Wednesday 19 June 2019

Brixworth ringing

Hello

A ringing session took place at the Anglian Water Treatment Works at Brixworth today where it was hoped that the forecast rain would attract local Swallows and House Martins to the site. As it happens there was only a splash of rain and the hirundines mostly didn't appear! Nevertheless we managed to catch 59 birds of sixteen species, again typical local breeders.

Instead of Swallows the 'bird of the day' was Pied Wagtail, no less than 17 different juveniles were caught and ringed today, suggesting that the local breeding productivity has been good. Other birds amounted to five Swallows, a House Martin, a Jackdaw, a Magpie, three Starlings, a Reed Warbler, four Blackcaps (including a bird first ringed there as an adult in May 2017), eight Chiffchaffs (including a bird previously ringed elsewhere), a Wren, a Treecreeper, a Dunnock, two Robins, a Reed Bunting, nine Long-tailed Tits and three Blue Tits. Birds of note on-site included a Hobby which whizzed through a few times and a Grey Wagtail.

Barn Owls continue to be seen at Summer Leys LNR and in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A long-staying Ruddy Shelduck remains at Hollowell Reservoir and this site is a firm favourite fishing spot for Ospreys at the moment.

Eric Graham paid Blatherwycke Lake a visit today and saw eight Mandarin Ducks, Gadwall with ducklings and six Little Egrets.

Regards

Neil M



WW2 fighters over
Pitsford Reservoir
two days ago...


Drake Red-crested Pochard
Pitsford Reservoir, also two
days ago...

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