Unobtrusive migration

Hello

Some mist-netting at Pitsford Reservoir was the first such activity for a long while and the precursor to more ringing activity on-site soon. About ninety birds were processed, the majority being Blue Tits and Great Tits but also included Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch and Marsh Tit. Other birds noted north of the causeway included a male Stonechat, a singing Siskin and a Raven. Pike moving in the shallows signaled their intention to spawn soon. A couple of Ravens were again at Kelmarsh.

The Stanwick male Bearded Tit continued to show nicely today and a Bittern was seen in flight at the west end of the lake complex at dawn. A female Peregrine was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and a male Brambling was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and birds at Sywell Country Park included a Chiffchaff, two Cetti's Warblers, a Grey Wagtail, two Water Rails and about twenty Siskins.

Two Reed Buntings and two Yellowhammers were nice additions to our garden today and at Clifford Hill Pits there were a pair of Oystercatchers and a Shelduck. A Ring-necked Parakeet was in a garden at Hartwell at lunchtime, a pair of Smew were again at Blatherwycke Lake and Ravensthorpe Reservoir again hosted the female Ring-necked Duck and the female Scaup.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included the Red-crested Pochard, a Great White Egret, a Cetti's Warbler, nine Goosanders and twenty-two migrant Meadow Pipits. Other birds on the move in the county today included Skylarks, wagtails and winter thrushes - most moving over unobtrusively and heading generally north-east.

Regards

Neil M

The Stanwick Bearded Tit
courtesy of Dave Jackson.