Happy New Year!

Hello

I'm just back in from a Christmas tour of the Algarve in Portugal which was bird-filled but with mixed weather with plenty of rain in the first few days but the sunshine came out during the second half of the trip.

It sounds like it has been mild and wet here as I adjust back to the local birding scene!

The three stunning drake Smew were in the Holcot Bay at Pitsford Reservoir today and still showing well from the Goosander Hide.

Stanford Reservoir and the land nearby attracted a Pink-footed Goose and three White-fronted Geese today and other birds included a Red-crested Pochard, an Egyptian Goose and a Water Rail.

Cattle Egrets in the Nene Valley included seven at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits (plus a pair of Pintail) with three more Cattle Egrets in the meadow below Irthlingborough church (also a Great White Egret and two Snipe at this latter site). A Pink-footed Goose was at Stanwick Pits with Greylags by North Lake early this afternoon.

Other birds noted today included a Green Sandpiper at Upton Country Park, a female Brambling at Ian's Woodford Halse feeding station and a Jack Snipe and five Stonechats at Hollowell Reservoir. A Chiffchaff and two Bramblings were at Lamport Hall and scattered Bramblings and two Woodcock were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. A Grey Wagtail and two Ravens were at Hanging Houghton today.

Happy New Year!

Neil M

The drake Smew at
Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Warm Winter Day !!

 A bit of a strange day.  When I got up this morning it was already 10'c/50'f  When I  opened the back door the abnormally warm air met me evoking memories of travelling on holiday to warmer countries and the feeling of meeting the warm air as we descended the plane and left the airport.                                                                                                              I started the day with a run and had to quickly dig out a T shirt rather than my usual fleecy top. I actually enjoy running early in the morning just as it is getting light when it is just me, my dogs and the natural world just waking up.  As I ran along I did wake up quite a lot of Redwings,  Fieldfares and Brambling from the hedgerows plus a couple of Woodcock. By the time dawn broke I was at the highest point at Blueberry where I took a brief rest to enjoy the beautiful colours of the morning sky and was taken by surprise with a very close encounter with a Barn Owl. 

The light was much better today and there was even a period of sunshine and even the birds thought that spring had come. The Great Tits were in full song and a  couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were very vocal,  chasing each other and then drumming.  I  managed a visit to Pitsford Reservoir and caught up with the 3 drake Smew in the Holcot bay but saw very little else of note. I couldn't find any waders apart from Lapwings which gave a great aerial display whilst  being chased by a male Peregrine. 

Harrington Airfield was quiet early afternoon and the weather had changed back to being dull and drizzly,  but by now it was a balmy 15'c/59'f and I was regretting wearing too many layers.  The only birds of note were 20 Brambling,  Woodcock and 4 Grey Partridge.    Nearby at Kelmarsh there were approx 40 Siskins.

A few other folk were out and about birding today,  no doubt making the most of the "brighter " day.  The Black Redstart was again at Borough Hill but can be elusive,   Red Crested Pochard,  Caspian Gull and Pink Footed Goose at Stanford Reservoir, and Greater Scaup at Stortons GP.                                                                                                                        But bird of the day goes to a female Ring Necked Duck which was found on the town lake at Thrapston GP keeping company with a few Tufted Ducks.  It is always worth spending time checking through the Tufted Ducks at this time of year because you never know what you might find!!

Regards Eleanor 

Post Christmas Birding

 Another dull dreary wet day when it just doesn't get daylight.  I  hate these days and I really had to force myself to go out birding.  I spent some time at Pitsford Reservoir making full use of the hides. There were a good number of wildfowl in the Walgrave bay including a "redhead" Smew and 8 Red Crested Pochard.  Whilst not as many wildfowl in the Scaldwell bay there was a raft of 22 Pintail, mainly males infront of the Bird club hide plus a rather colourful male Mandarin duck sitting on a tree stump. He brought a  welcome splash of colour to the mirky conditions.  Amazingly the Wood Sandpiper remains which is such an unusual record for the county.  There was also a Green Sandpiper and Redshank for company and useful for a comparison.                                       Other birds of note were a Water Rail, Stonechat, 10 + Great White Egrets, and Woodcock. I counted 38 Tree Sparrows at the feeding station which is the most that I have seen for a while and they all looked very smart.

Harrington Airfield still has a few Brambling,  Barn Owl and 100+ Golden Plovers and there is  still a scattering of Brambling in the hedgerows below Hanging Houghton, Blueberry and the Brampton Valley Way but certainly not the huge numbers of a few weeks ago. 

Eric visited Titchmarsh today and noted that the winter wildfowl numbers are low. His birds of note were 4 Great White Egrets,  12 Little Egrets,  Stonechat and 30+ Siskin. 

