Screaming Swift Tower

Hello

A further morning was spent at Kelmarsh Hall completing the installation of the Swift nesting tower, the product of our very own Chris Payne! All the research suggests we will have to be very patient before any anticipated take up but we have at least set it up and will be playing screaming Swifts sounds to encourage passing birds! A wander along the lake this time didn't produce any scarce migrants (Pied Flycatcher last Friday).

About twenty-five Fieldfares were hanging on at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell today and birds at Harrington Airfield this afternoon included a female Wheatear and two wheezing male Bramblings hidden in the bushes. A period of ringing will be undertaken there tomorrow which will mean restricted access to the bunkers and old airstrips but the concrete track and official footpaths remain open.

A slower day of visible migration today, with most of the gulls, Meadow Pipits and 'alba' wagtails and winter thrushes and finches having passed through by now, but still Yellow Wagtails, warblers, Hobbies and terns and waders continuing to push on into the blocking northerlies.

Single Ospreys were seen passing over Sixfields and Far Cotton today and Stortons Pits attracted a Barn Owl, two Hobbies and a Cuckoo. Summer Leys LNR hosted a drake Garganey, three Ruff and a Dunlin first thing and later the Spotted Redshank and a Mediterranean Gull were found to also be present. There were three Hobbies there by early afternoon.

Clifford Hill Pits today provided sightings of an Arctic Tern, a Whimbrel, a possible Blue-headed Wagtail and two Common Sandpipers and Titchmarsh LNR fielded a Greenshank, two Great White Egrets and four Common Sandpipers.

There were four Great White Egrets north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today and Hollowell reservoir continued to be favoured by the three long-staying Whimbrel.

A Whinchat was near Lilbourne by the A5 layby next to the DIRFT3 pools plus a Whimbrel and a Green Sandpiper with a Hobby over Braunston.

Regards

Neil M

The Kelmarsh Hall Swift Tower.

Skylark courtesy of
Nathan Jones.

Mistle Thrush courtesy 
of Nathan Jones.

Lapwings courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford Day Tour

Hello

The reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir was the venue for another Naturetrek Day Tour which we started with a flurry of birds around the Fishing Lodge and Mischa's moth trap provided six species - Powdered Quaker, Hebrew Character, Pale Pinion, Clouded Drab, Swallow Prominent and Early Thorn.

Singing Reed Warblers remained hidden in the phragmites but Blackcaps were a little more showy and the few Garden Warblers present declined to show themselves. Goldcrests and a singing Marsh Tit were happy to strut their stuff but two calling Kingfishers remained hidden in the depths of tangled Crack Willows. A Tawny Mining Bee didn't seem to like the cool temperatures as we progressed around the Holcot Bay and tried to decipher the calls of common tits and listened to the variations of Blackcap song. A couple of migrant 'buzzy' Sedge Warblers were sub-songing and we glimpsed the first of several Muntjacs.

The Walgrave Bay provided three Great White Egrets, a Little Egret and views of the Grey Heron and Cormorant colonies. Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins were joined by nomadic flocks of cything Swifts. A spell of warm sunshine procured activity from Ashy Mining Bees and a Speckled Wood and two/three Orange-Tip butterflies with brief views of a Bank Vole and soaring Common Buzzards.

Waders on-site included two Oystercatchers, two Snipe, a Lapwing and a Common Sandpiper plus six Yellow Wagtails and small numbers of Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and Tree Sparrows coming to the main feeding station. Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls hawking low over the water attracted a first summer Little Gull.

A Wheatear was on top of Blueberry Hill this morning with about fifty Fieldfares around the paddocks at Blueberry Farm and this afternoon there were still three Bramblings at Harrington Airfield plus a Hobby and a couple of Swifts.

An Arctic Tern passage through Stanwick Pits this morning saw four flocks moving in a north-easterly direction totaling seventy-four birds. A Pink-footed Goose was grazing in a field next to the pits.

Birds at Summer Leys LNR included a drake Garganey, three Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Ringed Plover, four Common Sandpipers and an Arctic Tern.

The Titchmarsh LNR also saw fourteen Arctic Terns flying through and other birds included a Cuckoo, a Greenshank, three Redshanks, two Common Sandpipers and three Kingfishers with three Hobbies over Town Lake.

There were two Black Swans at Clifford Hill Pits plus a Wheatear and a Lesser Whitethroat and the Oystercatchers at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows have hatched young which is great news.

