Brixworth ringing

Hello

Some ringing at Brixworth Water Treatment Works today yielded seventy-five captures, all new birds except a Blackcap first ringed as a juvenile there last year and a Reed Bunting and a Dunnock first ringed there in 2020. Seventeen Common Whitethroats made this the most common warbler with just one of these being an adult. Eleven Blackcaps were newly-ringed plus a Lesser Whitethroat, nine Chiffchaffs, three Reed Warblers and three Sedge Warblers. Singles of Swallow, Magpie, Song Thrush and Woodpigeon added more diversity and bio-mass and finches included a fine adult male Linnet and six Goldfinches. This is a good place to observe birds of prey with a Hobby regularly showing about once an hour and a first year female Sparrowhawk passed through several times. A Kingfisher was heard at the nearby Brampton Brook and at least six Grey Wagtails were on-site with visitations from Yellow Wagtails during the day.

Birds noted at Pitsford Reservoir today included a Black Tern, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Peregrine with a Whinchat at the Guilsborough Point, Hollowell Reservoir. Stanford Reservoir perhaps had a quieter day today but the ringers were active there and among their birds there were three more Grasshopper Warblers and a Kingfisher. Birds seen included another Kingfisher, two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, an Oystercatcher and five Ravens.

In the Nene Valley there was a Black Tern at Stanwick Pits plus a Cattle Egret, a Mandarin Duck, a Dunlin and two Yellow-legged Gulls. A Marsh Harrier, three Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank were at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

A Spotted Flycatcher was a good local find at Titchmarsh LNR, Thrapston Pits, three Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield this morning, two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm and two Whinchats remain in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A Convulvulus Hawk-moth was a superb capture in Jim's moth trap at Sywell from last night.

Regards

Neil M

Reed Bunting.

Song Thrush.

Painted Lady butterfly.