Week-end ringing.

Hello

Bird ringing at the week-end locally included another session at Linford Lakes near Milton Keynes which provided sixty-four captures which included a re-trap Cetti's Warbler and re-trap Kingfisher. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was a new bird and other birds were two new Song Thrushes, a Redwing, seven Greenfinches, four Redpolls and four Goldfinches. Two Chiffchaffs and a Reed Bunting also hit the nets. On-site other birds noted included a wintering flock of White-fronted Geese, a Great White Egret, an Oystercatcher and a Marsh Harrier.

Some garden ringing on the north-eastern edge of Northampton on Saturday provided a Ring-necked Parakeet (of four birds present), six Goldfinches, two Siskins, a Redpoll, four Blue Tits, two Great Tits and a Long-tailed Tit. Finches noted on the feeders there on Sunday at the same time were thirteen Goldfinches, three Siskins and two Redpolls.

Today and a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier was at Harrington Airfield where also twenty Golden Plovers. One hundred and twenty Golden Plovers were in the Brampton Valley fields below Hanging Houghton with Ravens in the village. A Redpoll, a Siskin and two Ravens were at Kelmarsh Hall.

Six Kittiwakes (an adult, four second years and a first year) were just north of the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon where also an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a singing Chiffchaff with a Peregrine nearby.

The Red-throated Diver remained at Hollowell Reservoir where also a Jack Snipe and the Slavonian Grebe was still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

A first winter Mediterranean Gull was at Stanford Reservoir where also five Great White Egrets, five Oystercatchers, three Goosanders, two Water Rails, two Kingfishers and a Cetti's Warbler.

Summer Leys LNR provided for the Glossy Ibis still, three Dunlin, a Little Ringed Plover, a Marsh Harrier and two Redpolls.

I have just returned from a couple of weeks in Iceland and three pages/tabs have been created to provide an opportunity of seeing images from these Naturetrek 'Northern Lights and Winter Wildlife' tours.

Regards

Neil M

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Kingfisher.

Song Thrush.

Redpoll.

Images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.