Bank Holiday Monday

Hello

The relatively still and cloudy conditions today were perfect for more ringing. At Stanford Reservoir the ringing team there caught an astounding 468 new birds today which included four Common Redstarts, four Grasshopper Warblers, a Sparrowhawk, a Lesser Redpoll and a Meadow Pipit.

At Stortons Pits 51 birds were caught with Blackcaps dominating at sixteen but also five Whitethroats, six Reed Warblers, four Sedge Warblers and four Cetti's Warblers among more common fare.

At Linford Lakes near Milton Keynes the ringing session produced over a hundred birds which included two more Kingfishers (with another yesterday), a Grasshopper Warbler, forty-two Blackcaps, twenty Reed Warblers, six Sedge Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, eight Willow Warblers and nine Chiffchaffs.

An adult Grass Snake was in preparation of changing it's skin with a thin membrane over the eyes and amphibians included Common and Great Crested Newts.

Birds seen in the county today included more bumper numbers of Common Redstarts with birds at Harrington Airfield (probably four), Blueberry Farm, Ashby St Ledgers, Borough Hill Country Park (two) and the footpath between Pitsford Reservoir and the villages of Old and Walgrave (at least three).

Pitsford Reservoir attracted one or two Shag(s) and two Great White Egrets and Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Ruddy Shelduck, a Redshank, 2-4 Common Sandpipers, a Whinchat and a Wheatear. More Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton (four), Borough Hill CP and  Blueberry Farm (four).

A Marsh Harrier was again in the valley below Hanging Houghton, there was a Tree Pipit at Blueberry Farm, four Spotted Flycatchers were at Borough Hill CP and this evening a Short-eared Owl flew over Harrington Airfield where a ringing session will take place tomorrow (restricted access).

Regards

Neil M

Grass Snake.

Kingfishers.

Grasshopper Warbler courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.