Sightings, Swifts and Ringing

Hello

A walk up to the summit of Blueberry Hill above Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning provided fifty Bramblings feeding on a strip of wild bird cover and a couple of Woodcock. Bramblings were still present at Harrington Airfield today but a number was not estimated.

The long-stayers at Pitsford Reservoir today included a Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, eighteen Great White Egrets, eighteen Pintail, fourteen Red-crested Pochard and a Yellow-legged Gull, most of these birds centred around the Scaldwell Bay.

The Dark-bellied Brent Goose was again at Clifford Hill Pits today and Martin estimated the numbers of Red Kites at the Laxton pre-roost gathering to be about two hundred and fifty birds this afternoon!

If anyone fancies a quick trip across the border the long-staying Ring-necked Duck remains at Eyebrook Reservoir (Rutland) today with three Scaup and a Smew there too.

Touching base with local naturalist John Hunt who works tirelessly trying to create nesting opportunities and monitor breeding Swifts in the village of Spratton, it transpires that one of his nest box pairs of Swifts was still feeding young in the nest into September with the nestlings fledging on 11th/12th September and the adults hanging around for a few days before fleeing south. This is much later than generally associated with our local breeding population with many leaving by the end of July and just a few stragglers during August. I wonder how many local birders saw Swifts flying in September or expected to see them!

The Bird Ringing Tab or Page has been updated today to incorporate a short report and maps/images from Nick Wood the Northants Ringing Group Secretary.

Regards

Neil M

Swift courtesy of
Lewis Aaron.

With plummeting temperatures
and natural invertebrate food now at a
premium, our garden has an invasion
of Blue Tits!

A new addition to the 
garden in recent days
is this Red-legged Partridge!