Pre-Christmas birding

Hello

A mixture of weather today didn't provide any new birds for the county.

The Summer Leys LNR Glossy Ibis seems to be spending much of it's time in the meadow between the Screen Hide and the Feeding Station and present again today.

Two White-fronted Geese were still in fields south west of Ravensthorpe Reservoir late this morning and birds at Stanford Reservoir included a Great White Egret, two Stonechats, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff. Two Jack Snipe were located at Hollowell Reservoir.

Two Stonechats and seven Common Snipe were at Upton Country Park and two Goosanders were at Stortons Pits. Two Ravens were at the dam end of Pitsford Reservoir and a Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth with two Green Sandpipers and a Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Common Buzzard.

Stonechat.

Above courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Raven.

Brown Hare.

Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

A quiet day yesterday (Wednesday) with very little local bird news but the Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR and an adult Caspian Gull roosted at Stanford Reservoir where there was also a Great White Egret, four Goosanders, a Chiffchaff and two Stonechats. In addition there were about fifty Golden Plovers between Gayton and Tiffield, two pairs of Stonechats at Towcester and a Raven at Little Billing, Northampton.

Today (Thursday) and Birdguides reports indicate that the juvenile Great Northern Diver was still present at Pitsford Reservoir, the two White-fronted Geese were just south-west of Ravensthorpe Reservoir early this afternoon, the Glossy Ibis was still by the Feeding Station at Summer Leys and the Ruddy Shelduck was still at Winwick Pools.

A Bittern was again at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon after being flushed from near the Sailing Club and at Hanging Houghton there was a Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley this afternoon and two more just north of the village. A Stonechat was at Upton Country Park.

December's WeBS count was completed at Ditchford Pits today but proved to be a quiet and cool affair. At least five Great White Egrets were present with at least four of those west of Ditchford Lane. Other birds included two Kingfishers, thirty-two Common Snipe, two Water Rails, a couple of Cetti's Warblers, a Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff.

Regards

Neil M

Cracking Otter photos from Sixfields,
 Northampton courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Yellowhammer.

Mute Swan.

Mid-December birding

Hello

The Summer Leys LNR Glossy Ibis was seen again today, this long-staying prober of the mud clearly liking the reserve. Possibly of not such good provenance, the very long-staying Ruddy Shelduck (originally one of a pair) was again at Winwick Pools. 

An adult Caspian Gull was again at Hollowell Reservoir and other birds were a Jack Snipe, four Common Snipes, a Chiffchaff and three Stonechats. At Daventry Country Park there were a pair of Red-crested Pochard and three 'redhead' Goosanders.

A male Blackcap was in a garden at Brixworth and one or two Barn Owl(s) and two Green Sandpipers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A 'ringtail' Hen Harrier was over fields at Tiffield heading towards the village from the A43 this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

'Redhead' Goosanders.

Pair of Red-crested Pochard.

Grey Squirrel posing as 
a teddy-bear!

All images courtesy
of Tony Stanford

                                   

                                                    Video courtesy of Chris Payne

                                                     and SW Wildlife Monitoring

                                                     depicting two Tawny Owls evicting

                                                     a Barn Owl from a nest box.

                                                                       

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was the monthly waterbird count at Pitsford Reservoir, taking over four hours with three recorders. Excess water and mild temperatures ensured good counts of Common Snipe (up to one hundred and fifty-eight) and Lapwings (nearly two hundred birds). The area between the causeway and the dam was exceptionally quiet and to the north of the causeway there was a Mediterranean Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull but little in the way of variety.

A Hawfinch showed in trees in Brixworth Hall Park this morning with a small flock of Greenfinches.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Mediterranean Gull, two adult Caspian Gulls, a Great White Egret, three Goosanders, seventy Lapwings, a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff and two Stonechats.

Four Smew remained at Eyebrook Reservoir (three drakes) and the long-staying Glossy Ibis was again near the feeding station at Summer Leys LNR.

