End of the month!!

 Another month has come to an end,  how time flies.  Although the clocks went back by an hour at the weekend my body doesn't seem to realise this so I was wide awake and raring to go at 05.30hrs which a couple of days ago was 06.30hrs.!!. I got up and threw a few things plus the dogs into the car and headed off to the north of the county.  First stop was Fineshade Wood.  It was just about daylight when I reached the car park.  Here I disturbed at least 20 Bramblings roosting in the trees/hedges. Sunrise is my favourite time of the day to run and it was simply beautiful as I set off with my 4 legged companions for a long run around the woods.  There were quite a few parties of Siskins throughout the wood, several more Brambling,  Marsh Tits, Nuthatches,  Ravens and winter Thrushes.                                                                                                                                      Next stop was nearby Wakerley Great Wood.  As I loitered in the car park with my coffee and breakfast the silence was deafening.  It was quite bizarre,  not a single bird call from any species!!. I walked my usual circuit around the wood and it seemed very quiet everywhere.  Literally just a handful of Siskins.  In the open area between the wood and Spanhoe Airfield I flushed up a Woodcock.                                                                                      My lunchtime stop was at Blatherwycke Lake where there were at least 28 Mandarin Ducks,  4 Kingfishers chasing each other around and 2 Little Egrets.   I  stopped off at Blatherwycke Church as this area always seems to be busy with birds. It is an old wintering site for Hawfinches but sadly none there today.  Plenty of Redwings and Fieldfares giving really close views. There were at least 6 Brambling in the area and 2 Redpolls and several Siskins over.  Of course plenty of Red Kites with their evocative call filling the air.                                                                                                                                           Deene Lake was quiet, just a pair of Stonechat and 2 Grey Wagtail.                                        Final destination was good old Harrington Airfield just before dusk.  I had only just started walking when I was treated to a fantastic spectacle of a female Peregrine powering through a flock of about 200 Golden Plovers and giving them a good chase.  I  didn't see her catch anything and the goldies eventually landed on the fields but they remained rather nervous.  Around the bunkers there were about 4 Bramblings,  pair of Stonechat and plenty of Redwings/Fieldfares. 

A few good birds have been seen over the past few days in the county.  On Friday I heard the unmistakable oink oink call of Pink Footed Goose and saw 6 flying over Blueberry area.   Over at Wicksteed Park Lakes someone came across 2 Beaded Tits.    On Saturday there was a Short-eared Owl at Borough Hill and also one flying over Thrapston GP.     Yesterday a Bearded Tit was again seen at Stanwick GP and a Ring Ouzel near Greens Norton.

The abnormally warm weather has meant that butterflies are still being seen,  mainly Red Admirals,  Comma and Small Tortoiseshell.  However today a very rare butterfly,  a Long Tailed Blue was found at the Lakeside Pub, Brackmills. It is not a species that I am familiar with.  I understand that it is only the 3rd time that it has been recorded in the county since records began. Apparently the larvae can sometimes come in via bags of peas so this may be a possibility,  however there have been other recent sightings around the country along with the abnormally warm weather which means that it could be a wild butterfly which is pretty amazing. 

Regards Eleanor 

Mid Week

 It is mid week already and I feel that I haven't really accomplished very much apart from catching up with the housework and gardening due to being grounded !!. I have been joined in the garden by Brambling,  Siskins and Redpolls with Ravens overhead. I walked to Blueberry and came across 2 different pairs of Stonechat but very little else.   Another walk took me near to Lamport Hall.  Birdwise it was very quiet but I found Red Admiral,  Comma and Clouded Yellow enjoying the warm sunshine. 

Other folk have been out and about.  A Bearded Tit was seen briefly on Monday morning at Stanwick GP but not since, however these birds can be elusive.  Not too far away at Titchmarsh NR a late Swallow,  fem/imm Goosander,  32 Little Egrets and 4 Great White Egrets.  Further along the Nene Valley a lingering Marsh Harrier.                                              Looking at the reservoirs,  Ravensthorpe had a Rock Pipit, Red Crested Pochard,  Black Tailed Godwit,  Green Sandpiper,  Pink Footed Goose and 3 Great White Egrets.  At nearby Hollowell Reservoir a Caspian and Yellow Legged Gull.  Over at Daventry Reservoir a Caspian and Yellow Legged Gull and at Stanford Reservoir 6 Red Crested Pochards remain. There have been 11 Red Crested Pochards at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway.                                                                                                                                                 Yesterday at Borough Hill there was a Short-eared Owl, fingers crossed that we get a few of these lovely birds wintering in the county.                                                                                  I understand that the spectacular Starling murmuration is starting to build up in numbers over at Summer Leys.  It is certainly worth a visit just before dusk to witness this amazing spectacle. 

