Using bird ringing to assess breeding success and migration

Hello

A cooler start to the day and with the second bank of cloud to roll in this morning came an increase in wind strength still from the north.

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield provided one hundred and sixty birds for the examination of twenty species. The high number appears to be the result of some local breeding success in some species and an indication that many passage passerines are already on the move through the county. Harrington Airfield has a colony of breeding Willow Warblers but of the seven handled today only one was a bird hatched this year suggesting a very poor output, and with the adults now in main wing and tail moult it seems that breeding has all-but concluded on-site this year.

Forty-five Common Whitethroats seems to confirm a good year for this species including returning birds from last year, and we also encountered four Lesser Whitethroats, ten Blackcaps, six Garden Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler (of two present) and three Chiffchaffs. Three Common Redstarts were caught and ringed but it seems likely that other birds were in the scrub and bushes too. Twelve Blackbirds was a surprisingly high number considering how dry it is up there and seven Linnets and five Yellowhammers were typical of the location. A couple of Clouded Yellows were present too.

Stanford Reservoir today hosted a Ferruginous Duck, the Ruddy Shelduck, the Black-necked Grebe, a Dunlin, three Common Sandpipers and a Raven. Ringers operating there this morning caught and processed three hundred and forty-four birds of which two hundred and eighty-nine were newly ringed. Already impressive warbler numbers were two Grasshopper Warblers, forty-eight Reed Warblers, sixty-five Sedge Warblers, thirty-five Common Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, forty Blackcaps, nine Garden Warblers, thirty-six Chiffchaffs and seven Willow Warblers.

 

A possible Black Stork was seen in flight over Desborough heading towards Rushton this morning and two Hobby were seen near there later in the day. A Common Redstart and a Marsh Harrier were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning with Ravens around the village this afternoon.

In the Nene Valley there was a Marsh Harrier at Summer Leys LNR and at Thrapston Pits an Osprey and adult Yellow-legged Gull were around Elinor Lake and a Black-tailed Godwit remained on the Titchmarsh reserve.

At Clifford Hill Pits a Carrion Crow was seen to predate a juvenile Black-headed Gull and other birds were an adult Caspian Gull, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper and a juvenile Common Redstart in the south-west corner.

Pitsford Reservoir hosted at least two Ospreys, a Hobby and a Common Redstart north of the causeway and an area next to the A508 Clipston turn-off next to a bio fuel compound north of Kelmarsh attracted thirty Yellow Wagtails and a hundred each of Linnet and Swallow.

Late this afternoon and a visit to Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry provided for a family of vocal Peregrines, three or four Common Redstarts, two Spotted Flycatchers and plenty of common warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Common Redstart at Harrington Airfield 
today - the moulting process means they
don't look at their best at this time of the
year!

Adult male Linnet.

Above images courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Gatekeeper.

Marbled White. This species may
now be over for another year as
the high numbers suddenly reduce.

Common Redstart Frenzy!!!

Plenty of Common Redstarts reported today as they start to move from their breeding ground.  Two juveniles remain at Clifford Hill GP, at least 2 were at Blueberry including a stunning male, a further bird at shrike hedge caught up in a roving warbler/tit flock,  2 or 3 birds in their favourite hedgerows between Old and Walgrave, one at Draughton car park along the Brampton Valley Way,  at least 2 at Harrington Airfield this evening including a male and one below Hanging Houghton.  Phew, these are the ones that we know about but it does make you wonder how many others are passing unnoticed through the county. 

Other birds reported today include a Black Necked Grebe, adult Mediterranean Gull, Black Tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper at Daventry CP,  a  Black Necked Grebe and female Ruddy Shelduck at Stanford Reservoir,  Marsh Harrier at Summer Leys,  Osprey,  Grasshopper Warbler and Black Tailed Godwit at Titchmarsh LNR, adult Yellow Legged Gull,  3 Great White Egrets and Hobby north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir,  2 Tree Sparrows near Old and a Greenshank and family of Spotted Flycatchers at Sywell Reservoir.   Currently the water level is very low at Sywell due to work that has been carried out on the dam and now it is just waiting for rain to fill it up again.  It certainly looks as if it should attract some interesting waders but I think that it is very under watched. But it is definitely worth a visit or two.     Whilst I have been out and about today I have definitely noticed a big movement of birds in the hedgerows,  mainly warblers and tits but other things do tend to tag along too.  I spent nearly an hour just watching the birds moving along shrike hedge below Hanging Houghton this morning and I lost count of the number of Common Whitethroats that went past me, but I was also rewarded with a Grasshopper Warbler,  Lesser Whitethroat and Common Redstart.  It's always worth slowing down and just watching a small area instead of covering lots of ground although my collies would prefer that I did the latter.                                                                           Have a good weekend however you spend it. I will be at an agility competition whilst Neil is ringing at Harrington Airfield,  so watch this space to see what hits the nets !!

