More warmth and sunshine

Hello

Plenty of warmth and sunshine today brought forth the insects, good news for the birds trying to find invertebrates for their chicks!

Just over the border at Eyebrook Reservoir a gaggle of nice waders included six Avocets, a Spotted Redshank and a Turnstone. Stanford Reservoir paid host to a late Fieldfare that should really be somewhere else by now and three Cuckoos including a rufous morph female, a Hobby and three Cetti's Warblers.

Some exploratory ringing on the Althorp Estate this morning provided thirty small bird captures which included a Blackcap first ringed as a juvenile at Pitsford Reservoir on 11th September 2022.

Late news for yesterday was of a Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton in the evening and a Hobby near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. 

A pair of Grey Partridge were at Harrington Airfield this evening - a reminder that there will be ringing on-site tomorrow (Friday) and general access is restricted.

Also today and a Grasshopper Warbler singing in the Summer Leys LNR car park is a convenient location for this now scarce warbler and six Black Terns at Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits was a good record. The working quarry at Earls Barton attracted a Great White Egret, three Shelduck, a Cuckoo and a Little Ringed Plover.

A Little Ringed Plover was seen on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and several Swift sightings indicates that they are beginning to arrive in some numbers now. Three Cuckoos at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve were in addition to a Common Sandpiper and Egyptian Goose.

Regards

Neil M

Brown Hares courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Great Crested Grebe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Toad courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Banded Demoiselle
courtesy of John Tilly.

Comma butterfly
courtesy of John Tilly.