Hello
Yesterday (Friday) was a quiet day for me wildlife wise. A visit to Welford and Sulby Reservoirs first thing didn't produce anything much of significance and in fact it was still pretty cool and grey by the time I left there.
The south end of Pitsford Reservoir hosted the usual Yellow-legged Gull but otherwise was quiet and Harrington Airfield mustered a couple of Grey Partridges but not much else. The Common Redstart at Lamport Hall was looked for again but not seen. The last couple of evenings there has been a juvenile Tawny Owl uttering it's distinctive begging calls in trees near to the house; it must be hungry because it was calling during the daytime today!
Bird of the day was undoubtedly a Eurasian Bee-eater heard calling over Byfield village in the evening (but not seen), which reminds me of a similar incident here at Hanging Houghton a couple of years ago. Well done to Gary Pullan for picking up on it!
Today (Saturday) turned into a very hot day and there were plenty of insects on the wing. Sarah Gibbs found some Hornet Clearwing Moths on poplars in Wicksteed Park (Kettering) this morning and Neil Hasdell found Silver-washed Fritillaries on the wing in Castor Hanglands. There were good numbers of Beautiful Demoiselles (and outnumbering the Banded Demoiselles) on the Brampton Brook in the valley below Hanging Houghton. Two pairs of Meadow Pipits are breeding on valley headlands this year, one pair has fledged young already and the other pair appear to be feeding young in the nest. Lesser Whitethroats have been vocal again during the last week or so, signalling an intent on a second brood, and a few pairs of Starling have already second brooded with their recently fledged young noisily in tow.
After a disastrous year in 2018 the Kingfishers are becoming more numerous now and I saw three different individuals locally (probably all juveniles). Other dispersing juveniles were single Grey Wagtails at Pitsford Reservoir and Brixworth Treatment Works. The Yellow-legged Gull was again off the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir this evening. The nomadic escaped female Bufflehead put in an appearance at Stortons Pits today.
Regards
Neil M
Yesterday (Friday) was a quiet day for me wildlife wise. A visit to Welford and Sulby Reservoirs first thing didn't produce anything much of significance and in fact it was still pretty cool and grey by the time I left there.
The south end of Pitsford Reservoir hosted the usual Yellow-legged Gull but otherwise was quiet and Harrington Airfield mustered a couple of Grey Partridges but not much else. The Common Redstart at Lamport Hall was looked for again but not seen. The last couple of evenings there has been a juvenile Tawny Owl uttering it's distinctive begging calls in trees near to the house; it must be hungry because it was calling during the daytime today!
Bird of the day was undoubtedly a Eurasian Bee-eater heard calling over Byfield village in the evening (but not seen), which reminds me of a similar incident here at Hanging Houghton a couple of years ago. Well done to Gary Pullan for picking up on it!
Today (Saturday) turned into a very hot day and there were plenty of insects on the wing. Sarah Gibbs found some Hornet Clearwing Moths on poplars in Wicksteed Park (Kettering) this morning and Neil Hasdell found Silver-washed Fritillaries on the wing in Castor Hanglands. There were good numbers of Beautiful Demoiselles (and outnumbering the Banded Demoiselles) on the Brampton Brook in the valley below Hanging Houghton. Two pairs of Meadow Pipits are breeding on valley headlands this year, one pair has fledged young already and the other pair appear to be feeding young in the nest. Lesser Whitethroats have been vocal again during the last week or so, signalling an intent on a second brood, and a few pairs of Starling have already second brooded with their recently fledged young noisily in tow.
After a disastrous year in 2018 the Kingfishers are becoming more numerous now and I saw three different individuals locally (probably all juveniles). Other dispersing juveniles were single Grey Wagtails at Pitsford Reservoir and Brixworth Treatment Works. The Yellow-legged Gull was again off the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir this evening. The nomadic escaped female Bufflehead put in an appearance at Stortons Pits today.
Regards
Neil M
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| Hornet Clearwing Moths courtesy of Sarah Gibbs. |
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| Little Owl courtesy of John Tilly. |
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