Emperors, fritillaries and hawkers

Hello

No let up in the heat as yet, but a shower of rain this morning was pleasant!

A Siskin flew south over Hanging Houghton village early this morning.

The two Garganey were again on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR where also two Cuckoos, and over at Daventry Country Park a Common Scoter and two Green Sandpipers were present this morning.

Two Pochard, ninety Tufted Ducks and two Grey Wagtails were seemingly the only birds of note at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today but interesting insects included one or two Silver-washed Fritillary in light woodland close to the spillway, five different Lesser Emperors (four on the small side), a Hairy Hawker and a Brown Hawker in addition to the profusion of damselflies and common dragonflies.

Purple Hairstreak butterflies were seen at Glapthorn Cow Pasture and Fermyn Woods today and a Purple Emperor was by The Pheasantry at Harlestone. A Clouded Yellow butterfly was in seta-side next to Brampton Wood.

Three Purple Emperors were seen at Bucknell Wood plus seven or eight Silver-washed Fritillaries.

Regards

Neil M

Meadow Pipit.

Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawker.

Four-spotted Chaser.

Darter sp.

All above images courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Reed Bunting courtesy of John Tilly.

Heat seeking Quail

Hello

The oppressive heat continues as we progress towards the end of June with potentially cooler temperatures towards the end of the weekend.

Quail records persist with one calling in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and near to shrike hedge early this morning at 3.45am and again briefly at 5am. Another was subsequently audible from the summit of Blueberry Hill near to Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

The two Garganey were again on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR as seen from the Pioneer Hide.

A pensive Spotted Flycatcher has been calling in Hanging Houghton village for much for the day. 

A dead Tawny Owl alongside the A508 was the second such death locally within the last ten days.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir for yesterday included a female Shoveler with ducklings, possibly the first time this species has successfully bred there. Also three Pochard and a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler remain.

Regards

Neil M

Common Sandpiper.

Common Lizard.

Spotted Flycatcher.

Images courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Pitsford Reservoir CBC

Hello

A Common Bird Census was completed at Pitsford Reservoir this morning, as usual it's an early start and even more so today because of the heatwave!

A distantly calling Quail was north of the very back of the Scaldwell Bay, probably in fields closer to Scaldwell village itself. Other birds of note were rather minimal but the best were a Raven, a Siskin, a Green Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, four drake Pochard and a Spotted Flycatcher. A couple of Marsh Tits and at least three Kingfishers were also on the reserve.

Odonata included a Lesser Emperor in the Holcot Bay as seen from Goosander Hide, Beautiful Demoiselle and a late Hairy Hawker at Christies Copse Ponds. Fourteen species of butterfly included a very strong contingent of Marbled Whites and a single Purple Hairstreak.

A Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and two Garganey were on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

An overnight ringing session at Linford Lakes just outside the county at Milton Keynes secured four Quail with a fifth bouncing out of the net! A Little Owl was heard calling near Mawsley in the early hours, a bird that no longer can be called common.

Regards

Neil M

Quail!

Image courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Tufted Duck.

Great Crested Grebe.

Insects of the heat

Hello

Up to 35C degrees locally which makes it a little uncomfortable to be out for much of the day.

In this heat the insects are in their element and a hundred Marbled Whites and a Purple Emperor at Lamport Hall is evidence of this.

A visit to Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon provided a fishing Osprey north of the causeway plus a Marsh Harrier, an Oystercatcher, a Redshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Great White Egret, one of a couple which are summering at this site for the first time. Marbled Whites were everywhere in the Scaldwell Meadow plus Small Heath, Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown.

Three Little Ringed Plovers were at Stanford Reservoir today where also a Common Sandpiper and three Pochard.

Further butterflies were a Clouded Yellow at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and at least two more near shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Marbled Whites were numerous in these areas too and a Barn Owl was hunting here early this morning.

A Purple Emperor was also on view at the more traditional site of Fermyn Wood today.

A Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawker was again at Stortons Pits today on the west side.

Regards

Neil M

Green-eyed Hawker at Stortons Pits today.

Southern Marsh Orchid.

Large Red-eyed Damselflies.

Above images courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Juvenile Common Whitethroat
courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Aphideater sp courtesy of
John Tilly.

More heat to come

Hello

Some warm weather with rain this evening seemingly precedes a couple of days of intense heat with a weather system pushing up from France. It may displace continental birds but will more likely make a difference to immigrant moths, butterflies and odonata in the county.

A calling Quail was audible from the summit of Blueberry Hill near Maidwell this morning and two Garganey were on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR this evening.

Four Ring-necked Parakeets were at Billing Leys, Northampton this morning - an area between Little and Great Billing.

Plenty of butterflies reported today with two Clouded Yellows in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and Purple Emperor, Silver-washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreak amongst others at Fermyn Woods. Marbled Whites seem to be extending their range yet again and White Admirals are out at Salcey Forest. Twenty Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawkers at Wicksteed Park, Kettering is impressive for a recent colonist dragonfly.

