Black Necked Grebes, Common Redstarts, Clouded Yellows and Hummingbird Hawk Moths !!

It has been a couple of quite busy days for birds and insects in the county.  There are still plenty of Common Redstarts around, Harrington Airfield,  Clifford Hill GP,  Jurassic Way ( Honey Hill Cold Ashby), Borough Hill, Blueberry area and below Hanging Houghton but no doubt many more slipping through unnoticed.                                                                           Black Necked Grebes have been present at Clifford Hill GP and Daventry Reservoir.                     The decreasing water levels are starting to attract waders. At Hollowell Reservoir there is a Wood Sandpiper,  Dunlin and Little Ringed Plovers,  nearby Naseby Reservoir has Common Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plover, and at Daventry Reservoir a Wood Sandpiper,  Common and Green Sandpipers.                             Other birds seen over the last couple of days include Ospreys at Pitsford Reservoir, Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Elinor Lake Thrapston.  A Whinchat at Harrington Airfield and 2 below Hanging Houghton, female Ruddy Shelduck at Stanford Reservoir and an Arctic Tern through Daventry Reservoir. 

At this time of year the hedgerows are often "alive" with birds as Tits and Warblers move together.  I seem to spend quite a bit of time simply watching the hedgerows and the birds moving through.  This is exactly what I was doing yesterday at Borough Hill when I found a Pied Flycatcher moving along the hedge along with 5 Spotted Flycatchers and Common Warblers.  You just never know what you might find especially at this time of year so it is always worth spending time watching the birds moving along the hedgerows. 

It is definitely a good year for butterflies and at the moment there is an influx of Clouded Yellows.  They have been recorded throughout the county.  One particular good area for seeing these lovely butterflies is an area of Lucerne fields from the footpath between Old and Walgrave.    There are also good numbers of Hummingbird Hawk Moths around with 5 being seen in the car park at Summer Leys. 

There are certainly plenty of birds and insects around this weekend and there's always the chance of something else being found. Have a good time. 

Regards Eleanor 

Comma, Black Tailed Skimmer and Chiffchaff taken at Pitsford Reservoir,  Tony Stanford