Slow slide to spring

Hello

Mostly grey and overcast for much of the day with patchy rain in some places.

Eyebrook Reservoir today recorded House Martin, Willow Warbler and Avocet as well as the Slavonian Grebe. Stanford Reservoir was good for a first year Caspian Gull, two Great White Egrets, a Pink-footed Goose, a Barn Owl, a Dunlin, two Common Snipe, two Oystercatchers, three Sand Martins and a White Wagtail.

The Great Northern Diver was still between Pintail Bay and the Narrows at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and there was also a Raven and three Yellow-legged Gulls.

The Scaup was still at Mary's Lake, Earls Barton Pits and the Glossy Ibis was seen near the Feeding Station on the Summer Leys reserve where there were up to five Black-tailed Godwits, a Great White Egret, three Little Ringed Plovers and a White Wagtail.

In the Nene Valley further west, six White-fronted Geese were still in meadows below Whiston with a drake Red-crested Pochard on the River Nene still. Two Avocets and two Pintail were on the new gravel pits there too where Common Snipe and Little Ringed Plover were also noted.

Ten Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers and a Redshank were on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

White-fronted Geese at Whiston.

Drake Red-crested Pochard at Whiston.

Images courtesy of David Smith

Local weekend delights!

Hello

Birds visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included the Great Northern Diver, three Yellow-legged Gulls (adult, second calendar year and third calendar year), a Curlew, a Raven, two Sand Martins and two Egyptian Geese flew in as I was leaving. The diver was acting aggressively towards a small group of Great Crested Grebes, behaviour I haven't witnessed before.

North of the causeway was a Curlew (possibly the same one), two Redshanks, two Sand Martins and a Great White Egret.

A Wheatear and two Green Sandpipers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and Harrington Airfield also hosted a Wheatear plus about eighty Golden Plovers and six Grey Partridges.

A Raven nest was confirmed on the Kelmarsh Estate and two Kingfishers were chasing each other at Fishponds Road, Little Billing today.

The bird list from Stanford Reservoir included two Great White Egrets, two Goosanders, a Water Rail, two Common Snipe, two Oystercatchers, two Sand Martins, two Lesser Redpolls and a White Wagtail.

In the Nene Valley a Marsh Harrier left it's roost at Stanwick Pits at 6am and at Earls Barton Pits the drake Scaup was still on Mary's Lake and the Glossy Ibis was on the Summer Leys reserve this afternoon. In the New Workings/Whiston area quality birds were still two Avocets, six Little Gulls, several White-fronted Geese, a Pink-footed Goose and a Barn Owl. 

The Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and the Richard's Pipit was still near Newport Pagnell.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The curious antics of Oystercatchers
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Male Bullfinch courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford Common Bird Census

Hello

The first CBC of the year at Pitsford Reservoir was completed today, so much for the forecast sunshine! At least it was mild if cloudy and most of the birds were singing despite the lack of sun. The early surveys are always useful for plotting some of our resident birds such as Dunnock, Wren and Robin before the summer visitors arrive and potentially drown out some bird song. Long-tailed Tits are in pairs now and busy confirming their territories and making ready to start nest-building. Already plenty of in-coming Chiffchaffs are re-establishing territories and many of the plantations had flocks of foraging Redwings, many quietly singing in the trees. 

There seemed to be about three each of Little and Great White Egrets (neither species breeds) which remained mobile, up to six Kingfishers, a Brambling, a pair of Ravens with a nest and three Sand Martins making the most of a significant fly hatch.

The south and west of the UK has 'suffered' an invasion of about thirty Hoopoes today although none making it as far as us (one made it to Islay in the Inner Hebrides)!

However the Little Gulls made it here with six at Whiston Wetlands, one at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve and three at Higham Lake at Ditchford Pits. Other birds in the Nene Valley at Whiston included seven White-fronted Geese, a Pink-footed Goose, two Avocets, the drake Red-crested Pochard, two Sand Martins, a Wheatear, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Green Sandpiper. Other birds on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve this morning were seven Dunlin, two Black-tailed Godwits, four Redshank, two Oystercatchers and an Egyptian Goose.

At Summer Leys birds included a Marsh Harrier and the Glossy Ibis with a drake Scaup on nearby Mary's Lake. Four Cattle Egrets and a Marsh Harrier were at Stanwick Pits early this morning and the Cattle Egret was still in a southern field at Clifford Hill Pits.

