Ringing at Harrington Airfield.

Hello

A ringing session in perfect conditions at Harrington Airfield today provided about seventy-seven captures made up of twenty-three species. A juvenile Green Woodpecker was much admired and warblers were made up of two Chiffchaffs, ten Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and thirteen Common Whitethroats. A Coal Tit is a scarce encounter at this site and other birds included just a single Swallow, seven Yellowhammers and a handful of finches and three Reed Buntings. Three moulting Common Redstarts were interesting captures of this passage migrant, two of them being adults and the other a first year male. There may be another ringing operation here on Thursday morning.

The only birds of note seen included a Barn Owl and a couple of Yellow Wagtails and two very young Grey Partridges.

Not far away and two Comon Redstarts remained at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and this afternoon a Wheatear and two Whinchats had dropped into the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton (there was no sign of them this morning). The regular Common Redstart hotspot along the footpath leading from Bridle Road, Old village and traversing several fields heading east next to Pitsford Reservoir proved it was back in business this autumn with at least three birds on show late this morning plus two Whinchats and a hunting Marsh Harrier.

A Garganey was still at Stanwick Pits today and an Osprey was seen at Stanford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

A juvenile male
Green Woodpecker.

Garden Warbler.

A first year male Common Redstart.

An adult female
Common Redstart.

Adult Common Redstart, either
a dull male or a bright female.

All images from Harrington Airfield
this morning.