lowly. Thrapston Pits though hosted an Osprey, three Hobbies, three Cuckoos and a mass of singing warblers on the Titchmarsh Reserve. Hobbies were also at Ringstead Pits and Earls Barton Pits and of course all our size-able waters are attracting large numbers of hirundines and in some cases Swifts.

There were three Common Sandpipers at Earls Barton Pits/Summer Leys today and a Little Owl and a Spotted Flycatcher in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Our 'recorded from the garden list' for May has gained two more species with Magpie and Yellowhammer and we are now on 49 species (but still no Dunnock)!

Bethan Clyne a gifted photographer and birder, and girlfriend to Jacob, won the Birdguides photograph of the week with her images of a Grey-headed Wagtail at Spurn. Bethan has kindly provided a couple of images of the bird for our perusal. Congratulations Bethan!

Regards

Neil M

Grey-headed (Yellow) Wagtail
courtesy of Bethan Clyne.

More Lockdown Images

Hello

A sharp frost this morning and cool overnight as forecast, but the wind strength was thankfully much less than the previous two days.

A Great White Egret was in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning as was a Spotted Flycatcher. The dam was the feeding area for two Common Sandpipers and plenty of wagtails including some juvenile Pied Wagtails which fledged last week.

Clifford Hill Pits this afternoon held singles of Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Little Egret and a lingering drake Wigeon, all on the main barrage flood relief pit.

Elsewhere and a Spotted Flyctacher was along the Brampton Valley Way at Draughton Crossing and there were Ravens at Hanging Houghton and near Lamport and a Kingfisher again along the brook below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Blackbird.

                                                                   

House Sparrow.

Starlings.

Woodpigeon.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage from his garden
 during lockdown.

                                                                    

                                              

Montagu's Harrier

Hello

The strong gusty winds from the north continued today but at least there were periods of sunshine to soften the blow.

Typically as spring progresses and our winter visitors slip away and are replaced by the regular summer visitors which become the norm, passage migrants dwindle and birds of interest are often reduced to a few individuals rare to the county. And so it proved today with very little reported on the birding scene but with a rare bird in the shape of a Montagu's Harrier seen by Gary Pullan at Boddington Reservoir this morning. This female bird was on show for up to fifteen minutes before moving away to the west. Officially the rarest breeding raptor in the UK, it is naturally a rare visitor to the county and Gary is to be congratulated on this find in cold, blustery conditions.

A Dunlin and a Ringed Plover were noted at Summer Leys today and Pitsford Reservoir still hosts two long-staying Yellow-legged Gulls (a first summer and a third summer).

The only recent additions to our 'recorded from the garden list' from the last couple of days has been Mallard and Lesser Black-backed Gull but I would love to know how far the Starlings are coming from to feast on our dried mealworms or gather them up to take to nestlings. I had estimated 5-8 pairs nesting in the village but there is more than that coming in for them and the peanut 'Flutter Butter'!

Regards

Neil M

Female Montagu's Harrier
courtesy of Eleanor.

A migrant flock
of Ringed Plovers
and Dunlin at Pitsford
Reservoir during 2015.
With the high water
levels this spring, waders
have been in short supply
at Pitsford this year.

A stunning shot of a
Swift by Dave Jackson.
Now back in reasonable
numbers and currently
decorating the skies above
our reservoirs and gravel pits.
Some are already back in
purpose-made nest boxes
erected for them locally.
Sadly the Covid 19 virus
has delayed the ambitious
plans to create an entirely new
colony of these threatened birds
with the erection of a large Swift
nesting tower within the
NN6 postal district.

Cold and windy Sunday

Hello

A cold and windy May day which will have been a significant upheaval to our breeding birds used to much warmer weather!

Bob Bullock kicked off proceedings in the county with the find of a Sanderling at Clifford Hill Pits this morning. This arctic-bound wader was in company with two Dunlin. A Ringed Plover was in the roadside quarry at Earls Barton next to the A45 and early this afternoon Adrian located two Cattle Egrets at Summer Leys where there was also a Dunlin.

There are still a few wild bird feeding stations requiring maintenance at this time of the year including three at Pitsford Reservoir and I visited one of these this morning to refill the feeders. Birds over the water included just-arrived Swifts, hirundines and Common Terns and still a variety of gulls but nothing of particular note.

The garden feeding station is more of a challenge trying to keep up with droves of Starlings, Jackdaws, Blackbirds and more coming in for protein-based food to feed their chicks!

Regards

Neil M

The village of Hanging Houghton
as viewed from Blueberry Hill. The
pink of the campion just below the
village contrasts with the yellow
of oil seed rape.

Yesterday evening's
sun prior to sunset,

Common Tern in this
morning's shower of
rain at Pitsford Reservoir.

Sultry Saturday

Hello

Plenty more sunshine in sunny Northants with the cloud bubbling up this evening ahead of a couple of forecast cold days.

The Wood Sandpiper was reported at Summer Leys today and a Ringed Plover was on the flooded field at Barnwell but very little else has hit the headlines!

An extra pair of Oystercatchers were by the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and a singing Spotted Flycatcher was in the usual spot in the trees next to the Sailing Club. A food-carrying Grey Wagtail near Brixworth and a pair of Kingfishers along the brook in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton indicates breeding birds.

The best birds from the garden today were Hobby and Raven and Large Red Damselflies were laying eggs in our garden pond.

A Barn Owl was sadly picked up in Scaldwell village in a weakened state today and taken into care.

Regards

Neil M

Raven overhead!

Large Red Damselfly.

Goldfinch courtesy of
John Tilly.