More spring waders

Hello

Spring migration continues at a pace despite the cool, cloudy conditions this morning (but then bright and sunny this afternoon).

A Spotted Redshank was at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Summer Leys LNR enjoyed another good day with an Arctic Tern, a Common Tern, a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Little Ringed Plovers and a booming Bittern, with the Glossy Ibis just off the reserve and in a field near to the Hardwater Crossing. Two Chinese Water Deer just off the reserve was an interesting local record.

Two Common Scoter were at Clifford Hill Pits this evening, a Cuckoo was at Barnwell Country Park and four Whimbrel showed well at Titchmarsh LNR, Thrapston Pits.

At Harrington Airfield there were at least five singing Willow Warblers on territory, hopefully with more to come, plus a Common Whitethroat, two Lapwings and two pairs of Grey Partridges. There were three Wheatears at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and two in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

At Pitsford Reservoir the usual adult Yellow-legged Gull and Raven were at the dam and a second calendar year Yellow-legged Gull, a Raven, seven Lapwings and a Great White Egret were north of the causeway.

Some bird ringing at Stortons Pits yielded nearly forty birds with ten Blackcaps, five Chiffchaffs, a Common Whitethroat, two Cetti's Warblers and a Song Thrush. Two of the Chiffchaffs had been ringed there in previous years (the springs of 2022 and 2023) and one of the Great Tits was initially ringed there in November 2018.

Regards

Neil M

Common Redshank courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Bar-tailed Godwits courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Whimbrel at Titchmarsh LNR today
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Black Redstart

Hello

It's always a busy time of the year trying to put finishing touches to projects ahead of the breeding season for our resident and migrant birds, but the weather has certainly helped! Most of the nest boxes we have been trying to erect, maintain and/or clear out has been achieved and today we finally finished work on trying to develop a new Swift colony. As a consequence this hasn't left much time for birding!

Sadly yesterday's Black Redstart at Old village wasn't seen today. Seemingly like most recent springs, a White Stork was seen in the Warmington area today, in flight and heading towards the Cambridgeshire border.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Common Tern, a Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, two Oystercatchers, a Kingfisher and about fifty Fieldfares whilst at Hollowell Reservoir there were two Jack Snipe and five Common Snipe.

In the Nene Valley about a hundred Fieldfares were noted heading over Clifford Hill Pits in an easterly direction and at Earls Barton Pits the Glossy Ibis was seen again plus a Black-tailed Godwit on Summer Leys and also a Common Tern, three Oystercatchers, four Redshanks, two Little Ringed Plovers and four Common Snipe.

A male Common Redstart was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Yesterday's male Black Redstart
in Old village, images courtesy of
Krysten Newby.

Dotterel

Hello 

It may be spring but the bird feeding continues to support those birds that require that little 'leg up' when natural food is spent and at Harrington Airfield the priority species is the Yellowhammer which readily comes to the mixed seed on offer. And that is exactly why Eleanor was at Harrington Airfield this morning, feeding the Yellowhammers and others before conducting some scanning across the fields. A smart male Wheatear was the centre of her attention until two birds appeared to land off in the distant fields behind. Unable to see them on the ground she walked further over and eventually found them again and they proved to be a pair of Dotterel, seemingly a bright female and a particularly dull male!

This duo remained in the field for a little over two hours before finally departing, by which time many local birders were able to see them. Despite the distance and heat haze, Bob Bullock and Nick Parker were successful at digitally recording their presence. This is the fourth record for Harrington Airfield, but all the others stayed for only minutes before moving on again. Other birds today included three Lapwings and a Barn Owl.

A cracking adult male Black Redstart in Old village today providing fabulous photographic opportunities vied with the Dotterel for being bird of the day!

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were two Ospreys north of the causeway plus two Great White Egrets, thirty Goldeneye, a few Common Snipe and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

At Summer Leys LNR the Glossy Ibis was present again plus also two Little Ringed Plovers, three Common Snipe and a Common Tern. A Green Sandpiper and twenty-five Fieldfares were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning.

