That was November!

Hello

A cool start to the day and then some pleasant sunshine, probably a day sandwiched between two days of rain!

Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits was the venue for a drake Ring-necked Duck, probably two Greater Scaup, a Marsh Harrier and a pair of Stonechat.

A Marsh Harrier was seen at Summer Leys LNR and nearby Mary's Lake at Earls Barton Pits early this afternoon and the three Glossy Ibis were seen at both Irchester Country Park and latterly in their flooded field next to Little Irchester village.

A Crossbill was noted at Harlestone Heath early this afternoon and the Starling roost again took place at Stortons Pits with some nice formation flying before they roosted in the reeds.

A Black-necked Grebe was seen again at Pitsford Reservoir in the Yacht Bay and some ringing in the Walgrave Bay provided ninety-eight captures which included a Green Woodpecker, two Lesser Redpolls, eight Redwings and six Goldcrests. Other birds noted were a male Peregrine, a Green Sandpiper, a Great White Egret, a Woodcock, a Brambling and a few Siskins.

A Red-breasted Merganser was again seen briefly at Boddington Reservoir mid-morning before flying off.

Stanford Reservoir attracted a Glossy Ibis, ten Great White Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, three Goosanders, three Water Rails, six Chiffchaffs and three Cetti's Warblers.

Two Bramblings were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Redwing.

Lesser Redpoll.

Green Woodpecker.

Rare ducks, raptors and Short-eared Owls

Hello

Topsy turvy temperatures currently with apparently a cooler day again tomorrow.

A Red-breasted Merganser popped into both Daventry Country Park and Boddington Reservoir yesterday (28th Nov) before moving on from both. Also yesterday a second Greater Scaup was located on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits courtesy of Nick.

Today and the rain of this morning gave way to much more pleasant weather this afternoon. The Black-necked Grebe was again reported at Pitsford Reservoir in the vicinity of Yacht Bay and a Woodcock was in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was reported on the Aldwincle Lake at Titchmarsh this afternoon.

Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and in fields towards Blueberry Farm, Maidwell today included a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier, a female Merlin, a Corn Bunting, two Stonechats, a Woodcock and twelve plus Bramblings. A Grey Wagtail was in the village.

A Grey Wagtail and twenty Siskins were at Kelmarsh Hall and a few Siskins and a Redpoll were at Scotland Wood. A Raven was in a tree in Dallington cemetry, Northampton with a female Blackcap eating apple in a garden there.

A Short-eared Owl was hunting the Nene Valley three hundred yards down-river from Wollaston Lock this afternoon and at Harrington Airfield two Short-eared Owls were discovered where also a female Peregrine and a Woodcock. A large Starling murmuration was visible this afternoon at Stortons Pits which attracted two Sparrowhawks and a Peregrine.

A Glossy Ibis was again at Stanford Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

Peregrine.

Stonechat.

House Sparrow.

Birds of the winter

Hello 

The drake Ring-necked Duck at Thrapston Pits was giving birders a run around after being on both Town Lake and Aldwincle Lake (on the Titchmarsh reserve) today. A female Scaup was also on Aldwincle Lake with over a hundred Pochard present and about thirty Goldeneye.

The three Glossy Ibis were still on floods at Little Irchester this morning.

At Pitsford Reservoir the Common Sandpiper was in Yacht Bay, the Black-necked Grebe was in Pintail Bay and the juvenile Whooper Swan was near the Holly Tree. A Grey Wagtail was at the Sailing Club and a Raven remains in the Walgrave Bay and there were at least three Bramblings in a sunflower field adjacent to the reservoir with good numbers of Chaffinches and Greenfinches.

Some great birding at Stanford Reservoir today with a Glossy Ibis, an amazing thirty Great White Egrets, ten Little Egrets, a Bittern on the Leicestershire bank, an adult Caspian Gull in the gull roost plus three Goosanders.

A Grey Wagtail was at Hanging Houghton and two Blackcaps were in our garden eating apple. Two Stonechats and four Bramblings were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton village.

Two pairs of displaying Raven were over Great Billing this morning and a female Blackcap was in a Spratton garden today.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

Water Rail.

Drake Wigeon.

Quality November stayers

Hello

A grey, cloudy and mild day with a very gloomy afternoon but at least most of it was dry.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was still on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits today, initially located on Aldwincle Lake. Other bird on-site were over a hundred Pochard, a Marsh Harrier and five Great White Egrets and two Stonechats.

