One of those days !!

 With the threat of a rather wet day I was out early in the hope of giving the dogs a good walk. It was actually a lovely still morning and clearly birds were on the move. Plenty of Fieldfares,  Redwings,  Skylarks and Meadow Pipits flying around plus small parties of Bramblings and Siskins.  The usual 4 Stonechats were near shrike hedge as were 2 Short Eared Owls. Unfortunately due to a couple of tractors appearing I couldn't walk my planned route so decided to head off straight to Harrington Airfield.    Again it was evident that birds were moving with good numbers of passerines flying over including 4+ Bramblings,  Siskins and Redpolls.  As I walked slowly through the bushes I heard the distinctive "chack" of a Ring Ouzel and eventually it gave itself up and flew towards the first bunker. I was just standing around listening and looking and anticipating a couple of hours birding when several beaters with their flags and dogs appeared and walked through the rough area/bunkers and in doing so flushed a Short Eared Owl which flew towards bunker 3. Sadly for me I had to abort my visit as the shoot was about to start.

 It felt as if it was going to be "one of those days " so I decided that some retail therapy was needed ( don't tell Neil!!"). On my way into Northampton I stopped off at Pitsford Reservoir but couldn't find anything of note and then took the opportunity of having another look at the American Pipit at Clifford Hill GP which continues to attract lots of interest from local and visiting birders and photographers. I find that it is always useful to go back for a second visit if the bird stays around as I often see things that I missed first time around,  plus it was a bit manic on Monday trying to get to see the bird before it was dark. 

I think Mark Piper at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning was also thinking that it was one of those days when he heard a Yellow Browed Warbler calling well but not showing, then the rain started and it wasn't heard again. Other birds at Ravensthorpe included a female Red Crested Pochard,  2 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpipers, a  Goldeneye and a count of 105 Great Crested Grebes.                                               Very few birds reported today in the county, probably due to the heavy rain.  A flock of 20 White Fronted Geese flew east over Thrapston GP at 09.15 and the drake Ring Necked Duck remains on the heronry lake.  Two Marsh Harriers,  Glossy Ibis and 2 Jack Snipe were at Summer Leys. 

Regards Eleanor 

Meadow Pipit.

Sparrowhawk and Carrion Crow.

American Pipit.

All images taken at Clifford Hill
Pits today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Birds of the rain

Hello

Rain for much of the day but it didn't stop some White-fronted Geese reaching Thrapston Pits with Nick logging nine birds on-site before they flew off in an easterly direction. A first winter Little Gull was on the Titchmarsh reserve this afternoon and the drake Ring-necked Duck was reported as still being on the Heronry Pit.

At Clifford Hill Pits the American Pipit was again foraging along the shoreline on the main barrage lake (please see the video below courtesy of Neil Hasdell), and other birds there were a Kingfisher, six Pintail, two Grey Plovers, a Ringed Plover, a Redshank, two Common Snipe, a pair of Stonechats, a Cetti's Warbler and four Bramblings.

A Bittern was noted on Higham Pit at Ditchford Pits and a Bittern and a Glossy Ibis were at Summer Leys LNR.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton was the scene for three Short-eared Owls, four Stonechats and a Woodcock.

A few bits and pieces at Pitsford Reservoir were an adult Yellow-legged Gull, six Shelduck, at least six Pintail and both Golden Plovers and a Ringed Plover heard calling but not seen.

Stanford Reservoir provided sightings of a Bittern, twelve Great White Egrets, twenty-seven Little Egrets, a Goosander, two Pintail, three Water Rails and three Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

The Thrapston White-fronted Geese
courtesy of Nick Parker.

American Pipit courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Jack Snipe courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

American Pipit.

Hello

Local birding was dominated today with the discovery of an American Pipit (or American Buff-bellied Pipit if you prefer), at Clifford Hill Pits as found by Tyler Atkinson. The first American passerine to have been found in Northamptonshire, it quite naturally attracted a great deal of attention, with the majority of attendees enjoying good views but some observers not connecting when it couldn't be found for periods or were late attending. With rain overnight and tomorrow maybe it won't have strayed far...?

Other birds there were a Kingfisher, a Water Rail, a Ringed Plover, a Jack Snipe, two Dunlin, two Stonechats, a possible Ring Ouzel and a Brambling.