At Stanford Reservoir today a female Common Redstart was caught and ringed and other birds on-site were a Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers and two Sedge Warblers.

A Barn Owl and a Green Sandpiper were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Swallow courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Male Wheatear courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Female Dotterel today at
Harrington Airfield courtesy
of Bob Bullock.

The video below was taken
by Nick Parker of today's
Dotterel at Harrington Airfield.

The heat haze and distances made
both photography and videoing
challenging!

Chilly then sunny!

Hello

Another day of wall to wall sunshine after a chilly start!

A check of the Brampton Valley below Brixworth early on provided easily my earliest ever Common Whitethroat with a singing male in hedging bordering the Way. It seems that good numbers of warblers descended on the UK the night before with early Common Whitethroats, Grasshopper, Reed, Sedge and even Garden Warblers turning up on a broad front. Other birds in the valley included a Grey Wagtail, at least fourteen Teal and four species of wader including a Green Sandpiper and at least ten Common Snipe.

At Pitsford Reservoir between the causeway and the dam this morning, the Great Northern Diver was still in the Pintail Bay and other birds included an Osprey, a Redshank, two Oystercatchers, two Yellow-legged Gulls and a Raven.

At Summer Leys LNR today two Avocets were on-site plus three Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Tern and the Glossy Ibis, a Ruff was on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits and a Spotted Redshank remained on the floods at Lower Barnwell Lock, Oundle. Whiston Wetlands also provided two Avocets and two Little Ringed Plovers with a Cattle Egret between Billing Pits and Cogenhoe village.

A Blue-headed-type Wagtail and a Little Ringed Plover were at Clifford Hill Pits today and a Black-tailed Godwit was at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve this morning.

Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Jack Snipe, a Common Snipe and two early Garden Warblers and Stanford Reservoir attracted two Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers, a Common Snipe and a Brambling. A Little Gull was at Eyebrook Reservoir and a Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Wren courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Great Crested Grebe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Great White Egret courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Ringing at Scotland Wood

Hello

A cold start to the day but it warmed up by late morning!

Some bird ringing at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today provided about sixty-eight captures of traditional woodland birds which included two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Nuthatches, two Marsh Tits, three Treecreepers, a Blackcap and two Chiffchaffs. A Redpoll and Willow Warbler were both heard in the wood and will be passage migrants. Another period of ringing at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes also provided captures of migrants which included two Sand Martins and a Willow Warbler plus a Kingfisher.

A quieter day for obvious passage in the county today but two Little Gulls were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon, a single Spotted Redshank, a Green Sandpiper and four Little Ringed Plovers were at the Lower Barnwell floods and two Avocets remained at the west end of Whiston Wetlands. More Swallows and Yellow Wagtails arrived in the county today and are gradually becoming more widespread.

Migrants at Summer Leys LNR today included the four Black-tailed Godwits, a pair of Oystercatchers, an overflying Greenshank at Mary's Lake, an Egyptian Goose and warblers which included a Reed Warbler and a reported Garden Warbler.

Migrants at Stanford Reservoir today were a variety of hirundines and warblers which included two Sedge Warblers and other birds were a Kingfisher, two Common Snipe and two Great White Egrets.

A Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail were at Harrington Airfield and Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghon and Lamport and another was by Pitsford village early this morning.

Regards

Neil M

A female Chaffinch showing the 
awful leg disease so prevalent in
this species. During ringing sessions
such birds are released after being
extracted from mist nets. The growths
and calcification of the legs and feet
gradually becomes worse but the birds
 evolve and whilst they still have legs 
and feet they try to operate as normal.

Two male Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Male Blackcap.

Treecreeper.

Nuthatch.

All images courtesy of
Sean Gower.

Impressive waders

Hello

It was the turn of the waders to push through the county and impress today, but there were still Little Gulls on the move too!

The flooded meadow at Lower Barnwell Lock is John's domain and with a Wood Sandpiper there yesterday and early this morning further birds included an impressive three Spotted Redshanks (never a common bird in the spring), a Ruff, a Dunlin, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Snipe and singles of White and Yellow Wagtails.