Hopefully if the weather improves so will the birding although looking ahead at the weather forecast we have more rain and balmy temperatures coming !! 

Regards Eleanor 

Images from the Algarve

Ola!

A few more images from The Algarve, Portugal...

Regards

Neil M

Bluethroat.

Crag Martin.

Red-crested Pochard.

Mediterranean Gull.

Slender-billed Gull.

Christmas Eve birding in Portugal

Happy Christmas!

Rain stopped play here in the Algarve so time to format a couple of images from yesterday's birding highlights in the Castro Verde area to the north...

Obrigado!

Neil M

Long-eared Owls.

Little Bustards.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

 A very dull and dreary day today when most of the daylight hours were shrouded in fog. I started my day with a run where I had to rely on my ears to tell me what was about. I  heard small numbers of Brambling below Hanging Houghton,  Blueberry,  Maidwell and Draughton . Plenty of Redwings and Fieldfare were flushed from the hedgerows as I ran past and 2 Grey Wagtail were flying around below Hanging Houghton.                                  There was a very brief clear sunny spell this afternoon and luckily I was at Harrington Airfield at the time. There were about 20 Brambling on the rough area waiting to fed. The fields were alive with Redwings,  Fieldfare, Skylarks,  Starlings and Pied Wagtails feeding on the wet fields and finding plenty of food. By the time I got home the fog had returned. Very little other bird news to report which no doubt was weather related or everyone making a last minute dash to the shops !!  The only birds of note today were a Siberian Chiffchaff and the long staying Wood Sandpiper at Pitsford Reservoir,  a Black Redstart at Borough Hill and a  Scaup at Stortons Gravel Pits. 

Regards Eleanor 

We would just like to wish you all a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and hope that you enjoy this time of year however you spend it xxxxx                        

Feliz Natal!

 Hello

A few images from the rainy Algarve today...

Regards

Neil M

Zitting Cisticola (or
Fan-tailed Warbler).

Little Bittern.

Red-knobbed Coot.

Purple Swamphen.

Glossy Ibis.

WINTER WILDFOWL

 Yesterday was the shortest day of the year and the "first" day of winter , which seems appropriate when looking at the many species of winter wildfowl which were scattered throughout the county.  Somehow I managed to miss them all which was a shame as there was obviously a noticeable movement of Whooper Swans and Geese.   Whooper Swans were seen at Pitsford and Stanford Reservoirs, Clifford Hill Pits and over Denton Wood.  There were certainly quite a few geese moving around with a small flock of Whitefronted geese at Pitsford and Hollowell Reservoirs, a Pink Footed Goose at Thrapston,  Dark Bellied Brent Goose at Clifford Hill and a Barnacle Goose at Pitsford. Phew almost feels like Norfolk rather than Northamptonshire!!                                     Winter ducks included Smew at Hollowell and Thrapston,  Scaup at Stanford Reservoir,  Stortons and Kislingbury GP. and Red Crested Pochards at Stanford and Kislingbury. 

Today, new birds included 3 White Fronted Geese at Stanwick gp, Pink Footed Goose at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Black Redstart at Borough Hill. 

However I have somehow managed to avoid any of these birds due to other commitments which restricted my birding to Blueberry and Harrington.  I did manage a long run yesterday morning and bumped into 3 Barn Owls at Hanging Houghton,  Blueberry and Harrington Airfield  and at least 50 Bramblings at Harrington Airfield.  This morning I was out and about at first light and sunrise and subsequent skies were absolutely spectacular,  certainly a good time to be up and out.     A Barn Owl was hunting and calling in the moonlight at Blueberry which was quite ethereal and my young collie found it a scary experience!!    There are still about 30 Brambling around the Blueberry area plus several Woodcock and a pair of Stonechat which I bump into at times.                 A lunchtime visit to Harrington Airfield produced another Barn Owl,  2 Woodcock and 50+ Brambling. 

Regards Eleanor 

     

Birding on a grey winter's day

Hello

Today at least one of the Shags was still at the southern end of Pitsford Reservoir, either fishing mid-water or with Cormorants on one of the Sailing Club structures. The resident adult Yellow-legged Gull was on a buoy here too. At the other end of the reservoir the Wood Sandpiper was again on the lagoon between the Bird Club and James Fisher hides and two Whooper Swans in the Scaldwell Bay were fresh in. A few Redpolls were in small stands of trees south of the causeway.

