That Friday Feeling!!

 Time to relax and look forward to an extended weekend thanks to the first of many Bank Holidays in  May.  Mind you I try to spend my time avoiding the increase in folk who are likely to visit the many birding sites.   To ensure that I have got my birding to I have managed to get out and about quite a bit over the last couple of days . Yesterday morning I had an amazing encounter.  I was mooching around in the valley below Hanging Houghton and noticed a bird perched in a bare tree.  It was a large accipiter and my heart literally missed a beat as I realised that I was looking at a female Goshawk!!!! Not a bird I expected to find on my walk. She was absolutely stunning and awesome when she flew off with ease towards Cottesbrooke.  I didn't see anything else of note on my walk but I didn't really care as I was on such a high after my Goshawk encounter.                                    Later on in the day I spent a very productive time at the new scrape/water area situated below Brixworth,  accessed via the Brampton Valley Way from Spratton crossing.  This area was dug out a few months ago as part of the flood management system for the valley.  Work has taken place all the way up to Lamport but these scrapes are the best looking area of the work.  It is an area where birds are likely to drop in and out during the day and there are quite a few hidden bits that you can't always see and then suddenly a bird will emerge from around the corner.  Yesterday a drake Garganey dropped in for a few minutes before heading off again. Waders included Redshank,  Green Sandpiper,  Lapwings,  Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers.  The surrounding bare earth was full of Pied and Yellow Wagtails plus 2 White Wagtails and the air full of a good mixture of hirundines which in turn attracted the attention of a Hobby. Also in the area were a Common Redstart,  Northern Wheatear and Water Rail.    This morning it was much quieter with a distinct lack of passerines,  but there was a Dunlin, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers.     Harrington Airfield was also quiet today,  just a  Common Redstart and 2 Wheatears. 

Despite a couple of visits to Pitsford Reservoir I didn't manage to see anything of note. However there were a couple of Little Gulls present yesterday. Little Gulls have been in short supply this spring but over the last couple of days there have been some recorded at Boddington Reservoir and Titchmarsh Reserve,  Thrapston.     The Nene Valley still holds quite a few species of waders.  Other birds reported include 2 Nightingales at Southwick Wood,  Black Tern at Stanford Reservoir,  Ring Ouzel at Borough Hill,  Garganey at Barnwell Lock flooded fields and a Caspian Gull at DIRFT3. 

So plenty to look at and looking at the predicted weather forecast for the weekend it should be warmer at last and hopefully a bit more migration movement, fingers crossed.  Have a good weekend however you spend it.

Regards Eleanor 

Wren.

Yellowhammer.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.