Away from the Nene Valley two Little Ringed Plovers were at Willowbrook Industrial Estate, Corby this morning, Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Swallow, an Osprey, three Jack Snipe, nineteen Common Snipe, a Yellow-legged Gull and about two hundred Redwings. Two Sand Martins were noted flying through at Cold Ashby Golf Course at noon today. The two White-fronted Geese were still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning.

A Blackcap was in a Duston garden, there were at least two Grey Wagtails in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and Stanford Reservoir was good for a Great White Egret, three Oystercatchers, three Common Snipe, two Water Rails, two Sand Martins and an Otter.

Two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and the remains of one was found next to the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir. The Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

The Clifford Hill
Cattle Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Redshanks courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Ruff and sleepy Shovelers
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Shovelers at Pitsford today.

Grey Heron at Pitsford today.

Wildfowl in the sunshine.

Hello

Very warm and sunny for much of the day but little change in the birds with most of the action further to the south of us.

Nevertheless two Avocets at Barnwell Lower Lock was a good find and they lingered to at least early afternoon.

Plenty of passage Meadow Pipits were moving overhead all day long, their calls barely a whisper as the temperature and their overflying height rose. Pied Wagtails, winter thrushes and Woodpigeons were on the move too, mostly heading north or east.

At Pitsford Reservoir both Curlew and Whimbrel were reported north of the causeway where there were also three Great White Egrets; an adult Yellow-legged Gull was again off the dam this evening.

An Osprey with a Bream or Bream hybrid was photographed at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon and the warm temperatures in the county brought forth a variety of butterflies with Brimstone dominating proceedings. The two White-fronted Geese remained at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning.

Stanford Reservoir recorded double-figure Chiffchaff numbers plus two Goosanders, two Oystercatchers, a Water Rail and a Common Snipe. A pair of Grey Partridge were at Harrington Airfield this morning.

The drake Scaup at Earls Barton Pits was on Mary's Lake today and two Ruff and a Dunlin were on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR. Clifford Hill Pits hosted a Cattle Egret still plus three Dunlin and two Little Ringed Plovers. Four Cattle Egrets were noted at North Lake, Stanwick Pits and a single Little Ringed Plover was on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve. Eight Sand Martins were already showing an interest in the Sand Martin nesting wall on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits.

Two Barn Owls were again hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Gadwall.

Great Crested Grebe.

Shoveler.

Teal.

Tufted Ducks.

All images courtesy
of John Tilly.

Southerly air flow

Hello

Another cold one last night but finally some warm air arriving from the south today! So far it hasn't changed the local bird scene a great deal but there were definitely more Chiffchaffs about today. Further south the changing weather conditions caused plenty of up-channel migration as seen from southerly and south-easterly headlands with waterfowl dominating on their passage north. It's possible that the local birding tomorrow will reflect this as we keenly anticipate the arrival of Garganey, passage Common Scoters, more waders and the like.

Three Cattle Egrets were seen in flight at Stanwick Pits this morning and Summer Leys LNR retained the Glossy Ibis and drake Scaup with waders amounting to passage Common Snipe, two Ruff, a Dunlin, a Redshank, a Golden Plover, a Little Ringed Plover and a Jack Snipe.

Nearby there were still seven White-fronted Geese and a Pink-footed Goose in the valley below Cogenhoe towards the on-going gravel extraction workings. The drake Smew was still at Clifford Hill Pits and there were two Dunlin and two Little Ringed Plovers on the shoreline. The Cattle Egret was still in fields south of the complex. A Little Ringed Plover and two Dunlin were on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits.

A Jack Snipe, a Common Snipe and five Sand Martins were noted at Hollowell Reservoir.

In the Brampton Valley there were four Grey Wagtails below Brixworth and two Barn Owls below Hanging Houghton. Another Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh Hall with Ravens over Higham Ferrers and on the Kelmarsh Estate. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Ruff courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Blue Tit courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Nuthatch courtesy
of Sean Gower.

Marsh Tit courtesy
of Sean Gower.

Starlings, Avocets and the long-stayers

Hello

Another cool day with a breezy easterly but some fabulous sunshine too.

Birds at Lilbourne Water Meadows today included at least one Little Ringed Plover, a Golden Plover, a pair of Redshanks, ten Common Snipe, a Shelduck, three hundred and forty-five Wigeon, a Raven and two hundred Starlings plus a scattering of winter thrushes.

There were four hundred Starlings at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby and Harrington Airfield this afternoon hosted a male Brambling and a pair of Grey Partridge. 

The two White-fronted Geese were still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and two Jack Snipe were seen at Hollowell Reservoir.