The female Scaup was again seen at Stortons Pits, a 'redhead' Smew was still on Aldwincle Lake at Thrapston Pits with two Pintail on Town Lake. A pair of Red-crested Pochard and a pair of Stonechat were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve at Ditchford Pits. A Ruff and a Great White Egret were at Summer Leys together with a flock of Golden Plovers. Three Cattle Egrets were in a sheep field just north of North Lake at Stanwick Pits this morning.

Up to sixty Siskins were at Harlestone Heath in alders by the railway line this morning and several Redpolls were at Martin Moore Wood in the Brampton Valley. At Harrington Airfield this afternoon there was a Barn Owl, c10 Bramblings and a couple of Golden Plovers. Four more Bramblings were at 'Shrike Hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and there were ten more by the summit of Blueberry Hill with a Barn Owl and fourteen Grey Partridges on the Blueberry Farm complex.

Regards

Neil M

Whooper Swan.

Female Scaup.

Drake Pintail.

Ditchford WeBS count.

Hello

I suspect like most WeBS counters this morning I was a little disheartened when I saw the mist and drizzle knowing that it would reduce visibility for counting the birds associated with water bodies. Nevertheless I drove over to Ditchford Pits and counted my section of this very large complex. Birds west of Ditchford Lane included a Great White Egret or two, three Water Rails, four Cetti's Warblers, a Raven and a Redpoll. East of Ditchford Lane there were six Jack Snipe, twelve Snipe, a pair of Red-crested Pochard on Delta Lake, a Goosander, two Water Rails, a Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher and a couple more Cetti's Warblers.

A Scaup was found on the west pit of Stortons Pits today and eight Goosanders were on the complex too. Three Stonechats were found on the land between the Lilbourne Meadows reserve and the M1 today and birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir included at least six Great White Egrets and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. Two Ruff were still at Summer Leys LNR late this morning.

Eleanor went for a good walk around Harrington Airfield in the murk this afternoon, flushing a Short-eared Owl by the Shooting Wall and seeing a hunting Barn Owl at the end of the concrete track. Some forty Bramblings were on-site, the majority of them close to the stand of sunflowers near to the Shooting Wall. Four Grey Partridges and two or three Woodcock also put in an appearance.

Dave Francis committed to some garden bird ringing today where all the encounters were new birds and amounted to thirty Goldfinches, seventeen Blue Tits, two Reed Buntings, a Long-tailed Tit and three Nuthatches.

Regards

Neil M

Jack Snipe.

Barn Owl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Cetti's Warbler courtesy
of Pete Gilbert.

Birds of the mist and murk

Hello

A ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir yesterday afternoon and this morning provided forty-three captures of twelve species with the highlights being two Moorhens, a Common Snipe, four Redwings, five Blackbirds, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and three Tree Sparrows.

Another ringing session was held at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes today where Northants Ringing Group members caught a modest number of birds but it included seven Redwings, two Blackbirds, a Chiffchaff, a Kingfisher and the highlight a first year female Sparrowhawk.

Birds seen at Pitsford Reservoir today included now two juvenile Shags off the Sailing Club and north of the causeway the adult Yellow-legged Gull was flying around and a male Peregrine made an unsuccessful attempt at a flock of Redwings. Great White Egret numbers must have been around the eight mark.

Elsewhere there was a Peregrine and a Water Rail near Brixworth and two Woodcock and about twenty Bramblings at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. Four Cattle Egrets were in a field below Irthlingborough church early this afternoon and over at nearby Stanwick Pits two Cattle Egrets  and at least seventeen Great White Egrets roosted.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included an adult Caspian Gull, two Great White Egrets, two Water Rails, a Cetti's Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, a Brambling and an impressive gathering of one hundred and eighty-five Great Black-backed Gulls were in the afternoon roost.

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe.

First year female
Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Sunny then foggy.

Hello

Not many opportunities for birding for me today but I managed to squeeze in some feed station maintenance, dog walks etc. The lovely weak sunshine and mild conditions this morning caved in to fog and cold temperatures this afternoon and into the evening. This made for interesting bird ringing conditions with Dave Francis presiding over a session at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and again tomorrow morning.

Birds noted at Pitsford Reservoir today included the Shag and the adult Yellow-legged Gull being visible off the dam before the fog came down and birds north of the causeway included a Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, at least six Great White Egrets and a Water Rail from the new viewing screen.

At Harrington Airfield there were about twenty or so Bramblings coming to seed in ringing rides by Bunkers One and Two and a Brambling and a few Siskins were at Kelmarsh Hall this morning. Other birds included a Grey Wagtail at Hanging Houghton, a high count (away from the Nene Valley) of seven Egyptian Geese at Stanford Reservoir plus a Great White Egret, two Goosanders, a Kingfisher, three Water Rails, a Cetti's Warbler, four Chiffchaffs and five Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

Egyptian Geese courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Juvenile Shag courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Pied Wagtail.