Regards Eleanor 

A few images of the low water level at Sywell Reservoir 

Brown Argus and Dunnock,  courtesy of Tony Stanford 

Tystie looking very pleased with himself.  First time out competing and he did a fabulous run finishing in 1st place. Exciting times ahead with him.

Heat-fueled birds and insects

Hello

Another warm day with plenty of butterflies and insects on the move!

All the Black-necked Grebes from yesterday were present and correct today with the three at Daventry Country Park still in west bay and the Stanford Reservoir bird not far off the dam. The female Ruddy Shelduck is still at Stanford Reservoir again today plus three Common Sandpipers, the two Shoveler ducklings, a Great White Egret and a Kingfisher. Other birds located at Daventry Country Park were a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper.

Two Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield this morning, one about 50m south of Bunker One and another in scrub between Bunkers Two and Three. Please note that some ringing is planned for there on Saturday morning when the area between the Chippings Compound and the main concrete track will have restricted access.

A Black-tailed Godwit was at the north end of Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits today and Ravens were at Moulton and Hanging Houghton.

A third hand report was received of a Golden Oriole flying over the A508 just outside the village of Roade yesterday.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted four Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, a Redshank, two Ravens and an adult Caspian Gull today.

An Osprey and a Mandarin Duck were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this evening and two or three Common Redstarts were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby along the Jurassic Way footpath near to the commemorative stone

Seemingly lots of new arrival Painted Ladies in the county today and a Silver-washed Fritillary was by the small Brampton Valley car park below Hanging Houghton this afternoon. Two Clouded Yellows were between Gamboro' Plantation and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

A White-letter Hairstreak was found at Stoke Wood End Quarter reserve and a Purple Emperor and a swarm of Migrant Hawkers were at Brampton Wood. Three Blue-eyed Hawkers were at Priors Hall, Corby today - what3words drifters.sympathy.rams where also Dingy Skipper.

Regards

Neil M

Silver-washed Fritillary.

White-legged Damselfly.

Juvenile Pied Wagtail courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Cormorant.

Black-necked Grebes and Blue-eyed Hawkers

Hello

Similar weather to the last couple of days and nothing extraordinary found.

The exception was Stanford Reservoir where a Black-necked Grebe was found off the dam this morning and other birds were the female Ruddy Shelduck still and three Common Sandpipers.

The three Black-necked Grebes were also still at Daventry Country Park today where also a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper.

A breeding pair of Spotted Flycatchers were located in Guilsborough, two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and a female was at Bunker Two at Harrington Airfield.

The two juvenile Common Redstarts were still at Clifford Hill Pits this morning, in the south-west corner of the complex.

At Pitsford Reservoir there were one or two juvenile Marsh Harrier(s) north of the causeway, with one spending a long period of time perched in trees on The Point and preening. Other birds noted were an adult Yellow-legged Gull, three Great White Egrets and a juvenile Cuckoo. Two Yellow-legged Gulls were seen in the vicinity of the dam in the afternoon.

Nine Wasp Spiders were found at Summer Leys LNR today plus Hummingbird Hawk-moth, Brown Argus and Small Copper butterflies. Blue-eyed Hawkers (or Southern Migrant Hawkers if you prefer) were seen at South Gullet upstream from Priors Hall Lake, Corby (what3words nuggets.shrugging.clasp) and from a private area at Denton Wood in the Yardley Hastings complex.

There was a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in a Creaton garden and at least three Clouded Yellow butterflies at Collyweston bridge.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wasp Spider at Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Blue-eyed Hawker (alternative name
Southern Migrant Hawker) courtesy
of Steve Brayshaw.

Blue-eyed Hawker (or Southern Migrant
Hawker) courtesy of Nigel Muddiman.

