Some showers and cooler temperatures

Hello

A day with a few showers and subsequent cooler temperatures was a nice change!

A Glossy Ibis was reported at Summer Leys LNR and presumably the same bird later at the Earls Barton New Workings complex further west.

At Daventry Country Park the Pectoral Sandpiper has remained for another day and other waders there were two Dunlin, two Ringed Plovers and singles of Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir were three Black-tailed Godwits, six Greenshanks, a Whimbrel, two Common Sandpipers, a Golden Plover, two Ospreys, two Kingfishers and seven Great White Egrets.

Stanford Reservoir hosted the Ferruginous Duck still, a Mandarin Duck, a Hobby, a Common Snipe, two Green Sandpipers, six Common Sandpipers, a Raven, twenty Yellow Wagtails, six Spotted Flycatchers, two Kingfishers and two of the colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls.

Three Garganey were at Titchmarsh LNR at Thrapston Pits where also a Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a Black-tailed Godwit, three Common Snipe and two Common Sandpipers.

Other birds at the New Workings section of Earls Barton were a Hobby, a Greenshank, three Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper. Other birds at Summer Leys LNR were a Hobby, two Greenshanks and two Common Sandpipers.

A Hobby family was still in the vicinity of Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and a Common Redstart was still between the chippings compound and Bunker One at Harrington Airfield. At least three Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth. At least one Raven remains around Hanging Houghton village.

There are plans for a ringing session at Harrington Airfield on Saturday which will mean restricted access around the bunkers between the chipping compound and the concrete track. The footpath along the concrete track remains unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

An adult Yellow-legged Gull
in full moult.

A Herring Gull taking it easy,
courtesy of John Tilly.

A first year Starling moulting
into winter plumage, courtesy
of John Tilly.

I rather assume that much of our wildlife
has suffered during the long, hot drought
and I'm sure the amphibians such as these
Common Frogs in our garden will be
 pleased to see some moisture. 

August long-stayers

Hello

The Pectoral Sandpiper was still at Daventry Country Park today, probably best viewed from the new viewing platform with the bird at the north-western end of the old reservoir.

At Stanford Reservoir the Ferruginous Duck remained. No less than three colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls were at Stanford today - the bird from Belarus, a bird so marked at Stanford and a third bird with origins in Holland. A juvenile Peregrine that was present and attempting to take a Black-headed Gull was itself a colour-ringed bird. Other birds on-site were three Kingfishers, three Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, a Hobby, thirty Yellow Wagtails and seven Spotted Flycatchers. One hundred and thirty-six birds were caught and ringed today.

The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits is doing well hanging on to it's waders and today the Wood Sandpiper was still present plus a Greenshank, a Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Garganey.

Summer Leys LNR provided views of a Hobby, two Greenshanks and a Common Sandpiper with another Common Sandpiper on Mary's Lake.

At Pitsford Reservoir there were two Black-tailed Godwits in the Scaldwell Bay plus two Ruff and three Greenshanks with a Common Sandpiper, at least three Ringed Plovers and two Yellow-legged Gulls in the area of the dam.

A Raven and a couple of vocal Little Owls were at Hanging Houghton village and one or two Common Redstart(s) and at least twelve Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall.

Three Common Redstarts remain in hedging adjacent to the footpath that runs south of the villages of Old, Cherry Hill and Walgrave, and where half a dozen Clouded Yellows persist.

Two Common Redstarts were between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One at Harrington Airfield this morning and a Raven was heard calling distantly. A couple of Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Garganey.

Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper.

All images from Titchmarsh reserve
at Thrapston Pits courtesy of
 Nick Parker.

Pitsford Reservoir WeBS count

 Hello

The August waterbird count was completed at Pitsford Reservoir today in quite dull but at times humid conditions. With lowering water levels and an exposed shoreline, it was great to see reasonable number of waders making use of the habitat to rest and feed.

