Good Friday birding

Hello

A blustery Good Friday and with minimal bird sightings.

The Red-throated Diver continues it's stay at Hollowell Reservoir and the Glossy Ibis was again present at Summer Leys LNR where also a handful of Common Snipe and two Little Ringed Plovers.

A Caspian Gull was at the New Workings section of Earls Barton Pits where also a drake Red-crested Pochard and a pair of Goosanders.

Three Wheatears were at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry and Lilbourne Meadows provided for two Ringed Plovers, a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Snipe and a Water Rail.

Fifty Common Gulls at Stanford Reservoir is quite unseasonal where also still an Oystercatcher.

Two Siskins were at New Covert, Kelmarsh and three Tree Sparrows hang on at Rectory Farm, Old.

Regards

Neil M

Pied Wagtail.

Red Kite.

Wheatear courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Black-headed Gulls.

Easter's nearly here!

Hello

Cold early on with a northerly breeze, much more pleasant later when the sun came out!

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included an Osprey near the causeway, a pair of displaying Great White Egrets, a Common Tern, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Grey Wagtail, a Redpoll and three Bramblings.

The Red-throated Diver remained at Hollowell Reservoir and an Osprey was there this afternoon. A/the Glossy Ibis re-appeared at Summer Leys LNR after an absence of several days with six Common Snipe also present (ten Golden Plovers flew through) and four basking Grass Snakes provided super viewing.

Little Ringed Plovers were present at Summer Leys and at the Towcester Balancing Lake.

A pair of Firecrest were reported from Hazelborough Forest and one or two Corn Bunting(s) were singing on the county border at Chelveston Airfield.

Another Osprey flew north-east over the A45 at Flore this morning.

Two Wheatears remained at Harrington Airfield where also three Ravens.

Some garden ringing on the north-east outskirts of Northampton provided a Greenfinch, eleven Goldfinches and two Redpolls.

Regards

Neil M

Great Tit.

Yellowhammer.

Grass Snake today at
Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

First day of April

Hello

Another day with limited reported sightings in the county and although cloudy it was dry and with only a light breeze.

Seven Cattle Egrets on the main lake at Stanwick Pits was a good total and a singing Sedge Warbler was by the visitors centre.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was again at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits this morning.

Thrapston Pits hosted an Osprey today and a Pink-footed Goose was on the north section of Town Lake.

A Wheatear was on the east side of the scrape at Summer Leys LNR and three Avocets dropped in there this evening with a Goosander at the New Workings section of Earls Barton Pits.

New migrants in at Harrington Airfield today included a mobile male Ring Ouzel around the bunkers, two Wheatears, two Willow Warblers, a couple of Swallows and resident Grey Partridges.

The Red-throated Diver was still at Hollowell Reservoir this evening and a Great White Egret in full breeding regaliia was north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Tufted Duck.

Great White Egret.

Drake Gadwall.