Hot and Cold !!

A balmy 18 degrees celsius yesterday and barely 8 degrees today. T shirts exchanged for fleeces and gloves, no wonder we don't know whether we are coming or going !!! The poor birds and wildlife must be feeling the same.  Yesterday with blue skies and sunshine the bird song was incredible and their thoughts had turned to breeding and big numbers of butterflies,  Brimstones,  Peacocks, Commas and Small Tortoiseshell, were on the wing.  But such a contrast in activity today where it was dull, dreary and raw.

Yesterday morning was spent topping up our feeding stations and I came across a Crossbill and Woodcock in Scotland Wood and 2 Sand Martins at Pitsford Reservoir.       Today I was at Peterborough training my 3 collies.  On my way home I stopped off at the flooded fields on the A605 Oundle and caught up with the amazing numbers of Pintail (about 50) and then spent a couple of hours at Titchmarsh LNR where the circular path remains very muddy and waterlogged in places. Birds seen included 8+ Great White Egrets, 3+ Cettis Warbler,  2 Chiffchaffs and a small number of Sand Martins.  I came across 2 very vocal Water Rails which initially frightened my young collie Tystie.  He was so funny as he really couldn't work out what or where the strange noises were coming from. You could see the cogs turning as he was trying to make sense of it.

Despite the southerly winds there have been very few migrants found yet in the county but hopefully that will soon change.  There have been several sightings of Ospreys in the country with a pair already back in their breeding area in Scotland.  Perhaps these birds flew over Northants so it's always worth keeping an eye on the skies.

If you are planning to get out and about at the weekend there are still some "good " birds to see. Even if you have already ticked off these birds it is always worth going back for a second or even third look as often we pick up on different plumage/behaviour details.  The Slavonian Grebe is still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and at nearby Hollowell Reservoir the Red-throated Diver.  Lesser Scaup and Smew remain at Clifford Hill GP,  Ring-necked Duck, Tundra Bean Goose and White-fronted Geese at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead, Siberian Chiffchaff at Daventry Reservoir and White-fronted Geese at Stanwick GP.  The Red-necked Grebe can be elusive at the Delta lake/pit Rushden Lakes. This is also the pit where the Beavers were introduced and I believe are doing well, so always a chance of bumping into these. Recently on one of the trail cameras in this pit a Bittern was filmed standing directly in front of the camera looking directly into the lens and almost posing.  Neil and I count the wildfowl here each month and we are always saying " there should be a Bittern here", well obviously there is, but we couldn't find it. We must try harder on our next count, ha ha.

Have a good weekend.                                                                    Regards Eleanor 

Tufted Duck.

Pochard.

Sparrowhawk images taken today
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Signs of migration

Yesterday I decided to visit Ravensthorpe Reservoir.  I started at the dam and spent a while there with my telescope simply panning around.  I quickly picked up the Slavonian Grebe and then the Red-throated Diver. Both birds were hugging the bank and could have easily been overlooked.  I abandoned my scope and walked all the way round and I never saw these two birds on my walk round.  It was as if they had never been there !!                   A small flock of Goldeneye were vocal and displaying and they were very showy.  Other birds on my walk included a Crossbill calling and flying around the carpark,  3-4 Grey Wagtails, a singing Chiffchaff and a flock of Siskins.                Other birds in the county yesterday included a  Sand Martin at Priors Hall Corby,  2 Avocets moving through the Nene Valley (Earls Barton GP), Glossy Ibis,  Redshanks,  Oystercatchers,  Marsh Harrier,  Caspian Gull and singing Chiffchaff at Summer Leys and the 7 White Fronted Geese at Stanwick GP. 

A quiet day of birds for me today with a singing Chiffchaff in our garden,  2 Bramblings at shrike hedge and 100+ Golden Plovers at Harrington Airfield.                                                       It would appear that the Kinewell Lake Red-necked Grebe has turned up on the Delta Pit/Lake at Rushden Lakes so hasn't moved far but I understand could be quite difficult to see.       At Clifford Hill GP the Lesser Scaup was again on the river and the drake Smew still present.  But two Little Ringed Plovers found there today are the first record for this year and probably the earliest ever spring record for the county.  Redshank and Goosander were also present.       At Summer Leys the Glossy Ibis remains and a pair of Mediterranean Gulls were displaying.                                         The Slavonian Grebe was again at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and also a Cettis Warbler. 

Five Redpolls, a Chiffchaff and a Redwing were caught and ringed at Stortons Pits today.

