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.

Nene Valley

 At this time of year the Nene Valley tends to be the best place to be as it always attracts a good variety of species. Already plenty of birds are present and this will only get better in the coming weeks. 

At Clifford Hill,  Northern Wheatear, Swallow and Little Ringed Plovers.  Summer Leys hosts Glossy Ibis, Black Tailed Godwit,  Little Ringed Plovers,  Sand Martins, Curlew,  Goosander and Marsh Harrier.  Nearby at the Whiston Lock/Wetlands area there are 2 Avocets, Shelduck,  Pink Footed Goose,  Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers.  Yesterday at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows a Sedge Warbler was singing.                                                                                               Away from the Nene Valley there was a Crossbill at Irchester CP, a Willow Warbler at Abington Park,  Caspian Gull and Jack Snipe at Hollowell Reservoir and Barn Owl and Northern Wheatear below Hanging Houghton. 

Looking ahead to next week things look to be hotting up, both temperature wise and hopefully bird wise as the wind direction shifts to a more favourable direction to aid migration. 

Regards Eleanor 

Ringing at Harrington Airfield

Hello

Some bird ringing at Harrington Airfield kept a few of us occupied this morning and in ideal conditions we processed some seventy-nine birds of thirteen species. The three dominant species number-wise were Dunnock (16), Goldfinch (21) and Yellowhammer (19) and the catch included a Chiffchaff, two Song Thrushes, six Reed Buntings and to round the session off a rather resplendent male Green Woodpecker.

A House Martin flew through going west, a Great White Egret flew over heading south and a female Wheatear was at the end of Bunker Two. Plenty of Brown Hares are always good to see, a dog Fox being a much scarcer sighting up there but more frequently since the Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges were put down in such large numbers.

The  Black-necked Grebe continued to grace Clifford Hill Pits even if it does keep it's distance and other birds were the Cattle Egret still, a Wheatear, two Little Ringed Plovers and five Sand Martins.

The Whiston Wetlands area continued to host two Avocets today plus three Green Sandpipers, an Oystercatcher, two Grey Wagtails and two Cetti's Warblers.

An Osprey caught a fish at Hollowell Reservoir late morning and at Stanford Reservoir there was a Great White Egret, a Water Rail, three Common Snipe, two Kingfishers and a Cetti's Warbler.

A Brambling and at least four Reed Buntings were in our small garden at Hanging Houghton this morning and two Peregrines were in Market Harborough town centre.

Regards

Neil M

Comma courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Lapwing courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Peregrines at Market Harborough
today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

The below video clip was of the Green Woodpecker
being released today at Harrington Airfield courtesy
of Claire Nuttall.

Black-necked Grebe

Hello

Little change out there but a Black-necked Grebe found at Clifford Hill Pits was a new bird in and easily bird of the day! The Cattle Egret and Wheatear, two Sand Martins and a Ringed Plover were present too.

At Summer Leys LNR the Glossy Ibis was in a field north of the sand martin bank this afternoon and other birds included seven Redshanks and three Oystercatchers. At Stanwick Pits four Cattle Egrets flew north-east from the Main Lake early this morning.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there was something of a southerly movement of Sand Martins with a few lingering and the Great Northern Diver and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were visible from the dam. A Little Ringed Plover flew over north of the causeway and a Great White Egret was in the Scaldwell Bay.

At Hollowell Reservoir a Ring-necked Parakeet flew over and two Jack Snipe and three Common Snipe were noted. An Osprey carrying a fish was in flight between Ravensthorpe Reservoir and the Guilsborough/Teeton road at about 8am this morning.

There was evidence of a sizeable movement of Fieldfares and Redwings through the county today, most of the flocks moving east. Single Barn Owls were at Lamport Hall and Harrington Airfield.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Heron.

Black-headed Gull.

Drake Teal.

All above images courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Redshank courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

A bit late but finally found the time to conduct the WeBS count at Ditchford Pits today. It was rather cool and grey initially but then the sun came out and it was lovely and warm.

