Roadrunner Bittern!

Hello

Another windy day with cloud from the east keeping it cooler for much of the morning.

An amazing encounter with a Bittern on a road next to Summer Leys LNR was subject of a short video - please see below - courtesy of Vanessa Gladman. A Wasp Spider and a brief Clouded Yellow butterfly were seen on the reserve.

Three adult Black-necked Grebes were located at Daventry Country Park this morning and subsequent birds included a Caspian Gull, a Mediterranean Gull, a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper.

An adult male Common Redstart remains at Lilbourne Water Meadows in the traditional stop-over hedge leading down to the flood meadows from Hilmorton Lane.

Stanford Reservoir was the venue for the female Ruddy Shelduck still plus a Common Sandpiper, fifty Common Swifts, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Kingfisher, two remaining Shoveler ducklings and a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler.

A Hobby was seen over St James, Northampton, a Grey Wagtail was at Northampton General Hospital and six Great White Egrets were counted north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir where Migrant Hawkers were busy in the lee of the wind by the Fishing Lodge. More Migrant Hawkers were noted at Lamport Hall early this afternoon.

Two Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield this morning, one mobile in bushes between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One and an adult male at Bunker Two.

Hummingbird Hawk-moths were in gardens at Mawsley, Higham Ferrers and Hanging Houghton.

An evening visit to Clifford Hill Pits provided an adult Yellow-legged Gull, four Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper. Three Ring-necked Parakeets have been around gardens off Billing Lane, Northampton today.

Regards

Neil M

Purple Hairstreak butterfly.

Little Egret.

Carrion Crow courtesy
of John Tilly.