The three Glossy Ibis were still at a flooded field opposite Milton Road, Little Irchester this afternoon. Two were reported near the feeding station at Summer Leys LNR this morning.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted two drake Red-crested Pochard this morning plus three Great White Egrets and seven Golden Plovers. An adult Caspian Gull was at Hollowell Reservoir at lunchtime and a Glossy Ibis was still at Stanford Reservoir this morning.

The Black-necked Grebe was still at Pitsford Reservoir today, seen in the Pintail Bay at midday. The juvenile Whooper Swan was in the Yacht Bay but then flew towards the causeway. Two Tree Sparrows were at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station, a Grey Wagtail was in the Scaldwell Bay and a Brambling in the Walgrave Bay. A Raven was at Hanging Houghton.

The drake American Wigeon remains at Eyebrook Reservoir where also at least one Scaup persists.

Yesterday (26th) afternoon and birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included a Short-eared Owl, a female Merlin, a pair of Stonechats and fifteen Bramblings.

Regards

Neil M

Robin.

An Airbus 400M Atlas military
aircraft guilty today of flying low and
 disturbing birds in the county. These big
turbo prop planes are often seen careering
around at low level in a similar manner, but
flying faster, than the Hercules transport
 planes of a previous era.

Brown Hare cavorting around
today - this animal is blind in
it's right eye.

Buck Muntjac. No sooner had the 
hare disappeared then this little chap
came bimbling along over the horizon!

Cold weather birds

Hello

A cold start to the morning saw a strong frost and little in the way of breeze.

According to Birdguides the three Glossy Ibis were again reported at Little Irchester in flooded fields today.

An adult Caspian Gull was seen in the roost at Boddington Reservoir where also two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Great White Egret and three Chiffchaffs.

The female Ruddy Shelduck was at Hollowell Reservoir this morning plus a Peregrine, two or three Common Snipe and three Stonechats.

Seven Golden Plovers were at Clifford Hill Pits plus a Green Sandpiper, two Common Snipe and a Peregrine. At nearby Delapre Lake there were nine Goosanders, a Great White Egret, fifteen Little Egrets and two Kingfishers.

Stanford Reservoir again hosted a Glossy Ibis, fifteen Great White Egrets, two Goosanders, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Snipe, an adult Caspian Gull in the gull roost, a Water Rail, a Cetti's Warbler, two Kingfishers, a Raven, five Siskins and a Redpoll.

Birds in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir included a Woodcock and a Siskin.

Three Scaup and the drake American Wigeon were at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Male Sparrowhawk caught
and ringed today.

A couple of frosty mornings

Hello

A cold night brought the birds in to the garden feeders this morning and a male Sparrowhawk was making frequent sallies.

At Stanford Reservoir today a Glossy Ibis was present at the settling pool and other birds included a large flock (by modern standards) of twenty Goosanders and an adult Caspian Gull in the gull roost.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was still on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits today and two Marsh Harriers were present too.

The Black-necked Grebe was still at Pitsford Reservoir today, this time in the mouth of the Yacht Bay, and a Raven remains vocal in the Walgrave Bay. Four Green Sandpipers and two Great White Egrets were in the Holcot Bay this morning.

At Summer Leys LNR singles of Short-eared Owl and Long-eared Owl flew over late in the morning and a Glossy Ibis was on the reserve. Two Glossy Ibis were seen on the island on nearby Mary's Lake.

The drake American Wigeon was showing well at Eyebrook Reservoir today.

There was a Raven at Harrington Airfield, a Woodcock at Scotland Wood and a Woodcock and seven Siskins at Kelmarsh Hall. A Grey Wagtail and a Raven were in Hanging Houghton village.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

Great White Egret.

Raven.

Golden Plovers.

Grey day birding

Hello

Rain at the beginning and end of another short period of daylight!

A drake Ring-necked Duck was a great find on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits today where there was also a Marsh Harrier.

The Black-necked Grebe was still at Pitsford Reservoir today and still in the Pintail Bay - a Raven and a Brambling were in the Walgrave Bay.

The drake American Wigeon and two female Scaup were at Eyebrook Reservoir and a single Glossy Ibis was at Stanford Reservoir.

A Grey Wagtail has been hanging around our garden at Hanging Houghton for the last couple of days and two Redpolls were brief visitors today.

Five Crossbills were at Wakerley Wood, four hundred yards along the main track from the car park and a male Blackcap and a Stonechat were at Summer Leys LNR.

Bedfordshire birders are enjoying their first Hume's Leaf Warbler at Marston Vale Millennium Country Park.

Regards

Neil M

Brown Hares.

Shovelers.

Long-tailed Tit.

Stonechat.

Bright and breezy Sunday

Hello

After initial showers today was a bright, breezy and cool day and little different was found in the county.

