Mid-November birding

Hello

Very little opportunity for birding during the last couple of days but efforts from others shows there are fresh birds out there.

Yesterday (16th) birds noted at Summer Leys LNR included two Ruff, at least two Snipe and two Great White Egrets. A flock of 400 - 450 Golden Plovers were also circulating over Thrapston Pits (presumed from nearby fields) and a day-time Siskin migration was evident.

At Ringstead Pits the flock of Cattle Egrets reached the dizzy heights of sixteen birds and there were six Great White Egrets and eight Little Egrets too.

Two Woodcock were seen at Harrington Airfield and the flock of Bramblings remained close to the shooting wall next to the concrete track. Three Red-crested Pochard were at Stanford Reservoir where a Brambling was caught and ringed.

Today (17th) and an early morning Ring Ouzel was with other thrushes near to the large barn in the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton but it moved off with the mobile thrush flock. Eight Bramblings were also present with a larger flock of at least twenty more at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell together with two Woodcock.

Three Hawfinches were reportedly next to the gatehouse at Lilford Park this afternoon, a once traditional site for these big finches.

A Dark-bellied Brent Goose was a good find at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and the flock of at least thirty Bramblings remained at Harrington Airfield. This evening there was a hunting Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton and a couple of Grey Partridges were very vocal.

A Scaup was at Daventry Country Park and at least twelve Cattle Egrets were still in paddocks north east of Kinewell Lake.

Regards

Neil M

Harrington Bramblings.

Fire Rainbow.
All images courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.