I'm just back from my last Naturetrek tour of the spring which was to Norway with visits to the Lofoten and Vesteralen Islands - a page/tab has been opened for images entitled 'Norway - Lofoten and Vesteralen Islands June 2026.'

Regards

Neil M

Garganey courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Grass Snake.

Bee Orchid.

Common Whitethroats.

Above three images courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

The Longest Day

Today is the longest day, the Summer Solstice and the start of the astronomical summer across the northern hemisphere.  It has certainly been a rather warm day. I was up and about rather early this morning but not as early as the Skylarks who were already in full song and no doubt they will still be singing for a few more hours yet.                   It has been another quiet weekend.  A Quail was heard flying over Kettering on 'noc mig' at 01.10hrs and another was heard singing from a field west of Little Houghton.  A Mediterranean and Little Gull visited Summer Leys, an adult and 6 juvenile Cattle Egrets were at their breeding site, a Grasshopper Warbler at Stanford Reservoir and 2 Spotted Flycatchers were at Maidwell Churchyard .

A successful ringing session (Kenny Cramer) at Linford Reserve in better weather produced 135 birds of 25 species and 97 were newly ringed.  Plenty of warblers including 7 Blackcaps, 6 Garden Warblers, 12 Chiffchaffs, 3 Whitethroats and 2 Cetti's.  Finches were out in force with 19 Goldfinches and 9 Greenfinches.  The more uncommon birds processed included 2 Magpies, a Ring-necked Parakeet, a Woodpigeon and a recently fledged Grey Wagtail which was only the 5th to be ringed at this site. Another relative rarity to hit the net was a young Carrion Crow . Star bird was awarded to a drake Mallard which was moulting into his eclipse plumage. This was the first Mallard to be ringed at Linford since 2015 !!!

The coming week is predicted to be extremely hot. Please remember to put some fresh water out for the birds and wildlife which may struggle, and of course please take care of yourselves too.

Regards Eleanor 

Grey Wagtail, drake Mallard,  Reed Bunting and Carrion Crow.    Kenny Cramer 

Another week draws to a close.

It's Friday already, where did that week go to ? !!! The weekend and the longest day are just around the corner and a potential heatwave is on the horizon.                               Apart from an explosion of more young birds it has been a very quiet week in the county. Ospreys were seen at Stanford,  Pitsford and Hollowell Reservoirs,  Bittern at Titchmarsh LNR and Summer Leys,  Curlew at Clifford Hill GP,  drake Red Crested Pochard at Ecton SF and Whimbrel and Green Sandpiper at Daventry CP. 

I have been out and about during the week and my highlights were a female Roe Deer with her two fawns/kids who were mooching about with not a care in the world.  It really was a beautiful sight. I have been lucky to come across fox cubs playing and badger cubs out foraging.             I have enjoyed watching the many variety of butterflies which are now out on the wing. The Marbled White is one of my favourites and it is lovely to see how much their range has expanded over the years.  I  can remember the time when they were confined to a few specific areas in the county and I used to visit a railway cutting near the Bringtons to see them,  but now they really are everywhere including Wellingborough Town centre.  There were quite a few out at Harrington Airfield this afternoon along with a large number of Painted Ladies and a single Clouded Yellow.                                                                                                 I have been watching a couple of Barn Owls hunting. This morning I was surprised to see one of them out hunting at 08.00hrs. I watched it for nearly an hour but during this time it failed to catch anything.  On a couple of occasions it was harassed by a Lesser Black Backed Gull so took shelter in a tree until the gull disappeared.  It was quite noticeable just how far the owl was now flying in it's quest for food.  A couple of weeks ago both these Owls were finding food very easily and only travelling a short distance.  I had already noticed that their hunting pattern has changed which may indicate that their plentiful food supply has dried up which is not good news for their growing youngsters. 

A ringing session at Linford Reserve (Kenny Cramer) in challenging weather conditions produced 137 birds of 19 species, 111 of which were newly ringed and mostly newly fledged juveniles. The most numerous species was Greenfinch, 26 birds processed and then 24 Goldfinches. Other numerous species included 21 Blackcaps, 18 Blue Tits,  13 Robins and 6 Great Tits and Chiffchaffs.   An amazing 4 Cuckoo's were processed,  3 of which were new which brings this year's total to a record equalling 12.

Have a good weekend wherever and whatever you do. 

Regards Eleanor 

                                                      Pictures from Kenny Cramer 

                                              Rouzel pretending that I can't see her  !!

Weekend Round Up

Another quiet weekend in the county which isn't surprising as we are right in the middle of the breeding season. On Saturday there was a Quail calling from a crop field just west of Wadenhoe Road at Aldwincle and two Ospreys at Pitsford Reservoir.  Yesterday there was a Siskin at Wicksteed Park,  Bittern at Titchmarsh LNR, three Cuckoos at Stortons GP and a Grasshopper Warbler and Black Tern at Stanford Reservoir. 

