A Funny Friday!!

It's been a funny old day. I always go out birding with an open mind and hopefully with my ears and eyes wide open too, especially at this time of year when anything is a possibility.  I must admit that early this morning I wasn't expecting to hear and see 2 Whooper Swans flying over as I walked the dogs below Hanging Houghton.  This was quickly followed by a very tatty female Peregrine who was clearly on a mission. A quick scan of the fields produced 2 Northern Wheatears,  birds which I expect to see at this time of the year.                                                                               My morning was spent at Peterborough agility training with the collies.  We have a competition tomorrow so hopefully the extra training will pay off.                                     Whilst driving home I made a "spur of the moment " decision to visit some of our old birding haunts around Ashton Wold/Polebrook Airfield area. It has been a while since I have visited this area and access to some of the more interesting areas is quite restricted. I did manage to hear a Nightingale in full song at Ashton Wold and at least 4 Northern Wheatears at Polebrook Airfield.  We always used to visit the area to look for Dotterel in the many bean fields.   Not quite so many bean fields now but the ones I found looked perfect,  but despite extensive scanning I couldn't find anything.                                                                    Then I stopped off at Titchmarsh LNR.  The noise of the Black Headed Gulls was quite deafening as they squabbled amongst themselves vying for the best position on the islands. But this noise was superseded by the loud "booming" of a Bittern which took me completely by surprise. Once I'd recovered from this I started to scan the water and the first birds I saw were two Avocets swimming around.  I then spent a couple of hours wandering around.  Plenty of Warblers in full song, Cettis,  Blackcaps,  Chiffchaffs and Sedge Warblers. Plus plenty of hirundines constantly passing through. 

At this time of year the Nene Valley is always attractive to migrating birds and I'm sure it will only get busier. At the moment there is Little Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers, Common Sandpipers, Dunlin, Whimbrel, Northern Wheatears,  Arctic Terns, Yellow and White Wagtails at Clifford Hill GP. At nearby Summer Leys,  Whimbrel, Arctic and Common Terns.  The new workings at Earls Barton GP have attracted Green Sandpipers,  Bar Tailed Godwit, Cuckoo,  Osprey and Yellow Wagtails. A Swift and drake Ring Necked Duck were at Titchmarsh LNR yesterday.            The Reservoirs seem to be quiet in comparison with just Common Sandpipers at Pitsford,  Hollowell and Ravensthorpe and an Arctic Tern at Stanford Reservoir.        Yesterday Stuart bumped into a Ringtail Hen Harrier at Kingsthorpe Meadows flying towards Brampton Golf Course.  It just shows that we never know what to expect and it pays to keep your ears and eyes wide open. 

Regards Eleanor 

Rain at last!

Hello

The last few weeks have been very dry in the county, in stark contrast to the winter and early spring. The dryness and winds caused the daffodils to experience only a short flowering season so today's rain should rejuvenate plenty of plant growth.

At Clifford Hill Pits today the migrant Whimbrel was still present and no doubt feeding up before it's next hop to Iceland or Scandanavia. Other birds were a couple of Common Sandpipers, five Wheatears and a White Wagtail.

The drake Ring-necked Duck popped up again on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning.

Birds at Summer Leys LNR included two Avocets briefly, a couple of sightings of the Mary's Lane Ring Ouzel, an adult Mediterranean Gull, eleven Common Terns and a White Wagtail. A Common Redstart was also reported but details of the sighting are not known. 

Away from the Nene Valley and a Wheatear was at Desborough Airfield, a male Stonechat near Ashton Lock was very unseasonal unless there is some local breeding going on, and five Mandarin Ducks were at Barnwell Country Park with two more on the River Nene near the north bridge at Oundle.

Four Common Terns were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and two Arctic Terns flew north there. An Osprey fished successfully at Hollowell Reservoir where the fish of choice is the large Bream and Bream hybrids. A few Common Terns have arrived back at Pitsford Reservoir and several Siskins were at Scotland Wood with at least one nearby at Kelmarsh Hall. Three Tree Sparrows were at Rectory Farm, Old.

Regards

Neil M

Cock Pheasants dueling on a frosty morning.

Drake Tufted Duck.

Whimbrel at Clifford Hill
Pits courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Mid-April birding

Hello

A wander around Harrington Airfield this morning provided some migrants with a male Ring Ouzel along the main concrete track close the shooting wall and a male Common Redstart by Bunker One being the best. Other birds were four Wheatears, common warblers, two Yellow Wagtails and two pairs of Grey Partridge.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were two male Wheatears near shrike hedge and six Yellow Wagtails flying over. This afternoon a female Wheatear was where the missing males had been!