The two White-fronted Geese were again seen at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and at Clifford Hill Pits there was a Pink-footed Goose and four Red-crested Pochards.

Regards

Neil M

Record shots of Hawfinch at
 Brixworth Hall Park today.

Mute Swans at
Pitsford Reservoir.

Mid-month mildness

Hello

More sunshine with mild temperatures, a breezy southerly and beautiful colours in the sky to the west before the day's end.

Eyebrook Reservoir accumulated up to four Smew (three drakes) today and a Knot and a Scaup were seen there too. At Stanford Reservoir two adult Caspian Gulls and one hundred and forty-five Great Black-backed Gulls were in the gull roost and other birds included fifty-four Pied Wagtails, five Goosanders, a Kingfisher, two Stonechats and a Chiffchaff.

A pair of Stonechats were at Lilbourne Meadows with two hundred and fifty Lapwings on the ground and one hundred and fifty Golden Plovers flying over. The two White-fronted Geese were again at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

At Pitsford Reservoir there was a female Stonechat north of the causeway on the Scaldwell bank and two Yellow-legged Gulls and a Grey Wagtail were visible from the dam this afternoon. A Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl and two Green Sandpipers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Two Ravens and two Siskins were at Scotland Wood with singles of Redpoll at Kelmarsh and Hanging Houghton.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR near to the feeding station and a drake Red-crested Pochard was at Whiston Pits. At least two Mandarin Ducks and a Chiffchaff were at Barnwell Country Park.

Regards

Neil M

Perhaps rather unseasonal
Dog Vomit Slime Mold at
Kelmarsh today.

Common Gull and Tufted Duck
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Great Crested Grebe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Little Egret.

Rare sunshine sighted in Northants!

Hello

It was rather low in the sky and didn't exude much warmth but there was definitely a sighting of the sun today!

Some seasonal bird ringing at Kelmarsh Hall today provided over a hundred captures of thirteen species with the mainstay being tits which included singles of Coal Tit and Marsh Tit. A particularly bright Grey Wagtail was perhaps the star bird although a female Great Tit that was at least six years old was pretty special. Nine Robins included six re-traps suggesting good adult survival rates and eleven Dunnocks were probably attracted to the food on offer. At least one of the Blackbirds caught and ringed today displayed traits normally associated with being from the continent and other birds included a Bullfinch, six Goldfinches and three Goldcrests. Other birds present included several Siskins and two Ravens.

Two Bewick's Swans at Upton/Kinslingbury in the Nene Valley west of Northampton were a good find but they appeared to move on this afternoon. The two White-fronted Geese were again seen at Ravensthorpe Reservoir plus a high count of seven Egyptian Geese, and neighbouring Hollowell Reservoir provided a rare Bittern sighting for that locality and earlier two Jack Snipe and five Common Snipe were also seen.

Six Cattle Egrets were at Ringstead Pits in paddocks near Kinewell Lake and the Summer Leys LNR Glossy Ibis was seen again. The Ruddy Shelduck was still at Winwick Pools and the drake Smew still at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Harrington Airfield provided two Woodcock, a pair of Stonechats and twenty-five Golden Plovers this morning.

Ferry Meadows at Peterborough has had several Yellow-browed Warblers during the autumn but today went one better and hosted a Pallas's Leaf Warbler! Still a bird we are waiting for in Northants...

Regards

Neil M

Redpolls courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Mallard.

Common Gull.

Birds of the murk

Hello

A grey, gooey day again and it never did seem to get light!

At Stanford Reservoir today there was an adult Caspian Gull, one hundred and forty-six Great Black-backed Gulls in the roost, seven Goosanders, a Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff.

Not too far away the Ruddy Shelduck was at Winwick Pools, a drake Smew was again at Eyebrook Reservoir and the two White-fronted Geese were with Greylags at Ravensthorpe Reservoir. An adult Caspian Gull, a Kingfisher and two Great White Egrets were at Hollowell Reservoir but the Slavonian Grebe of the last two days wasn't seen.

