Winter finches in Northants.

Hello

Yesterday (Tuesday) and interesting birds locally included between fifty and a hundred Bramblings and about one hundred and fifty Golden Plovers on the top fields. An adult male Peregrine was on prey and examination of the feathers subsequently proved it's meal to be a Redwing. Elsewhere and Siskin flocks included twenty at West Hunsbury Park, Northampton and about thirty at Greens Norton. The lingering White-fronted Goose remained at Sywell Country Park and the Great Northern Diver was still at Pitsford Reservoir, seen at The Narrows in the morning. Birds at Stanford Reservoir amounted to two Goosanders, five Siskins and two Grey Wagtails.

David Arden was able to report that at least one male Blackcap has been coming to his Spratton garden since the autumn with occasional furtive visits from a female too.

A small group of us spent the afternoon clearing out owl boxes at Pitsford Reservoir, perhaps not my favourite of reserve tasks! Several Siskins were noted but otherwise it seemed quiet on the reserve. More owl boxes to do next week!

Today (Wednesday) and Northants Ringing Group members conducted some ringing at Stortons Pits and Woodford Halse. The team at Stortons processed some fifty-three birds of nine species which included two Blackbirds, five Reed Buntings, three Robins, three Goldfinches and five Lesser Redpolls. The team at Woodford Halse processed eighty-three birds of twelve species which included two Goldcrests, four Robins, two Coal Tits, a Marsh Tit, a Goldfinch, two Lesser Redpolls a Blackbird and a Yellowhammer. Other birds noted there included at least three Ravens, a few Siskins, another three Redpolls, two Bramblings, a Grey Wagtail and a pair of Blackcaps in an adjacent garden.

Elsewhere and the Black Redstart was seen again in the summit compound at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry and birds at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this afternoon included a Pink-footed Goose, three Great White Egrets, a Raven and a Brambling with a Caspian Gull and a Jack Snipe at neighbouring Hollowell Reservoir. The White-fronted Goose was again with the local goose flock at Sywell Country Park.

In excess of a hundred Bramblings were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon plus two Woodcock and a couple of Grey Partridges and two Peregrines were seen at Higham Ferrers. In the south of the county, and at the Bucks border a Whooper Swan was at Cosgrove near to the River Tove and birds noted at Pitsford Reservoir today included a Barnacle Goose, a Redshank, two Great White Egrets and about twelve Siskins.

Sightings at Stanford Reservoir today amounted to a Barn Owl, three Ravens, two Cetti's Warblers and eight Bramblings.

Regards

Neil M

Barnacle Goose.

Siskins. 
All the above images taken
at Pitsford Reservoir today
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Male Lesser Redpoll
courtesy of Chris Payne.