A trip to the west

Hello

Today we wandered towards the west of the county, our first venue being the Hellidon area where we managed to locate a Wheatear and a Redstart. Next we took a circular walk around Boddington Reservoir, which as usual bristled with carp fishermen.  There were plenty of Common Blue butterflies on the wing but the birds were rather minimal with common warblers and a Grey Wagtail being the best.

A visit to Catesby produced a flock of eight Ravens playing in the strong south-westerly and a Hobby. Borough Hill Country Park was our next venue, with two Redstarts on the west side of the hill, a pair of Spotted Flycatcher with nestlings and a juvenile Siskin being the best of the birds.  This site has to be one of the best in the county for Harebells, with small colonies dotted all over the hill grassland.

Daventry Country Park hosted a Garganey, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, two Green Sandpipers and an adult male Peregrine.  Three broods of Tufted Duck was a good breeding record.

A late evening visit to the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir provided views of a Hobby, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, three Little Egrets and a Kingfisher. The southern end of Blueberry Farm attracted two Whinchats and a female Peregrine, the latter putting off a male Kestrel as it was about a rob a Barn Owl of it's prey.

Regards

Neil M

Wheatear

Grasshopper sp

Male Grey Wagtail

Common Blue butterfly

Ravens

Harebells

Spotted Flycatcher nestlings

Garganey