A Hen Harrier, a Tawny Owl and Redpolls.

Hello

A ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station completed by Dave Francis this morning provided seventy-two captures of fourteen species. A Wheatear was a definite surprise - not only is it now a scarce migrant at Pitsford it is also not a species regularly caught in mist nets. Other birds included nineteen Chiffchaffs, twelve Blackcaps, four Reed Warblers, seven Blue Tits, a Great Tit, five Long-tailed Tits, four Dunnocks, three Robins, two Wrens, three Greenfinches, three Tree Sparrows, five Goldcrests and two Meadow Pipits. Small Copper butterflies were present in the morning sunshine.

At the same time there was some more ringing being conducted at Harrington Airfield which provided seventy-five captures also of fourteen species. The first bird caught was a male Tawny Owl and he was bird of the session. Thirty-eight Blackcaps provided the numbers and thirteen Chiffchaffs was a good number for this open plan site. A single Lesser Redpoll was a smart little bird, there was surprisingly only one Meadow Pipit caught and other birds processed included Song Thrush, Blackbird, three species of tits and other common birds. A Queen Hornet came to inspect us in the rather grey conditions and other birds on the move included a few more Redpolls, several parties of Siskins, a Grey Wagtail, four Golden Plovers and lots of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks plus calling Grey Partridges.

A Hen Harrier hunting over some wild bird crops between Dale Farm and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning was a great sighting and there were two Wheatears and a Grey Wagtail in the horse paddocks at Dale Farm. Good numbers of Linnets, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were in the same area. Blueberry Farm hosted a Common Redstart, a Whinchat and at least ten Siskins with a pair of Stonechats at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton (but not seen there this evening). Two Grey Wagtails remain on the brook there.

This afternoon there was a Common Redstart in a field hedge along the footpath between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell villages and a male Stonechat was in a field hedge off the track leading from Old village to Pitsford Reservoir. Three Redpolls were at Hanging Houghton.

About forty Golden Plovers were seen in flight over Kettering and the Bittern was again showing well on the Summer Leys LNR scrape.

At Stanford Reservoir today two hundred and sixty-three birds were newly-ringed and other birds there included four Red-crested Pochard, a Pintail, two Common Snipe, several Siskins, about twenty Lesser Redpolls, a Barn Owl, a Lesser Whitethroat (ringed) and a hundred Meadow Pipits. The Cattle Egret was again at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Tawny Owl courtesy of
Jane Neill.

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Queen Hornet courtesy
of Michelle Spinks.

Late September birding

Hello

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included four Red-crested Pochards, a female Mandarin Duck, a wing-tagged Marsh Harrier and a Common Sandpiper. The Cattle Egret was still at Eyebrook Reservoir today.

At Summer Leys LNR today a Bittern was showing well early this morning and a Marsh Harrier and a Ruff were seen later.

Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir today were a bit sameish with twelve Pintail, two Great White Egrets and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. Birds at Harrington Airfield were nine Golden Plovers and a couple of calling Grey Partridges this evening.

Two Grey Wagtails were at Duston Mill weir and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton attracted two Kingfishers, two Grey Wagtails, a pair of Stonechats and a Wheatear. A Common Redstart and a Whinchat were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. A Grey Wagtail was in Hanging Houghton village.

Hollowell Reservoir today hosted seven Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin, two Stonechats, a Common Tern and a Kingfisher. A Wheatear was noted on the Brington to Brockhall track.

Perhaps the most visible migrant over the county today was Skylark with flocks of up to a dozen seen at a variety of places. Meadow Pipits, Siskins and wagtails were also on the move, it will be the thrushes soon! The sunshine brought forth plenty more Red Admirals and Comma butterflies.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Wagtails at Duston Mill
weir today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull.

Comma.

Migration on a cloudy day

Hello

A day for the most part spent out and about in mostly cloudy and dull conditions which didn't stop the trickle of Meadow Pipits, wagtails, hirundines, Skylarks and Siskins moving through the county.

The Black-necked Grebe remained on Town Lake at Thrapston Pits today and a pair of Stonechat were on the Titchmarsh reserve. Four Great White Egrets were noted at Summer Leys LNR this morning. Several Siskins and a Water Rail were at Fawsley Park and the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir at lunchtime continued to attract two Great White Egrets, a Hobby and a Raven.

The dam area at Pitsford Reservoir this evening provided four Yellow-legged Gulls, two Common Sandpipers, a Raven and a Grey Wagtail.