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning birds north of the causeway were an Arctic Tern, a Great White Egret, two Ravens, two singing Lesser Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler and a Redpoll.

A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling near Weekley Hall, Kettering and Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows hosted three Sandwich Terns, a Common Tern and a Greenshank. A singing Lesser Whitethroat was in a garden in the old village at Corby, and seven Wheatears were in fields between Clopton and Bythorn.

Earls Barton Pits, particularly Summer Leys LNR, provided plenty of birds with two Ring Ouzels, the Glossy Ibis, a Wheatear, a Greenshank, a Ruff, a Dunlin and a singing Nightingale.

The Whimbrel was still at Clifford Hill Pits and Stanford Reservoir recorded a Peregrine, a Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers, two Common Sandpipers and a Fieldfare.

Regards

Neil M

Blackcap.

Long-tailed Tit.

Sparrowhawk.

Above images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Cowslips.

Large White butterfly.

More spring surveys

Hello

A very cold start today with air temperatures at -2C and with a frost at dawn but it became a very pleasant day with plenty of sunshine and low windspeeds.

A Breeding Bird Survey combined with a WeBS count at Lilbourne Water Meadows was the first task this morning and birds of interest included five Wheatears, four Yellow Wagtails, plenty of singing Sedge Warblers, two Common Snipe, ten Little Ringed Plovers, two Oystercatchers, two Redshanks, a Raven and a couple of Siskins.

A Common Sandpiper and an Oystercatcher were at Welford Reservoir where also a pair of Grey Wagtails were collecting food and four Yellow Wagtails and a couple of Siskins were present.

A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth, two Ravens were over Hanging Houghton and a male Common Redstart was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

The Ring Ouzel was found again next to Summer Leys LNR and showed occasionally and the reserve held a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers and three Common Terns. Two Mediterranean Gulls were present this evening.

Clifford Hill Pits was the venue for the Whimbrel still, six Little Ringed Plovers, two Oystercatchers, three Common Sandpipers, three White Wagtails, plenty of Yellow Wagtails, two Wheatears and this evening two Avocets dropped in.

Five Wheatears were in the top fields at Harrington Airfield today and modest pickings at Stanford Reservoir included a Common Tern, an Oystercatcher and a Kingfisher.

Regards

Neil M

Roe Deer shedding their winter coats.

Robin.

Female Mallard and her ducklings.

Female Grey Wagtail.

Peacock butterfly.

Images all taken today.

Pitsford Common Bird Census

Hello

It was time for a Common Bird Census around the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir today, with a cool start again which didn't put off many of the songsters. Birds of note on-site included a Great White Egret, an Osprey, a male Common Redstart in the Walgrave Bay, half a dozen Redpolls, a few Siskins and about a dozen singing Willow Warblers. Many of these birds are waiting to move north, presumably being held up due to the strong winds affecting the county. There are already plenty of singing Blackcaps around the reserve together with plentiful numbers of Robins and Wrens. The Yellow-legged Gull was also present and a Common Snipe was noted.

Early morning birding at Clifford Hill Pits secured a migrant Whimbrel and two Common Sandpipers and the Earls Barton area provided two Wheatears in a field between there and Ecton and a Common Redstart was found between the railway track and the Rive Nene from Summer Leys towards Great Doddington.

Summer Leys LNR was the venue for a female Ring Ouzel in a field off Mary's Lane, a Marsh Harrier, a Common Tern, a Common Sandpiper and three Little Ringed Plovers.

The Red-throated Diver was still at Hollowell Reservoir plus an Osprey, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover and two Yellow Wagtails. A Common Sandpiper was on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

A Little Ringed Plover and a White Wagtail were brief visitors to Stanford Reservoir and other birds were a Redshank, three Common Sandpipers, a Great White Egret, a Raven and a Garden Warbler.

A Common Redstart was by Bunker One at Harrington Airfield this morning and other birds were a Wheatear, three Yellow Wagtails, plenty of singing warblers, two Fieldfares, five Golden Plovers and with nine Cormorants flying over.

We still have a couple of Reed Buntings visiting the garden.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebes.

Willow Warbler.

Kestrel courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Speckled Wood.

Birds of a cool and windy April day.

Hello

A cool air today and windy for much of the day but warming sunshine and a few light showers too.

A grey and cool walk at Harrington Airfield didn't produce much that was new but at least the three pairs of Grey Partridges and plenty of Brown Hares were in situ and the recently-arrived warblers were singing despite the conditions.

