Summer Leys LNR has it!

Hello

A ringing session in sweaty conditions and with mosquitoes making conditions difficult was what Kenny Cramer and team suffered today to complete yet another high volume catch at Linford Lakes this morning. As expected newly fledged youngsters made up the majority with the tits out in force. Just over a hundred birds were processed today of twenty-three species which included eighteen Long-tailed Tits, thirteen Blue Tits and eleven Great Tits. Twelve Reed Warblers included a bird affixed with a ring from elsewhere and there were also six Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, two Common Whitethroats, singles of Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Cetti's Warbler and four Chiffchaffs.

Fledglings of Dunnock, Goldfinch and Treecreeper were nice and fluffy and nine Sand Martin chicks were ringed in the Sand Castle colony. A feisty Great Spotted Woodpecker was the first there for some time and a re-trap Kingfisher is always a treat.

A visit to Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon suggested that yesterday's Little Terns had gone. A summer plumage Common Redshank was not an anticipated sighting. A few Large Red-eyed Damselflies were amongst the swarms of Common Blue Damsels and the Scaldwell Meadow contained Small Heath, Common Blue and Meadow Brown butterflies and Chimney Sweeper moths. A Spotted Flycatcher was noted between Kelmarsh and Clipston and Ravens were at Kelmarsh and Hanging Houghton. An Orange-tip butterfly was briefly in our Hanging Houghton garden. Black Hairstreaks were noted at Glapthorn Cow Pastures today and Beautiful Demoiselles were plentiful on the Kelmarsh Estate.

Summer Leys LNR was the place to be this afternoon with the splendid re-appearance of the Purple Heron (well done Linda Summerfield for relocating your bird from two days ago), a brief view of a Bittern, a Bearded Tit, a Marsh Harrier and a Hobby.

Regards

Neil McMahon

Juvenile Dunnock.

Juvenile Goldfinch.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Sand Martin chick.

All images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.