A flock of ten Ring-necked Parakeets were over Little Billing, Northampton this evening flying towards Bellinge. A Raven was over Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve this morning and Raven and Grey Wagtail were again in the village at Hanging Houghton.

The hedgerows, copses and gardens continue to attract plenty of shrill-calling Chiffchaffs in the county currently and in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today there were two Whinchats and two Wheatears near 'shrike hedge' and two Stonechats at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning which later made their way down to the 'shrike hedge' area this afternoon.

A ringing session is planned for Harrington Airfield this coming Saturday when access to the bunkers and old airstrip will be restricted. Should anyone wish to come along and observe proceedings please let me know beforehand. The footpaths along the concrete track and further west are unaffected.

An additional page has been created on the blog depicting some of the wildlife highlights of a recent ten day tour in Romania exploring the Carpathian Mountains and Danube Delta...

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Red Kite.

Buck Muntjac.

Gis us a kiss!
Cormorants jostling
at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Pink-barred Sallow moth.

Ringing recoveries and Hobbies still

Hello

The stormy weather influencing the west coast of the UK took it's time reaching us with some influence from the winds and showers this evening. A steady passage of Meadow Pipits, wagtails and Siskins have been filtering over the county all day.

The Cattle Egret remained at Eyebrook Reservoir and the moulting adult Black-necked Grebe was again at Town Lake, Thrapston Pits with two juvenile Hobbies showing well on the Titchmarsh reserve.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were two Great White Egrets in the Walgrave Bay plus a Hobby, several Siskins and a Raven. Four Hobbies were at Blueberry Hill today and in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were two Wheatears by 'shrike hedge' this morning plus a male Stonechat near the Brampton Valley Way car park.

Singles of Grey Wagtail and Raven were in Hanging Houghton village today and both Otter and Mink were recorded in Market Harborough alongside the River Welland earlier this week.

Recent ringing recoveries include:-

1. A male Blackcap was ringed in West Berkshire on 19th September 2022 and re-trapped at Pitsford Reservoir on 8th September 2023, 354 days later and 105km NNE from where first ringed;

2. A male Blackcap ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 8th September 2023 was caught again eight days later at Stanford Reservoir which is 21km WNW from where first ringed;

3. A nestling Blue Tit was ringed at Wigsthorpe on 2nd June 2023 and caught and processed as a juvenile at Barnwell on 10th September 2023, 100 days later and just 4km NNE from where initially ringed;

4. A juvenile Reed Warbler was ringed at Woolston Eyes, Warrington on 28th July 2023 and captured again at Pitsford Reservoir on 16th August 2023. This bird had travelled 162km in a south-easterly direction and was part of a large fall of acrocephalus warblers at Pitsford on that day.

Regards

Neil M

Hobby courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Adult Hobby.

Male Blackcap courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Juvenile Shag courtesy
of John Tilly. Perhaps a bird
to look out for locally following
another blast of westerlies!

Quiet September day

Hello

A rather quiet day in the county with few birds of note reported.

A Cattle Egret was at Eyebrook Reservoir on the island this morning and another was at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

A Black-necked Grebe remains at Thrapston Pits on Town Lake and a juvenile Ruff was on the Titchmarsh Reserve.

Hollowell Reservoir sported eight Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin and two Great White Egrets this afternoon.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir included eleven Pintail in the Scaldwell Bay plus an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Green Sandpiper and three Great White Egrets. There wasn't much room for birds at the dam this evening what with a drone, paddleboards, canoeists, wild swimming and more disturbance...but there was a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, two Common Sandpipers, a Grey Wagtail and a Kingfisher.

Sadly an Otter was found dead on the road just outside Scaldwell village over the week-end, probably following the little stream between Lamport and Pitsford Reservoir and probably struck after dark.

Many people up and down the country study prey remains from Peregrine nests and roost sites and bird remains at Market Harborough recently have included pigeons, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Grebe, Blackbird, Little Grebe, Golden Plover and Water Rail! Many of these species migrate at night so it is assumed they are intercepted as they fly over Market Harborough during the hours of darkness.

Regards

Neil M

Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Great White Egret at
Pitsford Reservoir today.

Ruddy Darter.

Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

A ringing session at Linford Lakes on Saturday by a very small ringing team nevertheless provided ninety-one captures of twelve species including just eight re-traps. The numbers were made up of thirty-one Blackcaps, twenty-six Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler, four Reed Warblers, two Wrens, two Robins, two Dunnocks, six Blue Tits, eight Great Tits, five Meadow Pipits, a Goldfinch and three Siskins. Other birds present there at the week-end included a Bittern and a Black Tern.