An extra page/tab has been created for images from the Naturetrek tour that has just concluded on Islay and Jura...😊

Regards Eleanor 

Male Bullfinch courtesy
of John Tilly.

Quiet Weekend

 It has certainly been a funny sort of weekend.  Weather wise abnormally warm, drizzle and fog, torrential rain and then this evening thunder, lightning and almost a mini hurricane!!!  Very little birding for me yesterday as out competing with the young collies who did well.  All I saw yesterday were a pair of Stonechat below Hanging Houghton.  However I suspect that they will be moving on as their favourite hedge has been seriously cut again as has the vegetated ditch they roosted in. !!                                                 After the very heavy rain of this morning I quickly visited the valley below Hanging Houghton where the two Stonechat were busy feeding.  The fields were alive with birds including 4 Common Snipe, Meadow Pipts, Skylarks and big numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares.  I  thought that a visit to Harrington Airfield was called for. I went full of anticipation and when I got out of the car noticed large numbers of winter thrushes  were flying over so expected to find something good.  However despite much searching and sitting around in the sunshine watching and waiting I didn't really find anything unexpected.  The 2 long staying Stonechat were around bunker one, 6 Bramblings including several stunning males, 4 Grey Partridge,  2 Common Snipe, Redpolls and Siskins were the only other birds of note. 

A few good birds dotted around the county. Yesterday only one Bearded Tit was seen at Stanwick GP,  along with Cattle Egret,  Caspian and Yellow Legged Gull.  At Hollowell Reservoir there was Whinchat, Jack Snipe, 2 Dunlin, Brambling and 6-7 Stonechat.  Over at Stanford Reservoir a Mediterranean Gull,  Ruddy Shelduck and 4 Red Crested Pochards.                                                                                                                                         Today there were 4 Stonechat at Borough Hill.      But it was Hollowell Reservoir which turned up the most interesting bird in the form of a Pipit.  Initially identified as a Water Pipit but after the photographs were studied the consensus is leaning towards a  Scandinavian Rock Pipit.  Whatever it is it is a good bird. It may be a case of watch this space!! 

The weather for the coming week is predicted to be changeable.  Fingers crossed that it brings a few new birds our way.  Have a good week. 

Regards Eleanor 

Bearded Tits

 Yesterday 6 Bearded Tits were found in the reeds at the visitor centre lake at Stanwick GP.  A great find and they were watched on and off throughout the day although they were elusive at times. Today 2 birds were seen.  Fingers crossed that they settle themselves down and decide to stay over the winter.

Nothing as exciting for me.  The pair of Stonechat and single male remain below Hanging Houghton and yesterday there were 2 Barn Owls in the evening.  At Harrington Airfield there are a couple of female Stonechat and this evening a Short-eared Owl,  Barn Owl and 6 Grey Partridge.  Brambling,  Siskin and Redpoll flew over calling.  Over the last couple of days there has been a noticeable movement of Redwings and Fieldfares moving through with their chattering filling the air. I love the sound of the Redwing and Fieldfare call.

It appears fairly quiet in the county at the moment.  Yesterday there was a Mediterranean Gull at Boddington Reservoir,  Caspian and Yellow Legged Gull at Naseby Reservoir,  Grey Plover and Pink Footed Goose at Hollowell Reservoir and a Merlin at Daventry CP.  Today there has been Cattle Egret at Summer Leys and Red Crested Pochards at both Pitsford and Stanford Reservoir. 

The garden is starting to get busier with birds.  We seem to have plenty of Goldfinches and the Starlings have returned and are making short work of the food I put out. I have missed their funny antics and constant chatter.      As it has been mild for the time of year I am still bumping into Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Red Admiral butterflies on the wing or feeding on the ivy and blackberry.                                                                                The hedgerows and trees are starting to look resplendent in their lovely browns, golds, oranges and yellows and it is just wonderful being out and about at this time regardless of whether I bump into any birds or not!