South of the causeway there was an adult Osprey fishing, thirteen Little Egrets, a Common Redstart by the dam, a couple of vocal Ravens, a Wheatear, up to eight Grey Wagtails, a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, two Greenshanks, a Dunlin, a Turnstone and four Ringed Plovers.

North of the causeway there were two Ospreys (adult and juvenile), a Marsh Harrier, seven Great White Egrets, thirteen Little Egrets, a Garganey, a juvenile Shelduck, two Wigeon, sixteen Black-tailed Godwits, a Golden Plover, 7-10 Greenshanks, two Ruff, four Green Sandpipers, six Common Sandpipers, five Common Snipe, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, three Spotted Flycatchers and a Grey Wagtail.

There were two sightings of a single Osprey over nearby Brixworth today.

At Stanford Reservoir today the Ferruginous Duck remained in situ plus a Green Sandpiper, three Common Sandpipers and two Kingfishers. A colour-ringed Black-headed Gull was apparently initially ringed in Belarus in 2024.

The Pectoral Sandpiper remained at Daventry Country Park today and other waders there were a Common Sandpiper and six Dunlin.

At Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits the Glossy Ibis re-appeared and there was also three Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper and a Greenshank. One of the bird information services reported that a Glossy Ibis was at Summer Leys LNR this evening.

A Curlew, three Common Sandpipers and forty Yellow Wagtails were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning.

This afternoon saw a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a Common Redstart at shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a Common Redstart and at least six Spotted Flycatchers at Gamboro' Plantation. Nearby and two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell where also a Marsh Harrier and a Hobby family party.

A Single Raven and a Grey Wagtail were both at Hanging Houghton village and in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth today.

Regards

Neil M

Greenshank.

Common Sandpiper.

Turnstone.

Grey Wagtail.

Pectoral Sandpiper bird of the day

Hello

More cloud cover this afternoon and even a few spots of rain to tease us!

Gary found a Pectoral Sandpiper at Daventry Country Park, one of a very long line of scarce and rare birds he has located over the years in the west of the county. This bird maintained a presence for much of the day and the plumage on a fairly distant view indicates it's an adult (the vast majority of previous Pec Sands in the county have been juveniles). A Common Redstart and two Dunlin were also seen there.

At Stanford Reservoir the Ferruginous Duck of unknown provenance remained today and other birds were three Great White Egrets (flying west), a Common Snipe, four Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, a Hobby, twenty Yellow Wagtails and a Cetti's Warbler. A juvenile Kestrel was ringed there today.

The Wood Sandpiper and an Osprey were seen at Thrapston Pits today, the sandpiper on the Titchmarsh reserve where also two Common Sandpipers and a Ringed Plover, and the Osprey over Elinor Lake.

Summer Leys LNR attracted a Hobby, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper.

An adult Caspian Gull was at Hollowell Reservoir this morning where also two Dunlin and four Common Sandpipers.

A Common Redstart was seen at Harrington Airfield and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided a fly-past of fourteen Ravens this morning, and five or six Spotted Flycatchers next to the Brampton Brook this evening.

At Ecton Sewage Farm this evening there was a Greenshank, five Green Sandpipers and a Spotted Flycatcher. 

Regards

Neil M

Swallow courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Adult drake Mallard in eclipse plumage.

Migrant Hawker courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

August bird ringing

Hello

The weather conditions were ideal for bird ringing today with local sessions at Stanford Reservoir, Linford Lakes and Brixworth.

At Stanford Reservoir one hundred and fifty-three new birds were ringed (one hundred and ninety yesterday) which included two Grasshopper Warblers and a first year male Common Redstart.

Over a hundred birds were processed of nineteen species at Linford Lakes which included two Grasshopper Warblers, twenty-five Blackcaps, four Garden Warblers, four Common Whitethroats, three Lesser Whitethroats, nine Reed Warblers, eight Sedge Warblers (including a bird ringed elsewhere), a Cetti's Warbler, eleven Willow Warblers and a single Chiffchaff. Finches were five Greenfinches and four Goldfinches and other birds were a Treecreeper, two Goldcrests and a Reed Bunting.