Linnet courtesy of
John Tilly.

Roadrunner Bittern!

Hello

Another windy day with cloud from the east keeping it cooler for much of the morning.

An amazing encounter with a Bittern on a road next to Summer Leys LNR was subject of a short video - please see below - courtesy of Vanessa Gladman. A Wasp Spider and a brief Clouded Yellow butterfly were seen on the reserve.

Three adult Black-necked Grebes were located at Daventry Country Park this morning and subsequent birds included a Caspian Gull, a Mediterranean Gull, a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper.

An adult male Common Redstart remains at Lilbourne Water Meadows in the traditional stop-over hedge leading down to the flood meadows from Hilmorton Lane.

Stanford Reservoir was the venue for the female Ruddy Shelduck still plus a Common Sandpiper, fifty Common Swifts, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Kingfisher, two remaining Shoveler ducklings and a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler.

A Hobby was seen over St James, Northampton, a Grey Wagtail was at Northampton General Hospital and six Great White Egrets were counted north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir where Migrant Hawkers were busy in the lee of the wind by the Fishing Lodge. More Migrant Hawkers were noted at Lamport Hall early this afternoon.

Two Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield this morning, one mobile in bushes between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One and an adult male at Bunker Two.

Hummingbird Hawk-moths were in gardens at Mawsley, Higham Ferrers and Hanging Houghton.

An evening visit to Clifford Hill Pits provided an adult Yellow-legged Gull, four Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper. Three Ring-necked Parakeets have been around gardens off Billing Lane, Northampton today.

Regards

Neil M

Purple Hairstreak butterfly.

Little Egret.

Carrion Crow courtesy
of John Tilly.

Birds of arid Northamptonshire

Hello

A cooler day today, again windy and cloudy for much of the morning.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today were the female Ruddy Shelduck again, three Common Sandpipers, an adult Common Gull and twenty-five Pied Wagtails around the dam.

At Pitsford Reservoir there were two adult Yellow-legged Gulls off the dam plus a Hobby and a Raven with four Great White Egrets visible north of the causeway.

A Cattle Egret was at Thrapston Pits today, initially on the Titchmarsh reserve and then on Town Lake.

A juvenile Common Redstart was found at Summer Leys LNR this evening 'at footbridge on the track' and a possible Large Tortoiseshell butterfly seen earlier would be an impressive record if confirmed.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted a Black-tailed Godwit, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper and four Little Ringed Plovers early this morning.

This morning there were two Common Redstarts at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell with another Common Redstart and a Stonechat at shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. This evening there were two Spotted Flycatchers and a family of Barn Owls in the valley, again below Hanging Houghton.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier and at least two and possibly up to four Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield early this afternoon, the redstarts between the Chippings Compound and Bunker Two.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Pied Wagtail.

Female and male Greenfinches.

Above images courtesy
of John Tilly.

Scoters, odonata and more Redstarts.

Hello

After a cloudy start it became sunny again and the wind strength was strong.

A very early find at Clifford Hill Pits this morning were two Common Scoters on the main pit. The two juvenile Common Redstarts were still on the west side of the complex and a Common Sandpiper was also present.

Thirteen Black-tailed Godwits were at Summer Leys LNR early this morning.

Two Green Sandpipers were at Deene Lake and in the Welland Valley just south of Gretton Weir there was an adult male Common Redstart, a couple of Grey Wagtails, good numbers of White-legged Damselflies and plenty of Banded Demoiselles with several Brown Hawkers and Blue Emperors too.

Three Ringed Plovers were seemingly brief visitors to Priors Hall Lake on the outskirts of Corby and odonata included a Blue-eyed Hawker (or Southern Migrant Hawker if you prefer) in the sedge-filled gullet just upstream from the lake (what3words clapper.tests.sports). Small Red-eyed Damselflies and Ruddy Darters were in the same spot and the lake itself supported many Black-tailed Skimmers, several Blue Emperors and at least one Lesser Emperor. It was great to see the Sand Martin box being used by breeding Sand Martins.

A Common Redstart was found at Cold Ashby Golf Centre this afternoon, in the eastern perimeter fence/hedgerow. Nearby and Stanford Reservoir recorded two Ospreys flying over in a north-easterly direction at 5pm, the Ruddy Shelduck again, a Redshank and four Common Sandpipers.

