Ringing and local birding

Hello

Some recent ringing activity included a session at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on Sunday 5th February when a merry band of ringers tried their luck at a Milton Keynes Community Orchard. This provided an excellent eighty-six birds of sixteen species which included five Fieldfares, three Redwings, six Blackbirds, a male Blackcap, two feisty Jays, a Green Woodpecker, seven Long-tailed Tits, thirty-eight Blue Tits, fourteen Great Tits, a Dunnock, two Robins, a Woodpigeon, a Chaffinch, a Bullfinch, two Greenfinches and a Goldfinch.

On Friday 10th February the team at Stortons Pits caught over a hundred birds of nine species which included fifteen Long-tailed Tits, thirty Blue Tits, eighteen Great Tits, three Robins, four Dunnocks, a Blackbird, a Jay, twelve Goldfinches and an excellent twenty-four Reed Buntings.

Today (13th Feb) and a garden ringing session on the north-eastern outskirts of Northampton yielded thirty-one birds which were made up of seventeen Goldfinches, a Greenfinch, three Dunnocks, a Robin, two Blackbirds, two Blue Tits, a Great Tit, a Treecreeper and three Reed Buntings.

Birds noted today at Stanford Reservoir included a first winter Mediterranean Gull and an adult Caspian Gull in the roost plus the long-staying Red-crested Pochard, two Shelducks, two Goosanders and two Great White Egrets. Three Scaup were at Eyebrook Reservoir this morning and the female Scaup was again at Hollowell Reservoir as were three Caspian Gulls, nine Common Snipe and an Oystercatcher.

Birds visible along the River Welland at Market Harborough today included a Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher, a Water Rail, a Little Egret and a Chiffchaff but it seems there haven't been any more reported Otter sightings recently.

A male Bearded Tit and occasionally a second bird were showing in phragmites for at least the second day at Stanwick Pits, sometimes requiring a patient wait until at least the male shows along the causeway between pits near to the A45 layby.

A Great White Egret was at Cransley Reservoir and three pairs of Grey Partridges were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon. Nine Ravens were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and a Woodcock and a Barn Owl were seen at Lamport Hall this afternoon.

I've been fortunate to have spent over two weeks in Cambodia, helping out on a Naturetrek tour spent watching a variety of natural history subjects and enjoying historic and modern cultural highlights - a Tab or Page on this blog has been created (Cambodia Jan/Feb 2023) and has some images from the tour (with more to add).

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Black-backed Gull 
and Coots.

Kestrel.

Goosander.