In the Nene Valley four Avocets stayed for a short time at Summer Leys LNR where there were also a Ruff, a Dunlin, four Common Snipe, four Oystercatchers, a drake Scaup and a Great White Egret. The Glossy Ibis was in a flooded field just east of Hardwater Crossing.

Clifford Hill Pits again caused the drake Smew and the Cattle Egret to stay longer plus two Dunlin were seen. The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston  provided sightings of three Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers, two Cetti's Warblers and several Chiffchaffs.

Eight White-fronted Geese were in the Nene Valley east of Cogenhoe Mill with the flock of Canada and Greylag Geese at lunchtime.

Regards

Neil M

Animals of Lilbourne
Water Meadows - the
black sheep and Roe Deer.

Red Fox.

Starling courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

The Pitsford Reservoir WeBS count today was a rather cold affair but at least it was dry! The long-staying juvenile Great Northern Diver was still in the Narrows south of the causeway but this area of the reservoir remains very quiet for birds as it has been all winter. 

On arrival at the reservoir an Osprey was north of the causeway and attracting attention from gulls and corvids and eventually drifted out of the back of the Scaldwell Bay. Interestingly the famous female Osprey (Maya) from Rutland Water arrived at her nest in Manton Bay for the first time this year at 9.50am, seventy-five minutes later after the bird at Pitsford disappeared. However one of the birds of a more locally breeding pair was found at it's nest this afternoon so the identity of the Pitsford bird will remain a mystery!

Other birds north of the causeway included about seventy Common Snipe, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, six Great White Egrets, a Kingfisher and a few Siskins. Three sizeable flocks of Redwings were sub-singing in the plantations and there were at least twenty-two active Cormorant nests and ten active Grey Heron nests.

Fifty Yellowhammers were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and a female Sparrowhawk tried to take a Jackdaw in our garden this afternoon but thought better of it after the Jackdaw flock plus a couple of angry Carrion Crows swirled around over the scene and the Jackdaw was released. Probably the same Sparrowhawk is responsible for taking out three Blackbirds in our garden during the last two weeks but she tried something bigger today!

The Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Stanford Reservoir attracted a Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers, two Goosanders and two Kingfishers.

Mark's regular visits to Ravensthorpe and Hollowell Reservoirs paid off today with an unprecedented visit of four adult Caspian Gulls to Ravensthorpe Reservoir (possibly two pairs) and the two White-fronted Geese were still present as was a Brambling. Mark's subsequent visit to Hollowell Reservoir yielded a Bittern which flew to the back of the Guilsborough Bay plus a Jack Snipe.

Two Oystercatchers were at the Whiston Wetlands area plus two Green Sandpipers, a Redshank and a Shelduck.

The drake Smew and a Cattle Egret were at Clifford Hill Pits and a Scaup was noted at Summer Leys LNR and a Ruff and two Little Ringed Plovers were there this evening. Three adult White-fronted Geese were on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits and the potential hybrid Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck was also seen. A Marsh Harrier was at Stanwick Pits today.

It seems that the White-tailed Eagle that was in the county last week ended up in West Sussex.

Regards

Neil M

Osprey.

Little Ringed Plover.

Wren.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Another cold week-end!

Hello

Another cold night followed by a frosty morning and a cool day with some sunshine and cloud. No real change in the birds locally it seems and we still retain many of the long-term winterers.

Two vocal Hawfinches remain in Cottesbrooke village just to the east of the church in Main Street, two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and two Grey Wagtails, a Raven and displaying Lapwing were in the valley below Brixworth.

The Great Northern Diver was still at Pitsford Reservoir patrolling between Pintail Bay and the causeway and a Jack Snipe was seen too.

The Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and birds at Stanford Reservoir included two Great White Egrets, twelve Common Snipe, a Water Rail, a Goosander, two Oystercatchers, a Raven, a Cetti's Warbler and three Lesser Redpolls.

The drake Smew and the Cattle Egret were still at Clifford Hill Pits today where also three Little Ringed Plovers and Grey Partridge(s). Five White-fronted Geese were at Whiston Wetlands still where there was also a Red-crested Pochard and two Little Ringed Plovers. A Sand Martin flew west at Summer Leys LNR and the Richard's Pipit remains near Newport Pagnell.

Regards

Neil M

Adult female
Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Sean Gower.

Adult Redwing courtesy
of Sean Gower.

Goldcrest courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Coot courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Longer days but still cool temperatures

Hello

The Nene Valley continues to be the feature in the county that attracts many of the birds of interest currently.

Clifford Hill Pits still had it's drake Smew and a Cattle Egret today, Summer Leys was still the venue for the Glossy Ibis and two Cattle Egrets were again in flight at Stanwick Pits early morning.

