June update...

Hello

Eleanor and I have been away for the last twelve days to Iceland with our good friends Wendy and Robin. An excellent trip despite very challenging weather conditions. Anyway our apologies for the lack of blog updates..

Kenny Cramer and team enjoyed a good ringing session at Linford Lakes on Friday 15th June, capturing 87 birds of 16 species, over half of which were recently fledged birds. Highlights were three Kingfishers, a Cetti's Warbler, ten Blackcaps, sixteen Reed Warblers and a Garden Warbler.

John Woollett and team completed a ringing session on the south side of Stortons Pits on Sunday 17th June, assessing over seventy captures of 15 species. Warblers dominated with twenty-five Reed Warblers, fourteen Sedge Warblers, two Whitethroats, three Blackcaps, two Garden Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Many of the Northants Ringing Group have recently returned from a week on the tiny Pembrokeshire island of Skokholm, on what has become an annual pilgrimage to support the wardens out there on monitoring and ringing migrants and sea-birds. In only seven days and nights, they managed to catch and ring impressive numbers of Manx Shearwaters, large gulls and breeding birds such as Oystercatcher. A Cuckoo was a bonus catch!

David Arden has been out and about watching butterflies, including trips in the county and beyond...

Regards

Neil M

Puffins on Skokholm.

Cuckoo on Skokholm.

Small Copper.

Pearl bordered and Small Pearl
bordered Fritillaries.

Mother Shipton moth.

Kingfisher image courtesy of Kenny Cramer, moth and butterflies courtesy of David Arden and Skokholm images courtesy of Chris Payne.