The Nene Valley was busy and at Stanwick Pits there was a Marsh Harrier this morning, a Yellow Wagtail, a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks and flocks of Little Gulls totaling ten birds flew through in the afternoon.

Summer Leys LNR is always popular at this time of the year and observations included a Glossy Ibis, a Marsh Harrier, two Greenshanks, four Black-tailed Godwits, two Little Gulls, a Whimbrel and a Yellow Wagtail.

Clifford Hill Pits attracted ten Little Gulls and a Ringed Plover today, a Yellow Wagtail and a colour-ringed Osprey were at Hollowell Reservoir and birds at Pitsford Reservoir included the long-staying Great Northern Diver, an adult Little Gull briefly, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, two Ravens and a Great White Egret north of the causeway.

Stanford Reservoir provided views of three Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers and a Barn Owl with a mixture of common winter and summer migrants too. A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth, a Peregrine was in Market Harborough town centre, two Ravens were at Lamport and a Redpoll was audible at Scotland Wood.

Other birds included seven Little Ringed Plovers at Lilbourne Water Meadows, a second calendar year Caspian Gull at Eyebrook Reservoir and a dead Tawny Owl that failed to successfully cross the A508 between Maidwell and Lamport.

At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon there was a male Ring Ouzel, a Wheatear, two Yellow Wagtails and sixty Fieldfares.

Regards

Neil M

Whimbrel at Summer Leys LNR
today courtesy of Stuart Munday.

Male Ring Ouzel courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Little Gulls

Hello

Today was all about Little Gulls as these super buoyant migrants whizzed into the county and populated gravel pits and reservoirs, gobbling up flies before moving on or lingering. Up to fourteen were at Clifford Hill Pits, at least thirteen were at the New Workings South section of Earls Barton Pits, nineteen were at Summer Leys LNR, flocks of four and five overflew Stanwick Pits, seven were at Daventry Country Park, three were at Pitsford Reservoir, a huge thirty-four were at Stanford Reservoir and two were seen flying over Irthlingborough.

Common Terns appeared today too with four on Higham Lake, Ditchford Pits and an early Wood Sandpiper was at Lower Barnwell Lock flooded fields. Other waders were four Black-tailed Godwits at Summer Leys LNR and a Ringed Plover and a pair of Little Ringed Plovers were at the New Workings. Two Egyptian Geese and two Little Ringed Plovers were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR.

A male Common Redstart, three Willow Warblers, two Wheatears, a Barn Owl and fifteen Golden Plovers were at Harrington Airfield this morning, another male Common Redstart was in the Nene Valley 100 metres up river from the Wollaston Weir this afternoon.

A colour-ringed Osprey was photographed at Summer Leys LNR this morning, a Sedge Warbler was at Thrapston Pits and an Egyptian Goose and a Green Sandpiper were in the Welland Valley below Cottingham.

Other birds at Stanford Reservoir were two Great White Egrets, three Oystercatchers and a Brambling with Swallow and Sand Martin numbers now beginning to increase in the county. One hundred and fifty Golden Plovers headed high east over Cold Ashby Golf Club early this morning. A Goosander remained at Daventry Country Park.

At Eyebrook Reservoir there was a Caspian Gull, three Common Terns and sixteen Little Gulls.

Regards

Neil M

Little Gull.

Goosander at Daventry Country
Park today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Egyptian Geese courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Sunshine and no rain again!

Hello

Plenty of sunshine today but a lively cool breeze too!

At Pitsford Reservoir today an Osprey was north of the causeway with a fish and was mobbed by big gulls and appeared to be looking for peace and quiet to consume it's fish in the Walgrave Bay. A Great White Egret, six Sand Martins, a Swallow, a Kingfisher and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were in the Scaldwell Bay and later three Little Gulls flew in over the dam and headed towards the causeway.

The Summer Leys LNR Glossy Ibis put in an appearance again today where there were also four Black-tailed Godwits, a Dunlin and two Little Ringed Plovers. Clifford Hill Pits provided views of two Avocets, a Grey Plover, a Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover.

