Cool month of May

Hello

It may be the month of May but with overnight temperatures as low as one degree Centigrade, it's already a much cooler month than sunny April!

Most of the spring migration has now concluded and we await any vagrant overshoots, and monitor the breeding birds within the county.

The Glossy Ibis, three Avocets, a Whimbrel, a Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper were at Summer Leys LNR today and other Nene Valley goodies included a Garganey on the main lake at Stanwick Pits and with another one reported at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve, Ditchford Pits. The latter site also hosted a Cuckoo, a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper.

A singing Nightingale was at Thrapston Pits today near to the iron bridge spanning the River Nene and two more songsters were still at Stortons Pits. A Cuckoo was at Bucknell Wood.

A ringing demonstration by members of the Northants Ringing Group at Milton Keynes at the week-end provided some birds in the hand to explain the purposes of ringing, the techniques used and the data obtained. Thirty-five birds processed included a Magpie, a Lesser Whitethroat, three Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler and six Greenfinches.

I have just returned from a couple of tours in the Camargue, South France and in due course there will be some images on pages/tabs entitled 'Camargue in Spring'.

Regards

Neil M

Magpie.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Ringing Demonstration interaction.

Above images courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Its baby bird season!
 Nestling Blue Tits courtesy
 of Lewis Aaron.