Regards Eleanor 

Pitsford Ringing

Hello

A bird ringing session took place today around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir and a healthy total of fifty birds of seventeen species were processed. Eight Meadow Pipits was a good number, many foraging birds finding the exposed shoreline to their liking. Other birds included four Reed Buntings, three Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, a couple of Goldcrests and singles of Goldfinch, Yellowhammer and Tree Sparrow. However the highlights were a juvenile male Sparrowhawk and a female Stonechat.

The Black Tern was still at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve at Ditchford Pits today and single Cattle Egrets were noted on Kinewell Lake, Ringstead and on the Summer Leys LNR. A Marsh Harrier was also seen at Summer Leys today and Stonechats were reported from Stanwick Pits.

A Dunlin and an unseasonal Oystercatcher were at Hollowell Reservoir today and Stanford Reservoir's birds included a/the female Ruddy Shelduck, a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper and a Cetti's Warbler.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite.

Common Buzzard.

Little Egret.

Grey Heron.

Monday's migration

Hello

A walk at Harrington Airfield this morning yielded some on-going migration but it wasn't heavy with just small numbers of Redwings in the bushes and a few flighting over, a Brambling, a couple of fly-over Siskins, two Fieldfares, a few Meadow Pipits filtering over and a Golden Plover. On the deck there were still two female Stonechats and a covey of about six Grey Partridges.

Stanford Reservoir continued to host a Great White Egret, five Pintail, four Red-crested Pochard and four Green Sandpipers. Over at Hollowell Reservoir the Pink-footed Goose remained plus two Goosanders, a Green Sandpiper, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and four Stonechats with a Black-tailed Godwit and two Green Sandpipers at neighbouring Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

A Great White Egret was at Summer Leys LNR and birds visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included a pre-roost gathering of fifty Pied Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails, a drake Pintail, at least one Kingfisher, eight Little Egrets in the Pintail Bay, three Yellow-legged Gulls and two Common Sandpipers.

Three Stonechats remain in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Some excellent images from John Draper have been added to the Scillies Oct 2022 page/tab.

Regards

Neil M

Pied Wagtail.

Red-crested Pochards.

Meadow Pipit.

Yellow-legged Gull.

Ditchford WeBs Count.

Hello

Today it was the turn of Ditchford Pits to be counted as part of the monthly waterbird survey. Oodles of warm sunshine ensured there were plenty of end-of-season insects on the wing today with odonata in the shape of Migrant Hawker, Common Darter and Emerald Damselfly and butterflies including Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell.

West of Ditchford Lane a Rock Pipit was briefly at Viaduct Pit and other birds amounted to at least two Egyptian Geese, eight Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, three Water Rails, a Goosander and three Stonechats with Siskin and Brambling over.

East of Ditchford Lane two Jack Snipe were located plus three Common Snipe, a Great White Egret, two more Water Rails, five Kingfishers, four Grey Wagtails, a couple of Blackcaps, a late Sedge Warbler and plenty of calling Cetti's Warblers and Chiffchaffs. A Mink indicates that there remains a population in the Nene Valley despite on-going trapping.

The juvenile Black Tern was still on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve and two late Whimbrel were reported flying over Thrapston Pits.

A Short-eared Owl was seen briefly in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning, in the vicinity of 'shrike hedge' and all three Stonechats remain in situ with mobile Siskins and Redpolls. Eight Ravens were vocal at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir included four Red-crested Pochard, a Great White Egret, three Green Sandpipers and two Stonechats and birds at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway included at least ten Great White Egrets, two Dunlin, about eight Red-crested Pochard and plenty of Pintail.

A ringing session was conducted at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes yesterday with a small team processing seventy-five birds of sixteen species, sixty-five of which were newly-ringed. A Black-headed Gull and two Water Rails were excellent catches and the best of the rest were three Kingfishers, nine Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, seven Goldcrests and seven Redwings.

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant.

Greylag Geese.

Stonechat.

Common Darter.

Ovipositing Migrant Hawker.

Mink.

All the above images were
taken at Ditchford Pits today.

Black-headed Gull.

Goldcrest.

Long-tailed Tit.

Redwing.

