November migration

Hello

On Tuesday afternoon/Wednesday morning there was some bird ringing carried out at Pitsford Reservoir around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station which resulted in 74 captures of 17 species which included nine Goldfinches, nine Long-tailed Tits, five Chaffinches, four Tree Sparrows, three Greenfinches, two Song Thrushes, two Redwings, two Blackbirds, two Reed Buntings, a Goldcrest and a Blackcap. However the best bird was probably a Stonechat which was a returning bird to Pitsford, first ringed there in November 2020.

Chris Payne and team completed some ringing at Greens Norton on Wednesday this week and caught 89 birds of 14 species which included an excellent seven Bullfinches, five Lesser Redpolls, eight Goldfinches, thirteen Redwings, a continental Blackbird and two Blackcaps. Siskins and a Woodcock were also noted.

Yesterday (Thursday) saw plenty more winter thrushes and finches streaming through the county and at Thrapston Pits the Ring-necked Parakeet was still present as were two pairs of Stonechat, two Kingfishers and two Great White Egrets. Two Merlins were chasing Skylarks south of Hartwell and Harrington Airfield recorded a Hen Harrier (also seen on the 1st), Bramblings and plenty of Fieldfares and Redwings. At Pitsford Reservoir a very late Wood Sandpiper was found in the Scaldwell Bay and other birds included a Garganey, eight Great White Egrets, a Ruff, two Green Sandpipers and a flock of Pintail.

Birds at Earls Barton Pits included about five hundred Golden Plovers and a pair of Stonechats and an Otter was fishing on Moon Lake. A Scaup was seen at Daventry Country Park.

Today (Friday) and the Wood Sandpiper was still at Pitsford Reservoir where there was also a Green Sandpiper, two Dunlin, eight Great White Egrets, sixteen Snipe, eleven Pintail, a Yellow-legged Gull and twenty Bramblings. The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton  yielded a male Merlin, a Barn Owl, two Woodcock, twenty Bramblings and lots of migrating winter thrushes and Starlings. Harrington Airfield still attracted at least a dozen Bramblings today plus plenty of winter thrushes and forty Golden Plovers. Hollowell Reservoir was good for a Dunlin, three Great White Egrets and four Stonechats.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Common Snipe.