This afternoon a Cattle Egret was seen off Mill Lane, Earls Barton and then flew towards Grendon. Also this afternoon a Barn Owl and a Green Sandpiper were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and five Goosanders were at Daventry Country Park.

A ringing session took place at Harlestone at a new site resulting in over seventy common birds being processed, the majority being tits including a Marsh Tit and three Coal Tits but also a Song Thrush, three Blackbirds, a couple of Goldcrests and the highlight was a Woodcock. Other birds seen there included at least one more Woodcock, one or two Raven(s) and a Siskin.

Regards

Neil M

Blackbird courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Muntjac courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Woodcock.

Ringing recoveries

Hello

A grey, murky day with drizzle and low cloud failed to inspire!

The Great Northern Diver was still at Pitsford Reservoir this morning, fishing out in open water between Pintail Bay and the Narrows. A Grey Wagtail was on the dam.

The Hollowell Reservoir Slavonian Grebe was reported via Birdguides today and a first year Caspian Gull was reported from Daventry Country Park.

Two Ravens were at Hanging Houghton and a Grey Wagtail and a Siskin were at Kelmarsh Hall.

Ringing recoveries associated with Northants Ringing Group activities are as follows:-

1. A first year male Reed Bunting was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 13th October 2024 and captured again at Marsworth Reservoir, Tring, Hertfordshire on 4th December 2024, 52 days later having travelled 59km in a SSE direction;

2. A first year drake Mallard was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 15th June 2021 and then shot near Lamport on or about 29th November 2024, 1263 days later;

3. A first year female Goldfinch was ringed at Cropwell Bishop, Nottinghamshire on 29th October 2024 and caught again at Greens Norton on 5th November 2024, seven days later and having traveled 83km in a southerly direction;

4. A first year Great Tit was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 10th August 2024 and caught again at Stanford Reservoir on 26th October 2024, twenty km WNW with 77 days having elapsed;

5. Another first year Great Tit was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 23rd September 2023 and caught again at Bliss Wood, Wiltshire on 21st October 2024, 394 days later with this bird having moved 129km in a south-westerly direction;

6. A second year female Goldfinch was ringed at Greens Norton on 21st March 2024 but was found dead in the same village on 14th October 2024 (207 days later) after colliding with a window;

7. A juvenile Chiffchaff was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 29th June 2024 and caught again at Lodge Hill, Medway, Kent on 29th September 2024, 92 days later after traveling 117 km in a south-easterly direction;

8. A first year Sedge Warbler was ringed at Icklesham, Sussex on 26th July 2023 and caught again at Stanwick Pits on 23rd June 2024, 333 days later after no doubt having traveled to Africa and back;

9. A first year male Blackcap was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 18th August 2024 and caught again just eight days later on 26th August 2024 when at Stanford Reservoir, having traveled in a NNW direction.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

Dunnock.

Goldfinch.

All above images taken
locally yesterday courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Another grey December day

Hello

The days are short and it's barely daylight when the cloud dominates the sky at this time of the year!

Mark had a productive time with the two Russian White-fronted Geese again with the goose flock at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning and he went on to Hollowell Reservoir to find a Slavonian Grebe in the mouth of the feeder stream, which then settled off the east bank just to the south of the pine plantation.

The Glossy Ibis was reported again at Summer Leys LNR near to the Feeding Station.

Six Goosanders were on the main lake at Stanwick Pits this afternoon and birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning amounted to a Barn Owl, two Grey Wagtails and two Green Sandpipers.

A ringing session at Stortons Pits today provided some ninety birds which included five new Chiffchaffs, a Treecreeper, a Lesser Redpoll, a Blackcap and three Reed Buntings and lots of re-trap tits. There remains a big Starling roost and murmuration and this afternoon two Peregrines were attracted to the melee!