Another grey day

Hello

Another quiet, grey and mild day was perfect conditions for ringing. At Stortons Pits John Woollett and John Boland completed a session catching over seventy birds made up of plenty of Blue and Great Tits but also a Chiffchaff, three Long-tailed Tits, four Robins, a Wren, a Dunnock, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, a Bullfinch and a Reed Bunting with perhaps a Jay being the most interesting capture. Over at Woodford Halse Helen Franklin experienced a similar number of birds, again with Blue and Great Tits dominating but also a Coal Tit, a Robin, a Dunnock, a Chaffinch and a Magpie.

At Pitsford Reservoir today Stuart saw the Shag again off the Sailing Club and north of the causeway the Wood Sandpiper was in the lagoon between the James Fisher and Bird Club hides in the Scaldwell Bay. Other birds present on the reserve included between six and eight Great White Egrets, six Little Egrets, a Redshank, two Green Sandpipers, thirteen Pintail, a Grey Wagtail, a Brambling and a couple of Siskins.

A Ruff and a Great White Egret and c800 Lapwings were at Summer Leys LNR today and c10 Bramblings were seen at Harrington Airfield near to Bunker One.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir included a Great White Egret, two Goosanders, two Water Rails, a Cetti's Warbler, three Chiffchaffs, a Lesser Redpoll and five Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

Magpie courtesy
of Martyn Adkins

December Moth.

Great White Egret.

Quiet, grey and mild - me and the weather combined!

Hello

It seemed a rather quiet day for birds being reported in the county today. It seems that during the last couple of days the big numbers of Bramblings have departed the Brampton Valley and Harrington Airfield probably to find food elsewhere.

A Little Egret was in the Welland Valley below Cottingham this morning with c25 Siskins at East Carlton Country Park. There were four Stonechats and a Great White Egret at Upton Country Park and a male Blackcap was seen in a Woodford Halse garden.

A juvenile Shag was found at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon, spending much of it's time between the Sailing Club and The Pines. Other birds between the dam and the causeway included two Great White Egrets, a Barnacle Goose, the drake Mandarin Duck, the adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Grey Wagtail, four Bramblings and c12 Siskins and a Redpoll or two.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Cetti's Warbler, three Chiffchaffs, a Shelduck, a Kingfisher, two Water Rails and four Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

Common Buzzard.

Drake Mandarin Duck
at Pitsford Reservoir - this long-lived
bird has been at the reservoir for
about ten years now and has a 
habit of sticking close to the geese, and 
come the spring any individual goose!

Tawny Owl courtesy
of Pete Gilbert. These birds
should become quite vocal now - 
ahead of their breeding
 season which can start in January.

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was the water bird count day at Pitsford Reservoir which coincided with mild conditions, low water levels and unfortunately Pheasant shooting on land adjacent which made the water birds nervous and flighty.

As a result the two drake Smew were mobile, initially being in the Holcot Bay but visiting all the other bays north of the causeway too. Thirteen Pintail were doing much the same thing but gathered together in the Scaldwell Bay this afternoon. A Black-necked Grebe near The Holly Tree and in The Narrows was a good find and a drake Scaup with a raft of Tufted Ducks near to Catwalk Bay was also new in.

Waders included the Wood Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, a Redshank and sixty-one Snipe and there were approximately six Great White Egrets and six Little Egrets present. A Peregrine harried the Lapwings and made several passes at individual Lapwings but didn't seem to catch one. The resident drake Mandarin Duck was still present.

Smaller birds included up to five Grey Wagtails, c50 Siskins, a couple of Redpoll and six Bramblings with Nuthatches in the Holcot and Walgrave Bays.

A female/immature Merlin was seen over fields adjacent to Ravensthorpe Reservoir and a Brambling was noted too. A Cattle Egret and seventeen Great White Egrets were counted going to roost at Stanwick Pits this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

This Tench has probably
been ignored by fish-eating birds
since it acquired a large size, but this
Cormorant was determined!

Grey Wagtail.

Redshank.

All images from Pitsford Reservoir today.

Mid December birding

Hello

A day of catch-up for me with data inputting, a little garden ringing and replenishing two feed stations on the Kelmarsh Estate.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the two drake Smew were again in the Holcot Bay and visible from Goosander Hide with the Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Redshank, at least four Great White Egrets, a Cetti's Warbler, five Bramblings, two Redpolls and a Grey Wagtail elsewhere north of the causeway. 