Some garden ringing near Overstone Park yesterday provided fifty-five birds made up of thirty-eight Blue Tits, four Great Tits, seven Goldfinches, two Dunnocks and singles of Woodpigeon, Robin, Chiffchaff and Blackcap. All were newly-ringed and first year birds with the exception of a re-trap Great Tit.

Today (Monday) and a WeBS Count was completed at Ditchford Pits in sunny, breezy weather. West of Ditchford Lane there was a female Peregrine, three juvenile Hobbies, three Cetti's Warblers, three Egyptian Geese, a Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail. East of Ditchford Lane and there was a Great White Egret, a Water Rail, two Kingfishers, five Grey Wagtails, two Cetti's Warblers and five Siskins. Odonata included Migrant Hawker, Common Darter and Willow Emerald damselfly and butterflies seen were Red Admiral, Comma and Speckled Wood.

Migrants at Harrington Airfield this morning were made up of a Common Redstart near Bunker One, two Redpolls, at least eight Siskins, a Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine with a constant flow of Yellow, Grey and 'alba' Wagtails overhead, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and hirundines. Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Blackbirds, Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were all in good numbers too.

A Whinchat was at Sywell Country Park today and at least one Cattle Egret was present at Earls Barton Pits with single bird(s) seen on Mary's Lake and on the Summer Leys reserve this afternoon. A first winter Caspian Gull was at Daventry Country Park this morning.

Regards

Neil M

This Migrant Hawker selected
a large prey item at Ditchford
today when it grabbed and munched
a freshly-emerged Crane Fly.

Blackbird courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Siskins courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

On the move !

 It has been a very pleasant couple of days following the wet and windy weather earlier in the week. Although I had got a few commitments I made sure that I could get my "birding fix" which revolved around walking the dogs. It was a typical autumn morning when I set off early yesterday morning with the mist hanging over the valley.  On the stream below Lamport were 5 Little Egrets dabbling about in the water. On my walk up to Blueberry I could hear Meadow Pipits and Skylarks flying around but couldn't see them due to the mist which had cleared by the time I reached my destination.  The stables/small pond area has been quite productive this year and as I stood and watched the area a passerine appeared on the roof of the stable. I knew what it was before I confirmed it's identity with my binoculars,  a Black Redstart.   In the bushes around the pond was a Common Redstart.  Really good to see both these birds virtually side by side.   I couldn't loiter any longer as I wanted to check shrike hedge area on my way home. Again good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks plus 2 Northern Wheatears.                                                                            No further birding until I managed a visit to Harrington Airfield which yielded Common Redstart, Whinchat,  Northern Wheatear and Marsh Harrier. 

Today I started with the same circuit as yesterday and again it was a misty mirky morning. When I reached the stables/pond area at Blueberry there were birds everywhere!! I was literally tripping over Chiffchaffs,  they were in the bushes,  on the ground and hanging from weed stems. 20+ is a conservative estimate. It was quite spectacular and something I have witnessed on the Scillies but not on my local patch.  Other birds included 3 Common Redstarts,  6+ Blackcaps, 2 Grey Wagtails,  Northern Wheatear and a flock of at least 60 Swallows low over the fields. I had to drag myself away and headed to shrike hedge, where again there were birds everywhere.  The overgrown ditches were alive with tits, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs all moving along the ditch, calling as they went. It was quite incredible.  Other birds here included 2 Northern Wheatears,  Whinchat and 8 Siskins over. Again a steady movement of Meadow Pipits,  Skylarks and Hirundines.                                                                                       The dogs were probably relieved when I left shrike hedge as they thought that we were heading home for breakfast.........wrong !! I couldn't resist a quick visit to Harrington Airfield.  Around the bunkers were Common Redstart,  Whinchat and Northern Wheatear.  Again lots of birds on the move with a constant passage of Meadow Pipits,  Skylarks and Swallows plus 2 Redpolls,  4+ Siskins  and 2 Golden Plovers. There was just a handful of Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps in the bushes at the end of the track.                                                             It was quite an amazing morning watching these birds on the move knowing that this was part of their incredible migration journey and I just had a glimpse into their world.      Eventually we did head home for breakfast!!

