Bird Ringing Demonstration

Hello

Yesterday evening (Friday) there were three Common Sandpipers on the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir, a Yellow-legged Gull near the dam and about four hundred Starlings and six Little Egrets roosted north of the causeway.

Today (Saturday) there was a Parks Trust Nature Day at Howe Park Wood in Milton Keynes where the staff and volunteers endeavoured to showcase nature within this SSSI urban woodland. Members of the Northants Ringing Group led by Kenny Cramer provided a bird ringing demonstration which resulted in fifty-seven birds being processed. It was great to see good numbers of children and adults wowing over the opportunity of seeing wild birds nice and close and to appreciate their beauty and finesse. 

Over half the catch were adult and juvenile Blue Tits but other species encountered included Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

Four Black-tailed Godwits were showing on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR today.

Eleanor discovered a colony of Marbled White butterflies today at the Old Grammarians sportsfield at Wellingborough  (wild flower strips around the edge) and others were active on the roadside bypass verges at West Haddon and Crick.

This afternoon two first summer Caspian Gulls were again on the pools off the A5 between Lilbourne and the DIRFT3 site.

Regards

Neil M

Marbled White
courtesy of David Arden.

Black-tailed Godwits
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Treecreeper courtesy
of Chris Payne.