Iceland - 4th - 8th March 2022

Saturday, 28 October 2017

Yet more Hawfinches!

Hello

The unprecedented Hawfinch invasion continues apace and today it seemed that Northamptonshire was very much the place to be if you wanted to see one, albeit that most of them were flying over in a south or south-west direction.

The first one flew low over our garden at Hanging Houghton calling loudly at 7.50am and whilst I was pottering around the house and garden at least another seven passed over before I left home at 8.30am! Other migrants included a 'Redpoll' and at least three Bramblings passing over as well as plenty of more common finches and with 15 Tree Sparrows just outside the village.

Eleanor was over at Staverton this morning and saw at least four singleton Hawfinches flying over in a south-westerly direction plus small numbers of Bramblings, Siskins and Redpolls going over in the same direction. The usual two Ravens were present too and plenty of Starlings flew over going south.

Eleanor paid Borough Hill Country Park a visit this afternoon and found at least six Hawfinches in bushes at the golf course before they flew off high. Other birds included a male Peregrine hunting Starlings, a pair of Stonechat and both Brambling and Redpoll flying over. Ravensthorpe Reservoir attracted a Great White Egret and three Green Sandpipers.

Pitsford Reservoir this morning north of the causeway provided views of a Great White Egret, two Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit, six Pintail, two Goldeneye, a Black Swan, three Shelduck, a Raven, a Siskin and a pair of Stonechat plus flocks of Redwings, Starlings and Woodpigeons moving over south-west.

Kenny, Sarah, Richard and Gill committed to some ringing at Linford Lakes today and caught about 59 birds of 14 species which included 13 Redwings, 3 Song Thrushes, 2 Blackbirds, 5 'Redpolls', 2 Bullfinches, 7 Goldcrests, 2 Treecreepers, 3 Wrens, a Robin, 2 Dunnocks, a Great Tit, 12 Blue Tits, 5 Long-tailed Tits and a Kingfisher. Other wildlife noted included 2 Great Crested Newts, a Common Newt, a Common Toad, a Common Shrew and 2 Muntjacs.

Regards

Neil M



Hawfinch.

Lesser Redpoll.

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