It took quite a while to complete the Pitsford Reservoir WeBS count today and birds of note were the Slavonian Grebe in the Holcot Bay, a Caspian Gull in the Walgrave Bay, seventeen Great White Egrets, about two hundred Cormorants, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Peregrine, three Ravens, two Dunlin, sixteen Common Snipe, four Green Sandpipers, two Dunlin, one or two Ringed Plover(s), six Shelduck, twenty-one Pintail, a Goldeneye, six Chiffchaffs, four Bramblings, a few Siskins, six to eight Stonechats and three Grey Wagtails.

Birds at Ravensthorpe Reservoir were a female Red-crested Pochard, a Red-crested Pochard x Mallard hybrid, a Goldeneye, five Common Snipe and four Green Sandpipers. A first winter Mediterranean Gull was seen at Hollowell Reservoir where also four Stonechats.

Sightings from Stanford Reservoir were two Mediterranean Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull in the roost, eight Great White Egrets, twenty-three Little Egrets, two Pintail, fifty-three Golden Plovers flying over, three Water Rails, three Redpolls and four Chiffchaffs.

Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve had a good day with a very late Pied Flycatcher on the Greenway and a Bittern on the Cotton Reel Pit with two Egyptian Geese on Otter Lake. A Glossy Ibis was reported from Summer Leys LNR.

Thirteen Redwings were caught and ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes today.

Regards

Neil M

American Pipit today at Clifford Hill Pits
courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Redwing today courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was again on the Heronry Pit at Thrapston Pits.

More autumn visible migration.

Hello

Some more morning ringing at Harrington Airfield provided more opportunities for catching and ringing Redwings, with another forty-two duly processed. Hundreds more sought shelter in the bushes or swept pass south in impressive numbers. Those that came down to rest had to contend with Sparrowhawks waiting in the bushes for them - these avian predators rarely miss such golden opportunities for a decent meal. Fewer Fieldfares than yesterday slipped over but the finch movement included Chaffinches, Greenfinches, a Redpoll and at least three Bramblings. About ten Golden Plovers and a Raven were also present and a Barn Owl was near Lamport.

Despite an illegal rave in the valley overnight, the 'shrike hedge' area of the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided a Short-eared Owl, a Ring Ouzel two plus Bramblings and four Stonechats. Four Crossbills and several Siskins were at nearby Gamboro' Plantation and later at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell birds included a Woodcock, two Stonechats, four Bramblings and a Peregrine.

The Ruddy Shelduck was at Winwick Pools and birds at Stanford Reservoir of note were a Rock Pipit, a drake Common Scoter, twelve Goosanders, five Great White Egrets, thirty-one Little Egrets, a Barn Owl, five Water Rails, three Ravens and a Kingfisher.

The Slavonian Grebe was reported from Pitsford Reservoir today where also two Green Sandpipers and a Yellow-legged Gull - all in the vicinity of the Holcot Bay.

Twenty Whooper Swans at Blatherwycke Lake must have been a fine sight before they departed to the east this morning.

Thrapston Pits was good for the drake Ring-necked Duck on the heronry pit again today plus a Marsh Harrier, three Yellow-legged Gulls, a Dunlin, three or four Stonechats and a Goldeneye.

Summer Leys LNR provided close views of a Jack Snipe plus a/the Glossy Ibis, a Bittern, a Cattle Egret and a Siskin with a pair of Stonechats nearby, and Clifford Hill Pits received a visit from a Marsh Harrier on the east side.

Regards

Neil M

With the lack of frosts so far, many wild flowers
are enjoying an extended blooming season such as
this Common Toadflax.

First year Redwing.

Adult Redwing.

Great Tit courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Whooper Swans and Redwings lead the charge

Hello

As predicted the northerly airflow provided some strong avian passage into the county today.

Just after dawn at Harrington Airfield flock after flock of Redwings came in from the north, many hundreds continuing on whilst other flocks snaked down into the bushes. Two flocks of Fieldfares seemed to keep going and finches included an all-morning passage of Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Brambling and Siskin going over in small numbers. Small numbers of Goldfinches and Linnets may not have been part of this movement as they sauntered over the disused airfield in small flocks. Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails passed over for much of the morning and ten Golden Plovers lingered.

