A profusion of finches

Hello

Some ringing in a corner of a field set aside as a wild bird food crop on the Courteenhall Estate today provided 231 captures with finches dominating made up of 152 Goldfinches, two Lesser Redpolls, a Siskin, two Bullfinches, eight Chaffinches and six Linnets. Other birds included a juvenile male Sparrowhawk, two Reed Buntings, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest and a Marsh Tit. At least five other Lesser Redpolls and six Siskins and a male Brambling were attracted to the same area with perhaps three hundred Goldfinches feeding on the seed-rich patch. A Grey Wagtail was also present.

Five Avocets found by Neil Hasdell at Pitsford Reservoir today was a significant surprise (please see Neil's video clip below) - they spent much of their time around the bund area between the James Fisher and Bird Club hides in the Scaldwell Bay. Other birds noted included at least ten Pintail, a Green Sandpiper, a pair of Stonechats, a Great White Egret and a Yellow-legged Gull. Later in the day eight adult Whooper Swans arrived, stayed just a few minutes and flew off again.

Nick Parker saw eight Whooper Swans at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits which flew off heading at south west and must have been the birds seen subsequently at Pitsford. A flock of forty-three Barnacle Geese also at Titchmarsh is remarkable - they could be from a regional feral flock but being there at the same time as Whoopers it makes you wonder if they have come from the same part of the world! To make Nick's birding life even more surreal he then goes and locates a Ring-necked Duck there too (visible from North Hide)!

The Bittern was showing well in front of Pioneer Hide on the Summer Leys reserve this morning and other birds included a Ruff, a Green Sandpiper and a Pintail. A fishing Otter showed rather distantly at Stortons Pits today.

Birds at Hollowell Reservoir today included a Rock Pipit, an adult Caspian Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Pintail, a Great White Egret and two Stonechats. Ravensthorpe Reservoir hosted an adult Caspian Gull, a Pink-footed Goose and a drake Mandarin Duck.

Short-eared Owls popped up in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, Daventry Country Park and Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry. A pair of Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton near the large barn.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Mute Swan
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Otter fishing at Stortons Pits
today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Adult male Siskin
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Juvenile male Sparrowhawk
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Chris Payne.