Migrants, falcons and Otter

Hello

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield today failed to catch many of the migrants moving through the site but there were token numbers of Redwing, Blackbird, a single Blackcap and Song Thrushes as well as three Lesser Redpolls. Many of the thrush flocks remained high in the bushes and only made brief stops before their restless, nomadic behaviour pushed them on again. Two Woodcock were seen in flight just before dawn and later a Peregrine hunted the old airfield with a Merlin doing much the same thing mid-afternoon. About forty Golden Plovers were present and other migrants included several Bramblings and about a dozen Siskins moving through in small flocks. It is hoped to try some more ringing there on Thursday and Saturday.

A male Merlin in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton is almost certainly the same bird seen three times during the last week in the local area and two Woodcock were at Blueberry Farm this morning.

Earls Barton Pits attracted a Marsh Harrier over Mary's Lake plus a Blackcap and a Ruff and five Pintail were on the Summer Leys LNR and Pitsford Reservoir today yielded five Red-crested Pochard, nine Pintail, two Great White Egrets, a Peregrine, an adult Yellow-legged Gull plus singles of Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper. In the south of the county John Friendship-Taylor witnessed a single Crossbill fly west over Brackley and a Scaup was still at Daventry Country Park today.

An Otter has been showing regularly during the day on the River Welland at Market Harborough for the last week or so, very much in the town centre, and a Peregrine still resides on buildings nearby.

Regards

Neil M

A red dawn at Harrington
Airfield this morning courtesy
of Helen Franklin.

Peregrine courtesy of
Dave Thomas.

Otter.