A male Ring Ouzel was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning but couldn't be found this afternoon. A passage of five hundred Fieldfares moved north over there this morning and this afternoon there was a Wheatear and two Swallows. Blackcaps seem to be present in good numbers now, there was even one singing from our garden apple tree this afternoon. We are still receiving visits from six Reed Buntings coming to seed in the garden. A Swallow was seen over Harrington Airfield.

A Caspian Gull was noted at Eyebrook Reservoir today and two Bitterns were photographed at Thrapston Pits yesterday.

Regards

Neil M

Dunlin.

Wheatear.

Black-tailed Godwit.

All images courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

More wandering ringed birds

Hello

More full-on sunshine today but a keen and blustery north-east breeze created a significant cooling effect.

Pitsford Reservoir today had plenty of gulls with many Black-headeds taking advantage of more fly hatches...the waterfowl hoover these up as well many passerines feeding around the edges of the reservoir. At least two Yellow-legged Gulls were still present and three Great Black-backed Gulls were taking advantage of dead fish. A Raven was active near the dam and there were small numbers of Sand Martins both here and in the Scaldwell Bay. Two Great White Egrets were mobile north of the causeway.

A Little Gull was at Eyebrook Reservoir today, a Swallow and a Grey Wagtail were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and Harrington Airfield provided a flock of about fifty Golden Plovers flying around and circling about a mile off to the west, a flock of fifty Stock Doves, eighteen Fieldfares and at least one pair of Grey Partridges.

Birds for Summer Leys LNR today included four Black-tailed Godwits, five Golden Plovers, a Marsh Harrier, a House Martin and a Willow Warbler.

Some recent ringing recoveries associated with the Northants Ringing Group are as follows:-

1. A first year Blue Tit was ringed at Greens Norton on 22nd November 2019 and remarkably turned up in a ringers net at Durlston Country Park, Dorset on 19th March 2025 by which time it was assessed as an adult male (and will be six years old this summer). This wanderer was 186km from where first ringed with a SSW trajectory and the time elapsed between the two records was 1944 days;

2. A juvenile Great Tit was ringed in Howe Park Wood, Milton Keynes on 1st July 2023 and died at nearby Tattenhoe, Milton Keynes on 28th March this year following a cat intervention, some 636 days later;

3. A first year female Reed Bunting was ringed at Paley Street, Windsor and Maidenhead on 10th November 2024 and trapped again at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 30th March 2025. One hundred and forty days had elapsed between records with the bunting moving 67km north during the intervening period;

4. An adult male Blue Tit was ringed in Bourne Wood, Lincolnshire on 6th February this year and turned up in a mist net at Pitsford Reservoir on 15th March (37 days later) and having travelled 57km in a SSW direction. Another Blue Tit suffering wanderlust!

5. A first year Blue Tit was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 11th February 2020 and taken by a cat in Milton Keynes on 8th March 2025, 1609 days later and having travelled possibly less than 2km.

Regards

Neil M

Blue Tit courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Map showing the movement of
the Blue Tit from Greens Norton
to Durlston Country Park, Dorset.

Map showing the movement
of the Blue Tit from Bourne,
Lincolnshire to Pitsford Reservoir.

Map depicting the movement
of the Reed Bunting from
Windsor and Maidenhead to
Linford Lakes.

First day of the month

Hello

A cool, grey start to the day but the sun then arrived and warmed us all up!

Few migrants were obvious at Harrington Airfield this morning and a flock of thirteen Golden Plovers flew over after taking a look at the top fields and deciding to move on. A Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

What appeared to be a White-tailed Eagle was watched overflying Chase Park, Yardley Chase this morning flying north-east towards Denton. A presumed bird from the Isle of Wight scheme, we await satellite tracking data to assess whether it was one of the project birds.

Stanford Reservoir attracted a Yellow Wagtail, two Oystercatchers, a Blackcap and two Great White Egrets and Hollowell Reservoir logged a Jack Snipe, two Common Snipe and a flock of about a hundred Fieldfares flew north.