Things are definitely on the move and spring is always an exciting time in the county as absolutely anything can turn up........we just have to find it. !!

Regards Eleanor 

Redshank.

Oystercatcher.

Above images courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Drake Teal courtesy
of John Tilly.

Drake Lesser Scaup at
Clifford Hill Pits courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Lovely spring weather

Hello

Spring weather in the county today with high temperatures for the time of the year and plenty of sunshine has brought forth quite a number of butterfly sightings of various species with Brimstones dominating.

At Clifford Hill Pits the drake Lesser Scaup and drake Smew were still present today and at Summer Leys LNR the Glossy Ibis remained faithful with other birds being a Black-tailed Godwit, a Dunlin, a pair of Grey Partridge and at least nine Common Snipe.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was at Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits plus a Goosander, but there was no sign of the Red-necked Grebe or Tundra Bean Goose and European White-fronted Geese there or nearby. Three Sand Martins were reported from Thrapston Pits yesterday.

The Red-throated Diver wasn't located at either Hollowell Reservoir or Ravensthorpe Reservoir but the Slavonian Grebe was still at the latter site. Birds for Hollowell Reservoir were an adult Caspian Gull flying through, two Jack Snipe and five Common Snipe.

Thirty-five European White-fronted Geese were in fields at Stanford Hall close to the Percy Pilcher monument.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were four Pintail, two Ravens and a Siskin in the Walgrave Bay and an adult Yellow-legged Gull, an Oystercatcher and a singing Chiffchaff at the dam-end of the reservoir. Singing singles of Blackcap and Chiffchaff were on the outskirts of Scaldwell village and three singing Chiffchaffs were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth. A few Siskins were at both Scotland Wood and Kelmarsh Hall with a Raven at the latter.

I've just arrived back from a short tour to south France concentrating on the limestone hills known as Les Apilles and some birding in the Camargue. Some images from this tour are on the Wallcreepers & the Camargue Feb 2026 page on this blog.

Regards

Neil M

Common Gull.

Tufted Ducks courtesy
of John Tilly.

Female Wigeon courtesy
of John Tilly.

Drake Mallard.

Back to dull grey days

After the amazing warm day on Wednesday we are back to the all familiar dull grey days and rain, and for me wet muddy dogs !! Bird wise I have seen very little due to long standing commitments and unexpected events.  Only one pair of Stonechats remain near shrike hedge after the big movement of a couple of days ago and the number of finches has noticeably declined.

The drake Ring-necked Duck and Red-necked Grebe remain at Kinewell Lake Ringstead,  7 White-fronted Geese at Stanwick GP,  30+ White-fronted Geese at Stanford on Avon in fields near the Percy Pilcher monument, the Lesser Scaup and Smew at Clifford Hill GP, Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys and Slavonian Grebe at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.  The Red Throated Diver appears to divide its time between Ravensthorpe and nearby Hollowell Reservoir.                                                                         Other birds seen in the county over the last couple of days include Siberian Chiffchaff at Daventry Reservoir, a Bittern on the MOD land at Yardley Chase, Caspian Gulls at Hollowell Reservoir and Summer Leys and Shelduck,  Egyptian Geese and Oystercatchers at Earls Barton GP. 

As birders we are used to looking skyward. If you are out just after sunset over the weekend and the skies are clear, fingers crossed,  you are in for a treat. There will be a " Planetary Parade" when Mercury,  Venus, Neptune,  Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter align. Remember to use your ears too as you never know what might fly over.

Have a good weekend.                                                                     Regards Eleanor 

Lesser Scaup with Tufted Ducks
at Clifford Hill Pits.

Grey Heron with Pike prey.

