More of the same!

Again my birding has been dominated by Common Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers.  It was a case of visiting these areas whilst trying to dodge the rain showers.  This morning at Harrington Airfield there were at least 2 Common Redstart calling well but only giving fleeting glimpses.  I gather that they were skulking in the afternoon as well. A Wheatear did show well as did an adult and two young Grey Partridge.  Then it was a quick stop off at Blueberry Farm where the 2 Common Redstart here were showing well.  Also in the area was a Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher and Peregrine over.  Rain then stopped play !    From mid afternoon the hedgerow at Lamport Hall burst into a frenzy of activity with at least 20 Spotted Flycatchers feeding,  calling and flycatching.  It really is quite an incredible sight. Other birds are mixed in with them and it reminds me of birding in the rain forest and frantically searching through the mixed flock in an effort to identify everything and hope to find an "rarity ". 

Over the past couple of days there have been some ringing sessions taking place at 3 sites with different habitats but all reporting good numbers of Warblers ringed.                             Yesterday Dave Francis was ringing at the feeding station at Pitsford Reservoir where 51 birds of 18 species were processed before the rain stopped things. Warblers were a significant part of the catch including 8 Blackcap, 6 Sedge Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Garden Warbler.    The other bird of interest was a retrap Moorhen which was originally ringed as an adult male in 2014 and is now 8+ years old. He was also retrapped in 2015 and 2016.                                                                                   John Woollett was busy ringing at Stortons Gravel Pits until the rain came. 59 new birds of 17 species and again a good range of Warblers including Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Whitethroat plus Garden, Reed and Sedge Warbler. 

Today Kenny Cramer and team had a ringing session at Linford Lakes Reserve where they managed to ring 105 birds before the rain came. Again good numbers of Warblers, 22 Blackcap,11 Reed Warbler, 5 Garden Warbler, 11 Chiffchaff,  9 Willow Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Cettis Warbler.                                                                                                       Other birds included 3 new Kingfishers, 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers,  Magpie and Sparrowhawk.  But bird of the day was an unexpected Tree Pipit,  a new species for the reserve. 

Regards Eleanor 

Lesser Whitethroat.

Tree Pipit.

Sparrowhawk.
All images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.