Migration on-going

Hello

Quality Nene valley birding continues with the drake Lesser Scaup again on Big Lake, Ditchford Pits and a 'redhead' Smew on the adjacent Skew Bridge (old water ski) Pit.

Three Glossy Ibis and a Marsh Harrier were still at Summer Leys LNR and the nearby Mary's Lake hosted two Caspian and a Yellow-legged Gull. An Otter was showing on the main pit of the reserve.

A drake Mandarin Duck was at Barnwell Country Park today and thirty Golden Plovers were near Finedon with a Peregrine at Higham Ferrers church.

At Clifford Hill Pits a Jack Snipe was recorded plus a Common Snipe, five Golden Plovers, a Water Rail and a Great White Egret.

Two Glossy Ibis re-appeared at Stanford Reservoir briefly today and other birds were six Goosanders and four Goldeneye.

At Pitsford Reservoir a Whooper Swan and two Green Sandpipers were just south-west of the causeway and north of the causeway there were three Great White Egrets, thirteen Pintail, thirty-five Golden Plovers, a Ruff, a Woodcock, sixty Common Snipe, at least two Crossbills and three Stonechats.

A Woodcock and a pair of Stonechats were at Harrington Airfield. Birds this afternoon in the Brampton Valley between the Brampton Valley Way and Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) included eighty Chaffinches, at least one Tree Sparrow. at least six Bramblings including some super males and a Merlin. A Marsh Harrier flew east over Blueberry Hill with a female Peregrine following shortly afterwards.

Eyebrook Reservoir again hosted the juvenile American Golden Plover, a female Scaup and a 'redhead' Smew.

Ringing at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes today provided eighty-six captures of eighteen species, fifty-one birds being newly-ringed. Thrushes included ten Redwings, five Blackbirds, two Song Thrushes and a Fieldfare. Finches were made up of seven Redpolls, four Goldfinches, two Chaffinches and a Greenfinch. Four Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and a Cetti's Warbler were also processed.

A Goldcrest was caught bearing a Brussels ring, so this tiny bundle of feathers has come from Belgium, initial ringing details are awaited.

Other birds noted on-site were three Great White Egrets, a Raven, two Woodcock, a male Marsh Harrier and a flock of Siskins.

Thirty-six Goldfinches and a Sparrowhawk were ringed in a Greens Norton garden today.

Regards

Neil M

Fieldfare courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Goldcrest from Belgium
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

 Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Chris Payne.