Images courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Midweek Movement

It's amazing what a bit of sunshine and a change of wind direction can do !!. Me and my gang have certainly made the most of sunshine and have spent most of the day out enjoying the warmth and topping up the Vitamin D levels.  I didn't even need a fleece on today but I  wasn't able to ditch the wellies as the ground is still very saturated.   I didn't really see much on my first walk of the day with shrike hedge, Blueberry and Gamboro plantation all quiet. It would appear that Crossbills have moved out of Gamboro as despite numerous recent visits I have drawn a blank.       This afternoon I started my walk in the valley below Hanging Houghton and after playing with the dogs I headed off towards shrike hedge.  However I didn't get very far before I noticed a pair of Stonechats near the stream.  As I walked towards them I realised that there were several Stonechats perched up on the grass/weed stems and I watched as they flitted about and gradually moved towards Brixworth following the stream.  I  wandered that way with them and was astounded to count 12 birds.  I left them and headed off along the hedgerows and came across a Tawny Owl sitting low down in a tree close to a weedy area which was full of Goldfinches and Linnets.  We just simply looked at each other and it was quite surreal staring into the hidden depths of its black eyes.  Then I heard Golden Plovers and a flock of 50 birds went over looking fantastic against the blue skies.     When I eventually reached shrike hedge area I was amazed to find another 6 Stonechats!!! None of these birds had been here this morning and I'd love to know where they had come from and indeed where they were going.  A few small flocks of Golden Plovers went over.  There were big numbers of Red Kites and Common uzzards airborne clearly enjoying the sunshine too.              After dropping the old hound off at home I headed to Harrington Airfield with the collies.  It has been disappointingly quiet here over the last few months.  Again today there were very few passerines and despite us regularly feeding there the birds just have not shown up.   I always spend time sitting around the bunkers and simply scanning and it was whilst I was sitting at bunkr 3 looking north that I picked up a lovely male Merlin as he zipped across the fields.  I was nearly back to the car when something made me turn round and in doing so I caught sight of a raptor coming up from the main track towards the rough area, it was a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier.  I suspect that it is the same bird which has been around for a while and that it covers a big area. 

The Nene Valley was again very busy with birds today with Kinewell Lake Ringstead the place to be with Red-necked Grebe,  Ring- necked Duck (drake), Bean Goose and 23 White-fronted Geese. At Stanwick GP there were 7 White-fronted Geese,  2 Curlew and a Marsh Harrier.  The Lesser Scaup and Smew remain at Clifford Hill GP and at nearby Summer Leys Glossy Ibis, Caspian Gull,  Marsh Harrier,  Dunlin,  Redshanks and Oystercatchers.   An amazing flock of 42 Pintail were on a flooded field at Oundle.                         Two Black-necked Grebes were at Daventry Reservoir and a pair of Crossbills in Harlestone Firs near the derelict saw mill. 

The lovely sunshine saw plenty of butterflies out on the wing today including Brimstones, Peacocks, Comma and Red Admiral plus plenty of bumble bees and other insects. 

Well it was nice while it lasted as it looks as if we are heading back to cloudy unsettled days with some rain although the wind remains southerly which could produce some early migrants.  Keep those ears and eyes peeled. 

Regards Eleanor 

Goldeneye and drake Smew
at Clifford Hill Pits courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Female Stonechat.

Drake Pintail courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Birding the county valleys

Hello

A pleasant morning deteriorating into a drizzly, wet afternoon.

Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits was still the place to be today with the Red-necked Grebe and drake Ring-necked Duck still present, a Cattle Egret, two Goosanders and for a time the Tundra Bean Goose and twenty-three European White-fronted Geese before they moved down the Nene Valley just east of Denford for the remainder of the day.

Seven European White-fronted Geese were seen on the main lake at Stanwick Pits and Summer Leys LNR was good still for the Glossy Ibis and an adult Caspian Gull, with a Green Sandpiper, a Common Snipe and an Oystercatcher at Earls Barton New Workings (North). That man again Nick Parker watched a Common Crane fly north over Thrapston Pits (still a surprisingly rare sighting in the county despite many being in neighbouring Cambridgeshire), and the Pink-footed Goose was on Elinor Lake.

Crossbills were heard calling at Wakerley Wood car park this morning and one was still at Scotland Wood. Two Ravens were at Hanging Houghton, a Raven and at least two Siskins were at Kelmarsh Hall and two Ravens were at the Brampton Valley Draughton Crossing.

At Pitsford Reservoir there were two Yellow-legged Gulls and a Grey Wagtail and in the Walgrave Bay two Ravens, a Brambling and a Siskin. At least five Tree Sparrows were at Rectory Farm, Old village.

Approximately seven Redpolls were visiting a Greens Norton garden today and quality birds at Hollowell Reservoir were the Red-throated Diver still, four Jack Snipe, six Common Snipe, two Caspian Gulls and a Stonechat. Two Grey Wagtails and several Siskins were at Beck Dairy, Cottesbrooke this morning.

The Harringworth floods in the Welland Valley today attracted a Curlew, five Dunlin and eight Pintail and twenty-nine European White-fronted Geese were again in a field at Stanford Hall.

Regards

Neil M

Blue Tit.

Goldfinch.