A great deal of watercraft activity at Pitsford Reservoir today meant the waterbirds were pushed around south of the causeway but the Black-necked Grebe was located in the Pintail Bay. Other birds south of the causeway were two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper in the grounds of the Sailing Club. North of the causeway there were three Green Sandpipers in the Holcot Bay and a Raven in the Walgrave Bay.

Eyebrook Reservoir's purple patch continues with the find of a drake American Wigeon and the long-staying female Scaup was still present and a Short-eared Owl was seen.

Stanford Reservoir attracted a Peregrine, twelve Great White Egrets, seventy Pochard including one fitted with a French nasal saddle, a Common Snipe and two Stonechats.

A Marsh Harrier was seen at Deenethorpe Airfield this morning and Hollowell Reservoir was good for an adult Caspian Gull, five Stonechats and a Chiffchaff.

Thirty Siskins were briefly in a Creaton garden this morning, Fawsley Park provided for two Goosanders and two Woodcock with neighbouring Badby Woods hosting a Crossbill and a Raven.

This afternoon the female Merlin was again in the Brampton Valley between Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and Hanging Houghton where also a pair of Stonechats and at least two Bramblings.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite.

Common Buzzard.

A local picture from the archives (2015)
depicting a Marsh Tit and a Willow
Tit alongside each other (Marsh Tit on the
left and Willow Tit on the right). Sadly
Willow Tits no longer exist in the county.

A very wet Saturday

Hello

A very wet day made for poor visibility and birding opportunities.

The three Glossy Ibis were still on the outskirts of Little Irchester in a flooded field opposite Milton Road this morning. A Marsh Harrier again put in a couple of appearances at nearby Summer Leys LNR.

This morning a single Pink-footed Goose was located by John in the south of the county, between Clifton and Aynho just west of the Great Western Pub.

At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon the Black-necked Grebe was located off Moulton Grange Bay with a juvenile Whooper Swan at one end of The Pines and also a Yellow-legged Gull.

A Glossy Ibis was seen at the east end of Stanford Reservoir this afternoon and other birds there were a Jack Snipe, five Common Snipe, about ninety Pochard and three Goosanders.

A Raven was at Lamport, a pair of Stonechats were at 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, two or three Bramblings were on the Brampton Valley Way below Brixworth and at least two Crossbills and two Woodcock were at Gamboro' Plantation between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Redwing.

Common Gull.

Reed Bunting courtesy
of Tony Stanford

Distant wildlife at Pitsford Reservoir.

Hello

A cold but sunny day and pleasant to be out and about if well-wrapped up!

A Black-necked Grebe was located off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today and birds north of the causeway were up to three Kingfishers, two Stonechats, a Green Sandpiper, two Great White Egrets, a couple of Siskins and a Redpoll. Five Tree Sparrows were at Rectory Farm, Old village.

The three Glossy Ibis were again seen near Little Irchester in a field off the A5193 near to the A45.

A Marsh Harrier and a female Blackcap were at Summer Leys LNR, Delapre Lake hosted twelve Little Egrets, three Great White Egrets and three Goosanders and Clifford Hill Pits provided a Peregrine, two Great White Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a first year Caspian Gull.

An estimated four thousand Starlings roosted at Stortons Pits, some Redpolls were noted at Sywell Country Park and two Siskins were at New Sandy Lane attenuation pool, Duston.

A Siberian Chiffchaff was reported at Daventry Country Park this afternoon and birds at Hollowell Reservoir today were two adult Caspian Gulls, a Common Snipe, three Stonechats, a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff, four Grey Wagtails and a Siskin.

Four Siskins flew over Harrington Airfield and plenty of birds on wild bird strips between the Brampton Valley Way and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell included a dozen Bramblings. One Woodcock flushed up and another was seen on the outskirts of Moulton. A pair of Stonechats were at 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Two Red Foxes.

Pheasant and Green Sandpiper.

Stonechat.

Kingfisher.

Distant views of wildlife
at Pitsford Reservoir today
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Birding the north of the county

Hello

A cold day with a pretty hard frost overnight and northerly winds during the day but at times sunny and dry.

I visited East Carlton Country Park this morning, somewhere I used to visit several times each winter. The usual selection of birds were present but sadly in much lower numbers than there used to be (sound familiar?) and the highlights were a Grey Wagtail, a Raven, five Redpolls and just a couple of mobile Siskins. Nuthatch and Marsh Tit are just about hanging on there with a couple of individuals of each.

