Quiet and hot Sunday.

Hello

There were seemingly few birds reported in the county today, the hot conditions making birding uncomfortable outside the early mornings and evenings.

Stanford Reservoir hosted a Garganey today plus two Spotted Flycatchers, two Ravens, a Hobby and a  Grasshopper Warbler.

Two Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and a Common Redstart and a Whinchat were at 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton. A Stonechat was an early find at Wollaston Weir this morning and a Raven was noted over Barnwell Country Park.

A Common Redstart was at Harrington Airfield this evening between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One and four Whinchats were just south-west of Bunker One. Ringing there tomorrow morning restricts access to the bunkers and the scrubby area between the chippings compound and the concrete track.

Insects regionally included Striped Hawk-moths not far from us in Leicestershire and Nigel captured a superb Bedstraw Hawk-moth in Duston last night.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Whinchat.

 Stonechat courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Wheatear.

The time of the year when
we often experience passage
birds of all three species
 of these chats.