Sunshine and showers

Hello

The last few days has seen an increase in the number of migrant waders passing through the county, the majority being at Earls Barton Pits, Hollowell Reservoir and Stanford Reservoir in the shape of Black-tailed Godwits and a few Greenshank, Green Sandpipers and Common Sandpipers.

Today there were two Ospreys at Hollowell Reservoir and the female Ruddy Shelduck that has made the county it's home for the last few years has been sighted there too. A Turtle Dove seen today near Mary's Lake at Earls Barton - a rare sight in the county this year.

On Thursday a family party of Spotted Flycatchers was discovered in Hanging Houghton village and where yesterday a Siskin was present for a short time early in the morning. Ravens have been regular again in the village and at nearby Lamport and a group of thirteen Brown Hares were seen at Lamport Hall on Thursday.

The warmth and conducive conditions of the last few days has been super for the insects with great numbers of butterflies and odonata on the wing - most common species have been logged now. Despite the national picture for butterflies being reportedly bleak, it seems to me that we are bucking the trend here in Northamptonshire with many scarce species colonising new areas, particularly our woodlands.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Tree Sparrow.

Ringlet.

Comma.

Drinker moth.

Black-tailed Godwit courtesy
of Robin Gossage.