At Brixworth one hundred and twelve birds were processed which included a Green Woodpecker, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a first year male Common Redstart, two Grey Wagtails, two Reed Warblers, a single Sedge Warbler, two Garden Warblers, ten Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, seventeen Common Whitethroats, four Willow Warblers and fourteen Chiffchaffs plus thirty-four Goldfinches.

Birding-wise the Ferruginous Duck was still at Stanford Reservoir plus four Kingfishers, a Peregrine, four Common Sandpipers, twenty Yellow Wagtails and a juvenile Marsh Harrier.

There was no sign of the Glossy Ibis at Titchmarsh today (but a bird not far away in Cambridgeshire), but the Wood Sandpiper and a Garganey were still present.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier and a Bittern were at Summer Leys LNR and a Turtle Dove was reported nearby near Hardwater Crossing. Other birds were a Hobby, a Common Snipe, two Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper.

Six Yellow-legged Gulls and a Green Sandpiper were at Priors Hall Quarry Lake, Corby

A Hobby was chasing hirundines over Hollowell village this evening and two Common Redstarts were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby between the gate and stone monument.

Another Common Redstart was in hedging by Alfalfa/lucerne fields from the footpath between Old and Walgrave and a Crossbill was at Wicken Wood. At least one Raven was at Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Grasshopper Warbler courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Common Redstart.

First year female Green Woodpecker.

Autumn Wood Warbler and supporting cast

Hello

Sadly it seems like the good birds from yesterday vacated Summer Leys LNR overnight and birders today have spread their wings to try more locations to find something a little out of the ordinary.

The Ferruginous Duck was reported from Stanford Reservoir again and it's Day One of 'Stanstock' where the regular Stanford Ringing Group ringers spend a week on-site in an effort to record and process as many migrants as they can. Both a Common Redstart and a Grasshopper Warbler were caught and ringed today (following two Common Redstarts ringed there yesterday). Other birds noted around the reservoir were four Common Sandpipers, five Pochard, four hundred and twenty Tufted Ducks, twenty Yellow Wagtails, two Hobby and two Ravens.

The best find of the day in the county was an autumn Wood Warbler at Wicken Wood, a tricky bird to find in the spring and particularly difficult in the autumn as they are usually silent. It's likely that very few of these birds move through the county each year so I consider this an excellent find and congratulations to Tyler the finder.

Potentially another new bird was a Glossy Ibis which was located at Titchmarsh LNR (Thrapston Pits) by Adrian - it's unclear whether this is the bird that was at Summer Leys LNR yesterday. Other birds at Titchmarsh were an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank, three Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, three Common Snipe and a Marsh Harrier (which latterly flushed the ibis).

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were four Greenshanks north of the causeway plus a Green Sandpiper, a juvenile Shelduck, four Great White Egrets, four Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart, all in the Scaldwell Bay. Four Yellow-legged Gulls and a Dunlin were at the dam area this evening.

A Tree Pipit was at Hollowell Reservoir this morning plus two Greenshank and two Dunlin. A Common Redstart was found in a field hedgerow just east of Boughton this morning and another was south-west of Great Brington. Three more Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield this morning, two betweeen the chippings compound and Bunker One and a single at Bunker Two. Another Common Redstart was at Lamport Hall where also eight or so Spotted Flycatchers.

Summer Leys LNR attracted two Cattle Egrets and two Marsh Harriers this morning. A Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Wood Warbler at Wicken Wood today
courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Spotted Flycatcher.

Common Redstart courtesy of
Tyler Atkinson.

Juvenile Red Kite.

Quality birds in the Nene Valley

Hello

The Summer Leys reserve at Earls Barton Pits was the place today with the discovery of an adult White-winged (Black) Tern this morning and then subsequently three Spotted Redshanks followed by a Bittern, the Glossy Ibis again and a showy Hobby! Other birds were two Egyptian Geese, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a few Common Snipe and a Common Sandpiper.