I have seen very little myself as out of county at an agility competition. My birding was limited to early morning and late evening where I bumped into a Barn Owl out hunting. Today I had a vet visit at Market Harborough and afterwards took Tystie for a walk through the town.  As we walked alongside the river he suddenly stopped and stared intently at the bank. I couldn't see anything but then an Otter made a brief appearance.  A bit further on was a Little Egret fishing in full view and totally unphased by the people walking past. When we reached the town centre itself I remembered to check for the Peregrines.       Later this afternoon I went to Harrington Airfield,  no birds of note, but large numbers of Painted Ladies and at least six Marbled White butterflies. 

A ringing session at Stortons GP over the weekend produced 53 birds of 14 species. There were 37 new birds and 16 re-traps. Birds processed included Chiffchaff,  Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common and Lesser Whitethroat. 

Regards Eleanor 

Otter.

Speckled Wood butterfly.

Magpie courtesy of
John Tilly.

Marbled White Butterfly.

After the rain

Hello

Very much a wash-out with constant rain yesterday and it started dull today but the warm weather hit this afternoon and looks likely to stay for the week-end.

Nothing much reported yesterday (11th) but three Oystercatchers were at Stanford Reservoir where also two Cuckoos and a Cetti's Warbler. Up to four adult Barn Owls were located on the Cottesbrooke estate also yesterday.

Today (12th) and an early morning venture to Lilbourne Meadows reserve didn't provide much in very dull and breezy conditions but three Little Ringed Plovers were present. The pair of Oystercatchers and summering Lapwings have all given up trying to raise any chicks (no young successfully raised this year).

At Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits a Bittern was booming today and the Cattle Egret colony in the Nene Valley has had another good year with three broods of young supported by nine adults.

An Osprey was fishing north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today where also a male Cuckoo.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Heron courtesy
of John Tilly.

Lapwing courtesy of
John Tilly.

Barn Owl courtesy of
Tyler Atkinson.

Little Owl courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Cetti's Warbler courtesy 
of Tony Stanford.

Summer birding

Hello

At least two Tree Sparrows (a juvenile and an adult) were at Rectory Farm, Old this morning - hopefully a second brood might be on the way.

At Pitsford Reservoir there were two drake Wigeon and a Great White Egret in the Scaldwell Bay and a British colour-ringed Black-headed Gull is breeding on one of the rafts there and has offspring.

Two hunting Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening and a Little Owl and a Barn Owl were near Little Houghton.

The adult Yellow-legged Gull was again at Summer Leys LNR today and a Cuckoo and an Oystercatcher were in situ at Stanford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Large Skipper.

Small Tortoiseshell.

Beautiful Demoiselle.

Osprey.

Naturetrek Day Tour

Hello

A Naturetrek Day Tour took place today at Rectory Farm, Great Easton with a walk around the award winning farm which utilises modern farm techniques entwined with nature conservation. This is also the home of Eyebrook Wild Bird Foods. It was blustery and cool with squally showers but also plenty of sunshine. Birds of note were Grey Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher with the adjacent Eyebrook Reservoir providing fifteen Egyptian Geese, thirty Common Terns, two Great White Egrets, a leucistic Great Crested Grebe, a pair of Shelduck with a single duckling and a fishing Osprey. Several Brown Hares were visible despite the well-grown crops.

Odonata included Blue Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer, Beautiful Demoiselle and Common Blue Damselfly and butterflies were Painted Lady (in some numbers), Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

Two Oystercatchers and a pair of Egyptian Geese were with well-grown goslings in the Welland Valley below Cottingham. A pair of Grey Partridge were at Harrington Airfield.

A 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler was at Stanford Reservoir plus two Oystercatchers and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was in a field at Summer Leys LNR.

Violence at the Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits this evening saw an Egyptian Goose attack, drown and toss aside a Gadwall ducking. The goose had well-grown goslings.

A Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Egyptian Goose.

Black-tailed Skimmer.

Painted Lady.

Beautiful Demoiselle.

The next generation of birds

Hello

A wet morning but a dryer, sunny afternoon.

Over at Stanford Reservoir today the best birds were a Barn Owl, a Cetti's Warbler and three Oystercatchers.

At Pitsford Reservoir birds north of the causeway were an Osprey, a Great White Egret and a calling Cuckoo and Small Heath butterflies were active in Scaldwell Meadow.

A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and Summer Leys LNR provided sightings of a Bittern, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Little Ringed Plover, a Hobby and a Peregrine. Two Avocets were in the Whiston Locks area of the Nene Valley this evening.

Black Hairstreak butterflies were active in Brampton Wood today, a relatively new site in the county.

Regards

Neil M

Young Barn Owls ringed today,
courtesy of Chris Payne.

A family party of Blackcaps
at Stortons Pits today courtesy
of Tony Stanford.