Winter thrushes, finches and Blackcaps

Hello

A dull and at times murky day, quite cold first thing but then milder and a little rain late afternoon with a brighter outlook for tomorrow.

An early morning foray to Harrington Airfield this morning confirmed the presence of some three hundred winter thrushes in the hawthorn bushes around the bunkers. A Redpoll was also present, a couple of Skylarks were singing and overhead passage birds included small flocks of Woodpigeons and Starlings. A Grey Partridge provided some rather stifled calls and Common Buzzards and Red Kites were arguing over an unknown prey item. Tomorrow (Friday) there will be a ringing session there in an effort to catalogue some of the thrushes and access will be restricted in the scrubby areas between the chippings compound and the bunkers, access along the concrete track which is also an official footpath is unaffected.

At Daventry Country Park the Great Northern Diver flew off in a westerly direction over the town this morning and a female-type Common Scoter was also reported.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, visible at floods below St Peter's church and three Cattle Egrets and two Stonechats were at nearby Stanwick Pits at lunchtime.

A male Blackcap turned up in a Hollowell village garden today and coincidentally a pair visited our garden at Hanging Houghton too where they are far from regular. A male Brambling was in Hanging Houghton village this morning and the Brampton Valley below the village yielded a pair of Stonechats, a Barn Owl and a Woodcock.

A Siskin was the only bird of note around the dam at Pitsford Reservoir, there were three Grey Wagtails in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and a Redpoll and twelve Siskins at Kelmarsh Hall. Two pairs of Stonechats graced Sywell Country Park yesterday.

Regards

Neil M

Glossy Ibis.

Magpie.

Blackcap courtesy of
Tony Stanford.