Northamptonshire Birding: Passage passerines

Hello

With the weather conditions of the last two days including the heavy rain of yesterday and the anticipated sunny weather with a strong southerly breeze, it seemed as if today should produce plenty of interesting passerine migrants. With this is mind I went over to a place I seldom visit these days, Borough Hill Country Park at Daventry. It has to be said that I've predicted 'falls' of migrants on previous days and it hasn't come to much but as I drove into the car park just at 6am this morning and opened the door to hear multiple calls of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler in a nearby hedge I sensed that I had guessed right this time.

It took me almost an hour to walk slowly south hugging the western hedgeline to cover little more than 300 metres, the numbers of phylloscopus warblers, Lesser and Common Whitethroats and other small birds meant it had to be a methodical process as I didn't want to miss something good! As I reached the southern slope the first Tree Pipit called overhead and continued south and a bird sallied out from the bushes and there was a loud snap of the bill - classic flycatcher behaviour. However I had to wait a good ten minutes before the Pied Flycatcher showed itself again, provided a brief photo opportunity and then disappeared back into the constantly foraging flock of birds.

Juvenile Common Whitethroats were everywhere and possibly outnumbered the Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. Turning my attention to the more open area, three Whinchats posed nicely on the south-facing rough field but a scan up to the summit proved there to be more birds there. I strode up the gradual incline and another Tree Pipit, a couple of Meadow Pipits and some flushed moulting Skylarks were next. On the brambles were six more Whinchats including an adult male. I then walked in an anti-clockwise direction, finding a Common Redstart and a party of four Spotted Flycatchers in bushes further to the east. Two more Tree Pipits called as they flew over south and more common warblers and Nuthatches were calling from the belt of mature trees

The most easterly hawthorn hedge that traverses the hill is frequently good at attracting interesting birds but today it was quiet. I tried the hedges on the north side next but already the birds were becoming more difficult to see and really I was only finding more common warblers and now butterflies which included Red Admiral and Painted Lady. By the time I was back at the car park it was gone 9am and I needed some liquid refreshment!

In the meantime Eleanor was scouring the fields and hedges of Blueberry Farm and the valley bottom between there and the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton. Again exciting pulses of birds worked the traditional hedges with lots of common warblers plus three Common Redstarts, at least two Spotted Flycatchers, a Tree Pipit, a Wheatear and two Whinchats. The juvenile Marsh Harrier was still present and finches included four Crossbills and a Siskin over. Several Clouded Yellow butterflies were still on the nectar crop strips.

My next venue was the Woodland Trust reserve of Kentle Wood on the outskirts of Daventry. Rarely visited by birders, this area of scrub and young trees sits on an edge of an escarpment with sweeping views to the west. Lots of large gulls and corvids were the most obvious birds all around but here also there were warblers, mostly hidden in the trees. On my walk around at least two Crossbills overflew the wood and Southern and Migrant Hawkers hunted the plentiful rides. I couldn't help but think what would be found if the rides had mist nets erected in them!

I next visited Cotton End Park at Long Buckby where a pleasant walk through the orchard and meadow led me to the pond at the bottom which is good for odonata. I didn't see anything unusual but enjoyed watching Common Darters, Emerald Damselflies and singles of Blue Emperor and Brown Hawker regularly tussling with each other!

In the meantime Eleanor checked out the regular stop-over site for Common Redstarts which is the footpath that runs on a ridge between Pitsford Reservoir and the villages of Old and Walgrave. Two field hedges in particular prove attractive and today at least four were present which included two adult males together. The easiest access is from Bridle Road, Old where the footpath is well signed. Other birds included a Whinchat and two Spotted Flycatchers.

On my way home I stopped at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and walked around. Large numbers of Migrant Hawkers and Ruddy Darters were active in the strong sunshine. The summering Pink-footed Goose which this year has been at Clifford Hill Pits, Pitsford Reservoir and Hollowell Reservoir was on the dam with Greylags and provided very good photographic opportunities. Gulls were constantly flying in and out and at one stage a juvenile Mediterranean Gull came in to bathe. Other birds included a Spotted Flycatcher, a group of six Grey Wagtails, three Ravens and a Hobby.

A quick foray around the border hedges of Lamport Hall on the south side provided views of a male Common Redstart and two Spotted Flycatchers.

Elsewhere today and other observers noted singles of Ruff and Common and Green Sandpipers at Clifford Hill Pits first thing, a Clouded Yellow butterfly at Yardley Chase, two Great White Egrets and a Green Sandpiper in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and at Stanwick Pits there were two Great White Egrets, two Green Sandpipers and three Common Sandpipers. A Peregrine was over Westbridge, Northampton today and a Wheatear was an additional find at Borough Hill CP this afternoon, and a Common Redstart may have been a second bird. Another Wheatear was found in a sheep field adjacent to Hellidon Golf Course this afternoon.

Phew and there is still time to find something else!

Regards

Neil M