Spring is here !!

 It certainly feels as if Spring has finally arrived with sunshine, blue skies and warmer temperatures.  I even exchanged my fleece today for a t shirt and it is predicted to reach a positively balmy 20 degrees during the coming week!!!!  We still have our winter visitors with us although in much smaller numbers.  The flocks of Brambling have reduced to a few small groups of birds here and there.  There is probably no more than 15 birds at Harrington Airfield now, a few along the BVW,  a group of 6 at Moulton college, a few at the feeding station at Pitsford Reservoir and a single female in our garden.  The huge flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings are now flocks of 50-100 birds on the fields around Blueberry. 

It is now an exciting time as we await the Spring migration where anything could turn up.  Already some birds are on the move with Garganey at Stanwick and Pitsford,  Little Gulls at Pitsford,  Avocet at Clifford Hill and Northern Wheatear at Harrington Airfield.     It is at this time of year that it is worth getting a  crick in the neck by looking skywards to watch for anything trying to sneak over Northamptonshire.  Today some lucky observers were rewarded with a White Stork, initially at Stanwick and then further south along the Nene Valley at Clifford Hill.                                                                                                                Ospreys are arriving back from their wintering grounds and heading northwards. One was seen flying over Yevertoft on Saturday and I saw one heading north over Moulton.  I heard a Blue Tit give an alarm call and saw that it was looking up. I followed it's gaze and even before I raised my binoculars I knew that it was an Osprey.    Several birds have already returned to Rutland Water including their famous pair Maya and male33 who are the stars of the live webcam.  Well worth a watch and  read all about their antics on the Rutland Osprey Project page and blog.

Kenny Cramer has been ringing at Linford Reserve near Milton Keynes.  It was the first ringing session for a few months and yielded 50 birds of 17 species with 27 new birds being ringed. Chiffchaff topped the list with 7 birds processed including 5 new and notable retrap of a bird originally ringed as a juvenile in July 2020. Other birds included Blackcap,  Redwing,Kingfisher, Reed Buntings and Cettis Warbler.  But the award of star bird went to a Water Rail which was the 3rd new bird of the season.  However its biometrics were bang in the middle of the overlap between male and female so it was left unsexed.                                                                                                                                                  Other birds of note seen were 3 Great White Egrets,  displaying Red Kites, Oystercatcher and 2 Egyptian Geese. Non birds included Great Crested Newt, sm Tortoiseshell,  Peacock and Comma.

It is surprising what a difference a bit of warmth and sunshine makes . The hedgerows are showing signs of new growth, there are splashes of colour from violets, celandines, coltsfoot,  cowslips and blossom.  Already the crops are looking healthy and growing rapidly and things are beginning to stir with the emergence of Grass Snakes, Lizards and frogs.  The frogs in our garden have been very vocal and active which has resulted in a good amount of frog spawn.   Lots of butterflies have been seen, particularly Brimstone,  sm Tortoiseshell,  Peacock,  Comma, Red Admiral and sm White.

Exciting times ahead and hopefully we can all get out and about and just simply enjoy this colourful and wonderful period.

Regards Eleanor 

Great Crested Grebe
courtesy of David Arden.

Grass Snake courtesy 
of David Arden.