Migrants passing through the county

Hello

Some ringing at Pitsford Reservoir this morning proved there were migrants in the margins and bushes and procured eight species of warbler including two Lesser Whitethroats, ten Common Whitethroats, three Garden Warblers, six Blackcaps, twelve Sedge Warblers and thirty-three Reed Warblers. One of the Reed Warblers was already ringed from elsewhere (details awaited). These migrants quickly melted away on release and we were left to catalogue twenty Goldfinches and thirty-two Greenfinches which turned up mostly afterwards. A further ringing session will take place tomorrow morning.

At least one Osprey spent time in the Scaldwell Bay whilst we were there and other observations during the day were four Red-crested Pochards (two drakes), two Green Sandpipers, several Great White Egrets,  two Whinchats, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Hobby and a Kingfisher.

The ringers were active over at Stanford Reservoir, the beginning of an intense two week period with efforts being made to ring as many migrants as possible, and star captures today included two Tree Pipits, a Common Redstart and a Grasshopper Warbler. The Osprey was at Stanford Reservoir again today as was the Ruddy Shelduck, a Common Sandpiper and a Hobby.

Hot on the heels of the Southern Migrant Hawker, a Scarce Emerald Damselfly was identified today at the same place at Priors Hall, Corby, potentially the first record for the county.

Two individual Tree Pipits were picked up flying over Brackley this morning, both moving south.

Summer Leys LNR recorded a Cuckoo, a Marsh Harrier and five Swifts and two Barnacle Geese, an Egyptian Goose and a Common Sandpiper were noted at Clifford Hill Pits.

The two long-staying Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and the two Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley near shrike hedge below the village of Hanging Houghton.

Harrington Airfield provided sightings of a Wheatear, two Whinchats, a Common Redstart and a Marsh Harrier this morning. There was no sign of any Spotted Flycatchers at Lamport Hall this evening but the two Common Redstarts were still present.

The Lesser Yellowlegs was seen again at Lilbourne Meadows reserve again this morning for patient observers.

A Marsh Harrier was seen flying over Hollowell village towards Creaton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Southern Migrant Hawker
courtesy of Mark Tyrrell.

Brown Hare.

Grey Heron courtesy
of Robin Gossage,

Great White Egret courtesy
of Robin Gossage.