Nene Valley migration

Hello

The rain from yesterday evening and with a little this morning was very welcome as the ground has been so dry. Sadly though the strong wind has probably dried the topsoil out again but at least the thrushes, Rooks etc had something of a reprieve in their daily search for invertebrates.

The Nene Valley in Northamptonshire always dominates local migration birding in the spring and today was no exception. The strong winds and light rain ensured that some of the migrants passing through the county either came down or were seen flying over.

The Earls Barton Pits complex was at the centre of attention and the New Workings/Whiston Wetlands provided some excellent totals of six Wood Sandpipers, five Greenshanks, two Dunlin and five Bar-tailed Godwits plus two Grey Partridges. The Summer Leys LNR attracted a Black Tern, at least one Arctic Tern, a pair of adult Mediterranean Gulls, a Turnstone, a Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit and two Common Sandpipers.

Stanwick Pits was also in on the action with a Little Gull, an Arctic Tern, a Ruff, two Wood Sandpipers, two Greenshanks, a Ruff and a Greenland-type Wheatear.

Birds on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits included five or six Arctic Terns, fifteen Swifts, four Common Sandpipers, two Greenshanks and over a hundred Swallows.

Clifford Hill Pits was the venue for a fly-through flock of nine Bar-tailed Godwits with a single Whimbrel in with them. Birds on the shoreline included five Greenshanks, a Dunlin, two Whimbrel and  a Cattle Egret.

Three Common Sandpipers were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and two Arctic Terns and two Swifts were at Pitsford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Sedge Warbler.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Reed Warbler.

Warblers from Stortons Pits
yesterday courtesy of Chris Payne.

Woodpigeon courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.