Dotterel and more summer visitors

Hello

A couple of local ringing operations took place today and at Linford Lakes the star bird was definitely a Cuckoo that was first caught in May 2017 when it was at least two years old (so it will be at least six years old this summer). The longevity record for Cuckoo is not much older than this so hopefully he will make it through another British summer and African winter to perhaps break a few records next year!

Warblers dominated proceedings with fourteen Reed Warblers representing quite a new arrival of birds. Included within these birds was an individual with a ring from elsewhere and a re-trap bird that was ringed as an adult on-site in 2016 making it at least six years old. Four Blackcaps, two Sedge Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and two Song Thrushes were very welcome too and free-flying birds included a Hobby.

At the same time some ringing was undertaken at Harrington Airfield where fifty-eight birds of seventeen species were handled and included a female Common Redstart, eight Willow Warblers (with three re-traps from previous years), a returning Garden Warbler from last year, five Blackcaps, two Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat (one of at least three on-site). Two new Song Thrushes were encountered too and small numbers of finches included Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Linnet. Other birds noted included two Ravens, two Grey Partridges and six fly-through Redpolls.

A super find today was of two Dotterel found in a field just south west of Piddington and they were much-admired by a procession of observers today. Bonus birds also there included ten Wheatears and a male Whinchat.

Birds reported at Summer Leys LNR today included two Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Ruff, the now long-staying Spotted Redshank, three Hobbies and two drake Garganey with Earls Barton new workings producing a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a White Wagtail with a Cuckoo at Mary's Lake.

Debbie and Eric's visit to Titchmarsh Reserve provided a succession of views of a daylight-hunting Barn Owl ending with a successful catch of a vole. Three Nightingales was a great development and other birds included a Cuckoo, Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper and two Kingfishers.

Boddington Reservoir provided a Wheatear, a Common Sandpiper and a Grasshopper Warbler and a Whinchat was a good find at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this morning. A Ring Ouzel was observed yesterday evening in the Pury End area and today there were three Wheatears on the summit plateau at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry.

Regards

Neil M

Cuckoo courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Garden Warbler courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Female Common Redstart
courtesy of Lewis Aaron.

Common Whitethroat courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.