The Whiston Wetlands area hosted a Red-crested Pochard on the river still and four White-fronted Geese and two Pink-footed Geese and three White-fronted Geese were at Thrapston Pits where a possible Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck hybrid was noted and a Bittern was reportedly seen.

The long-staying Scaup and Cattle Egret were still at Blatherwycke Lake, a pair of Ravens, a Siskin and one or two Kingfisher(s) were in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

A Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and Stanford Reservoir's birds included two Great White Egrets still, two Oystercatchers, three Goosanders, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher and two Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Kestrel courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Blue Tit courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Little Owl courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Grey Heron with Pike prey
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Mid-March birds

Hello

Reservoir birding at Ravensthorpe provided the two White-fronted Geese and nearby at Hollowell Reservoir there was a second calendar year Mediterranean Gull, two Jack Snipe and a Water Rail. At least two Great White Egrets were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir and two Yellow-legged Gulls were off the dam late this afternoon.

A singing Blackcap was at Woodford Halse, Steve still has two Lesser Redpolls on his garden feeders at Brixworth and several gardens report Reed Buntings and we still have three Yellowhammers coming to our garden. 

The Glossy Ibis was by Wollaston Weir at Earls Barton Pits and Common Snipe on the Summer Leys LNR reached twenty-eight. The drake Smew and a Cattle Egret remain at Clifford Hill Pits and seven White-fronted Geese and a Pink-footed Goose were still at Whiston Wetlands between Cogenhoe and Earls Barton.

Birds at Thrapston Pits included the drake Ring-necked Duck on the Heronry Lake on the Titchmarsh reserve, three White-fronted Geese, four Egyptian Geese, two Oystercatchers, a Water Rail, two Grey Wagtails, a Redshank, two Sand Martins and with plenty of Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers.

Two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and the two Barn Owls were again in the valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Goldeneye courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Sunshine and hail showers

Hello

Today was very much a day of visiting feeding stations and beginning the preparation for a ringing session on Saturday. For the most part the day was cool but pleasant with some sunshine and a succession of hail showers this afternoon.

Stanford Reservoir hosted two Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers, two Kingfishers, a Goosander and a Cetti's Warbler and a Slavonian Grebe was logged at Eyebrook Reservoir. Not too far away and two Ospreys were back at Rutland Water, both using the well-known Manton Bay nest platform at different times of the day.

White-fronted Geese have been a welcome feature during the winter and as we advance into spring there were still two at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, at least five in the Nene Valley below Cogenhoe and east of Cogenhoe Mill (plus four Egyptian Geese) and three were at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits.

Also in the Nene Valley, two Cattle Egrets were seen in flight at Stanwick Pits and the drake Smew was still at Clifford Hill Pits. Two Goosanders were at Higham Lock.

Hollowell Reservoir was visited by a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier this morning and subsequent birds were a Sand Martin flying north, a Jack Snipe and two Common Snipe.

Over a hundred Golden Plovers and a pair of Grey Partridge and about forty Yellowhammers were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon. A Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh Hall and a Siskin was at Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir. A Raven was in Hanging Houghton village and two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below the village this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Peacock butterfly after
wintering as an adult.

Barn Owl.

Black-headed Gull - most 
of the adults are now depicting
their summer plumage brown faces.

Birds of the cool northerly air

Hello

Another day of cold air, at times a lively northerly breeze and showers this afternoon, some wintery.

A bit of a lag in GPS data but it transpires that the White-tailed Eagle of the last couple of days spent another full day in the county yesterday. After flying from Church Brampton the data indicates that the bird flew over Kingsthorpe and Northampton early morning, over Billing Pits to the east of Brackmills and then flew south-east before arriving at Yardley Chase where it remained for much of the day. Data tracking has yet to tell us where it was today!

At Yardley Chase today a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was calling and drumming and another was heard calling at Pitsford Reservoir where this morning there were three Great White Egrets, a Raven and an adult Yellow-legged Gull all north of the causeway. There were at least four Yellow-legged Gulls in the roost off the dam this evening (two adults).

At Stanwick Pits a Marsh Harrier flew from the main reedbed at dawn and Clifford Hill Pits was still the venue for a drake Smew, a Cattle Egret, three Ringed Plovers, three Little Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today were two Great White Egrets, three Oystercatchers, a Goosander, a Barn Owl and two Common Snipe.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were two Barn Owls, two Peregrines, two Green Sandpipers and two Grey Wagtails. At least one Raven was in the village.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Teal courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Tufted Duck courtesy
of John Tilly.

Barn Owl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.