Dunnock.

Song Thrush.

Above images taken at Summer Leys LNR
today courtesy of John Tilly.

Below is a video of a Red Fox
helping itself to some bird food
in our back garden during the early
hours of this morning!

The birds of water have our full attention!

Hello

Another mild day with only a few showers on a breezy day which the corvids and raptors seemed to enjoy.

The initial favoured location for birding this morning was perhaps Clifford Hill Pits with the drake Lesser Scaup and drake Smew and a first year Caspian Gull present before considerable disturbance made it more difficult.

There was then a shift to Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits later in the day with the discovery of a fine Red-necked Grebe and the continued presence of the drake Ring-necked Duck. It's certainly been quality birding in the county this winter!

Just further upstream and Summer Leys LNR attracted a Bittern, a Marsh Harrier, two Black-tailed Godwits, a Redshank, a Cetti's Warbler and the long-staying Glossy Ibis and in-between Stanwick Pits hosted a Marsh Harrier and two European White-fronted Geese. Warmington Water Meadows continues to host twenty-one European White-fronted Geese.

A Stonechat was near the Welligborough Embankment with a Great White Egret and Cetti's Warbler further east along the Nene Valley.

A remarkable seventy-nine Pintail (surely a county record?) and a Curlew were on floods in the Welland Valley east of Harringworth this morning.

Birds near Stanford Reservoir included twenty European White-fronted Geese in the Percy Pilcher monument field at Stanford Hall with the reservoir attracting four Great White Egrets.

Four Ravens were at Hanging Houghton, the pair of Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below the village and Harrington Airfield provided two Ravens and three Grey Partridges. Three Siskins visited a Woodford Halse garden.

Regards

Neil M

Red-necked Grebe at Ringstead Pits
today courtesy of Nick Parker.

Little Grebe.

Great Crested Grebe.

Cormorant.

Nestbox maintenance.

Hello

A rise in temperature and dry for much of the day was a pleasing tonic!

A team of three of us spent the day on the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir clearing out, checking and repairing the numerous nest boxes in readiness for the imminent breeding season. It's surprising how many insects and mammals shelter in these boxes during the winter and today included queen wasps, a fabulous queen hornet, lots of beetles, sawfly larvae, ladybirds, spiders, Wood Mice and Grey Squirrels!

We also encountered Tawny Owls roosting in the big boxes and other birds noted on our seven mile wander included two or three Kingfishers, a Great White Egret, several Siskins, a Crossbill, two Woodcock, a couple of Ravens and a pair of Stonechats. Plenty of Redwings were feeding and singing in the plantations with some foraging in the adjacent sodden fields. Flying insects included a bumblebee.

Steve experienced a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier crossing the road between Holcot village and the A43.

The drake Lesser Scaup was again on the Clifford Hill Pits complex after first being found on the River Nene. The drake Smew was also present and a flock of eleven Black-tailed Godwits flew west towards Brackmills Industrial Estate.

Ringstead Pits hosted the drake Ring-necked Duck on Kinewell Lake where there were also eight Pintail and a Cattle Egret. Nearby a Tundra Bean Goose and up to ten European White-fronted Geese were at Denford, visible from a footpath between Woodford and Thrapston.

Further down the valley the Pink-footed Goose re-appeared at Islip Meadows (Thrapston Pits), before flying off with Greylag Geese, plus a Marsh Harrier was also present and a Curlew flew over.

The Glossy Ibis was in front of the screen hide at Summer Leys LNR this morning.

Much further upstream and a female Red-crested Pochard was found at Kislingbury Pits.

Nine Crossbills were noted at Harlestone Heath early this afternoon and the mobile Red-throated Diver was initially at Ravensthorpe Reservoir before moving to Hollowell Reservoir.

A Blackcap was again in a Wellingborough garden, a Grey Wagtail was at Rothersthorpe, a Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a Little Owl was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. A Caspian Gull was at Daventry Country Park.

Mark wandered along the flooded Welland Valley, finding a first year Caspian Gull below Cottingham plus two Oystercatchers and a Green Sandpiper with an adult Yellow-legged Gull at Harringworth plus twenty-eight Pintail, seven Golden Plovers and a superb three thousand five hundred Lapwings.

Nearby at Eyebrook Reservoir there was a drake American Wigeon, three Pink-footed Geese, an immature Whooper Swan, eleven Greater Scaup and at least eight Smew.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Scaup today at Clifford Hill
Pits courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Tawny Owls at Pitsford Reservoir today.
Images courtesy of Jane Neill and Michelle
Spinks.

