Barn Owls, Willow Warblers and Black Terns

Hello

Some ringing took place at Harrington Airfield this morning around the scrubby areas close to the bunkers and yielded forty-nine captures. The most common bird was Willow Warbler with eleven new birds and four re-traps (two from 2022 and one from 2023). Other warblers included two Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, five Common Whitethroats and two Lesser Whitethroats. Seed-eaters included two Linnets, three Reed Buntings and two Yellowhammers. Unusual birds for the site included a fly-over Little Egret, a House Sparrow and two Mistle Thrushes. A Barn Owl and a Short-eared Owl were seen during the early hours.

A Turnstone remained at Eyebrook Reservoir early this morning and three Black Terns appeared later whilst birds at Stanford Reservoir included eight Black Terns, an Osprey this afternoon, a Hobby, three Cuckoos and three Common Sandpipers.

An Osprey was fishing north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir late this afternoon and more Black Tern action included two at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits.

Summer Leys LNR attracted a Grey Plover,  two Greenshanks and two Little Ringed Plovers and a summer plumage Spotted Redshank was a fly-through bird at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits just after 9am this morning.

A Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl were again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owls and a Jackdaw
discovered in nest boxes by 
licensed bird ringers operating
in the north of the county today.

Images courtesy of Lewis Aaron.