SP55 Short Day Count

Hello

A cold and partly-sunny winter day was just the weather for a Banbury Ornithological Society Short Day Count in SP55 in the west of the county. Fawsley Park dominates this 10km square as far as habitat is concerned and about half the day was spent exploring from the footpaths. A Barn Owl was one of the first birds noted and a Cetti's Warbler, three Water Rails and some noisy Ravens were next. An initial flock of nine Siskins was a precursor to a flock of seventy Siskins in the alders which also contained two Redpolls and a few Goldfinches.

The Catesby area was next with a pair of Stonechats and eight Siskins and a couple of Ravens being the best. A Kingfisher was at Byfield Pool, two Goosanders and a flock of Common Snipe outside the square were at Boddington Reservoir and a large flock of finches near West Farndon included 150 - 200 Chaffinches, two Bramblings and over a hundred Linnets. At least one Grey Wagtail at Byfield Water Treatment Works was in singing mode. Red Kites, Common Buzzards, Woodpigeons and corvids were high profile today but for the first time ever we couldn't find a Yellowhammer in the square. It is likely that the remaining Yellowhammers in the area are gathered together in one flock and we didn't find it but this species is still very much on the downturn nationally.

The Glossy Ibis remained faithful to Summer Leys LNR today, the Ruddy Shelduck was at Winwick Pools and the Great Northern Diver was still at Pitsford Reservoir between Pintail Bay and the dam. The two White-fronted Geese were also still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and three drake Smew remain at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Stephen Allen did well today, finding single Hawfinches at both Greens Norton and Towcester Churchyard.

Two Stonechats and six Common Snipe were at Upton Country Park, a pair of Stonechats were at Towcester and a Pink-footed Goose and three Egyptian Geese were on the south bank of the main lake at Clifford Hill Pits.  A Great White Egret flew over Greens Norton playing fields at lunchtime.

The birds recorded at Stanford Reservoir today included the first year Mediterranean Gull again, a Great White Egret, four Goosanders, a Kingfisher, a Stonechat and five Chiffchaffs. The two Short-eared Owls were again on private land near to Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and a Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Stonechats at Upton Country Park
today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Roe Deer.

More flood water!

Hello

Another wintry day and lots of flood water as our water courses breach their banks yet again!

The Glossy Ibis extends it's stay at Summer Leys LNR and the Great Northern Diver was still present at Pitsford Reservoir moving between the Pintail Bay and the Gorses.

A Stanford Reservoir there was a first year Mediterranean Gull in the roost, a Great White Egret, six Goosanders, a Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff. A female Red-crested Pochard, a Yellow-legged Gull and six Goosanders were at Daventry Country Park.

Two Short-eared Owls near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell relocated to some private land today. A Barn Owl was at Harrington Airfield this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebe.

Great Northern Diver.

Common Buzzard.

Rook.

Birds of the snow.

Hello

Overnight snow and a gradual thaw during the day, accelerating this afternoon when the temperatures rose leaving more sodden ground and a murky night ahead.

Birds noted at Stanford Reservoir today included a Water Rail, a Goosander, two Chiffchaffs and a Kingfisher.

The Great Northern Diver remains at Pitsford Reservoir, this afternoon coasting around on a completely still, flat calm water. Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls were there too.

Two Short-eared Owls were disturbed from hedging near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and three Woodcock were still present too. Nearby a male Merlin was seen near shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A Barn Owl was at Lamport Hall this afternoon.

A male Blackcap was again in our garden at Hanging Houghton today and another was seen in a garden in Abington, Northampton with a female in a garden in Duston, Northampton.

A drake Red-crested Pochard was on Mill Lake at Barnwell Country Park, two drake Smew were at Eyebrook Reservoir and the female Ruddy Shelduck was again seen at Winwick Pools.

Regards

Neil M

Kestrel.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Robin.

Images courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Ringing at Pitsford Reservoir.

Hello

Another cold day with temperatures struggling to rise much above freezing all day and with low cloud in anticipation for some potential snow tonight.

Some ringing at Pitsford Reservoir at Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay provided almost one hundred and fifty birds of fourteen species, amounting to eighty-three new birds and sixty-six birds ringed from an earlier date. Perhaps the most remarkable bird was the same Jay featured on yesterday's post, perhaps two miles away from where caught on Monday (Scaldwell village) - it certainly gets around a bit and clearly knows where there is some bird food on offer! Other birds processed included a Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, three Chaffinches, three Blackbirds and two Redwings. Other birds noted on-site included a Peregrine, a Woodcock and two Ravens and south of the causeway the Great Northern Diver was near The Narrows.

Stanford Reservoir today provided a first winter Mediterranean Gull, a first winter Caspian Gull, a Great White Egret, three Water Rails, three Goosanders and two Ravens. Eyebrook Reservoir was good for a Scaup and three drake Smew, the two White-fronted Geese were seen at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and nearby fields and an adult Caspian Gull was at Hollowell Reservoir. A Jack Snipe was seen at Stortons Pits.

The Glossy Ibis remained at Summer Leys LNR and a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier also appeared on the reserve. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Clifford Hill Pits, a female Red-crested Pochard was at Daventry Country Park and a couple of Hawfinches were mobile in Cottesbrooke village.

A Pair of Blackcaps were in our garden at Hanging Houghton today attracted to apples and a female was in Geoff's garden at Barton Seagrave.

In the Brampton Valley today there were two Woodcock between Hanging Houghton and Brixworth and this evening two Barn Owls and a Green Sandpiper were below Hanging Houghton. An adult female Peregrine and two Woodcock were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

A 'ringtail' Hen Harrier appeared at Harrington Airfield at lunchtime with other birds being eight Golden Plovers, two Woodcock and a Barn Owl.