At Summer Leys LNR today the Glossy Ibis was still present and other birds were two Black-tailed Godwits, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Great White Egret and a passing flock of eighty Common Gulls. Four Blackcaps were singing around the reserve and two Willow Warblers were at the back of Mary's Lake.

A Cattle Egret flew along the River Nene below Cogenhoe and Ravens were over the village. A Ring-necked Parakeet was in flight over Abington Meadows, Northampton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Orange-tip.

Peacock.

Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank.

Glossy Ibis.

All images courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Migrants of the sunshine

Hello 

Stunning sunshine all day, a weak breeze and pleasant temperatures ensured today was a day to be out there! Plenty of butterflies of eight species seen on the wing in the county today and the weather forecast suggests we will have plenty of sunshine for at least another week.

A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker near the dam at Stanford Reservoir was a good record and other birds included a Kingfisher, a Barn Owl, a Water Rail, two Ravens, three Oystercatchers, a Great White Egret, three Willow Warblers and five Blackcaps.

Birds of interest at Harrington Airfield this morning included a Yellow Wagtail, a Wheatear and three Willow Warblers. A male Common Redstart and two Wheatears were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell also this morning. A singing Willow Warbler was at Hardingstone Lake, Northampton.

An Osprey was seen at Hollowell Reservoir both this morning and this afternoon and a White Wagtail was on the dam. This afternoon a fourth calendar year Caspian Gull was briefly off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and two Yellow-legged Gulls were also present.

In the Nene Valley the possible Northern Treecreeper was seen again at Summer Leys LNR and other birds on the reserve included four Black-tailed Godwits, three Little Ringed Plovers, the Glossy Ibis and a fly-over Marsh Harrier. An Otter was photographed on the reserve today. At Thrapston Pits two Little Gulls were on Town Lake this afternoon.

The Whiston Wetlands provided two Avocets, three Green Sandpipers, four Shelduck, four Oystercatchers, a Ringed Plover, five Golden Plovers, a Willow Warbler and a Raven. A Wheatear was at Clifford Hill Pits this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Red Fox.

Cattle Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Black-tailed Godwit
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Chiffchaffs have increased
in numbers markedly during
the last week and now the
Willow Warblers are hot on
their heels! Image courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Ringing at Linford Lakes

Hello

More sunshine and cool winds dominated today and seem set for the week ahead too!

A ringing session today at Linford Lakes on the outskirts of Milton Keynes provided forty-two captures of fourteen species of which twenty-three were birds already ringed. Two Chiffchaffs and three Blackcaps were the warbler contingent and finches included five Goldfinches and six Greenfinches. Of the four Reed Buntings caught one bore a ring from elsewhere and some glamour birds included a Magpie and a stunning Kingfisher. Possibly the star bird of the session was a Common Snipe.

Digital photography often assists in identifying difficult birds and appears to have been instrumental in identifying a possible Northern Creeper wintering at Summer Leys LNR. What appeared to be this bird was still present today, possibly with a more typical British bird. The Glossy Ibis was also present as was a Black-tailed Godwit and a Blackcap.

Two Wheatears were at Clifford Hill Pits and birds at Thrapston Pits this afternoon included two Avocets, an overflying Osprey, four Egyptian Geese, a Water Rail, three Great White Egrets, two Kingfishers, four Oystercatchers, a Swallow, two Willow Warblers, two Grey Wagtails plus an Otter, all on the Titchmarsh reserve.

Elsewhere and there was a White Wagtail at Lower Barnwell Lock, a Grey Wagtail was near Brixworth and a Great White Egret was north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir.

A vocal male Common Redstart was at Hanging Houghton this afternoon in a field hedge just north of the village at what3words stun.unloaded.everyone

Regards

Neil M

Galavanting lamb!

Jaeger in the sunshine!

Peacock butterfly in 
a remarkably good condition.

Male Blackcap courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Kingfisher courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.