Summer into autumn

Hello

The beginning of another week of warm, sunny weather with no rain in the forecast.

An unremarkable set of sightings today but the early autumn movements of birds continues to trickle along.

A Common Sandpiper was at Stanford Reservoir where also a Pochard and two Kingfishers.

At Hollowell Reservoir there was a Green Sandpiper, eight Little Ringed Plovers and a family party of Yellow Wagtails. A male Scarce Chaser (still very restricted number of sites in the county) was at a field pond just south of Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Four summer plumage adult 'Icelandic' Black-tailed Godwits were in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this evening plus two Pochard and a female Tufted Duck with three ducklings.

Two Spotted Flycatchers were at Gamboro' Plantation (between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton) and a collection of butterflies there were made up of two Purple Emperors, a Silver-washed Fritillary, a Clouded Yellow and six Purple Hairstreaks. Nearby in the Brampton Valley, the Quail could still be heard calling from fields between shrike hedge and the Blueberry Farm complex, with a Hobby also there this evening.

A Common Sandpiper was still at Summer Leys LNR, a Wasp Spider has set up home near the benches in the car park and a Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawker was at Toad Pond on the reserve.

An adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Town Lake, Thrapston Pits at Midday.

Regards

Neil M

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Juvenile Stonechat courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Sedge Warbler courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Silver-washed Fritillaries in cop,
with a 'valezina' form female.

Ringlet.