Above four images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Pitsford WeBs Count

Hello

Much of the day was spent completing the WeBs count at Pitsford Reservoir with some interesting figures. At least thirteen Great White Egrets were north of the causeway, twenty-five Little Egrets were spread around the reservoir and nine Red-crested Pochard were initially in the Walgrave Bay but moved to the Holcot Bay. A Ferruginous x Red-crested Pochard kept with the Tufted Ducks and forty-four Pintail were mostly in the Scaldwell Bay. Apart from Lapwings the only waders were two Common Snipe, two Common Sandpipers and two Dunlin. Three adult Whooper Swans with the Mute Swans off the Old Scaldwell Road looked superb in the autumn sunshine.

A first year and very scaly Ring Ouzel was in bushes below the dam, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was in the Catwalk Bay and small numbers of Siskins, Redpolls and Chiffchaffs were around the reservoir south of the causeway. A first year female Peregrine was also hunting south of the causeway and other birds included four Grey Wagtails, a White Wagtail and a pair of Stonechat. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was north of the causeway and three more were in the gull roost off the Sailing Club. An Otter was loafing off the dam first thing this morning.

Sadly there were numbers of dead geese at the reservoir today, presumably casualties of bird flu with Greylags being particularly hard hit.

A pair of Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and this afternoon a Short-eared Owl showed nicely at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. A Great White Egret and a Stonechat were at Thrapston Pits and birds at Stanford Reservoir amounted to four Red-crested Pochard, five Pintail, a Great White Egret, two Green Sandpipers and a Stonechat.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

Common Buzzard eating
one of the goose casualties
at Pitsford Reservoir.

Lapwing.

Whooper Swans.

Stonechats and Golden Plovers

Hello

It appears that Stanford Reservoir was the place to be today with this site's third Yellow-browed Warbler this autumn and the second to be caught and ringed. In addition seven Whooper Swans arrived this evening and other birds included four Red-crested Pochard, a Great White Egret, three Green Sandpipers, four Pintail and a Water Rail.

A Black Tern was a good find at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows this morning and three Stonechats were also present. Two hundred Golden Plovers were noted on The Slips at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

Hollowell Reservoir sported the Pink-footed Goose still and other birds seen there were a Golden Plover, two Great White Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and four Stonechats. Up to three Stonechats remain in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and at Harrington Airfield there were two female Stonechats, nine Golden Plovers and a Raven with steady movements of Redwings, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits overhead.

Regards

Neil M

Stonechats.

Golden Plovers.

Harrington ringing take two

Hello

A consecutive day's bird ringing at Harrington Airfield today provided another ninety-six birds of sixteen species. Goldfinches again were the most common bird encountered with twenty-six birds and other finches were three Linnets and two Chaffinches (many more Chaffinches were caught but released at the net as they have a propensity for leg disease). Eight Yellowhammers and fifteen Meadow Pipits made up the numbers with just singles of Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and Blackcap and a juvenile male Sparrowhawk, a Song Thrush and six Redwings added more variety.

Other birds noted on-site included a Water Pipit which circled the top fields and went west at 7.55am and only five minutes later a vocal Tree Pipit flew over going south. Several Siskins sauntered over and other birds included a dozen Golden Plovers and good numbers of Skylarks.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included nine Red-crested Pochard, three Great White Egrets, plenty of Pintail, a Yellow-legged Gull and two Stonechats all north of the causeway.

Three Stonechats and a Stoat were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a Marsh Harrier was quartering the fields at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile male Sparrowhawk.

Redwing courtesy of
Chris Payne.

Ringing at Harrington Airfield.

Hello

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield this morning provided plenty of birds, a total of one hundred and one of which eighty-six were new birds and fifteen were birds ringed there on previous occasions. Thirty Goldfinches dominated proceedings and other finches included Chaffinches and singles of Linnet and Brambling. Flocks of Redwings were moving through and ten were caught and ringed and other highlights included two Green Woodpeckers, a female Stonechat, a Treecreeper plus Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Yellowhammers. Other birds noted included a Barn Owl, thirty Golden Plovers, Grey Partridges and fifteen Siskins flew south. A further period of ringing is planned for tomorrow when there will again be access restrictions to the ringing area.