A family party of Spotted Flycatchers were at the Gamboro' Plantation today (between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton).

Regards

Neil M

Common Scoters (and Pochard) courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Brown Hawker (ovipositing) and Banded Demoiselle.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly.

Banded Demoiselle and White-legged Damselfly.

More of the same...

Hello

A much more comfortable day's weather with less heat and a lively breeze.

The regular female Ruddy Shelduck was today at Stanford Reservoir where also two Common Sandpipers.

The Quail was still audible in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and again this evening, still in fields between the shrike hedge and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. A Common Redstart was around the Blueberry Farm complex.

Two more Common Redstarts and a Wheatear were at Harrington Airfield early this afternoon and butterflies were two Clouded Yellows and plenty of Marbled Whites and Painted Ladies.

Quarry Lake at Priors Hall, Corby was the location for a Common Sandpiper and two Blue-eyed (Southern Migrant) Hawkers - a regular venue for this rare species of dragonfly in the county.

A pair of Black Swans have two cygnets at Deene Lake where also a Green Sandpiper and a Mandarin Duck.

In the Nene Valley the two juvenile Common Redstarts were still at Clifford Hill Pits in hedges on the west side by buildings. A Common Sandpiper was also there plus broods of Tufted Duck and Little Grebe.

An Osprey was seen to catch a fish on the Elinor Trout Lake at Thrapston Pits this afternoon and a Red Kite was seen to take a juvenile Black-headed Gull.

Regards

Neil M

Osprey.

Juvenile Reed Warbler.

Banded Demoiselle.

Common Blue Damselfly.

Red Kite with juvenile Black-headed Gull.

Images courtesy of Ryan Atkinson.

Raptors, Clouded Yellows and Lesser Emperors

Hello

Plenty more heat today but perhaps the last of the really hot days?

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was again at Stanford Reservoir today plus two Common Sandpipers, broods of Shoveler and Gadwall ducklings and a Grasshopper Warbler.

An immature male Goshawk was seen north of Bucknell Wood today - it seems bit by bit we are slowly attracting more of these secretive raptors into the county as they slowly re-populate the UK after years of persecution.

A Common Sandpiper and a Common Snipe were the only birds of note at Summer Leys LNR and two Oystercatchers and a Curlew were at Lilbourne Water Meadows.

Two Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon, one not far from the chipping compound, and the second just south of Bunker One. A Marsh Harrier and two Clouded Yellows were also present.

The calling Quail was still in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning, between shrike hedge and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Several Clouded Yellows were on a nectar strip near Gamboro' Plantation between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton. Two more were seen near Braunston north and east of the village.

A Lesser Emperor was at Hollowell Reservoir by the sailing club with an amazing horde of one hundred and seventy five Black-tailed Skimmers along the west shore. Another Lesser Emperor was at Ravensthorpe Reservoir just south of the causeway.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Pied Wagtail courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Juvenile Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Ringlet.

Green-veined White.

Red Admiral.

Here come the Redstarts!

Hello

Heat dominates the weather again but it isn't stopping the passage of Common Redstarts through the county!

The male remains at Lilbourne Water Meadows, at least one juvenile is still at Clifford Hill Pits, one or two were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and another was briefly at shrike hedge with a roving flock of birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. All of these were spotted this morning before it became too hot. This evening three more were located by Bunker Two at Harrington Airfield where also a Grey Partridge was calling.

A Ring-necked Parakeet was at Moulton today, a Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling' at Weekley Hall on the outskirts of Kettering and another was 'reeling' at Hollowell Reservoir where also a Little Ringed Plover and a Green Sandpiper. This evening an Osprey was photographed high over Hollowell village carrying a large Bream.

The persistent Quail was still calling in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning, and again this evening, between shrike hedge and Blueberry Farm. A Grey Partridge was watching over twelve very small young also at Blueberry Farm. A Spotted Flycatcher visited us in our garden at Hanging Houghton this morning.

Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon were an Osprey and seven Black-tailed Godwits. A Marsh Harrier was located at Stanford Reservoir this evening and other birds were two Common Sandpipers, thirty Pied Wagtails, a Gadwall with ducklings and a Grasshopper Warbler.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Common Redstarts
at Clifford Hill Pits yesterday
courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Little Egret.