Ringing-wise the Redwing dominated with forty captures with an almost equal ratio of numbers of adults to first years. Four Song Thrushes were probably not local birds. Only small numbers of other birds were encountered and included two Goldcrests, two Linnets, a Meadow Pipit and most unexpectedly a first year Marsh Tit.

Another ringing session at Linford Pits, Milton Keynes provided a Meadow Pipit, five Redwings, seven Reed Buntings, six Chiffchaffs and a Song Thrush plus more sedentary species.

A juvenile Gannet just over the border at Eyebrook Reservoir was an interesting record and action at Thrapston Pits included nine Whooper Swans which stayed awhile before departing and the drake Ring-necked Duck again.

Three Marsh Harriers and a Jack Snipe were at Summer Leys LNR this morning and Clifford Hill Pits was good for the Rock Pipit still, a Whooper Swan, a Yellow-legged Gull and two Ringed Plovers.

Three more Whooper Swans were at Stanford Reservoir where also a Bittern still, four Great White Egrets, twenty-four Little Egrets, five Water Rails and two Cetti's Warblers.

Pitsford Reservoir also received a visit from two adult Whooper Swans, the Slavonian Grebe was mostly in the mouth of the Holcot Bay, two different Mediterranean Gulls, four Yellow-legged Gulls, a Peregrine, Pintail, twenty Common Snipe, a Ringed Plover, two Green Sandpipers, two Grey Wagtails and four Stonechats.

A skein of about thirty Pink-footed Geese flew east over Market Harborough, just a short distance outside the county.

Regards

Neil M

Whooper Swans and Ring-necked Duck
at Thrapston Pits courtesy of Nick Parker.

Redwing.

Marsh Tit.

Above two images courtesy
of Jane Neill.

More fresh arrivals

Hello

A mild morning but an altogether cooler afternoon as northerly air permeates the county for the weekend.

More new arrivals today with an almost predictable Yellow-browed Warbler at Thrapston Pits heading the cast, a Black Tern at the surprising venue of Wicksteed Park and a Ring Ouzel at Harrington Airfield were all new birds in. New Jack Snipes were found at Clifford Hill Pits and Summer Leys LNR.

Three Cattle Egrets were seen in flight over Stanwick Pits this morning and other birds at Thrapston Pits were a Marsh Harrier, two or three Cetti's Warblers, at least eight Great White Egrets and a Kingfisher.

In addition to two Jack Snipes, Clifford Hill also hosted the Little Gull still, a Rock Pipit, a Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin, two Ringed Plovers, three Common Snipe and a Stonechat. A Glossy Ibis was seen at Summer Leys LNR.

Birds noted at Stanford Reservoir today were a Bittern, three Great White Egrets, twenty-six Little Egrets, four Water Rails, twenty-one Golden Plovers, a Pintail, a Peregrine and three Ravens.

Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir included seven Stonechats, five Egyptian Geese and five Shelduck. 

Additional birds for Harrington Airfield were a Brambling, a Raven and a Barn Owl. There will be restricted access tomorrow to this site because of ringing operations around the bunkers between the concrete track and the chippings compound.

The best of the birds at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today were a female Red-crested Pochard, six Common Snipe and six Green Sandpipers. Four Stonechats remained in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

An additional page has been added to the blog with images of the recent trip to the Isles of Scilly.

Please see a short video clip below of the Pitsford Reservoir Slavonian Grebe courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Regards

Neil M

Black Tern at Wicksteed Park today
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Before and after a Little Egret snack
at Summer Leys LNR, courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Rock Pipits, a Spoonbill and plenty more

Hello

Out towards the west and a Spoonbill was a good fly-over record for Boddington Reservoir and there was also a Rock Pipit in the north-east corner. It would appear that the Spoonbill later dropped into Crospton Reservoir in Leicestershire & Rutland.

A Rock Pipit was on the dam at Stanford Reservoir where also a Marsh Harrier, two Great White Egrets, twenty-six Little Egrets, two Water Rails, a Kingfisher, three Ravens, two Cetti's Warblers and eight Siskins.

A Ruff and two Curlews were at Lilbourne Water Meadows reserve.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Slavonian Grebe was back in the Holcot Bay and other birds north of the causeway were one hundred and eighty-five Cormorants, seventeen Pintail and a Green Sandpiper.

