Strong Saturday southerlies

Hello

Some early morning birding around Cottesbrooke provided more spring migrants with a few of Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Willow Warbler and Blackcap. Two Ravens, one or two Kingfisher(s) and a Grey Wagtail were present but undoubtedly the best bird was a calling Hawfinch that flew over north-west just before 8am.

Harrington Airfield was the venue for a Short-eared Owl again around Bunker One plus a couple of Willow Warblers and a male Common Redstart was in a sheltered area in bushes along the concrete track near to the shooting wall. Two Ravens were north of Lamport, a Siskin was at Kelmarsh Hall and four were at Scotland Wood.

The female Ring-necked Duck was on Cotton Reel Lake, Ditchford Pits again today and at Stanwick Pits a Cattle Egret flew over early this morning. A Common Sandpiper was at Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits and a Greenshank was on floodwater at Lower Barnwell Lock, Oundle. A Little Ringed Plover and a Yellow Wagtail were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning. An Osprey was over the road at Summer Leys LNR heading towards Earls Barton at noon and birds at Earls Barton New Workings included a drake Red-crested Pochard, a Shelduck, two Little Ringed Plovers and two Green Sandpipers.

A Sandwich Tern flew east at Stanford Reservoir early this morning and other birds included two Common Sandpipers, two Oystercatchers, two Shelduck, a Sedge Warbler and two Swallows. Two more Common Sandpipers were at Hollowell Reservoir and a fishing Osprey there this evening caught a large Bream.

A male Ring Ouzel was located at Newnham Hill this afternoon in fields with sileage bundles between the summit and Daventry Wood Farm and another male Ring Ouzel flew from a bean field in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon, flying towards the Brampton Valley Way. Two hundred migrant Fieldfares were also in the valley this afternoon and four Short-eared Owls remain west of Lamport on private land with two more still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

Yellow Wagtail.

Pied Wagtail.

Red Kite.