Another week draws to a close.

It's Friday already, where did that week go to ? !!! The weekend and the longest day are just around the corner and a potential heatwave is on the horizon.                               Apart from an explosion of more young birds it has been a very quiet week in the county. Ospreys were seen at Stanford,  Pitsford and Hollowell Reservoirs,  Bittern at Titchmarsh LNR and Summer Leys,  Curlew at Clifford Hill GP,  drake Red Crested Pochard at Ecton SF and Whimbrel and Green Sandpiper at Daventry CP. 

I have been out and about during the week and my highlights were a female Roe Deer with her two fawns/kids who were mooching about with not a care in the world.  It really was a beautiful sight. I have been lucky to come across fox cubs playing and badger cubs out foraging.             I have enjoyed watching the many variety of butterflies which are now out on the wing. The Marbled White is one of my favourites and it is lovely to see how much their range has expanded over the years.  I  can remember the time when they were confined to a few specific areas in the county and I used to visit a railway cutting near the Bringtons to see them,  but now they really are everywhere including Wellingborough Town centre.  There were quite a few out at Harrington Airfield this afternoon along with a large number of Painted Ladies and a single Clouded Yellow.                                                                                                 I have been watching a couple of Barn Owls hunting. This morning I was surprised to see one of them out hunting at 08.00hrs. I watched it for nearly an hour but during this time it failed to catch anything.  On a couple of occasions it was harassed by a Lesser Black Backed Gull so took shelter in a tree until the gull disappeared.  It was quite noticeable just how far the owl was now flying in it's quest for food.  A couple of weeks ago both these Owls were finding food very easily and only travelling a short distance.  I had already noticed that their hunting pattern has changed which may indicate that their plentiful food supply has dried up which is not good news for their growing youngsters. 

A ringing session at Linford Reserve (Kenny Cramer) in challenging weather conditions produced 137 birds of 19 species, 111 of which were newly ringed and mostly newly fledged juveniles. The most numerous species was Greenfinch, 26 birds processed and then 24 Goldfinches. Other numerous species included 21 Blackcaps, 18 Blue Tits,  13 Robins and 6 Great Tits and Chiffchaffs.   An amazing 4 Cuckoo's were processed,  3 of which were new which brings this year's total to a record equalling 12.

Have a good weekend wherever and whatever you do. 

Regards Eleanor 

                                                      Pictures from Kenny Cramer 

                                              Rouzel pretending that I can't see her  !!