There are plenty of winter finches about at the moment with a fresh influx of Siskins, Redpolls and Bramblings funneling into the centre of the county. By way of example there were ten Redpolls at Stortons Pits today, thirteen at Scotland Wood and smaller numbers elsewhere. Five Bramblings were in Scaldwell village yesterday and today there were twenty more by 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton (plus a pair of Stonechat) and small numbers of roving birds elsewhere. A female Blackcap was in a Priors Marston garden today.

A Stonechat was at Upton Country Park this morning and four Goosanders were at Stortons Pits. Birds in the village at Hanging Houghton today included Siskin, Brambling, Raven and Grey Wagtail. A female Sparrowhawk made one of her regular visits to our garden, terrorising the Starlings in the process.

I shall look forward to some fresh air tomorrow conducting the Pitsford WeBS count!

Regards

Neil M

Female Sparrowhawk.

Drake Goosander.

Adult Grey Heron.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Bramblings still in the limelight!

Hello 

A second day of ringing at Harrington Airfield this morning took place in much milder conditions and provided sixty-six encounters which included forty more Redwings, a Blackbird, a Fieldfare and four new Bramblings. A fifth Brambling was found to already be wearing a ring and perhaps provides some evidence as to exactly where all these Bramblings are coming from. The ring was from one of the Norwegian ringing schemes and we hope to soon find out where she was initially ringed. Birds noted on-site included a passage of large gulls moving west/south-west, three Woodcock, a Barn Owl, a few Siskins and Redpoll, Grey Partridges, Golden Plover and approximately a hundred Bramblings continually on the move.

The two drake Smew were again seen in the Holcot Bay at Pitsford Reservoir again today but perhaps were not showing so well as yesterday. Other birds noted on-site included at least ten Pintail, at least five Great White Egrets and a Goosander.

At Stortons Pits today there were twenty Redpolls and eight Goosanders and at Summer Leys LNR there were two Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit and an adult Mediterranean Gull. The Dark-bellied Brent Goose and a drake Pintail were still at Clifford Hill Pits today.

About thirty Bramblings and a pair of Stonechats were at 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning (with an excellent sixteen Grey Partridges there yesterday) and a Barn Owl was perched on a fence post at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. Approximately twenty-five Bramblings were in Cottesbrooke village today, the majority between the church and the sports field. Two Ravens were in Hanging Houghton village.

Regards

Neil M

Kingfisher.

Water Rail.

Both images taken yesterday by
Dave Jackson at the new viewing
screen in the Scaldwell Bay at
Pitsford Reservoir.

Thrush ringing

Hello

At Pitsford Reservoir today the two cracking drake Smew were still in the Holcot Bay, sometimes visible from the Goosander Hide. The Wood Sandpiper was again in the Scaldwell Bay plus a Green Sandpiper and a Redshank and a Kingfisher and two Water Rails were visible from the new photography/viewing screen.

At Thrapston Pits today a 'redhead' Smew was discovered on Aldwincle Lake and other birds included three Great White Egrets and a Kingfisher. The Water Pipit was still at Summer Leys LNR at about 12.30pm today and the Black-tailed Godwit was present too.

A Jack Snipe was flushed near Wicksteed Park, Kettering today and a small flock of at least five Bramblings were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Birds noted at Stanford Reservoir today included two Goosanders, two Water Rails, two Kingfishers, a Cetti's Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, c50 Siskins and three Bramblings. Single Barn Owls were at Lamport and also in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today. Two Bramblings were coming down to seed by the large barn in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton with another fifteen Bramblings along the Brampton Valley Way towards Draughton Crossing. Sixteen Redpolls visited a Spratton garden this morning.

Kenny and team were running a ringing session at Linford Lakes today catching 72 birds of twelve species, 61 of which were newly ringed. Thrushes dominated with a Mistle Thrush taking centre stage plus three Song Thrushes and a hefty catch of forty-three Redwings. Four Chiffchaffs included a Siberian Chiffchaff, two Water Rails were excellent catches and other birds included two Kingfishers, a couple of Goldcrests and three Reed Buntings.

At Harrington Airfield this morning a larger group of ringers rapidly processed 130 birds of fourteen species with thrushes making up the majority of the bio-mass - twelve Fieldfares, sixty-three Redwings, two Song Thrushes and seven Blackbirds. A Barn Owl was an early morning capture and the team also ringed twenty Bramblings, a couple of Goldcrests and small numbers of seven other species. Two Woodcock were seen at dawn and other birds on-site included Golden Plover, Snipe, more Bramblings and Siskins.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owl courtesy of
Bethan Clyne/Jacob Spinks.

Chiffchaff (left) and Siberian Chiffchaff (right)
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Mistle Thrush courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Water Rail courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.