Hello
A stunning day's weather in sunny Northamptonshire but the breeze still had an edge to it, particularly when the sun hid behind the clouds!
Yesterday's star bird the Red-footed Falcon was seen on and off over Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits today but it seemed to be habitually feeding higher up and consequently less easy to track. There were several Hobbies there too.
Elsewhere and there were singing Grasshopper Warblers at Harrington Airfield today and also in the Nene Valley between Cogenhoe Mill and Whiston Lock. On territory Nightingale and Turtle Dove were noted in the county today (site locations withheld) and two each of Cuckoo were noted near Ashton Treatment Works and Ditchford Pits at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve. A single Hobby was noted at Stortons Pits, a Spotted Flycatcher was still at Beck Dairy (Cottesbrooke) and Ravens were noted at Maidwell (three) and near Old.
Kenny and Sarah completed some bird ringing at Linford lakes on the outskirts of Milton Keynes this morning and processed 37 birds of eleven species. The star bird was a first year Cuckoo, not a bird caught regularly anywhere, but Sarah and Kenny have the knack of catching them (five in 2017)! Much of the rest were an excellent number of twenty-one Reed Warblers including a bird ringed elsewhere. Other birds included singles of Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap and a Robin, six Reed Buntings, two Long-tailed Tits, a Blue Tit and a dapper Kingfisher.
Two or three Barn Owls were hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.
Regards
Neil M
A stunning day's weather in sunny Northamptonshire but the breeze still had an edge to it, particularly when the sun hid behind the clouds!
Yesterday's star bird the Red-footed Falcon was seen on and off over Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits today but it seemed to be habitually feeding higher up and consequently less easy to track. There were several Hobbies there too.
Elsewhere and there were singing Grasshopper Warblers at Harrington Airfield today and also in the Nene Valley between Cogenhoe Mill and Whiston Lock. On territory Nightingale and Turtle Dove were noted in the county today (site locations withheld) and two each of Cuckoo were noted near Ashton Treatment Works and Ditchford Pits at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve. A single Hobby was noted at Stortons Pits, a Spotted Flycatcher was still at Beck Dairy (Cottesbrooke) and Ravens were noted at Maidwell (three) and near Old.
Kenny and Sarah completed some bird ringing at Linford lakes on the outskirts of Milton Keynes this morning and processed 37 birds of eleven species. The star bird was a first year Cuckoo, not a bird caught regularly anywhere, but Sarah and Kenny have the knack of catching them (five in 2017)! Much of the rest were an excellent number of twenty-one Reed Warblers including a bird ringed elsewhere. Other birds included singles of Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap and a Robin, six Reed Buntings, two Long-tailed Tits, a Blue Tit and a dapper Kingfisher.
Two or three Barn Owls were hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.
Regards
Neil M
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| Cuckoo. The moult break with the grey adult feathers contrasting with the chestnut barred feathers of the juvenile plumage from last year makes it an easy bird to age as a first year. Images courtesy of Kenny Cramer. |
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| Iron Prominant moth. |
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| Lesser Swallow Prominant moth. Moth images courtesy of Robin Gossage. |
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