Regards

Neil M

A monitored Blue Tit
nest with the female now
brooding, image courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Ivy-leaved Toadflax
courtesy of Lynne Barnett.

A showy Grasshopper Warbler
courtesy of David Smith.

Abington Park Pied Flycatcher

 Hello

A series of images from David Smith of the first year male Pied Flycatcher at Abington Park today...

Regards

Neil M

Wood Warblers, Pied Flycatcher and terns

Hello

In a spring perhaps dominated by waders, terns and Little Gulls, it was great to turn our attention to two quality passerines in the shape of a Wood Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher which were both found in Abington Park, Northampton today. The Wood Warbler showed well this morning and then seemed to melt away and the Pied Flycatcher continued to show well following it's discovery at about 1.50pm. At least three noisy Ring-necked Parakeets were present too.

A Nightingale was discovered singing at Old Sulehay today and a Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling' at Nassington. The east end of the county proved profitable with Thrapston Pits being the location for a pair of Common Scoters on Town Lake and an arrival of migrating terns in the shape of three Blacks and at least forty plus Arctics. A male Ring Ouzel was seen near the River Nene in a field also near Thrapston, and the Titchmarsh Reserve also attracted a Great White Egret, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, at least one Whimbrel and a Blue-headed Wagtail.

Summer Leys also experienced a passage of Common and Arctic Terns and hirundines and the Blue-headed Wagtail was still present too. Waders included two Ruff, the Spotted Redshank, three Common Sandpipers, two Ringed Plovers and four Dunlin. A Grasshopper Warbler in the car park remained elusive. A Wood Warbler was heard singing at the back of Mary's Lake, Earls Barton Pits this morning but soon went quiet. Eleven Arctic Terns flew through Stanwick Pits just before 7am this morning.

Clifford Hill Pits attracted about twelve Arctic Terns, nine Dunlin, a Greenshank and a Hobby this afternoon and an evening birdwatch at Boddington Reservoir produced a Black Tern and about one hundred and thirty terns arrived from the south comprising about two thirds Common and one third Arctic. A 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler was there too.

The three Whimbrel remained at Hollowell Reservoir - it is very unusual for spring birds to linger for so long. An Osprey showed well there today and two Hobbies were at Cold Ashby Golf Course early this afternoon.

A Brambling was still singing at Harrington Airfield this evening and there were three pairs of Grey Partridge on territory and a good number of Brown Hares cavorting about. A ringing session is planned for this venue on Saturday when access to the bunkers and old airstrips will be restricted.

Regards

Neil M

The Abington Park
Wood Warbler courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

The same Wood Warbler
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

The Abington Park Pied
Flycatcher courtesy of
Neil Hasdell.

The same Pied Flycatcher
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Bar-tailed Godwits at Pitsford 
Reservoir two days ago courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

A little rain in the forecast

Hello

Some more bird ringing took place at Stortons Pits this morning resulting in twenty-eight birds being processed, seven of them being re-trapped birds from previous sessions. Twelve new Blackcaps reflect how well this species seems to be doing in recent years, and that is despite horrific human persecution in the Mediterranean basin. Other warblers included a Cetti's, a Chiffchaff, a Reed Warbler, two Sedge Warblers and three Whitethroats. A calling male Cuckoo bounced out of a net twice, so new tactics are now being planned! A Common Sandpiper was at nearby Sixfields Lake.

Over at Pitsford Reservoir some more ringing was completed by Dave Francis around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station which yielded thirty-six birds of ten species. Fifteen Yellowhammers were probably the highlight (all new birds) plus six Reed Buntings, four Tree Sparrows, two Blackcaps, a Whitethroat and a Mallard.

Also at Pitsford Reservoir a Common Bird Census was undertaken which resulted in another fifty-four Blackcaps being noted plus small numbers of another six species of warblers. Waders included a Whimbrel, a Lapwing, two Oystercatchers and two Common Sandpipers and the best of the ducks was definitely the pair of Garganey still. Two Great White Egrets and at least two Little Egrets remained on-site as did a Black-headed Gull with a Pike lure wrapped around it's leg (still able to fly). Six Brown Hares together in an adjacent field was a great sight and Muntjacs were everywhere!

Barnwell Country Park is the current venue if you want to take close photos or simply enjoy the stunning colours of Mandarin Ducks!

Summer Leys LNR was still the venue today for a Spotted Redshank, a Wood Sandpiper, three Ruff, two Common Sandpipers and a Great White Egret. The Titchmarsh LNR hosted four Oystercatchers, a Greenshank and a Cuckoo.