A Brambling, a Grey Wagtail, a few Siskins and two Ravens were about in Hanging Houghton village today and there were two male Stonechats in the Brampton Valley below the village in the vicinity of 'shrike hedge'.

Other county sightings today included five Great White Egrets heading east over Clifford Hill Pits at 9am, a Curlew was seen in flight over Mary's Lake, Earls Barton Pits and Ravensthorpe Reservoir hosted a Black-tailed Godwit, four Green Sandpipers, a Snipe, a Great White Egret and an excellent count of 363 Teal.

The Yellow-browed Warbler was again seen on the Leicestershire bank of Stanford Reservoir this morning and other birds included an adult Mediterranean Gull in the gull roost, four Red-crested Pochard, two Great White Egrets, a Goosander, a Water Rail, three Pintail, three Green Sandpipers and two Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Stonechat at Harrington Airfield
today courtesy of Lynne Barnett,

Coot courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Swallow courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

October migrants

Hello

More birding efforts at Pitsford Reservoir today provided ten Great White Egrets north of the causeway plus Pintails and three Stonechats and Small Coppers still on the wing. At the other end of the reservoir there was a Water/Rock Pipit heard calling a few times distantly in the morning near the dam plus a Pintail, a Dunlin, Siskins and four Grey Wagtails (three caught and ringed).

The Yellow-browed Warbler was tracked down again at Stanford Reservoir (still on the Leicestershire bank) and other birds included a Common Redstart caught and ringed, a Great White Egret and a Green Sandpiper. A Green Sandpiper was noted at Clifford Hill Pits, a Great White Egret was at Higham Lakes (Ditchford Pits) and a vocal Short-eared Owl flew south in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

A ringing session will be undertaken tomorrow (Wednesday) at Harrington Airfield when access to the bunkers and scrub between the Chippings Compound and the main track will be restricted.

Regards

Neil M

Small Copper.

Great White Egret.

Grey Wagtail.

Sabine's Gull

Hello

A visit to Harrington Airfield this morning provided two Grey Wagtails, two Bramblings, a Blackcap, three Stonechats (Bunker One), a Fieldfare and a light passage of Redwings and Starlings and Meadow Pipits. Two Ravens were at Hanging Houghton but the Brampton Valley below the village was devoid of interesting birds with just a single Clouded Yellow on the old nectar strips. Sadly a Common Buzzard was picked up dead on the A508 just outside the village.

A Rock Pipit was a good find at Clifford Hill Pits this morning on the main pit plus two Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper. On the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve there was a Little Stint on Dragonfly Lake and a Green Sandpiper on Ring Res this morning.

A Yellow-browed Warbler at Stanford Reservoir today was apparently on the Leicestershire side of the reservoir and seen within a roving tit flock. Other birds at the reservoir included six Stonechats, two Great White Egrets, a Pintail, a Water Rail and four Green Sandpipers.

About ten Clouded Yellow butterflies were in clover fields near Lower Benefield today.

Six Red-crested Pochard were in the mouth of the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning. An attempt to count the gull roost at the dam end of the reservoir this afternoon/evening provided some excitement with a vocal juvenile Sabine's Gull flying around out in the middle of the reservoir. With the light quickly fading I managed some blurred shots of this stunning gull on the only occasion it ventured to the area where I was standing. It left the reservoir to the south at about 6.40pm. A first winter Mediterranean Gull, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail were also present.

An additional page or Tab has been created which depicts images from a recent Naturetrek tour to the Isles of Scilly.

Regards

Neil M

Sorry about the quality of 
images, they don't do the
Sabine's Gull justice!

