Full flow passerine migration

Hello

A small but busy band of ringers were at Stortons Pits this morning and were taken by surprise by the number of birds on hand, quickly processing one hundred birds before it became too hot and windy. As is normal at this time of the year the warblers took over with five Willow Warblers, six Chiffchaffs, four Common Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, six Garden Warblers, thirty-one Blackcaps, a Sedge Warbler and eight Reed Warblers. Most of the other birds of eighteen species are more typically resident birds and included Bullfinch, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting. Ninety of the birds were newly-ringed.

A similar story at Stanford Reservoir today as the ringers there quickly worked through 261 new birds (one of them another Grasshopper Warbler), fourteen re-trapped birds and three birds known as 'controls' as they were ringed previously elsewhere. Other birds seen at Stanford Reservoir included an Osprey, a Common Sandpiper and a fly-through Common Redshank.

The Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpiper were both reported from Lilbourne Meadows reserve today and at Hollowell Reservoir star birds were one or two Marsh Harrier(s), an Osprey and a Whinchat.

Pitsford Reservoir provided a couple of Osprey sightings by the dam and on the reserve where there was also a Marsh Harrier and a Whinchat. The evening 'gull roost' attracted five Yellow-legged Gulls (three adults, two juveniles) and two Common Gulls.

Ravensthorpe Reservoir didn't miss out on the Osprey action with one fishing there at midday plus an adult Yellow-legged Gulls and two or three Lesser Emperor dragonflies.

Harrington Airfield offered up a Tree Pipit or two, two Common Redstarts, two Whinchats and a Marsh Harrier with still two Common Redstarts at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. Up to six Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart were at Lamport Hall.

In the Nene Valley Clifford Hill Pits provided for a Little Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers and a Barnacle Goose with two Garganey again at Summer Leys LNR plus two Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank and two Great White Egrets.

Four Yellow-legged Gulls were following the plough in a field near to Elinor Lake, Thrapston Pits. Two Whinchats and a Barn Owl were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Peacock butterfly courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Orange Swift moth courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Great White Egret
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Osprey at Pitsford Reservoir
yesterday surrounded by
Common Terns (with sharp beaks)!

Common Emerald damselfly.