Birds around in the county include a Hoopoe reported in Oundle but despite searching it could not be relocated.  A Black Necked Grebe has been on the Town Lake at Thrapston,  Pectoral Sandpiper at Stanwick GP,  Red Crested Pochards at Pitsford and Stanford Reservoirs. Whilst over at Hollowell Reservoir Stonechat,  Whinchat,  Pink Footed Goose, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin. 

Regards Eleanor 

Wild and Windy

 It was certainly a "bad hair" day or one for "blowing the cobwebs " away today. I started off by running around Pitsford Reservoir where I saw 2 Common Sandpipers and a Great White Egret. Initially it was quite pleasant running until I ran across the causeway and headed towards Brixworth when it was like running through treacle as I  battled against the wind.    I wasn't the only one battling with the wind as all through the day I have noticed a steady trickle of hirundines low over the fields flying directly into the wind.   Other birds were definitely trying to find shelter from the wind with 2 Common Redstarts,  Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs in a sheltered hedge at Blueberry and a Whinchat and Northern Wheatear finding shelter around the stables.                   Harrington Airfield was pretty bleak and uninviting this afternoon and all I managed to find was a Common Redstart and Northern Wheatear around bunker 1 and a Peregrine heading over at speed.                      Yesterday I made an early morning visit to Harrington Airfield and initially there was a steady movement over of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, plus 6+ Siskins and 2 Grey Wagtails. There was also a noticeable influx of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes.  There was a Marsh Harrier loafing around with the Red Kites and Lesser Black Backed Gulls feeding on the recently scuffled fields.                          From Harrington I decided to check Blueberry area and there was still a Common Redstart,  Whinchat and Northern Wheatear around the stables and on the fields near to shrike hedge good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks. 

It is definitely my favourite time of year, it is quite exciting to witness the movement of birds on my doorstep,  even if they are common.  I  suspect that some of the Blackbirds now at Harrington are " continental".           

Around the county it appears that we have 2 Pectoral Sandpipers , one at Summer Leys and a new bird at Stanwick GP.  The  Bittern has been showing well at Summer Leys especially early evening.  Other birds at Summer Leys include Swift, Ruff, and  Marsh Harrier.  Yesterday at Hollowell Reservoir there was Pink Footed Goose,  Northern Wheatear,  Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper and Hobby.               Today at Daventry CP there was RedCrested Pochard,  Common and Green Sandpipers. 

Regards    Eleanor 

Ringing at Stortons and Linford

Bird records have been few and far between over the last couple of days. Yesterday there was a Honey Buzzard and 2 Marsh Harriers at Stanford Reservoir and Pectoral Sandpiper and Bittern at Summer Leys.  I managed a quick visit to Lamport Hall and Blueberry but it was very quiet. Today I popped to Harrington Airfield which again was quiet with the only birds of note being Common Redstart,  Northern Wheatear and 2 Golden Plovers. The Pectoral Sandpiper remains at Summer Leys and 2 Marsh Harriers again at Summer Leys. 

The ringers have been busy. Yesterday at Stortons GP a total of 95 birds were ringed of which 68 were new Blackcaps and 8 Chiffchaffs. Other birds included Long Tailed and Blue tits, Robin, Cetti's and Reed Warbler. Bird of the day went to Kingfisher with young Song Thrushes coming a close second. An Otter was seen at the west side of the complex.       

Today at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes a total of 154 birds were ringed of 13 species. An amazing 92 Blackcaps and 35 Chiffchaffs were ringed along with Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge and Reed Warbler.  Several firsts of the Autumn season were noted, a " continental type Blackbird", 3 Meadow Pipits and an early Lesser Redpoll. 

Regards Eleanor 

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Song Thrushes courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Kingfisher courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

A Quail and lingering Bittern and Pec Sand

Hello

A cloudy, dull but still day with a few hints of drizzle provided a ringing opportunity and Dave Francis conducted a session at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir successfully netting seventy-eight birds of fifteen species. Warblers are still dominating although some species are thinning out now. Blackcaps numbered thirty-one and other warblers included ten Chiffchaffs, four Reed Warblers, two Sedge Warblers and two Common Whitethroats. Other birds included four Meadow Pipits, two Goldcrests, two Tree Sparrows, two Greenfinches and a Goldfinch.

Elsewhere and other members of the Northants Ringing Group, Chris Payne and John Boland, were busy erecting six owl boxes on a private estate in South Northants, the boxes constructed by Chris.

