Monitoring the autumn migration

Hello

Plenty of birds at Stanford Reservoir again this morning with the two Glossy Ibis, the long-staying Bittern, two Great White Egrets, two Kingfishers, three Swallows, sixty Fieldfares, a Water Rail, a Pintail, a second winter Mediterranean Gull, a Stonechat and a roost of about 1,000 Starlings.

Pitsford Reservoir continued to host the Spoonbill for much of the day and other birds north of the causeway included a Grey Plover, seventy-two Golden Plovers, four or five Green Sandpipers and two Kingfishers. An adult Caspian Gull, five Yellow-legged Gulls, three Great White Egrets and a Kingfisher were off the dam this evening.

Hollowell Reservoir continued to host the now very long-staying Pectoral Sandpiper and a female-type Common Scoter and two Crossbills were west of the dam early morning.  Naseby Reservoir continues to be the day-time venue for an adult Caspian Gull.

Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today included a brief Rock Pipit, a couple of Bramblings and Redpolls, at least five Stonechats and calling Grey Partridge and Little Owl. Stuart saw a/the Spoonbill fly through the valley this afternoon heading towards Cottesbrooke - presumably the bird from Pitsford and perhaps on it's way to Hollowell?

An adult male Hen Harrier at Harrington Airfield appeared to fly through and other birds there were a pair of Stonechats and two Bramblings.

Two Bramblings were again in our garden at Hanging Houghton today and Chris enjoyed one in his East Hunsbury garden and also had three Crossbills flying over. A Water Rail, a Common Snipe and two Great White Egrets were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Spoonbill at Pitsford
Reservoir courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Jays courtesy of
Chris Payne.

Redwing courtesy of
Jane Neill.

Male 'continental' Chaffinch.

Female Brambling.

Stonechat courtesy of
David Smith.

All 'in hand' images were of birds
ringed in the county today by members
of the Northants Ringing Group.