The second heat wave begins!

Hello

More ringing today at Stanford Reservoir produced another fresh haul of new birds and together with re-traps and a couple of controls, the total was over two hundred and fifty birds processed today including a Sparrowhawk. Other birds noted on-site included an Osprey and six Ravens.

A much more modest period of ringing at Pitsford Reservoir yielded over fifty common birds including many re-traps Great Tits and Blue Tits but also a new juvenile Marsh Tit. A Great White Egret, six Ravens and a Kingfisher were seen in the Walgrave Bay and the Scaldwell Bay hosted four Great White Egrets, three Red-crested Pochard, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Kingfisher, a Garganey, two Common Sandpipers, six Green Sandpipers, a Wheatear and a Mink.

At Earls Barton Pits there was a Wood Sandpiper on Mary's Lake, a Marsh Harrier hunting the Summer Leys reserve, two Black-tailed Godwits and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regional big-hitters included the Ferruginous Duck again at Daventry Country Park, the Cape Gull still at Grafham and the White-rumped Sandpiper at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Blueberry Farm, Maidwell retained three Common Redstarts this morning and a Marsh Harrier flew over heading for Brixworth. A Whinchat and a Wheater were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton where there were also Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady butterflies. A Short-eared Owl was again video'd on a camera trap during the early hours of this morning.

Nearby at Lamport Hall there was a Common Redstart, two Ravens and at least ten Spotted Flycatchers and over at Wicksteed Park Nick saw five Yellow-legged Gulls. Two Common Redstarts remain elusive at Harrington Airfield in bushes between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One.

Regards

Neil M

Male Blackbird courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Emerald Damselfly.

Hedgehog.