Summer Leys LNR was probably the optimum place to be today with three Sandwich Terns, two Arctic Terns, a Common Tern, the Glossy Ibis, a Marsh Harrier, a flock of five Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff, a Caspian Gull, a Cuckoo, a Garden Warbler and a Wheatear all seen by a variety of observers during the course of the day.

The New Workings/Whiston Wetlands section provided a Green Sandpiper, a Redshank, two Shelduck and Grey Partridge.

Clifford Hill has been enjoying a good spring and observers there this morning listed a super Firecrest, a White Wagtail, at least twenty Yellow Wagtails, a Greenshank and eight Little Ringed Plovers.

Stanwick Pits was the venue for a fly-over Whooper Swan and birds on the main lake were a Cattle Egret, a Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper. Two Common Terns and three Yellow Wagtails were at Thrapston Pits today.

The reservoirs fared poorly by comparison with just the regular adult Yellow-legged Gull at the south-end of Pitsford Reservoir, an Arctic Tern and the Common Redstart still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and the Red-throated Diver at Hollowell Reservoir. An Arctic Tern was noted at Daventry Country Park and Stanford Reservoir fielded a Great White Egret, a Redshank, four Fieldfares, two Yellow Wagtails and one hundred and twenty Swallows.

A European White-fronted Goose at Lilbourne Water Meadows is a residue of the winter invasion of this species. Four Fieldfares and two Common Snipe were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a couple each of Redpoll and Siskin were in Scotland Wood this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Firecrest.

Greenshank.

Yellow Wagtail.

White Wagtail.

All the above images at Clifford Hill Pits
complex today courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Close up of an adult
Woodpigeon courtesy
of John Boland.

More April migration

Hello

More sunshine but cool conditions and with a light breeze didn't halt the migrants today.

A ringing session at Woodford Halse today yielded fifty-two birds of seventeen species and included three Redpolls, a Nuthatch, a Jackdaw, a Woodpigeon, five Blackbirds, six Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, a Treecreeper and eleven Greenfinches.

The Red-throated Diver remained at Hollowell Reservoir today and birds at Pitsford Reservoir were a Little Ringed Plover, three Yellow Wagtails and a couple each of Redpoll and Siskin.

A male Common Redstart was at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, in the boundary hedgerow between the fishing lodge and the oak wood. A White Wagtail and seven Yellow Wagtails were in horse paddocks next to Welford Reservoir where also a Common Sandpiper was on the dam.

At Thrapston Pits the drake Ring-necked Duck was still on North Lake today and a Reed Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler were by the heronry lake.

The Summer Leys LNR provided a Common Tern, the Glossy Ibis briefly, a Ruff and a Greenshank. The ibis turned up later at the New Workings section of Earls Barton Pits and other birds included two Grey Partridges, the drake Red-crested Pochard, a Green Sandpiper and a Shelduck.

A Marsh Harrier was at Stanford Reservoir where there was also a Great White Egret, two Water Rails, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Yellow Wagtail, two Common Snipes, a Redpoll and two Ravens. A Little Owl was noted near Broughton and just a single Tree Sparrow was at Rectory Farm, Old.

Regards

Neil M

Jackdaw courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Yellow Wagtail.

Brown Hare (with short ears)!

Warblers and waders

Hello

A wander at Harrington Airfield this morning provided plenty of singing warblers with at least eight Willow Warblers present, one or two Common Whitethroat(s), a couple of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. Two pairs of Grey Partridges and a Raven were on-site, a couple of Redpolls were flying around and a male Common Redstart was rather elusive near to the shooting wall. Two mobile Wheatears were on field near the main concrete but later wandered more towards the chipping compound.

Birds around the village at Hanging Houghton included singles of Redpoll, Siskin, Raven and Willow Warbler.

Swallows and many summer migrants seemed to arrive in good numbers today and with some already setting up territories. The winter thrushes seem to have ebbed away but no doubt there will be a few more Fieldfares and Redwings passing through before they disappear completely. Small finches and Meadow Pipits and wagtails are still on the move during most days.

A/the Glossy Ibis popped up on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve today and two Nightingales were singing at Old Sulehay.

Thrapston Pits was the location for the drake Ring-necked Duck today, this time on North Lake, and there were at least twenty Sedge Warblers on-site.

Summer Leys LNR attracted two Common Terns, a Little Ringed Plover, a Wheatear, a Reed Warbler  and three Garden Warblers and birds at the Earls Barton Pits New Workings included a drake Red-crested Pochard accompanying a female Mallard and ducklings, a Ruff, a pair of Grey Partridges and three Yellow Wagtails. Early in the morning there was a Whimbrel which flew north, a Curlew and Redshank, Common Snipe and Little Ringed Plover.