Three Whimbrels remained at Hollowell Reservoir today and the Blueberry Farm area attracted a male Common Redstart, a Cuckoo, a Hobby, five Wheatears, two singing Grasshopper Warblers and about sixty Fieldfares.

Regards

Neil M

Male Blackcap.

Female Garganey.

Drake Garganey.

Redshank.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Monday's migrants

Hello

Perhaps a little quieter on the migration front today but still plenty to look for!

Harrington Airfield yesterday held fifteen Golden Plovers and a Wheatear and this morning the best we could come up with was two singing Bramblings, a Raven, a pair of Grey Partridges and a singing Lesser Whitethroat.

Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir incuded short stay migrants in the form of a Sandwich Tern, two Arctic Terns and two Bar-tailed Godwits; more sedentary birds included a Great White Egret and two Common Sandpipers on the causeway with at least ten Yellow Wagtails up by the dam.

The three passage Whimbrel remained at Hollowell Reservoir today but the Bar-tailed Godwit had moved on and was replaced for a time with a Curlew feeding alongside it's smaller cousins. The Great White Egret was there too.

Early morning migration at Stanwick Pits provided brief views of a Whimbrel, five Arctic Terns and eight Siskins - all moving through. A Greenshank lingered and two more flew through and other birds included a drake Pintail and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Summer Leys LNR was the focal point again this morning with a string of quality birds such as Spotted Redshank, six Greenshanks, a Wood Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, four Little Gulls, an Arctic Tern, a Hobby and a Marsh Harrier. Ten species of warbler could be found at Earls Barton Pits today incuding a couple of Grasshopper Warblers.

It's proving a remarkable spring for many migrants and the Greenshank is no exception with the single still at Lower Barnwell and two at Thrapston Pits on the Titchmarsh Reserve with the Grey Plover still present too. A drake Goosander was at Islip Mill and two Grasshopper Warblers and Cuckoo were also noted on the Thrapston Pits complex.

A Wheatear was at Muscott Mill today and a Wheatear was at Dale Farm, Maidwell together with ten Fieldfares and a Grey Wagtail. Twenty-four lingering Fieldfares were at Brockhall plus a Grey Wagtail and Yellow Wagtails and two Shelducks and nine Common Terns were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR.

Four Wheatears and a Kingfisher were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Pied Wagtail courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy
of Nathan Jones.

Linnet courtesy of 
Nathan Jones.

Barn Owl courtesy
of Nathan Jones.

Sunday's migrants

Hello

Another cold, breezy day but with some super sunshine too!

Two Ring Ouzels and over a hundred Fieldfares were found foraging in horse paddocks at Dale Farm, Maidwell this morning - which is a hillside equestrian concern to the north of Blueberry Farm. All the thrushes had moved off from there by 1.30pm. A Redpoll was at Hanging Houghton first thing this morning.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning an Osprey spent time cruising around the Scaldwell Bay and the pair of Garganey were again next to the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station. A Great White Egret and the pair of Oystercatchers were also present.

The Nene Valley provided two Bar-tailed Godwits at Stanwick Pits (and later two more flew over), a Whimbrel there briefly and at Summer Leys LNR the list of migrants included the Spotted Redshank, a Wood Sandpiper, up to sixteen Greenshanks, three Black-tailed Godwits, four Bar-tailed Godwits flying over (and another on the deck), a Little Gull, a Common Sandpiper and Swifts. A Grasshopper Warbler and other common warblers including Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler were present along the old railway line and two Mediterranean Gulls were over Mary's Lake.

Thrapston Pits and in particular the Titchmarsh Reserve again provided the Grey Plover, three Bar-tailed Godwits, five Arctic Terns, two Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, a Hobby and a Great White Egret.

The Bar-tailed Godwit and three Whimbrel remained at Hollowell Reservoir today and they were all busy feeding in the meadow. A Great White Egret was also present.

Three Little Gulls were at Daventry Country Park this afternoon and a male Merlin carrying prey on the Clopton/Bythorn track was a great record. A Greenshank and a Little Ringed Plover were at Lower Barnwell floods off the A605.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Garganey.

Whimbrel.

Lapwing.

All images taken locally
by Robin Gossage.

Saturday's migration highlights.