Our garden at Hanging Houghton has been alive with birds all day, with some fifty each of Goldfinch and House Sparrow eating us out of house and home, lots of visiting Blue Tits, roaming Starlings and small groups of Greenfinches and other birds feeding and drinking.

At Summer Leys LNR today the two star birds continued to show during the day - the Pectoral Sandpiper spending time around wader bay with occasional forays onto the scrape and the Bittern which emerges from vegetation on the scrape when it feels like it! Other birds there included two Ruff, at least two Common Sandpipers and seven Great White Egrets.

There were no chats present at the Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today but a Quail was flushed there this afternoon but could not be relocated. Two Whinchats and a Wheatear were around the stables at Blueberry Farm, Blueberry but Eleanor couldn't find any Redstarts. A similar story at Harrington Airfield with a lack of chats and Redstarts and just a Hobby seen.

The Little Stint had apparently departed Hollowell Reservoir today but other birds there included the Pink-footed Goose, six Ringed Plovers, three Dunlin, a Greenshank and two Whinchats.

A Marsh Harrier was at Stanford Reservoir today where there was also two Common Sandpipers, two Hobbies and a hundred Swallows. Two hundred and sixty new birds were ringed there today!

Regards

Neil M

More owl boxes!

Kingfishers courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Red Fox courtesy
 of David Arden.

Little Owl courtesy
of John Gamble.

September wanderers

Hello

The three Marsh Harriers were all still at Stanford Reservoir again today including the two wing-tagged birds (ringed as nestlings this year in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk), plus the female Ruddy Shelduck, a Common Sandpiper, a Hobby and sixteen Siskins.

Hollowell Reservoir remains attractive to the Little Stint and other birds there today were two Great White Egrets, nine Ringed Plovers, four Dunlin, a Common Snipe, a Redshank, two Greenshank, six Common Sandpipers, a Hobby and four Whinchats. Two Great White Egrets were to the north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir and the dam area this evening was good for five Yellow-legged Gulls, three Common Sandpipers, two Common Terns, a Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail.

At Summer Leys LNR the Pectoral Sandpiper was seen again and then seemed to disappear mid-afternoon and the Bittern was showing well again on the scrape. Other birds included a juvenile Shelduck, four Great White Egrets, two Ruff, five Common Sandpipers, a Common Snipe and two Ringed Plovers. A Black Tern was still at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and early afternoon.

There was a heavy Meadow Pipit passage over the county today, particularly with the first wind swirls after 8am and the chats are still moving with five Wheatears and two Whinchats at 'Shrike Hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and a Common Redstart and two Whinchats at nearby Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. Two Ravens were noisy in Hanging Houghton village this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Little Ringed Plover.

Chiffchaff.

Long-tailed Tit.

All above images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wheatear.

Whinchat.

Above two images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford Webs count

Hello

Yesterday (Monday) saw the waterbird count at Pitsford Reservoir being completed for the month of September but there are no big numbers of waterfowl yet. The Wigeon are building up as expected but the Gadwall and Tufted Duck numbers are no better than July. Six Pintail in the Scaldwell Bay will no doubt increase if the water continues to fall and provide the muddy shallows they adore. South of the causeway an Osprey passed over heading south at height and there were four Common Sandpipers, a Common Redstart, two Crossbills and several bouncy flocks of Siskins. Birds north of the causeway included a Garganey on the shoreline in the Holcot Bay, four Great White Egrets, at least one Green Sandpiper (the Scaldwell Lagoon can no longer be viewed due to vegetation so who know what is in there!) and a couple of Common Sandpipers. A Black Tern arrived just before we concluded the count and other birds north of the causeway included a Tufted Duck with some Scaup genes near to the causeway, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Hobby or two, a Kingfisher, a Goldeneye and more Siskins.

There were still lots of Migrant Hawkers and Ruddy and Common Darters as well as a couple of tardy Southern and Brown Hawkers and butterflies included fresh Commas and Small Heaths.

At Hollowell Reservoir yesterday the Little Stint was showing with nine Ringed Plovers, a Greenshank, a Pink-footed Goose, a juvenile Caspian Gull and a Whinchat. Stanford Reservoir hosted two Marsh Harriers (one wing-tagged), the Ruddy Shelduck again, a Hobby and two Common Sandpipers with the ringers catching eighty-four new birds, processing two ringed birds from elsewhere and twenty-six re-traps.