A Raven and two Redpolls were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this afternoon and a flock of twelve Yellow Wagtails were in paddocks adjacent to Welford Reservoir. A Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and also Spratton this evening.

Two Great White Egrets were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir and the usual adult Yellow-legged Gull was off the dam. An Egyptian Goose was at Stanford Reservoir plus a Great White Egret, a Water Rail, two Reed Warblers and a Cetti's Warbler.

Regards

Neil M

Goldfinch courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Kestrel courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Swallow.

Sand Martin courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Warbler early arrivals

Hello 

A warm and sunny day and the dry period continues. Lots of insects on the wing including plenty of ladybirds.

During the last twenty-four hours Barn Owls have been noted at Hanging Houghton and Borough Hill Country Park and an early breeding season this year for a species that struggled to produce offspring locally and nationally last year.

The Glossy Ibis popped up at Summer Leys LNR where local waders included a pair of Oystercatchers, Redshanks and a Common Snipe with an Osprey not far away flying north-west over Castle Ashby. Other birds at Summer Leys included a pair of Grey Partridges, a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler.

A Reed Warbler was located at Stanwick Pits and a Garden Warbler sang in a Nether Heyford garden, with another at Whiston. A Goosander and Sedge Warbler were on the New Workings section of Earls Barton Pits.

A female Wheatear and a couple of Sedge Warblers were at Clifford Hill Pits, a Yellow Wagtail flew north over Brackley.

A Common Redstart was by the shooting wall at Harrington Airfield with another at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell where also a Common Whitethroat and two Yellow Wagtails.

Good numbers of warblers at Stanford Reservoir included Sedge and Reed Warblers and Common Whitethroats and other birds were two Great White Egrets, a Water Rail, three Redpolls and a Siskin.

Three Redpolls and three Siskins were at Scotland Wood this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Male Common Redstart.

Common Snipe.

Redshank.

Oystercatcher.

Wader images taken at Summer
Leys LNR today courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

So that was Easter

Hello

Similar weather conditions to yesterday but seemingly less new migrants following a more easterly steer to the wind.

A male Ring Ouzel was found at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning together with a Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail but by late afternoon they had been replaced with a Common Redstart.

Three pairs of Grey Partridge and a Redpoll were the best on offer at Harrington Airfield this morning and three Tree Sparrows remained at Rectory Farm, Old.

The Red-throated Diver remains at Hollowell Reservoir but must surely move on soon and seven Golden Plovers were noted flying north at Mears Ashby.

The extensive Earls Barton area of the Nene Valley provided a Common Redstart in a hedge at the point where pylons cross the river between Wollaston Lock and Wellingborough Prison, and at Summer Leys LNR a Bittern was seen in flight, a Black-tailed Godwit was a brief visitor and a singing Sedge Warbler and two Yellow Wagtails were noted. The New Workings section/Whiston Wetlands further west provided a fly-over Osprey and a brief visit from an Avocet and earlier the drake Red-crested Pochard, three Goosanders and a Wheatear.

Reports on Birdguides indicated that the Ring-necked Duck was on Town Lake at Thrapston Pits and a Hobby was also reported on the Titchmarsh reserve. Nick saw and heard a singing Garden Warbler and four Dunlin also on the Titchmarsh reserve.

Six Little Ringed Plovers and a Yellow Wagtail were noted at Clifford Hill Pits. There was no sight or sound of the Nightingale at Twywell Hills and Dales today.

A Great White Egret was still north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today with another one at Stanford Reservoir where also two Yellow Wagtails, an Oystercatcher, a Water Rail and two Goosanders.

Regards

Neil M

Ring Ouzel.

Red Kite.

Male Common Redstart.

Here come the migrants!

Hello

A cracking day's weather and lots of migrants on the move throughout the county made it all the more enjoyable.

Borough Hill Country Park at Daventry was an interesting place to be with a Ring Ouzel, a male Common Redstart, three Wheatears, two Peregrines, two Ospreys (over Daventry town), seven Fieldfares, two Siskins, two Redpolls and a Raven all on show this morning. Nearby at Braunston village there were two more Peregrines and a Swallow on territory. Just over the county border at Willoughby there was a male Common Redstart and a Yellow Wagtail.

A Nightingale was an early bird at Twyford Hills and Dales, a Wheatear was near Cold Ashby and another was on a hill between Titchmarsh and Clopton.