Round Up

 After the excitement of the Red Backed Shrike on Monday the rest of my week has been fairly quiet. I have made several visits to Harrington Airfield.  On Tuesday (4th) there were 4 Bramblings and 2 Fieldfares flying around and a male Merlin hunting the Skylarks and causing absolute panic which was quite spectacular to watch.     Yesterday as I neared bunker 3 I could hear the distinctive harsh chack call of a Ring Ouzel. As I approached with its namesake Rouzel my collie it flew up out of a bush with 10 Redwings.  Other birds of note were 4 Stonechat,  2 Bramblings,  4 Grey Partridge and several Ravens.                                                                                                                                        I  usually check the valley area below Hanging Houghton especially the hedgerow known as "shrike hedge". There has been a rather obliging group of 8 Stonechat and a Whinchat in this area. I  last saw them on Wednesday when they were sheltering in a ditch out of the wind. I  checked the area today but didn't see any of the chats, instead to my dismay I found that the hedge had been severely cut !! I  suspect that the chats will  now move on if they haven't already done so.                                                                                                            I visited Sywell CP  yesterday.  It was quiet,  just 6 Stonechat,  Cettis Warbler and a few Siskins.  I did notice that there was a good muddy margin all the way round the reservoir but I couldn't find any waders.                                                                                                            Pitsford Reservoir looks excellent and is full of birds. A quick visit today produced a single Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpiper, 8 Great White Egrets and good numbers of Pintail north of the causeway and a Little Gull south of the causeway.  Other folk have seen Ruff, Stonechats and Common Sandpipers too.  It is certainly worth a few hours visit rather than a snatched visit like mine.                                                                                                           Whilst I have been out and about I have been aware of a slow steady trickle of Redwings and Fieldfares arriving and House Martins and Swallows departing as the wonderful seasonal cycle of migration continues. 

There have been a few interesting birds dotted around the county during the week.  Black Tailed Godwit and Marsh Harrier at  Summer Leys.  Cattle Egrets at Stanwick GP. Northern Wheatear and Caspian Gull at Stanford Reservoir.  Caspian Gull, 2 Great White Egrets,  3 Green Sandpiper and 4 Pintail at Daventry Reservoir.                                                 Boddington Reservoir has been the place to be with a Firecrest yesterday and a Mediterranean Gull today. 

Despite the time of year there are still quite a few butterflies around.  Over the past few days I have seen Red Admirals, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White and Small Copper.   Clouded Yellow  butterflies are still frequenting thenectar strip below Hanging Houghton. However an amazing 49+ Clouded Yellows were seen at Lower Benefield over some clover fields just south of the village.  What an amazing sight this must have been. 

Have a good weekend. 

Regards Eleanor 

A hectic dawn to dusk day

Well it has been a very full, busy and exciting day . I have literally just sat down following an epic dawn to dusk birding day.     At dawn I was at Fineshade Wood in the north of the county . It is one of my favourite places to run and now that my hound is fully recovered after his back surgery I decided that today was the day to take him on his longest run.  The sunrise was amazing and I was glad that I had made the effort to get up early. My dogs enjoyed a  2 hour run, zig zagging along the many trails and we covered quite a bit of ground.  It was disappointingly quiet for birds. A few Siskins, Nuthatches,  Marsh Tits,  Ravens and Red Kites being the highlight.   After a brief rest I went to nearby Wakerley Wood where a long walk produced very little,  in fact much the same as Fineshade.  It was also quiet for people which suited me.  I didn't meet anyone at all in either wood until I got back to the respective car parks. I really did feel as if I had the whole woods to myself.  The only thing which surprised me was just how green the trees still are and it will be a good few weeks before they will be robed in their autumn glory.

Prior to leaving Wakerley Wood I checked my phone and saw that a Red Backed Shrike had been found on the outskirts of Duston, Northampton.  My heart sank as I was a good hour away. I intended to visit some other areas in the north but news of this bird changed everything.  I did manage a quick visit to  Blatherwycke Lake where 15 Fieldfares flew over chattering as I got out of the car.  Other birds present, 12 Mandarin Ducks, Green Sandpiper,  Kingfisher, 2 Egyptian Geese,  Little Egret and a Black Swan.  At nearby Deene Lake there was just a pair of Stonechat. 

After a rather painfully slow journey I finally arrived at the Red-backed Shrike site but panic set in as I  couldn't find anyone and I wasn't too sure where to look. Thankfully my SOS plea for help was answered by Nigel Muddiman who I didn't realise was the finder of the bird.  The Rb Shrike was a delight and showed really well, sometimes hopping on the ground before perching up on bare twigs in  full open view.  A big thank you to Nigel for getting the news out so quickly which enabled so many birders to  see the bird.                  Like many of us Nigel has his "local" patch which he birds regularly and most times sees the same birds but then out of the blue a rare bird pops up. He was telling me that he had walked around Harlestone Firs and had seen very little and was walking home past New Sandy Lane attenuation area. When he reached a small pond with scrubby  bushes he became aware of several Reed Buntings seemingly mobbing something.  As he approached the pond a Common Snipe got up but Nigel wasn't convinced that this is what the birds were mobbing.  As he watched the Reed Buntings he saw a  larger brown bird with them but it had its back to him so he thought possible Redwing.  However when the bird turned around Nigel realised that he was in fact looking at a Red-backed Shrike!!!      What an amazing find. Looking at the area I'm sure that Nigel will be finding something else.  So to everyone watching their local patch, never give up.                                                   My final walk out was at dusk although it was dark when I got back home but there was a Barn Owl below Hanging Houghton. 