The female Merlin was again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton as were four Stonechats and fly-overs at Harrington Airfield were a Short-eared Owl and two Swallows. A vocal Brambling was in Hanging Houghton village this afternoon.

A Glossy Ibis was at Earls Barton New Workings this afternoon, a Whimbrel was heard flying over and other birds were four Pintail and three Green Sandpipers. A Bittern and a Marsh Harrier at Summer Leys were interacting with each other today.

Another Rock Pipit was at Clifford Hill Pits, the Little Gull was there early this morning but not seen later and other birds were a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and three Ringed Plovers.

Two Marsh Harriers, one a wing-tagged bird, were on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Rock Pipit.

First year Little Gull.

All images from Clifford Hill Pits
courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

October's birds of passage.

Hello

Pitsford Reservoir was the venue for the Slavonian Grebe again north of the causeway and other birds there included eighteen or so Pintail, at least ten Great White Egrets, four Shelduck, two Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper, a Redshank, at least two Yellow-legged Gulls, at least six Stonechats and a Peregrine. With something like three thousand all-sorted birds north of the causeway it's anyone's guess whether the American Wigeon is still there! A modest ringing session there provided three Reed Buntings, nine Meadow Pipits, a Redwing, a Blackcap and two Stonechats. A Clouded Yellow was in Scaldwell Meadow.

Stanford Reservoir was also busy with a Marsh Harrier, a Bittern, an adult Caspian Gull, two hundred and sixty-five Lesser Black-backed Gulls at roost, twenty-eight Little Egrets, a Great White Egret, a Common Snipe, two Water Rails, two Kingfishers, two Cetti's Warblers and a passage of sixty Greenfinches, two Siskins and three Bramblings moving through.

A Caspian Gull was at Daventry Country Park.

Clifford Hill Pits provided a Rock Pipit, a Little Gull and three Ringed Plovers plus a Yellow-legged Gull.

A Great White Egret was at Castle Ashby Lakes today and a female Merlin (presumably the regular bird of the last two winters) was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton where it caught a Skylark. Four Stonechats were also there.

A ringing session at Linford Lakes today yielded about fifty-four birds with eighteen Reed Buntings, five Cetti's Warblers, three Redwings, six Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap.

Regards

Neil M

Redwing.

Reed Bunting with an aberrant
amount of white in the tail.

Above images courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Apparent mature and flowering
Niger plant.

Stonechats at Pitsford Reservoir
today, the upper two courtesy of
Jane Neill.

American Wigeon, and the egret party continues

Hello

Breezy but mild today and sunny after some initial rain.

A drake American Wigeon was a great long-distance spot by Bob at Pitsford Reservoir today, the bird spending the early afternoon around The Point (between the Walgrave and Scaldwell Bays). The Slavonian Grebe was again in the Holcot Bay and there were easily twelve Great White Egrets, twelve Pintail and large numbers of Cormorants and a real mix of wildfowl.

The Hen Harrier was again at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell before heading off towards Cottesbrooke and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton was busy with corvids, gulls, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Common Buzzards and Red Kites as the fields were being worked by agricultural machines. A female Merlin was near 'shrike hedge' plus two Fieldfares and four Stonechats.

Two Marsh Harriers were at Stanford Reservoir where also a Great White Egret and twenty-six Little Egrets.

A single Little Gull was again at Clifford Hill Pits today and what was thought to be a Rock Pipit flew south over the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits where also a Bittern was seen in flight.

A Bittern and a Marsh Harrier were on show at Summer Leys LNR, a Ruff and a Marsh Harrier were at Stanwick Pits and a Peregrine at All Hallows church, Wellingborough.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egrets...this very graceful
species is currently in very high numbers
in the county with perhaps the most at
Ravensthorpe and Pitsford Reservoirs
where they wade through the shallows
picking off small fish.

The Pitsford Slavonian Grebe.

All images courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Back in the county.

Hello

Back on line now after just over two weeks! In that time we have visited the ever fabulous Isles of Scilly and enjoyed the birds and other wildlife on offer down there.

