Ringing at Harrington Airfield

Hello

Much of the day ringing at Harrington Airfield provided 131 birds of eleven species with the humble but beautifully-marked Linnet dominating proceedings. Eighty-four of these small finches were processed, all of them being newly-ringed birds apart from one individual ringed a few years ago. The males are just obtaining their scarlet breast and head - next month they'll look pretty stunning! Four Willow Warblers included three birds known from Harrington in previous years and we also managed a single Chiffchaff, six Goldfinches, three Chaffinches, six Reed Buntings and twelve Yellowhammers. This afternoon's sunshine brought out the butterflies locally and at Harrington Airfield it included Orange-tip. Hummingbird Hawk-moths were noted at New Duston and Hanging Houghton gardens today.

Single Barn Owls showed again at Hanging Houghton village and Lamport Hall and two visits from Eleanor to Blueberry Farm, Maidwell yielded two Common Redstarts, over two hundred Fieldfares and a Wheatear this morning and a/the male Ring Ouzel and just three Fieldfares and two Wheatears this afternoon.

A/the male Common Redstart and a Wheatear were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby again this morning and early afternoon, a Wheatear and several Yellow Wagtails were in the vicinity of the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today, six Wheatears were at the Nene Barrage/Clifford Hill Pits and a drake Common Scoter was located at Daventry Country Park.

Hollowell Reservoir attracted a Wheatear and a singing Garden Warbler, a drake Mandarin Duck was seen at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, thirty Common Terns and plenty of singing Willow Warblers were at Stanwick Pits this morning and an Egyptian Goose was at the Embankment, Wellingborough. Two Otters showed well along the River Welland at Market Harborough today.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gull.

Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Drake Mallard.