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.