Birds east of Ditchford Lane included a Great White Egret, a Water Rail, two Grey Wagtails, a Jack Snipe, sixteen Common Snipe, three Oystercatchers, plenty of Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers, two Sand Martins and a singing Marsh Tit. There were thirty-one active Cormorant nests, some containing young already and at least twelve Grey Heron nests which also included nestlings. Little Egrets also looked maternal but they tend to nest later than the Grey Herons. A Blackcap was singing at Wharf Road, Higham Ferrers and one or two Otter(s) were on show. A drake Tufted Duck appeared to have some Ring-necked Duck genes included and a hybrid goose showed some White-fronted traits.

West of Ditchford Lane it was pretty quiet with up to three Great White Egrets, three Cetti's Warblers, two Oystercatchers, a Redshank, two Little Ringed Plovers, displaying Lapwings, a Grey Wagtail and two Sand Martins. Butterflies were Peacock, Brimstone and a male Orange-tip.

There are plans to hold a ringing session at Harrington Airfield on Wednesday when there will be restricted access around the bunkers between the Chipping Compound and main concrete track - this to meet the requirements of the site-owner's risk assessment. However if you would like to come along and potentially see some bird ringing on the day please forward me an email and I can provide more details. This afternoon there was a Barn Owl there which was disturbed from roost due to farming operations and a pair of Grey Partridge.

The Slavonian Grebe and a Yellow Wagtail were the highlights at Eyebrook Reservoir and Stanford Reservoir was the place for a Pink-footed Goose, three Great White Egrets, two Shelducks, two Egyptian Geese, two Goosanders, two Oystercatchers, two Common Snipe, six Golden Plovers flying over, a Water Rail, six Sand Martins and a Swallow.

Avocets were busy in the Nene Valley with one at Clifford Hill Pits, two at Stanwick Pits and two at the Whiston Wetlands. Seven White-fronted Geese were still below Whiston and the drake Scaup and two Dunlin were on Mary's Lake at Earls Barton Pits with the Summer Leys Glossy Ibis putting in an appearance too.

Other birds for Clifford Hill Pits which seems to be receiving good coverage this spring were a Wheatear, the Cattle Egret and a fly-over Mediterranean Gull.

A Marsh Harrier showed nicely below Whiston and other birds included four Oystercatchers, two Shelducks, a Grey Wagtail and Cetti's Warbler. Two Cattle Egrets were again at Stanwick Pits early this morning.

Away from the Nene Valley there was a Wheatear at Borough Hill, Daventry, the two White-fronted Geese still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, a Jack Snipe at Hollowell Reservoir and two Black-tailed Godwits briefly in a flooded field near Lower Barnwell Lock this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Common Redshank courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The Clifford Hill Avocet
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Orange-tip butterfly.

Slow slide to spring

Hello

Mostly grey and overcast for much of the day with patchy rain in some places.

Eyebrook Reservoir today recorded House Martin, Willow Warbler and Avocet as well as the Slavonian Grebe. Stanford Reservoir was good for a first year Caspian Gull, two Great White Egrets, a Pink-footed Goose, a Barn Owl, a Dunlin, two Common Snipe, two Oystercatchers, three Sand Martins and a White Wagtail.

The Great Northern Diver was still between Pintail Bay and the Narrows at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and there was also a Raven and three Yellow-legged Gulls.

The Scaup was still at Mary's Lake, Earls Barton Pits and the Glossy Ibis was seen near the Feeding Station on the Summer Leys reserve where there were up to five Black-tailed Godwits, a Great White Egret, three Little Ringed Plovers and a White Wagtail.

In the Nene Valley further west, six White-fronted Geese were still in meadows below Whiston with a drake Red-crested Pochard on the River Nene still. Two Avocets and two Pintail were on the new gravel pits there too where Common Snipe and Little Ringed Plover were also noted.

Ten Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers and a Redshank were on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

White-fronted Geese at Whiston.

Drake Red-crested Pochard at Whiston.