Hollowell Reservoir continued to host the Red-throated Diver and a Wheatear was on the dam with a Common Sandpiper on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

At least two Ospreys, a Mediterranean Gull and a Yellow Wagtail were seen at Pitsford Reservoir today.

Another Wheatear was at Stanford Reservoir where also a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and a passage of Common Gulls noted moving west.

Clifford Hill Pits attracted five Little Ringed Plovers, three Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, two Oystercatchers and a Wheatear. A Cattle Egret was on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this afternoon and other sightings were a Common Sandpiper and three Sedge Warblers. Summer Leys LNR provided for a Caspian Gull, a Little Ringed Plover and a Yellow Wagtail.

Two or three singing Corn Buntings and a Wheatear were at Chelveston Airfield this morning and an Osprey was seen flying over Finedon. Bitterns were heard 'booming' at two sites today.

This afternoon there was a male Common Redstart at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell plus a Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail with two Ring-necked Parakeets flying over. Two Wheatears and a collection of Red Kites and Common Buzzards were in a recently-worked field in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A ringing session at Linford Lakes, Miltom Keynes provided sixty-seven captures of nineteen species, thirty-eight of which were newly-ringed. This total included nine Blackcaps, two Cetti's Warblers, three Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler. The finches were represented by eight Greenfinches and five Goldfinches and other birds of interest and variety were four Reed Buntings, a Treecreeper, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Sand Martin and a Canada Goose. Birds on-site were six Fieldfares, a Siskin, a Great White Egret and three Ring-necked Parakeets.

Regards

Neil M

Sunrise at Linford Lakes.

Sand Martin.

Willow Warbler.

Images courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Sand Martin influx, a Spoonbill and a Sandwich Tern

Hello

Clifford Hill Pits was the place to be this morning with a Spoonbill and a Sandwich Tern on offer for those there early on, plus a migrant Wheatear. A Common Snipe was at nearby Abington Meadows.

Pitsford Reservoir attracted a fishing Osprey south of the causeway and birds north of the causeway included at least two Great White Egrets and at lunchtime an adult Kittiwake was on the water in the mouth of the Scaldwell Bay. In excess of a hundred Sand Martins were also present this morning.

The Red-throated Diver and a Common Sandpiper were still at Hollowell Reservoir and Ravensthorpe Reservoir provided two adult Caspian Gulls, a Common Sandpiper and in excess of one hundred and sixty Sand Martins.

Stanford Reservoir was the venue for an Osprey, a Great White Egret, a Common Sandpiper, two Goosanders, a White Wagtail and seventy Sand Martins.

The Earls Barton Pits complex provided a Black-tailed Godwit, a drake Red-crested Pochard, three Goosanders, two Shelducks and thirty Sand Martins at the New Workings section and a Common Sandpiper at Summer Leys LNR.

Three Mandarin Ducks were at Barnwell Country Park and a pair of Oystercatchers were at the A605 Oundle floods.

A pair of Grey Partridges were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and three Redpolls were visiting garden feeders on the north-eastern outskirts of Northampton.

Regards

Neil M

Spoonbill at Clifford Hill Pits today.

Sandwich Tern at Clifford Hill Pits today.

Wheatear at Clifford Hill Pits today.

Above images courtesy of
Tyler Atkinson.

Adult Kittiwake.

Jaeger came first place
in his agility contest today!

Breezy Easter weekend

Hello

A changeable day of weather but mostly dry and windy in the latter half.

Several would-be observers tried their luck at Harrington Airfield this morning but it was mostly a quiet affair with two pairs of Grey Partridges and a two Ravens perhaps the best. An early Common Whitethroat at Desborough Airfield may well be the first in the county this year.

A singing Firecrest was a good find at Harlestone Heath and records so far this spring seem to indicate they are making efforts at colonising the county - sporadic breeding efforts/summering over the last three decades are perhaps becoming more determined?

An Osprey was on show north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today and the Red-throated Diver was still at Hollowell Reservoir where also a Common Sandpiper.

A couple of Sedge Warblers were at Thrapston Pits today and the best birds on offer at Summer Leys LNR were two Caspian Gulls which included a short-staying adult.

Morning birds at Clifford Hill Pits were three Little Ringed Plovers, four Oystercatchers, a Common Snipe and two Ravens.

A Barn Owl has been noisy the past few evenings around the village at Hanging Houghton and one of the local Little Owls has been vocal too. A Water Rail remains at Spring Pond alongside the Brampton Valley Way below Brixworth, three Tree Sparrows were still at Rectory Farm, Old and at least two Siskins were at Scotland Wood.

Regards

Neil M

Singing Firecrest.

Chiffchaff courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Starling.