Hi

A Common Bird Census at Pitsford Res this morning was mostly uneventful, albeit there was still plenty of bird song. Some of the warblers are beginning to falter in their singing, particularly the Garden Warblers. Probably the best birds were an adult Cuckoo, and fly-over singles of Crossbill and Siskin. Gadwall and Pochard are beginning to gather for the summer moult and the three Oystercatcher chicks on the Scaldwell Bay tern rafts are growing steadily.

This evening provided 4 Ravens at Clint Hill, Hanging Houghton (possibly an adult and 3 juveniles), and a Quail which called just a couple of times (easier to hear from the Brampton Valley Way about a third of a mile south of the Hanging Houghton crossing), plus the hunting Barn Owl still.

Regards

 

Neil

Hi

Well it was another early start today with a Constant Effort Site (CES) bird ringing session in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res.  Very muddy and wet with many of the boardwalks under water!  The reservoir is apparently at least 98% full and is the highest water level for some years.  Previous CES sessions this year have identified a real lack of fledged young birds, but today was better with several juvenile Robins and a handful of juvenile tits trapped and processed. Of particular interest was the capture of an adult female Blackcap bearing a Belgium ring - it will take a little while to find out the history of this bird.  Eleanor is just back in from a wander in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and up towards Blueberry Farm.  Nothing significant found but the regular Barn Owl and Grasshopper Warbler were on show as usual.  The only visible migration noticed during today included a few Lapwings and non-breeding Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a couple of Siskin singletons passing over.  Roll on the autumn!

Regards

Neil M

Hi

Despite spending quite a bit of time in the Blueberry Farm/Hanging Houghton area during the last few days, the Quail have been stubbornly quiet and we've not heard a whisper of the 'wet-my-lips' call.  The weather has not been ideal but even so there have been periods of sunshine and dry periods when you would have thought they would have been calling.  In contrast a persistently singing Lesser Whitethroat in the middle of the Blueberry Farm complex seems to be desperate to find a mate and sings no matter the weather!  Down at Pitsford Res the three Oystercatcher chicks seem to be doing fine with their attentive parents continually providing worms and grubs for them and sheltering them from the rain and wind.  A Pied Wagtail nest was found today in the grounds of the yacht club, the nest located in an upturned canoe and sheltering five warm chicks!  I just hope that the resident Weasel doesn't find them as it also lives in the dormant yachts and boat 'furniture'.  TTFN

N & E

Hello!

This is the first time that Eleanor and I have attempted a blog and it is hoped this is the first of many regular updates!  Both recently retired we are now relatively free to fully exploit our love for watching wild birds and linked activities.  We are both keen birders with regular local patches in the county of Northants, and enjoy exploring new sites, finding birds and generally finding out about wild birds and other wildlife.  Although very much based in the county of Northamptonshire, we also travel around the UK and all our foreign holidays are birds/wildlife-based.  Bear with us please whilst we unravel the intricacies of setting up a website etc!

Regards

Neil & Eleanor