Wednesday 14 July 2021

Skokholm encounters

Hello

At Pitsford Reservoir today David Arden located a White Admiral butterfly and some Purple Hairstreaks in the Walgrave Bay. This afternoon there was an adult Spotted Flycatcher near the Fishing Lodge and a moulting adult male Goldeneye was in the Scaldwell Bay (surely the same individual that arrives in July every year). Marbled Whites were on the wing at Hanging Houghton and Purple Emperor and Silver-washed Fritillary were on view at Salcey Forest.

Nick saw eight Green Sandpipers at Deene Park Lake today and a Cattle Egret was seen early this morning at Stanwick Pits. A Barn Owl and a Little Owl were again near Hanging Houghton this evening.

Our regular visits to Harrington Airfield have been very quiet of late and again this morning there was nothing of note again. Two days of bird ringing will be occurring at this site at the weekend when the bunkers and old airstrip will be out of bounds - the concrete track and footpaths are unaffected.

A small Northants Ringing Group contingent is currently on the island of Skokholm off the Pembrokeshire coast and they are busy helping out the wardens conducting seabird monitoring and ringing. Last night they processed over two hundred Storm Petrels and look to be catching more tonight. Nocturnal catching the last two nights included plenty of Manx Shearwaters and other birds ringed during the day included Puffins, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Water Rail.

Regards

Neil M

Part of a group of about a
dozen Brown Hares near
Lamport in recent days,
image courtesy of Bill Draper.

Storm Petrel.

Water Rail.

Puffling!

Adult Puffin.

Skokholm images courtesy
of Chris Payne and Kenny
Cramer.




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