Northamptonshire Birding: Ringing recoveries

Hello

Two Bitterns together on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR was a surprise this morning and other birds included a Marsh Harrier, two Hobbies, three Greenshanks, a Little Ringed Plover and two Green Sandpipers.

A young male Marsh Harrier was present at the Titchmarsh Reserve this afternoon and a few waders were three Dunlin, two Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper.

At Stanwick Pits today a Black-tailed Godwit, a Common Snipe, four Egyptian Geese and a Mandarin Duck were all noted. The Black-necked Grebe was still at Clifford Hill Pits today.

A wander around Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry this afternoon provided plenty of migrants including a Common Redstart, a pair of Stonechats, four Whinchats, a Wheatear, Blackcaps, a Spotted Flycatcher, two Common Whitethroats plus plenty of Chiffchaffs, Meadow Pipits, hirundines and 'alba' wagtails.

Ravens were again present at Harrington Airfield and Hanging Houghton today.

A juvenile Gannet was apparently photographed at Eyebrook Reservoir this morning but not seen subsequently and other birds there included a Cattle Egret and two Garganey.

A few ringing recoveries associated with Northants Ringing Group activities are as follows:-

1. A first year Garden Warbler was ringed at North Luffenham Airfield, Rutland on 28th August 2024 and captured again three days later when caught at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 31st August, sixty kilometers further SSW;

2. A first year female Blackcap was ringed at Stanford Reservoir on 24th August 2023 and encountered again at Linford Lakes on 29th June 2024, 310 days later;

3. An adult male Barn Owl was ringed at Shutlanger, South Northants on 28th June 2019 and caught again but this time at Courteenhall on 22nd August 2024, nine kilometers from where first ringed and 1882 days later;

4. An adult male Siskin was ringed at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate on 29th March this year and caught again by a ringer at Morar, Highland, Scotland on 1st August 2024, 125 days later with a distance of of 597km between the sites;

5. A first year Reed Warbler was ringed at Rutland Water on 4th August 2024 and recaptured at Pitsford Reservoir on 17th August 2024, thirteen days later with the bird travelling just 39km;

6. A first year Willow Warbler was ringed at Carse of Ardersier near Nairn, Highland, Scotland on 6th August 2022 and caught at Linford Lakes on 18th August 2024, 743 days later with the distance between the two sites being 645km and with the bird no doubt heading south to Africa for its third winter.