Also yesterday there were a couple of reports of the Pectoral Sandpiper from Summer Leys LNR again and the Bittern showed well from the Double-decker hide. Other birds logged were a Dunlin, eight Ringed Plovers, five Common Sandpipers, a Little Ringed Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Ruff.

A Black Tern was at Clifford Hill Pits and a Marsh Harrier was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton in the evening. Earlier in the day there was a Common Redstart and two Whinchats at Blueberry Farm around the stables with two Whinchats and a Wheatear at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley.

A Spotted Flycatcher was seen at Bearshank Wood and Harrington Airfield yielded two or three Common Redstarts, a Wheatear, three Whinchats and eight Grey Partridges.

Today (Tuesday) and a big change in the weather with light rain sweeping the county and a few heavy showers too.

The Bittern at Summer Leys has been showing well today and other birds include a Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff and eight Ringed Plovers.

The Little Stint remains at Hollowell Reservoir today with the supporting cast of six Ringed Plovers, four Common Snipe, two Greenshanks and a Green Sandpiper and a Whinchat.

Stanford Reservoir's contribution included two Marsh Harriers still, the Ruddy Shelduck, two Common Sandpipers, a Water Rail and two Hobbies. Five Yellow-legged Gulls and a Common Sandpiper were off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and evening.

A quick visit to Lamport Hall provided sixteen Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart and the Blueberry Farm area was good for up to three Wheatears and two Whinchats. The 'Shrike Hedge' area of the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton initially supported two Whinchats and a Wheatear this morning and with the wet weather this afternoon there was a flock of about sixty Skylarks, two extra Wheatears and a Marsh Harrier.

Regards

Neil M

First year female Sparrowhawk
from the ringing session at
Harrington Airfield on Sunday
courtesy of Steve Wilson.

First year female Common Redstart
from Harrington Airfield on Sunday
courtesy of Steve Wilson.

Bittern at Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Bittern at Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Hot and humid birding

Hello

Ringing at Linford Lakes in unseasonably warm conditions yesterday provided the ringers with seventy-nine birds of twelve species, seventy-one of which were newly-ringed. Blackcaps were the winners in the numbers game with forty birds processed and fourteen Chiffchaffs continues a good autumn for them too. Four Reed Warblers and a Cetti's Warbler also hit the nets but the star birds were a Kingfisher and a juvenile Green Woodpecker. Other wildlife noted included a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper and a Raven.

At Harrington Airfield today we were fortunate to encounter twenty-one species of birds in the mist nets totaling one hundred and eighty-seven birds, of which one hundred and four were Blackcaps. Other warblers amounted to a Willow Warbler, a noteworthy sixteen Chiffchaffs, a Reed Warbler, five Lesser Whitethroats and twelve Common Whitethroats. A first year female Common Redstart was only the second to be caught at this site this year. A handful of finches included a rather unseasonal Lesser Redpoll and twelve Meadow Pipits marks the beginning of the migration season for them.

Perhaps the best captures were two first year Sparrowhawks - first a female and a little later a male.

Other birds on-site included a Wheatear on Bunker One, a Barn Owl, fly-overs of plenty more Meadow Pipits and small numbers of Siskin, Yellow and Grey Wagtails. A flock of medium-sized unidentified and silent waders powered over south before dawn.

These ringing session and the others of the last few days plus all the efforts at Stanford Reservoir appear to demonstrate a trend of high numbers of warblers moving through the midlands only to be replaced by new birds the following day. There were absolutely no re-trapped birds of any description at Harrington Airfield today which is unprecedented.

A Pectoral Sandpiper was photographed at Summer Leys LNR late this morning and still present early afternoon but it isn't clear if this bird was seen again late afternoon/evening. The Bittern showed again a couple of times, sometimes affording good views and other birds included Peregrine, Ruff, seven Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin and four Common Sandpipers.

The Hollowell Reservoir Little Stint was still present early this morning with eight Ringed Plovers on the north-east shoreline. A Hobby and a Kingfisher were noted in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this evening.

Two Whinchats were still at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening and late afternoon saw twelve Spotted Flycatchers, two Common Redstarts, at least two Siskins, two Hobbies and many hirundines and Chiffchaffs viewable from the footpath at the south side of Lamport Hall.

The female Ruddy Shelduck appeared at Stanford Reservoir at dawn and again at dusk and the two wing-tagged Marsh Harriers were still present plus four Siskins, two Common Sandpipers and two Hobbies.

Regards

Neil M

Sunrise Linford Lakes.

Chiffchaff.

First year male
Sparrowhawk.

All images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.