Whilst all the  excitement of the Rb Shrike was going on, Dave and Helen were ringing at the feeding station at Pitsford Reservoir.  105 birds trapped of 20 species.  Plenty of Blue Tits, 17 Chiffchaff,  7 Blackcap , 7 Tree Sparrow,  2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Pied Wagtail , 1 Whinchat,  1 Cettis Warbler and a re-trap Sedge Warbler being the birds of note.  There were 3 particularly interesting birds. The Whinchat was a ringing tick for the site, the Cetti's Warbler was only the 4th to be ringed at Pitsford and the Sedge Warbler had gone from 10.1g to 14.7g in twelve days !!!  They also witnessed a Peregrine attacking the Lapwings and counted 6 Stonechat and the usual Great White Egrets. 

On Wednesday 5th October the birdclub have their meeting at 7.30pm at the Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir.  Dave Thomas will be giving a talk and presentation " Yellowstone in Winter ". A midwinter tour through the world's first national park looking at the wildlife and scenery along the roads that are open  and those that are closed during the winter.  It promises to be a good evening and Dave is an excellent photographer so we will be in for a treat.  Everyone is very welcome to come along.  Tea/coffee/biscuits and banter guaranteed. 

Regards Eleanor 

The Duston Red-backed Shrike
courtesy of Martin Swannell.

Parasol Mushroom.

Red Admiral.

Comma.

A stunning Autumn Day

 It has been a stunning Autumn day and one of those days where you wanted to be outdoors.  Luckily I was able to be out and about enjoying the warm sunshine and gentle breeze.    An early visit to Harrington Airfield was productive. As I checked the area around bunker one I flushed a Short-eared Owl.  I don't know who was the most surprised, me or it. The corvids soon had it spotted and started to annoy it.  The Owl wanted to land but it's attempts were thwarted so it headed off in a southerly direction with the corvids in pursuit.    A pair of Stonechat were at bunker two.  As I continued my wanderers several Brambling, Siskins and a single Redpoll flew over calling.  There was a noticeable number of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks over the fields.                                            Next stop was the "shrike hedge" area below Hanging Houghton where at least 8 Stonechat a Whinchat remain plus good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.                Early afternoon I went to Pitsford Reservoir.  The water level continues to drop exposing more mud. It looks very promising and it is certainly attracting a large number of birds on the small side. The Walgrave arm was particularly packed with birds but I concentrated on the Scaldwell bay.  A good variety of birds noted including 5 Dunlin, Common and Green Sandpiper,  4 Stonechat, Whinchat,  20+ Pintail,  Garganey, and a rather splendid drake Red Crested Pochard.  A bonus as I stood having a final look round was a Marsh Harrier.                                                                                                                              I thought that the sunshine would bring out  some butterflies.  I bumped into a Clouded Yellow at Pitsford Reservoir and a further 2 below Hanging Houghton and another  was reported from Harrington Airfield. 

Generally it appears to have been a quiet weekend in the county.  There has been a Grey Plover on Aldwincle Lake Thrapston,  Black Tailed Godwit at Summer Leys and Hollowell,  Cattle Egret at Stanwick and Jack Snipe at Hollowell.                                                 Stanford Reservoir is always an interesting place even though it can be very frustrating if the bird is only present on the Leicestershire side rather than Northamptonshire.  There has been a Rock Pipit around the dam area but spends most of it's time just in Leicestershire and a Yellow Browed Warbler was trapped and ringed there on Friday. 

I wonder what this new week will bring ??

Regards Eleanor 

A few images from a Scilly
pelagic trip today where Neil
is leading a Naturetrek group.
The top image is a first winter
Mediterranean Gull, the latter
two images are of Cory's Shearwater.