Brampton Valley birds

Hello

A simple river valley with just a small brook, fields, hedgerows and small areas of grass headlands and a nectar belt for insects nevertheless has been a magnet for birds over the last few days - the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today sported a Short-eared Owl (showing during daylight hours finally), a Marsh Harrier, more than ten Spotted Flycatchers, a Common Redstart and two Whinchats. At least four Clouded Yellows and Painted Lady butterflies were present too.

Three Common Redstarts and a Tree Pipit were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and birds at Lamport Hall were made up of a Common Redstart and at least ten Spotted Flycatchers.

Birds at Hollowell Reservoir included three Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and five Little Ringed Plovers and two Great White Egrets and a Kingfisher were in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir with four Red-crested Pochards, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Spotted Flycatcher in the Scaldwell Bay.

A Marsh Harrier was again at Summer Leys LNR and at Stanford Reservoir an astonishing 393 new birds were ringed and other birds included an Osprey, a Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin, a Grasshopper Warbler (caught and ringed), a Hobby and two Ravens.

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield today provided sixty-six birds which included twenty-three Linnets, five Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, two Blackcaps, five Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat. Two Hobbies were harrying the Linnet flock, a Common Redstart was heard calling and other birds included a Raven and a pair of Grey Partridge. A probable Short-eared Owl was flying high over Kettering this afternoon

Local rarities remain in situ - the Ferruginous Duck was still at Daventry Country Park today and the White-rumped Sandpiper still at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy
of Bethan Clyne.

Short-eared Owl.

Hobby.