Hello
Another sunshine-filled day but little in the way of reported bird sightings today. Yesterday evening there were hunting Barn Owls at Blueberry Farm and with another across fields between there and the Brampton Valley Way.
Locally we had three Ravens over the garden this afternoon and Eleanor again saw two Kingfishers this morning along the Brampton brook below Hanging Houghton.
The downside of bright sunlight and clean windows is bird strikes and despite having plenty of blinds and plastic outlines on the windows we suffered several today. Much of it is young birds only just out of the nest and not realising the dangers of glass. Sadly two of the juvenile Starlings suffered fatal injuries.
Talking of Starlings it seems that the UK may just be on the brink of a bit of an invasion of Rosy Starlings (or Rose-coloured Starling if you prefer) from the east. It seems that yesterday flocks of these exotic wanderers from Asia were seen in the south of France with a couple then being seen on the Atlantic coast. One was seen on the Welsh island of Skomer yesterday and today one was reported in Cornwall, one or two were on the Isles of Scilly and two were reported in Ireland. Time will tell if these pink wanderers are seen in middle England but if they do turn up they normally socialise and flock with our Starlings.
A few ringing recoveries have been received as follows:-
1. A first year male Blackbird was ringed at Priors Marston just outside the county boundary on 23rd January this year and found freshly dead there on 16th May;
2. A Reed Warbler was ringed at Marston Vale Millenium Country Park, Bedfordshire on 16th April 2017 and caught again at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes on 17th May this year, having completed at least eight trips to or from Africa during it's time!
3. A young male Goldfinch that was ringed at Woodford Halse in the west of the county on 14th December 2018 was caught by a ringer in Scotland on 4th April this year at a place called Cragie, Jellyholm Road, Clackmannanshire. The distance between the two sites is 470km and 477 days elapsed between the two captures;
4. A first year male Greenfinch was ringed at Astcote, South Northants on 22nd March this year and taken by a cat on or about 22nd May at Blisworth six km to the east.
A Dark Green Fritillary was seen at Ring Haw, Old Sulehay yesterday and Black Hairstreaks have been seen at Salcey Forest today.
Regards
Neil M
Another sunshine-filled day but little in the way of reported bird sightings today. Yesterday evening there were hunting Barn Owls at Blueberry Farm and with another across fields between there and the Brampton Valley Way.
Locally we had three Ravens over the garden this afternoon and Eleanor again saw two Kingfishers this morning along the Brampton brook below Hanging Houghton.
The downside of bright sunlight and clean windows is bird strikes and despite having plenty of blinds and plastic outlines on the windows we suffered several today. Much of it is young birds only just out of the nest and not realising the dangers of glass. Sadly two of the juvenile Starlings suffered fatal injuries.
Talking of Starlings it seems that the UK may just be on the brink of a bit of an invasion of Rosy Starlings (or Rose-coloured Starling if you prefer) from the east. It seems that yesterday flocks of these exotic wanderers from Asia were seen in the south of France with a couple then being seen on the Atlantic coast. One was seen on the Welsh island of Skomer yesterday and today one was reported in Cornwall, one or two were on the Isles of Scilly and two were reported in Ireland. Time will tell if these pink wanderers are seen in middle England but if they do turn up they normally socialise and flock with our Starlings.
A few ringing recoveries have been received as follows:-
1. A first year male Blackbird was ringed at Priors Marston just outside the county boundary on 23rd January this year and found freshly dead there on 16th May;
2. A Reed Warbler was ringed at Marston Vale Millenium Country Park, Bedfordshire on 16th April 2017 and caught again at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes on 17th May this year, having completed at least eight trips to or from Africa during it's time!
3. A young male Goldfinch that was ringed at Woodford Halse in the west of the county on 14th December 2018 was caught by a ringer in Scotland on 4th April this year at a place called Cragie, Jellyholm Road, Clackmannanshire. The distance between the two sites is 470km and 477 days elapsed between the two captures;
4. A first year male Greenfinch was ringed at Astcote, South Northants on 22nd March this year and taken by a cat on or about 22nd May at Blisworth six km to the east.
A Dark Green Fritillary was seen at Ring Haw, Old Sulehay yesterday and Black Hairstreaks have been seen at Salcey Forest today.
Regards
Neil M
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| Buff Tip moth. |
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| Pale Tussock moth. |
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| Poplar Hawk Moth. |
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| Large Elephant Hawk Moth by Robin Gossage. |
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| Lime Hawk Moth by Robin Gossage. |
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| Cheeky Jackdaws by John Tilly. |
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