Birds of orchard, wood, gravel pit and reservoir

Hello

A couple of Northants Ringing Group ringing sessions included a revisit to a community orchard in Milton Keynes where Kenny and team hoped for some more thrushes. A Green Woodpecker was an interesting catch and other birds included a Woodpigeon, a superb fourteen Blackbirds, five Long-tailed Tits, twenty Blue Tits, a Greenfinch and two Goldcrests. A female Sparrowhawk was briefly in the net but these lively accipiters rarely stay long and she quickly wriggled free!

Over a hundred woodland birds were processed at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today with the highlights being three Blackbirds, four Redwings, four Marsh Tits, eleven Coal Tits, three Nuthatches and two Goldcrests. Several Siskins were present throughout the session and other birds included one or two Woodcock and Raven. A Brambling was at nearby Kelmarsh Hall.

Two Woodcock and a Snipe were flushed in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and birds in the Ecton SF/Billing Pits area included a Green Sandpiper, at least five Chiffchaffs and a Great White Egret. Six Goosanders were again at Stortons Pits and the Bittern was seen again briefly at the west end of the reedbed at about 11am. Four Whooper Swans flew south-east there at about 9.55am.

The Great Northern Diver was again at Pitsford Reservoir, the Black Redstart was at the Borough Hill Country Park compound and birds at Hollowell Reservoir included a Caspian Gull and the female Ruddy Shelduck. An Oystercatcher at Thrapston Pits was an early 'spring' arrival and other birds included three Great White Egrets, two Egyptian Geese, a Peregrine, a Water Rail, two Kingfishers, two Cetti's Warblers, two Stonechats and two or three Chiffchaffs.

Over at Stanford Reservoir four Yellow-legged Gulls were noted in the roost, a Great White Egret was seen and a Water Rail and a Barn Owl were also recorded. Ringers on-site managed to ring twelve Bramblings there.

Regards

Neil M

Green Woodpecker courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Bittern courtesy of
John Tilly.

Lesser Black-backed Gull
courtesy of Jacob Spinks.