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Redpoll.

Reed Bunting.

Treecreeper.

Images courtesy of
Jane Neill.

A grey cold day

Hello

I'm just in from a five day tour spent looking for Wallcreepers and other birds of South France and particularly the Camargue. Some images of the trip can be found on the page or tab 'Wallcreepers and the Camargue Dec 2024'.

A cold and rather grey day again in the county and it seems we have a few of these to deal with before brighter and fresher weather appears.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR today and the long-staying Ruddy Shelduck was seen at Winwick Pools.

An adult Caspian Gull was at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning as was a Goosander, a pair of Egyptian Geese and a drake Mandarin Duck.

At Pitsford Reservoir there was a Barn Owl around the causeway just before 8am and later two Woodcock in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay. A Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Glossy Ibis.

Pheasant.

Great White Egret.

All images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

After the Storm

It was certainly a very wild weekend with trees uprooted,  more flooding, road closures, gales and torrential rain. Infact I decided not to travel on Saturday and so my birding was limited to the garden which was extremely quiet due to all the birds keeping their heads down.  I didn't really venture very far on Sunday and only went out to top up a couple of feeding stations. The birds were very pleased to see me. One cheeky Robin met me at the gate and almost sat on my shoulder as I walked to the feeding station and as soon as I put the bucket of food down it flew and sat on top of the seed. I literally had to pick it up and move it out of the way so that I could get to the seed!!!. Not to be left out the Blue Tits were very vocal and scalding me and even the Nuthatches were joining in.                                                         As I drove to the next feeding station I was aware of several birds of prey sitting on the grass verge. They didn't offer to move as I approached and drove slowly past. It was a group of 2 Common Buzzards and 3 Red Kites who were clearly interested in something on the grass verge. I  just had to stop and find out what they were doing.  Reluctantly the birds took flight but only went over the hedge and into a field. When I checked the grass verge I found the remains of a Pheasant which they had been eating.  I threw the remains over into the field and watched from a distance as the 2 Common Buzzards returned and continued their feast whilst the Red Kites remained watching from the air.    Nothings rare but that was the highlight of my weekend's birding, just close encounters with some of our amazing common birds.

A few hardy folk braved the elements and reported  4 Hawfinches at Blatherwycke Churchyard and on the lake an immature female Greater Scaup,  Great Northern Diver at Pitsford Reservoir,  Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys,  Cattle Egret at Stanwick GP and a Red Crested Pochard at Earls Barton GP. 

Today there have been a few Whooper Swans in the county. 4 were seen flying NE over Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows at 08.50hrs, a single bird was at Stanford Reservoir for most of the day and 3 adults spent the afternoon at Titchmarsh LNR.  Three Hawfinches were present at Blatherwycke Churchyard which is a favourite site for them, the Great Northern Diver remains at Pitsford and a Red Crested Pochard was found at Daventry CP.            I fully intended to visit Harrington Airfield this afternoon but changed my plans when I remembered that Monday is "Pheasant " shooting day so I ended up walking below Hanging Houghton.  I'm so glad that I had to change my plans as both Short Eared Owl and Barn Owl appeared infront of me and started hunting,  totally oblivious to myself and the dogs.

Regards Eleanor 

Calm before the Storm!!

Weather wise today it has been lovely,  hard to believe that we could be in for another battering if the approaching "storm Darragh" is as severe as predicted. Luckily I have been out and about today but my sum total of birds seen were Great Northern Diver,  Pink Footed Goose and pair of Stonechat on my early morning run around Pitsford Reservoir.                                                                                           It seems that everyone else has been struggling too as the only birds reported today were 6 Cattle Egrets on the islands at Kinewell Lake (Ringstead),5 Stonechats at Hollowell Reservoir and 4 Redpolls at Upton Country Park.  Yesterday there was  Glossy Ibis, 2 Great White Egrets and Water Rail at Summer Leys  Caspian Gull at Stanford Reservoir and Mediterranean and Yellow Legged Gull at Pitsford Reservoir.                                                                            On Wednesday there was a pair of Goosander on the river at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, Red Crested Pochard, 2 Green Sandpipers and 2 Stonechats at Earls Barton new workings and the  Bearded Tit showed again at Stanwick GP on the visitor centre lake. 

