Migrant activity in September

Hello

Some earnest ringing down at Linford Lakes on the outskirts of Milton Keynes provided seventy-eight captures of sixteen species with the Blackcap easily being the most common bird caught (twenty-five). Other warblers included sixteen Chiffchaffs, six Reed Warblers, three Common Whitethroats and a single each of Garden Warbler and Cetti's Warbler. A young Jay and a young Green Woodpecker were the star birds of the day although a variety of large insects found themselves in the nets including the large and once rare Clifden Nonpareill or Blue Underwing moth. The next door land owner shooting Woodpigeons with the shot raining down wasn't impressive on all counts! Other wildlife included Red Fox, Grass Snakes, a pipistrelle bat in the net, Common Newt, lots of Migrant Hawkers and a rather late Brown Hawker. Grey and Yellow Wagtails and a single Meadow Pipit were high-flying migrants over and at least one Raven was vocal.

Over at Stanford Reservoir the ringers were hard at it with 275 new birds processed today and birds seen included a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Common Sandpiper and twenty-five Ravens.

At Pitsford Reservoir birds included two Great White Egrets north of the causeway, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Kingfisher by the Kingfisher Screen. At Hollowell Reservoir the Wood Sandpiper was still present plus three Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and five Common Sandpipers.

A Dunlin was on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits, four Great White Egrets were at Summer Leys LNR plus a Ruff, four Little Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin, a Hobby and an episode of formation fishing of up to twenty Cormorants. Two Spotted Flycatchers were at nearby Mary's Lake. Two Whinchats were again seen at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield tomorrow will mean restricted access to the bunkers and old airstrip but the concrete track and official footpaths are unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Black-tailed Godwit
courtesy of John Tilly.

Greenshank courtesy of
John Tilly.

Clifden Nonpareil moth
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Jay courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Sunset at Linford Lakes
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.