From there I visited the Welland Valley below Cottingham which was relatively busy with birds the best being a first year Caspian Gull at a pool with Herring Gulls, a Kingfisher, three Common Snipe, a Green Sandpiper, a Great White Egret flying further down the valley and two Egyptian Geese. The area around Gretton Weir seemed much quieter but as usual the valley as a whole was stuffed full of Red Kites!

A wander around the car park at Wakerley Wood was a quiet affair with several Siskins and a Redpoll being the only things of note and Fineshade Top Lodge was similar with several Siskins being the best.

Blatherwycke Lake held plenty of birds the best being a first year Marsh Harrier (possibly the first I've seen there), four Egyptian Geese, no apparent Mandarin Ducks, a Black Swan, a Water Rail, a Grey Wagtail, a Great White Egret and two Pintail. At least one very well marked 'Nordic' Jackdaw was with the corvid flock there. Two Stonechats were at nearby Deene Lake.

Eleanor saw the female Merlin in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton between 'shrike hedge' and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon where also a single Corn Bunting and at least ten Bramblings.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the juvenile Whooper Swan was still south of the causeway where also a female Goosander and a pair of Stonechat. Hollowell Reservoir attracted a Caspian Gull briefly and a Crossbill still near Keeper's Lodge.

Other birds for today were a Woodcock near Moulton, a female Blackcap eating rowan berries in a Little Billing garden and a Siskin with Goldfinches in a Spratton garden.

The three Glossy Ibis were still in a Nene Valley flooded field by Little Irchester sub-station at about noon today.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kites.

Black Swan.

Winter's coming!

Hello

Definitely a wintery feel to the weather today with rain, sleet and snow first thing.

The drake Green-winged Teal was again at Stanwick Pits where also three Pintails, a Dunlin and a Redshank.

A single Glossy Ibis was at Summer Leys LNR and apparently the Dark-bellied Goose was seen grazing at the recreation ground at Great Doddington before flying towards Earls Barton Pits.

A female Merlin was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon where also two Woodcock, a pair of Stonechats, at least eight Bramblings, a Chiffchaff and hundreds of winter thrushes, predominately Fieldfares. There was still a movement of Woodpigeons filing south. In excess of a hundred Fieldfares were between Kelmarsh and Naseby this afternoon.

A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Squabbling Cormorants.

Curlew courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Black-tailed Godwit courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Muntjac.

Birds of the short November days

Hello

Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning were two Woodcock, six Bramblings, a Common Snipe, three Siskins and with a heavy passage of Woodpigeons south.

A couple of new birds on the scene today included a drake Green-winged Teal at Stanwick Pits (plus four Pintail) and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose at Summer Leys LNR. The three Glossy Ibis were located to a Little Irchester flooded field next to the electricity sub-station. Other birds at Summer Leys LNR included three Great White Egrets, a Blackcap and two Chiffchaffs.

At Pitsford Reservoir today birds south of the causeway included a juvenile Whooper Swan, a Yellow-legged Gull, three Great White Egrets, a Green Sandpiper, a Grey Wagtail, twenty plus Siskins, three Stonechats, a Kingfisher and two Ravens. North of the causeway there were up to fifty Pied Wagtails, two Great White Egrets, two Stonechats and two Woodcock.

Two Stonechats were at Upton Country Park, fifty Golden Plovers were on the flats at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve and singles of Raven, Grey Wagtail and Siskin were in Hanging Houghton village.

Regards

Neil M

Rook.

Woodpigeon.

Stonechats courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Song Thrush courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The start of a cool week

Hello

A cold but pleasant day today but with quite a strong north-westerly breeze.

A ringing session took place at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes and provided sixty captures of fifteen species, just over half being newly-ringed. A dozen Redwing were very seasonal as was a single Fieldfare and a Blackbird. Eight Chiffchaffs and two Blackcaps were good for the time of the year and processed finches were three Goldfinches, two Greenfinches and a single Redpoll. Birds seen on-site were a Bittern and a Whooper Swan.

The three Glossy Ibis re-appeared at Summer Leys LNR this morning, the Bittern was seen again there and a smart first year Caspian Gull was at Clifford Hill Pits. A female Marsh Harrier was at Dragonfly Lake, Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR early this afternoon. Nearby and a Peregrine was on the church at Higham Ferrers this morning, a regular haunt.

Birds south of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included eight Great White Egrets, six Little Egrets, at least two Crossbills, four Stonechats, a few Redpoll and about fifty Siskins.

A Raven was at Hanging Houghton and a Siskin flew over Harrington Airfield.

Regards

Neil M

Chiffchaff courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

The modest Dunnock
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Carrion Crow.