Stalemate!!

Ring Ouzels continue to dominate with the male still showing well at Miller's Meadow,  Weston Mill, 2 at Honey Hill and at least another 2 at Harrington Airfield.  When I was at Harrington the usual female was at bunker 3 and on my walk back I heard one chacking from a dense hawthorn bush at bunker 2. Eventually it popped out, landed briefly before flicking over the bunker. Whilst I suspected that this was another bird I couldn't be 100% sure as I never saw them both together. However a couple of other birders also bumped into 2 Rouzel's, so it looks as if there are two birds. The male Common Redstart and Short Eared Owl were also present. 

I went for an early morning run and whilst running heard and saw a Curlew below Brixworth.  This motivated me to go and check out the area of scrapes along the Brampton Valley Way below Brixworth. I have been meaning to look at these scrapes but haven't found the time. So after dropping two of the dogs at home I set off with my right hand man Jaeger and my scope . The scrapes look very promising and today there were 2 Little Egrets,  pr Gadwall,  Ringed Plover, Common and Green Sandpiper.    Nearby at Spring Marsh were 2 singing and very showy Sedge Warblers and a Water Rail.                                                Before heading home I walked across the dam at Pitsford Reservoir but apart from a large flock of mixed hirundines it was devoid of birds.

Other birds reported in the county today include a Nightingale at Stanwick GP,  Bar Tailed Godwit and 4 White Wagtails at Lower Barnwell lock flooded fields,  an Osprey south east of Harrington,  Common Redstart on the BVW below Hanging Houghton and at Miller's Meadow.    Northern Wheatears continue to pass through and were seen at Harrington Airfield, Hartwell,  Borough Hill and near Laxton.  A Short-eared Owl was again in the Blueberry area. 

A ringing session by Kenny Cramer near Milton Keynes today produced a total of 111 birds of 18 species,  68 of which were new birds.   Good numbers of finches with 25 Redpolls, 24 Greenfinches and 6 Goldfinches making up almost half the birds processed.  On the Warbler front 12 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs,  2 Sedge Warblers and a Garden Warbler. Other birds of note 6 Blackbirds,  3 Song Thrushes,  Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Magpie.  There were two Cuckoo's on the reserve which managed to evade the nets.

Regards Eleanor 

Garden Warbler.

Sedge Warbler.

Song Thrush.

All images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.