Hot, breezy and still no rain.

Hello

Yesterday evening (Friday) there were some fifteen Spotted Flycatchers together at Lamport Hall as viewed from the footpath running off the A508 at the southern end of the park and a Hobby was active at Harlestone Lake. Nocturnal migration at Harrington Airfield recorded a Common Sandpiper over at 11.35pm and what may have been Common Scoter some ten minutes later.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning a male Common Redstart was still in the field hedge between the Old Scaldwell Road and the Bird Club Hide adjacent to the Scaldwell Bay and birds in the bay included two Red-crested Pochard, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper and a Ringed Plover. There was a Great White Egret and a Kingfisher in the Walgrave Bay early this afternoon.

At Stanford Reservoir there were seven Spotted Fycatchers (one caught and ringed) this morning plus a Green Sandpiper and four Ravens and the first year drake Ferruginous Duck was still at Daventry Country Park late morning.

Morning sightings along the bridlepath that permits views of the new gravel workings off the Whiston Road provided two pairs of Grey Partridge, one with three young , a Cuckoo, a Green Sandpiper and over forty Linnets.

This morning there were two Common Redstarts, a Tree Pipit and two Crossbills over Blueberry Farm, Maidwell with a Common Redstart, a Wheatear and Clouded Yellows in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Nearby there were just eight Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart at Lamport Hall.

Ten Yellow Wagtails, a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper were on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits and a Marsh Harrier and three Black-tailed Godwits were on the Summer Leys LNR this morning.

A small number of birds were caught and ringed at Harrington Airfield this morning before it became too warm. The highlights were twelve Common Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, a couple of Willow Warblers, a young Green Woodpecker and an adult female Common Redstart. At least one other Common Redstart was around Bunker Two, there was a Wheatear at Bunker One and other birds included Grey Partridges and a hunting Hobby. Butterflies included Common Blue, Small Heath and Small Copper.

Regards

Neil M

Migrant Hawker.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Common Whitethroat.

Ant Mimic Beetle courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Apple Weevil courtesy 
of Robin Gossage.