The bottom image depicts a bird first ringed
as a nestling at Pitsford Reservoir in April
2014, one of three siblings. It was encountered
again in 2019 and this year will be twelve years old!

The four amigos on top of Blueberry
Hill today - Jaeger, Tor, Rouzel and Tystie!

Lesser Scaup

Hello

A 'Scaup' photographed at Clifford Hill Pits and circulated by Whatsapp was quickly identified as a drake Lesser Scaup and this bird was quite mobile around the site for much of the day. Presumably this is the same individual as that seen last year at Stanford and Ditchford. Other birds included the long-staying drake Smew, a drake Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid and a Dunlin.

A Slavonian Grebe was found at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and this scenic location proved popular with local birders today as the Red-throated Diver was also there. A Siskin was also present.

A Crossbill was singing at Scotland Wood and a Raven was at Kelmarsh Hall. Two Crossbills were at Gamboro' Plantation this afternoon and birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included a calling Little Owl and a Barn Owl. A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

A Blackcap was seen briefly in a Wellingborough garden today.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Lesser Scaup - image courtesy
of the finder Tyler Atkinson.

Drake Lesser Scaup courtesy
of Nick Parker.

Rook.

Winter relenting gradually

Hello

Another cool and grey day after a night of rain. Yet on the Isles of Scilly House Martins and at least one Swallow have been around the islands! Milder conditions here at the weekend won't necessarily stop the rain!

Daventry Country Park was the venue today for a visiting Slavonian Grebe and re-sighting of a wintering Siberian Chiffchaff. The Red-throated Diver has decided to return to Ravensthorpe Reservoir where it was seen south of the causeway this afternoon. Two adult Caspian Gulls were again off the Guilsborough Bay Point at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon.

At Stanford Reservoir an adult Mediterranean Gull was seen in the afternoon roost and other birds were three Great White Egrets, two Goosanders, two Water Rails and a Cetti's Warbler.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR today, close to the Sand Martin colony wall.

Two Water Rails were seen at Spring Pond off the Brampton Valley Way between Brixworth and Spratton.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon there were a pair of Grey Partridges and a continually calling Tawny Owl in daylight conditions.

With no reports of European White-fronted Geese or other 'wild geese' being seen in the county today, maybe these visitors from the east are now gathering further to the east in the UK before heading off to the continent.

Regards

Neil M

Common Gull.

Mute Swan.

Great White Egret.

Robin.

'February Field Dyke' weather

Hello

A cold day and with constant rain forecast for overnight.

The Red-throated Diver was still at Hollowell Reservoir, off the west bank between the dam and Guilsborough Bay.

In the Nene Valley eighteen Pintail were on floodwater off the A605 at Oundle.

Four European White-fronted Geese and two Stonechats were at North Lake, Stanwick Pits this morning and the drake Ring-necked Duck was reported from the Fishing Pit at Ringstead Pits. The Glossy Ibis was similarly reported from Summer Leys LNR late this morning.

Twenty-five European White-fronted Geese and a Tundra Bean Goose were in the Nene Valley near Denford early this afternoon.

Three Mealy Redpolls were reported from Abington Park, Northampton.

A Common Snipe was at Harrington Airfield and birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton amounted to the pair of Stonechats, a Grey Wagtail and nine Ravens making a racket.

Regards

Neil M

Brown Hare.

Sadly Harrington Airfield is presently littered
with dead hares where people have been killing
 them with dogs for fun.

Cock Pheasant.

 With the end of the shooting season the considerable
numbers of survivors will become ever bolder!

First year Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Fieldfare.

A few long-stayers still with us...

Hello

Seemingly a quieter day in the county for sightings but with a mixture of weather on the horizon this might provide some changes.

Long-stayers include the Glossy Ibis and a 'wing-tagged' Marsh Harrier at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

Eight European White-fronted Geese were still on Elinor Trout Lake at Thrapston Pits, the Pink-footed Goose was at Islip Meadows, three Pintail were on the Titchmarsh reserve and there were Grey Partridges in adjacent fields.

Sightings in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included a/the 'ringtail' Hen Harrier, four Bramblings, a pair of Stonechats and a Barn Owl. The Crossbills were looked for at Gamboro' Plantation but not seen.

An adult Yellow-legged Gull was again at the dam end of Pitsford Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Wigeon courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Red Kite.

Stonechat courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

First year Black-headed Gull.