Take care over the weekend. 

Regards Eleanor 

Cool birds

Hello

A cool air stream with little wind provided a calm and pleasant weather day.

The Great Northern Diver remained in situ in the vicinity of Pintail Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and the Pink-footed Goose and Yellow-legged Gull were again further north nearer the causeway. Birds north of the causeway in the Scaldwell Bay included a drake Pintail, sixty-four Common Snipe, a Chiffchaff and a Stonechat. Hollowell Reservoir provided an adult Caspian Gull and two Stonechats.

A Raven and a Grey Wagtail were in Hanging Houghton village today and two Short-eared Owls flew over the B576 at Harrington Airfield late this afternoon.

In the Nene Valley a Bittern was again at Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits, the Glossy Ibis was by the feeding station on the Summer Leys LNR and three Cattle Egrets were at Ringstead Pits again in horse paddocks along Ham Lane at the juncture of the old railway line footpath. At Stanwick Pits a Cattle Egret was on Roadside Pit and other sightings were eight Goosanders, two Redshank and a Dunlin.

Two Woodcock were seen at dusk at Stanford Reservoir and other birds were a Great White Egret and a Cetti's Warbler. The drake Smew was on show again at Eyebrook Reservoir and two Caspian Gulls and the adult Glaucous Gull were at Shawell Sand Pit.

In the Welland Valley there were three Egyptian Geese again below Cottingham plus four Little Egrets.

Further north and two Hawfinches were at Blatherwycke Church with the drained lake providing a Pink-footed Goose, six Egyptian Geese, two Goosanders, four Mandarin Ducks, fifteen Little Egrets, a Green Sandpiper, a Water Rail and two Grey Wagtails. Two or three Hawfinches were in Deene Churchyard and the lake attracted three Goosanders, nine Shelduck, four Egyptian Geese and a pair of Stonechats. A pair of Ravens were at both Fineshade Wood and Wakerley Wood.

Regards

Neil M

Pink-footed Goose (on the right).

Great Northern Diver.

Pied Wagtail.

All above images from Pitsford
Reservoir today courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Male Sparrowhawk caught
and ringed today.

December migrants

Hello

A cooler and breezy day with some drizzle at times. As is often the way during the first week of December, a few new arrivals in the county which proves that migration never really stops.

Pitsford Reservoir hasn't featured strongly of late but today the crayfish-crunching juvenile Great Northern Diver remained in the vicinity of the Pintail Bay where a fresh-in drake Smew was also found. Just south of the causeway and a Pink-footed Goose was associating with Greylags and an adult Yellow-legged Gull lingered off the car park. A Woodcock and a Siskin were in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay and a Raven was by the dam.

A Black-necked Grebe at Stanford Reservoir this morning was also a new bird just arrived and other sightings included a Great White Egret, an adult Caspian Gull and one hundred and eighty-three Great Black-backed Gulls at roost.

Not too far away was an adult Glaucous Gull at Shawell Sand Pits in Leicestershire, in all probability the returning bird that has been roosting recently at Draycote Water (Warks). A Grey Wagtail was on the River Welland at Market Harborough.

Two Russian/European White-fronted Geese were a good find in fields adjacent to Ravensthorpe Reservoir today, loosely associating with two Egyptian Geese and Greylags in fields between the Fishing Lodge and the causeway on the west bank.

The now long-staying Glossy Ibis was on show at Summer Leys LNR again today.

At least one Raven was at Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

A male Blackbird already consuming
the rather unpalatable rose hips courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

 

Drake Smew courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Jay courtesy of
Robin Gossage.