Hello
Last night a Barn Owl was very vocal around the village, flying around and calling a great deal. This territorial flying and calling is rarely seen during daytime as they fly around calling a couple of hundred feet up; in some respects this action is similar to a Woodcock. The begging juvenile Tawny Owl was vocal at the same time.
A fairly early morning walk around Harrington Airfield provided a calling Quail, audible from the bunkers but in all probability calling from further west and probably west of the concrete track as well. A couple of Grey Partridge are happily part of the scenery but there was no sign of any early passerine migrants. It was a bit early for butterflies but there were Painted Ladies, Ringlets and Small Heath on the go and Cinnabar and Burnett Companion moths.
A nectar crop is in flower at the moment in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and there was a distinct hum of busy bees of all sorts plus a variety of butterflies and Silver Y Moths taking advantage. Reed Buntings, Common Whitethroats and Skylarks are all holding territories in the crop too. Two Hobby went racing over but otherwise it was just the usual suspects in the valley today.
Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included four Little Egrets and a moulting drake Goldeneye, a regular feature at this site in mid summer.
A busy ringing session at Linford Lakes at Milton Keynes today saw about 150 birds being processed, with two nestling Kestrels being ringed there yesterday. The catch today was made up of 25 Blackcaps, 13 Garden Warblers, 10 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Sedge Warblers, 8 Reed Warblers, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 15 Chiffchaffs, 2 Treecreepers, 6 Wrens, 4 Dunnocks, 3 Robins, 26 Blue Tits, 16 Great Tits, 5 Long-tailed Tits, a Song Thrush, a Bullfinch, 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Kingfishers and a Green Woodpecker.
A bit of drama here at Hanging Houghton today when the regular visiting male Sparrowhawk caught a Starling in the field behind the garden. The hawk was trying to subdue the Starling which was resisting and making quite a noise with mobbing Swallows making the Sparrowhawk duck as it began to pluck the unfortunate prey item. As always the hawk was constantly looking around as it is vulnerable itself in this situation and with the Starling still creating a racket two Carrion Crows came in to investigate. At the same time a Common Buzzard glided in and in the commotion the Sparrowhawk was frightened off and the buzzard grabbed the Starling and flew off with it and presumably killed it shortly afterwards. A very traumatic end of life for the Starling and the Sparrowhawk empty-taloned despite doing all the early hard work!
Regards
Neil M
Last night a Barn Owl was very vocal around the village, flying around and calling a great deal. This territorial flying and calling is rarely seen during daytime as they fly around calling a couple of hundred feet up; in some respects this action is similar to a Woodcock. The begging juvenile Tawny Owl was vocal at the same time.
A fairly early morning walk around Harrington Airfield provided a calling Quail, audible from the bunkers but in all probability calling from further west and probably west of the concrete track as well. A couple of Grey Partridge are happily part of the scenery but there was no sign of any early passerine migrants. It was a bit early for butterflies but there were Painted Ladies, Ringlets and Small Heath on the go and Cinnabar and Burnett Companion moths.
A nectar crop is in flower at the moment in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and there was a distinct hum of busy bees of all sorts plus a variety of butterflies and Silver Y Moths taking advantage. Reed Buntings, Common Whitethroats and Skylarks are all holding territories in the crop too. Two Hobby went racing over but otherwise it was just the usual suspects in the valley today.
Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included four Little Egrets and a moulting drake Goldeneye, a regular feature at this site in mid summer.
A busy ringing session at Linford Lakes at Milton Keynes today saw about 150 birds being processed, with two nestling Kestrels being ringed there yesterday. The catch today was made up of 25 Blackcaps, 13 Garden Warblers, 10 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Sedge Warblers, 8 Reed Warblers, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 15 Chiffchaffs, 2 Treecreepers, 6 Wrens, 4 Dunnocks, 3 Robins, 26 Blue Tits, 16 Great Tits, 5 Long-tailed Tits, a Song Thrush, a Bullfinch, 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Kingfishers and a Green Woodpecker.
A bit of drama here at Hanging Houghton today when the regular visiting male Sparrowhawk caught a Starling in the field behind the garden. The hawk was trying to subdue the Starling which was resisting and making quite a noise with mobbing Swallows making the Sparrowhawk duck as it began to pluck the unfortunate prey item. As always the hawk was constantly looking around as it is vulnerable itself in this situation and with the Starling still creating a racket two Carrion Crows came in to investigate. At the same time a Common Buzzard glided in and in the commotion the Sparrowhawk was frightened off and the buzzard grabbed the Starling and flew off with it and presumably killed it shortly afterwards. A very traumatic end of life for the Starling and the Sparrowhawk empty-taloned despite doing all the early hard work!
Regards
Neil M
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| Lesser Whitethroat. |
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| Juvenile male Green Woodpecker. Images courtesy of Kenny Cramer. |
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