Images courtesy of David Smith

Local weekend delights!

Hello

Birds visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included the Great Northern Diver, three Yellow-legged Gulls (adult, second calendar year and third calendar year), a Curlew, a Raven, two Sand Martins and two Egyptian Geese flew in as I was leaving. The diver was acting aggressively towards a small group of Great Crested Grebes, behaviour I haven't witnessed before.

North of the causeway was a Curlew (possibly the same one), two Redshanks, two Sand Martins and a Great White Egret.

A Wheatear and two Green Sandpipers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and Harrington Airfield also hosted a Wheatear plus about eighty Golden Plovers and six Grey Partridges.

A Raven nest was confirmed on the Kelmarsh Estate and two Kingfishers were chasing each other at Fishponds Road, Little Billing today.

The bird list from Stanford Reservoir included two Great White Egrets, two Goosanders, a Water Rail, two Common Snipe, two Oystercatchers, two Sand Martins, two Lesser Redpolls and a White Wagtail.

In the Nene Valley a Marsh Harrier left it's roost at Stanwick Pits at 6am and at Earls Barton Pits the drake Scaup was still on Mary's Lake and the Glossy Ibis was on the Summer Leys reserve this afternoon. In the New Workings/Whiston area quality birds were still two Avocets, six Little Gulls, several White-fronted Geese, a Pink-footed Goose and a Barn Owl. 

The Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and the Richard's Pipit was still near Newport Pagnell.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The curious antics of Oystercatchers
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Male Bullfinch courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford Common Bird Census

Hello

The first CBC of the year at Pitsford Reservoir was completed today, so much for the forecast sunshine! At least it was mild if cloudy and most of the birds were singing despite the lack of sun. The early surveys are always useful for plotting some of our resident birds such as Dunnock, Wren and Robin before the summer visitors arrive and potentially drown out some bird song. Long-tailed Tits are in pairs now and busy confirming their territories and making ready to start nest-building. Already plenty of in-coming Chiffchaffs are re-establishing territories and many of the plantations had flocks of foraging Redwings, many quietly singing in the trees. 

There seemed to be about three each of Little and Great White Egrets (neither species breeds) which remained mobile, up to six Kingfishers, a Brambling, a pair of Ravens with a nest and three Sand Martins making the most of a significant fly hatch.

The south and west of the UK has 'suffered' an invasion of about thirty Hoopoes today although none making it as far as us (one made it to Islay in the Inner Hebrides)!

However the Little Gulls made it here with six at Whiston Wetlands, one at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve and three at Higham Lake at Ditchford Pits. Other birds in the Nene Valley at Whiston included seven White-fronted Geese, a Pink-footed Goose, two Avocets, the drake Red-crested Pochard, two Sand Martins, a Wheatear, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Green Sandpiper. Other birds on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve this morning were seven Dunlin, two Black-tailed Godwits, four Redshank, two Oystercatchers and an Egyptian Goose.

At Summer Leys birds included a Marsh Harrier and the Glossy Ibis with a drake Scaup on nearby Mary's Lake. Four Cattle Egrets and a Marsh Harrier were at Stanwick Pits early this morning and the Cattle Egret was still in a southern field at Clifford Hill Pits.

Away from the Nene Valley two Little Ringed Plovers were at Willowbrook Industrial Estate, Corby this morning, Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Swallow, an Osprey, three Jack Snipe, nineteen Common Snipe, a Yellow-legged Gull and about two hundred Redwings. Two Sand Martins were noted flying through at Cold Ashby Golf Course at noon today. The two White-fronted Geese were still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning.

A Blackcap was in a Duston garden, there were at least two Grey Wagtails in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and Stanford Reservoir was good for a Great White Egret, three Oystercatchers, three Common Snipe, two Water Rails, two Sand Martins and an Otter.

Two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and the remains of one was found next to the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir. The Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

The Clifford Hill
Cattle Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Redshanks courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Ruff and sleepy Shovelers
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Shovelers at Pitsford today.

Grey Heron at Pitsford today.