September already!

Hello

A fairly blustery wind for the last twenty-four hours with spells of hazy sunshine and pleasant conditions.

The two week period of 'Stanstock' which has seen two weeks of intensive ringing at Stanford Reservoir concluded today, which is not to say that is the end of ringing there for a while, just not every day! The preliminary total of birds newly ringed during that period is 3,528 - the majority of these migrant warblers which pass through the habitat daily. An incredible total! Birds seen there today were an Osprey, two Whinchats and a Common Sandpiper.

The north-easterly blow is currently producing lots of interesting passerines on the east coat of Britain today albeit that the wind direction for the coming week is fluctuating with more north-easterlies predicted towards the end of the week.

These strong winds unfortunately had an adverse affect on the ringing at Harrington Airfield with few birds caught and the only noteworthy birds seen were a juvenile Marsh Harrier and at least two Ravens. A single Meadow Pipit was the first of the autumn for me.

A single Osprey was at Pitsford Reservoir today and Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Stonechat, two Whinchats, a Hobby, a Peregrine and a Common Sandpiper. At Ravensthorpe Reservoir a juvenile Mediterranean Gull and four Yellow-legged Gulls were present this afternoon.

The Black-necked Grebe was still at Clifford Hill Pits today and one of the Common Redstarts was on show near the footpath from the Holiday Inn car park again.

At Summer Leys LNR today sightings included a Marsh Harrier, a Garganey, up to five Ruff, a Greenshank, three Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper.

A Cattle Egret was in the Nene Valley by a footpath between Ecton and Earls Barton. A Little Stint and a Garganey were still at Eyebrook Reservoir today. Three Great White Egrets in flight over Woodford Halse this evening was a good local record.

A Marsh Harrier and two Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and at least eight Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart were at Lamport Hall this afternoon.

This evening a Black Tern was off the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir and other birds present were at least seven Yellow-legged Gulls and a Ringed Plover.

A Willow Emerald damselfly in a Great Oxendon garden was a good local record.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Blackbird courtesy of
John Tilly.

Teal courtesy of
John Tilly.

Treecreeper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Goldcrest courtesy of
Tony Stanford.