Birding in the county today was varied with a Pink-footed Goose with a small flock of Canada Geese in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning plus four Golden Plovers and a pair of Stonechats. Small numbers of Redwings are now widespread in the county. This afternoon a female Hen Harrier was hunting around Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and then headed into the Brampton Valley.

At Hollowell Reservoir there was a Caspian Gull and four Stonechats and Ravensthorpe Reservoir hosted fourteen Great White Egrets, four Green Sandpipers, a Common Snipe and a female Red-crested Pochard.

Stanford Reservoir hosted a Marsh Harrier, a Great White Egret, twenty-eight Little Egrets, a Cackling Goose of unknown origin, a Kingfisher, one hundred and fifty Cormorants, a Siskin, two colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls (one a Dutch bird), and four Cetti's Warblers.

An adult Caspian Gull was at Daventry Country Park today.

Pitsford Reservoir was the venue for a Slavonian Grebe in the Holcot Bay, a juvenile Black Tern, a juvenile Arctic Tern, a juvenile Common Tern, at least five Yellow-legged Gulls, one hundred and forty-two Cormorants, at least twelve Great White Egrets, a Common Redshank, five Egyptian Geese, a Kingfisher and at least six Pintail.

A drake Ring-necked Duck was a great find at Thrapston Pits and perhaps the returning bird on the Titchmarsh reserve (Heronry Pit), and other sightings were a Bittern, a Marsh Harrier and three Stonechats.

A Glossy Ibis was seen at Summer Leys where also two Marsh Harriers and two Stonechats.

Morning birds at Clifford Hill Pits were a Whinchat, a pair of Stonechats, a Great White Egret, three Ringed Plovers and eight Grey Partridges, with two Little Gulls there late this afternoon.

Some recent ringing sessions at Linford Lakes have provided plenty of birds and the Reed Bunting numbers suggest a good breeding year perhaps. Six Redwings have already been processed and both Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs continue to move through plus a few Meadow Pipits with scarcer captures being a rather late Yellow Wagtail, a couple of Cetti's Warblers and a Common Snipe.

Regards

Neil M

Reed Bunting.

Common Snipe.

Yellow Wagtail.

Meadow Pipit.

Redwing.

All images courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Here come the Stonechats!

Hello

My apologies but we will be off-line for a couple of weeks so this will be the last blog for a while.

More ringing activity locally has included a number of wildfowl sessions with quite a number of Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese and Mallard ringed. Eight more Barn Owls were located and ringed in what is proving to be an exceptionally good year for the species. Kenny at Linford Lakes has been working hard with another roost catch of fifty-nine Swallows and a Yellow Wagtail. Today a general ringing session there yielded another hundred birds, most of which were newly-ringed. Fifty-seven Blackcaps was an impressive total plus fifteen Reed Buntings, five Chiffchaffs, two Sedge Warblers, a late Willow Warbler and two Meadow Pipits. Bigger birds were a Blackbird, a Green Woodpecker and a Jay but the seemingly star bird was a Stonechat, only the second one to have been ringed at Linford.

Two hundred and eighteen new birds were ringed at Stanford Reservoir today which included a Grasshopper Warbler, a Garden Warbler, a Willow Warbler and two Common Redstarts.

General birding in the county provided the Osprey again at the New Workings section at Earls Barton Pits where also a Hobby and a Marsh Harrier,

A Cattle Egret was photographed at Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits today and a Bittern was at Higham Ferrers Lakes, Ditchford Pits with a Kingfisher and a Shelduck on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve.

Birds at Hollowell Reservoir today included eleven Ringed Plovers, five Dunlin and a pair of Stonechat. Stanford Reservoir general birding also located two aythya hybrids which appear to be of Pochard x Tufted Duck parentage, fifteen Little Egrets, a Caspian Gull briefly and two Cetti's Warblers

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir were a first year Caspian Gull, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, a Dunlin, five Ringed Plovers, a Common Snipe, two Pintail, three Shelduck, twelve Great White Egrets and a pair of Stonechat.

Single Stonechats were at Upton Country Park and between Kelmarsh and Arthingworth.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton was good for a female Merlin, six Golden Plovers, a Wheatear, two Stonechats and a Whinchat.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owls!

Chicken of the Woods fungi.

Robin courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Green Woodpecker.

Blackbird.

Jay.

Stonechat.

Above four images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.