Hello

A ringing session at Linford Lakes today was successful with thirty-five captures of thirteen species. Warblers dominated with thirteen new Blackcaps, five Reed Warblers, three Sedge Warblers, a Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff. Three birds not often caught included a Common Snipe, a Sand Martin and a Yellow Wagtail. Other birds present included a Hobby, two Oystercatchers, three Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper. Great Crested Newts and a Weasel were the best of the non-avian wildlife on offer.

After the excitement of yesterday, today was a much more mundane birding day, but there was still plenty of migration in full swing with terns, gulls and waders on the move.

Summer Leys always comes into it's own at this time of the year and the birding highlights included a Wood Sandpiper, the Spotted Redshank still, at least ten Little Gulls this morning, two Mediterranean Gulls, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Ringed Plover, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper. Two Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover were at new workings on the gravel pit complex and a Lesser Whitethroat was near Mary's Lake.

Thrapston Pits today boasted a Grey Plover, at least fifty-four Little Gulls, a Great White Egret, five Little Egrets, a pair of Egyptian Geese, a Green Sandpiper and a Grasshopper Warbler. Clifford Hill Pits supported thirteen Little Gulls, a Jack Snipe, two fly-through Grreenshank, a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper.

The reservoirs tend not to be able to keep up with the Nene Valley gravel pits at this time of the year but Hollowell Reservoir pulled in four lingering Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Redshank and a Common Sandpiper. Birds visible at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon north of the causeway included up to twenty-eight Little Gulls, a Black Tern, a Great White Egret and the pair of Garganey again.

Elsewhere and the roadside pools at Lilbourne attracted a Whimbrel and three Greenshanks, a Whimbrel was seen in fields at Wadenhoe and a Greenshank was on the A605 Lower Barnwell lock flooded field at Oundle. The elusive Short-eared Owl was flushed up at Harrington Airfield again today and there were also two Bramblings and a Wheatear present. A couple of pairs of Grey Partridge and a Barn Owl was all the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton had to offer. A pair of Mandarin Ducks were noted at Harlestone Lake today plus a pair of Ravens nearby and three Wheatears were in a sheep field near Easton Maudit.

Regards

Neil M

Sand Martin courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy
of Keny Cramer.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Sparrowhawk with growths
inside the mouth of the bird.

Little Ringed Plover
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Swifts, Little Gulls and a Pallid Harrier

Hello

A date in the diary placed a small team of us at Kelmarsh Hall today to begin the installation of a Swift breeding tower. Working with Matt and Carl from the Kelmarsh Hall Trust staff we completed the first phase and hope to complete the work in a week's time. A couple of Swift boxes were also sited on the main building. With work completed it was time for a quick walk to appreciate the wildlife around the lake which included several species of butterfly. A couple of Blackcaps and a Treecreeper were watched in lakeside vegetation and a small bird flew into the alders and proved to be a male Pied Flycatcher! We watched it for a few minutes before it flew on to the other side of the lake. Singles of Redpoll and Siskin were fly-overs.

Lamport Hall have also allowed us to invest in providing nest sites for Swifts and a dozen boxes have been put up this spring ready for their impending arrival!

Harrington Airfield seemed to be quiet for birds at lunchtime and Eleanor's walks in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton secured sightings of two Wheatears but little else.

It was the Nene Valley that attracted all the interest this morning with a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Green Sandpipers and a Swift at Stanwick Pits, another two Swifts near Kislingbury and an excellent array of migrants at Summer Leys LNR which included the Spotted Redshank still, a Mediterranean Gull and an arrival of Little Gulls culminating in about nineteen by 3pm. A Pied Flycatcher was reported next to Mary's Lake during the early afternoon.

A flock of about twenty-five Little Gulls flew north-east at Stanwick Pits this evening.

Clifford Hill Pits attracted up to about twenty-six Little Gulls and two Bar-tailed Godwits, a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper.

Thrapston Pits also attracted a couple of Little Gulls and a few Arctic Terns on Town Lake this afternoon.

Following a message from Jon Cooke about Little Gulls present at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon, Eleanor and I popped down to the causeway and subsequently met up with Robin and Wendy Gossage and David Arden, keeping socially distanced of course! The Little Gulls were spectacular and numbers grew as fresh birds kept arriving, reaching about seventy-five by 5pm. All three ages were on show but the majority were adults and the accompanying Common Terns included an Arctic Tern. Earlier David had seen the pair of Garganey and a Great White Egret in the Scaldwell Bay.

A calling Spotted Redshank was a surprise as it called and flew in over the causeway before heading off towards the Scaldwell Bay. But the best was yet to come...