Regards

Neil M

Redwing courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Jay courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Nest camera footage of 
local owl nest-boxes featuring
Tawny and Barn Owl
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Winter birding

Hello

Another cold but pleasant winter's day with some lovely sunshine.

More evidence of cold weather movement today with more finches and extra Woodcock locally.

Yesterday (Thursday) and a large flock of about three hundred and fifty Linnets were discovered in the Brampton Valley at Merry Tom Lane. Today and still a hundred Linnets and a hundred Goldfinches, two Bramblings and thirty Skylarks plus the usual two Grey Wagtails were in the valley below Hanging Houghton. Three Woodcock and hundreds of Starlings, Redwings and Fieldfares were busy in the fields in the Blueberry Farm area near Maidwell.

A large adult female Peregrine was perched in a field to the west of the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon where there was also a vocal Raven, and two Tree Sparrows were at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station.

A Barn Owl, a Raven, a Golden Plover and fifty Skylarks were at Harrington Airfield today and birds noted at Lamport Hall this afternoon included a flock of fifteen Pink-footed Geese low and vocal heading off towards Pitsford Reservoir, a Barn Owl and two Woodcock. Single Siskins were at Scotland Wood and Kelmarsh Hall.

Eyebrook Reservoir hung on to three Smew again today, the two White-fronted Geese and two Egyptian Geese were in fields between the reservoir and Ravensthorpe village and the former were also on the reservoir at one point. The long-staying Glossy Ibis was still at Summer Leys LNR and the Black-tailed Godwit also remained.

Three Goosanders were at Daventry Country Park, a Goosander was at Stortons Pits, up to five Hawfinches were counted at Blatherwycke Churchyard and nearby Deene Lake hosted eight Shelducks, over two hundred Teal, two Black Swans and a Green Sandpiper.

A Hawfinch was seen in Cottesbrooke village this afternoon, in yews near to the Old Rectory and two pairs of Stonechat were along the river at Towcester.

Regards

Neil M

This adult Jay was recently
trapped in Scaldwell village
and found to be a ringed bird.
It was originally ringed at Pitsford
Reservoir in September 2014 as an
adult and has been caught there
 twice since. This bird is at least
eleven years old.

Image courtesy of
Charlotte Foote.

Tawny Owl courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Goosander courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Birds from one year into another

Hello

The last few days has seen quite an influx of winter thrushes with small flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares on the move, presumably being pushed around by more adverse weather elsewhere. This week-end sees a wintry spell enveloping the country and the likelihood of further movements with birds seeking food and shelter.

A productive day in Northamptonshire with county birders catching up with birds from 2024 into the New Year brought forth a flurry of reports. 

The Great Northern Diver was still at Pitsford Reservoir, seen by the dam overflow and later between the dam and Pintail Bay. Three Yellow-legged Gulls were in the gull roost this afternoon.

At Hollowell Reservoir there were two Caspian Gulls, two Great White Egrets, a Stonechat and a Common Snipe and at Ravensthorpe Reservoir there were two White-fronted Geese in a field south of the causeway on the west bank.

Stanford Reservoir hosted five Stonechats, two Kingfishers, ten Goosanders, eighty-four Great Black-backed Gulls in the roost, a Great White Egret, a Water Rail and a Redpoll.

A Scaup and four Smew were at Eyebrook Reservoir and Summer Leys LNR continued to host the Glossy Ibis and a Black-tailed Godwit.

A Merlin was again between Tiffield and Gayton where there were also about forty Golden Plovers; Harrington Airfield saw an Egyptian Goose flying over, a Raven and a Lesser Redpoll.

A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and birds in the valley below Hanging Houghton saw an influx of passerines which included one or two Corn Bunting(s), four over-flying Bramblings and a hundred each of Linnet and Goldfinch - small wonder that a male Merlin whizzed through them all. Two Grey Wagtails were present too.

Hawfinches were on good form today with three or four at Blatherwycke Churchyard, one at Deene Churchyard and two in Cottesbrooke village. A female Scaup was at Blatherwycke Lake and eight Shelduck and a Green Sandpiper were at Deene Lake.

Regards

Neil M

Female Blackbird courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Robin courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Female Chaffinch
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Green Woodpecker courtesy
of John Tilly.

New Year's Day

Hello

A wet morning but hopefully something dryer over the next few days as we push further into winter.

The Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys LNR made it into the new year as did two Hawfinches at Cottesbrooke with another at Blatherwycke Churchyard. A Scaup was again at Blatherwycke Lake and there were also three Mandarin Ducks.

A Cattle Egret was again at Barnwell Country Park in a field north of north lake this afternoon and also this afternoon an adult Mediterranean Gull was with other gulls in a sheep field on the outskirts of Old village off Bridle Road.

An adult Caspian Gull was in the roost at Stanford Reservoir this afternoon and at least one White-fronted Goose was in a field south-west of the causeway at Ravensthorpe Reservoir. Three drake Smew remain at Eyebrook Reservoir.

At Pitsford Reservoir there was a Great White Egret in the Walgrave Bay and two Woodcock and a Siskin in Christies Copse. Two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and at least one Raven was at New Covert, Kelmarsh.

Regards

Neil M

Reed Bunting courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Glossy Ibis courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The very successful Jackdaw
can be an issue when trying
to feed small birds in gardens
or at established wild bird
feeding stations as demonstrated
by these images from Jim Dunkley
from his garden! Working in groups
or corvid 'gangs' these clever and
resourceful birds work together to 
out-maneuver and out-compete
 larger birds.