Two Common Redstarts were on show at Lamport Hall this morning where also a couple of Spotted Flycatchers and with Raven and Little Owl at Hanging Houghton. A hunting Common Buzzard in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth was seen to catch a large rat this afternoon.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there was an Osprey north of the causeway plus four or five Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers and three Spotted Flycatchers.

The female Ferruginous Duck was again at Stanford Reservoir and the female Ruddy Shelduck at Hollowell Reservoir where also an Osprey, a Peregrine, a Little Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and two Greenshanks. 

Naseby Reservoir again hosted the adult Caspian Gull, four Green Sandpipers and two Common Sandpipers with an adult Yellow-legged Gull at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and two Green Sandpipers.

The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits continued to host a Wood Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Common Snipe.

Clifford Hill Pits early this morning provided views of four Cattle Egrets, two juvenile Black Terns, a Water Rail and a Common Sandpiper.

A Whinchat was noted at Bunker Three Harrington Airfield where also Grey Partridges were encountered.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, migrants included two Whinchats, a Wheatear and a Common Redstart around shrike hedge, with three Common Redstarts at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and where also two Spotted Flycatchers and a Whinchat. A family party of Hobby were in the general area (four flying juveniles), as was a juvenile Marsh Harrier and an increase in Yellow Wagtails and Meadow Pipits.

The footpath south of Old, Cherry Hill and Walgrave provided three or four Common Redstarts in the hedges and perhaps fifteen Clouded Yellow butterflies in the fields of purple lucerne.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton again this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Adult White-winged (Black) Tern at
Summer Leys LNR today
courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Juvenile Black Terns at
Clifford Hill Pits courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Green Sandpiper Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Greenshank at Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Hottest Day of the year

Hello 

Extreme temperatures ensured less sightings of interest today.

About six Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this morning and a Common Redstart, a Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier were in the vicinity of shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Nearby there were two Common Redstarts and a Whinchat at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and Harrington Airfield was good for three Common Redstarts, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier. A Common Redstart and sixteen Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall.

At Naseby Reservoir there was a Whinchat in a flowery field to the east of the entrance track to the car park and two Caspian Gulls on the reservoir plus six Green Sandpipers and four Common Sandpipers.

Stanford Reservoir recorded three Green Sandpipers, seven Common Sandpipers and twenty Yellow Wagtails.

At Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits the Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper and a Greenshank were all still present.

Regards

Neil M

Wood Sandpiper and Greenshank
at Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Little Egret courtesy of
John Tilly.

Reed Warbler courtesy of
Tyler Atkinson.

Birding around the partial eclipse

Hello

Very warm this afternoon, a very clear partial eclipse this evening and autumn migrants on the move.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning fly-through waders were a Whimbrel, a Turnstone and a Curlew - all calling birds. On Osprey fished north of the causeway and Common Sandpipers included two north of the causeway and two by the dam. Three Green Sandpipers were in the Holcot Bay and visible from Wendy's bench. Three Great White Egrets were stalking the shallows and small numbers of Yellow Wagtails and Swallows were on the move, plus a few Swifts, and at least four Spotted Flycatchers were between the Old Scaldwell Road and the Bird Club hide. A Badger was active in the Walgrave Bay at 11.20am and odonata included Common Emerald Damselfly, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common and Ruddy Darters and Migrant and Southern Hawkers. Two Clouded Yellows were in Scaldwell Meadow.

This evening and a flock of Yellow Wagtails in the Scaldwell Bay numbered at least thirty-six and other birds were at least seven Spotted Flycatchers, an Osprey, two Common Snipe, a Ringed Plover over, a Shelduck, a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper.

A Quail was seen in flight between Helmdon and Greatworth this morning, about twenty Ring-necked Parakeets were in the Great Billing area of Northampton this evening and a Green Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover were at Sywell Country Park. Two Ravens and a Swift were at Abington Park, Northampton this morning and Clifford Hill Pits provided for a Common Snipe, three Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers, a Peregrine, a juvenile Cuckoo and in excess of twenty Yellow Wagtails.