At about 4.20pm the Little Gulls gathered together and rose up, a classic response to a predator! On looking up a Red Kite was obvious and assumed to be the reason but there was a Lesser Black-backed Gull chasing another pale bird which proved to be a remarkably pale grey male harrier! The gull quickly gave up and the harrier cruised away and eventually disappearing in a south-easterly direction. It was small, long-winged and remarkably pale grey on the upperside and white on the underside. The only black on the upperwing was restricted to a couple of primaries but not viewable on the underside at all. All the features pointed to an adult male Pallid Harrier - it is regrettable that the view was so brief and only three of us managed a view at all!

Other birds reported in the county today included five Little Gulls at Stanford Reservoir this afternoon and a White-fronted Goose in the morning. The hotspot at Lilbourne today yielded a Caspian Gull and a Bar-tailed Godwit and the Shag remained at Daventry Country Park.

Regards

Neil M

Swift courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Chris Payne and Swift nest box
courtesy of Lynne Barnett!

Snake's Head Fritillaries
and other flowers at
Kelmarsh Hall courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Another photo of a 
stunning male Yellow
Wagtail courtesy of
Nathan Jones.

Birding in all directions!

Hello

I had a full day in the west and south of the county looking at both well known sites but also many places which are rarely visited by birders. Eleanor spent much of the day in the north of the county visiting some of her favourite haunts, finishing at regular sites in the centre.

A Nightingale and two Grasshopper Warblers were singing in the Westhay section of Fineshade Wood this morning plus a couple of Siskins and Ravens were on-site with a Stoat being seen too. At nearby Wakerley Wood there were ten Crossbills in the car park and several Siskins (still coming to the feeders including some stunning males). A wander in the wood in warm sunshine provided two Ravens, two Grass Snakes and a Common Lizard. Spring flowers included Bluebells, Wood Anemones, Primroses and Wood Violets

A fine adult Little Gull was at Blatherwycke Lake together with a pair of Mandarin Ducks and four Egyptian Geese plus a Little Egret with a Cuckoo and a Common Sandpiper at Deene Lake. Fifty Fieldfares were in grass fields by Gretton Weir in the Welland Valley.

Three Avocets spent a while in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and may have been the same birds later seen at Eyebrook Reservoir just over the county border. This afternoon three Little Gulls (two adults and a first summer) arrived to the north of the causeway and these remained visible from the causeway until dusk. Other birds included a Great White Egret, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Green Sandpiper.

I arrived at Borough Hill Country Park just before dawn and it was cold! The first dog walker was alteady on site but I spent a couple of hours up there and a good number of migrants slowly shook off the morning frost and stirred. The concentration of Skylarks on this relatively small amount of unimproved pasture is excellent and a number of Meadow Pipits there looked as if they might have a go at breeding too. A Peregrine was on an early morning hunt and a Wheatear was present on the summit and Red Fox and Muntjac were noted.

Next was Daventry Country Park where the juvenile Shag was looking pretty dormant on one of the tern rafts and large numbers of Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls were coming in to wash and preen. A single Common Tern and a pair of Pintail were present.

The Catesby area provided a stunning male Lapwing in full breeding plumage and a couple of Ravens but the Hellidon area was disturbed and little of note was seen. Boddington Reservoir was a stop off for fifteen Arctic Terns and three Common Terns and a pair of Grey Wagtails were also present. I then toured several areas further south including Edgcote, Chacombe, Thorpe Mandeville and zig-zagged around various villages and agricultural areas. I spent some time at Hinton Airfield and drove on to check areas at Croughton, near Brackley and up aginst the North Bucks border. A late afternoon walk at Bucknell Wood provided plenty of butterflies, two Ravens and a couple of Siskins plus lots of Lady's Smock flowers. I just had time to visit the causeway at Pitsford to watch the always fabulous Little Gulls!

Elsewhere and a Greenshank and an Arctic Tern were seen early on at Stanwick Pits and Earls Barton Pits provided a super flock of eleven Bar-tailed Godwits for a time, a Spotted Redshank, two Whimbrel, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, a Blue-headed Wagtail, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Cuckoo.

Clifford Hill Pits doubled it's Bar-tailed Godwit tally to six birds and there were two Wheatears present too. A Common Sandpiper was at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve in the Nene Valley and an Osprey was reported from Hollowell Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

The Pitsford Avocets
today courtesy of 
David Arden.

Bar-tailed Godwit
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Siskin courtesy of
Nathan Jones.

Little Gulls.

Lady's Smock or
Cuckoo Flower.