The female Ruddy Shelduck was at Hollowell Reservoir this morning where also a Greenshank.

Birds reported from the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits today included a Bittern, a Marsh Harrier, two Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers and a Redshank.

A Glossy Ibis turned up at Summer Leys LNR this morning and a Hobby was seen on the ground there near to water.

Two Common Redstarts and two Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, along the Brampton Brook towards Brixworth, and a Marsh Harrier was hunting in the same area. Two Marsh Harriers together were in this area this evening. Early this morning there was a Barn Owl over the A508 between Hanging Houghton and Brixworth and later a Raven in Hanging Houghton village. A Hobby and two Barn Owls were in field hedges between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Curlew courtesy of
John Tilly.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Ringed Plover courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Grey Heron courtesy
of Jon Tilly.

Toasty Tuesday

Hello

A warm day but with a super cooling breeze made it so much more manageable.

A morning walk at Harrington Airfield provided three or four Common Redstarts, with all the birds between the chippings compound and Bunker One. A Wheatear was at Bunker Two and ten Song Thrushes were in a loose flock in the same area as the Redstarts. A passage Meadow Pipit whispered over south and two Common Toads, a Stoat, several Brown Hares and Small Heath butterflies were the non-avian highlights.

A male Common Redstart was at Lamport Hall this afternoon and birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir were three Great White Egrets, a Marsh Harrier, an Osprey, four Greenshanks, a Ruff, a Common Snipe, a Common Sandpiper and several Spotted Flycatchers.

Three Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning plus two Spotted Flycatchers and a Whinchat. Nearby the shrike hedge area in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a Hobby, a Common Redstart, a Whinchat and a Wheatear.

The Caspian Gull was again reported from Naseby Reservoir and the Ferruginous Duck and Ruddy Shelduck were both still at Stanford Reservoir.

Clifford Hill Pits this morning produced a Black-tailed Godwit, two Ringed Plovers, a Little Ringed Plover, three Common Snipe, three Common Sandpipers, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Common Redstart and in excess of twenty Yellow Wagtails.

The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits hosted two Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Whinchat.

Regards

Neil M

Sand Martins at Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Goldfinch courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Whinchat at Titchmarsh LNR courtesy
of Nick Parker.

Garganey at Titchmarsh LNR
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Can't be found, won't be found!

Hello

Sometimes, despite being very much in migration season, there are days when no matter how hard you look somehow the birds seem to be absent or impossible to find. Today was one of those days with blanks at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell, the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and the usual spots at Lamport Hall appearing as birdless zones! Oh well there is always tomorrow!

Stanford Reservoir still showed off it's female Ferruginous Duck and Ruddy Shelduck with a supporting cast of four Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers and a Common Snipe.

The adult Caspian Gull was at Naseby Reservoir before flying off south and waders there were five Common Snipe, three Green Sandpipers and four Common Sandpipers. An Osprey and a Dunlin were at Hollowell Reservoir.

A patrolling Osprey was visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir at 12.30pm and a juvenile Marsh Harrier was hunting over fields between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell villages this morning. An afternoon walk at Harrington Airfield was sufficient to find a Marsh Harrier and two or three Common Redstarts. A Hobby was escorted by a flock of Swallows in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

In the Nene Valley there was a Caspian Gull, a Marsh Harrier, a Green Sandpiper, two or three Common Sandpipers, four Common Snipe and a Wigeon at Summer Leys LNR.

Three Black-tailed Godwits were at Clifford Hill Pits and a Wood Sandpiper and a Greenshank were at the north end of the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits.

Regards

Neil M

A juvenile Carrion Crow
with crossed mandibles
courtesy of John Tilly.

A Kingfisher caught and ringed
yesterday at Brixworth.

A portrait of the humble but
very successful Woodpigeon.