New month but most of the birds are the same!

Hello

September has come around very quickly! And what a difference some steady, soft rain has made - seven new mole hills in the garden, worms active in the substrate, frogs hopping around at night, and the yellow grass is going green once more! The continued warmth means that the abundance of Hummingbird Hawk-moths and Clouded Yellow butterflies in the county continues.

The three juvenile Curlew Sandpipers continue their stay at Daventry Country Park where also the Spotted Redshank, a Common Redshank, a Ruff, seven Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper and two Black-tailed Godwits could be found feeding in the margins.

Also in the west of the county and a Marsh Harrier flew north at Hellidon where also ten Ravens.

A Wheatear, several Grey Wagtails and two Ravens were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this morning and in the same valley below Hanging Houghton there were two Whinchats and a Wheatear near shrike hedge. Two Common Redstarts and the Hobby family were at nearby Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and the sometimes elusive Pied Flycatcher popped up again at Lamport Hall with it's Spotted Flycatcher entourage and a Common Redstart too.

Just a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper were seen north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning but Ravensthorpe Reservoir was better with the Wood Sandpiper still, five Green Sandpipers, four Common Sandpipers, two Common Snipe, a Ruff and now two Cetti's Warblers.

Just over the ridge at Hollowell Reservoir and there was a Wheatear and three Ringed Plovers. Naseby Reservoir remained consistent with the adult Caspian Gull, four Common Sandpipers and eight Common Snipe all logged.

In the Nene Valley the two Black Terns were still at Clifford Hill Pits where also four Common Sandpipers, three Common Snipe, a Water Rail and over seventy Yellow Wagtails flew from the roost.

A Marsh Harrier was on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits plus Spotted Flycatcher, and a Yellow-legged Gull was on Elinor Lake.

A party of Spotted Flycatchers were visible at Grendon Quarter Pond at the Station Road end, two Ravens were in Abington, Northampton with one nearby at Westone.

Regards

Neil M

Muntjac.

Nuthatch.

Hawfinch.

Images courtesy of Peter Walmsley.
Peter made a recent trip to Warburg
Nature Reserve, near Henley on
Thames, a Berks, Bucks and Oxon
Wildlife Trust reserve. With hides and
photographic opportunities including
 digitally capturing the normally
 shy Hawfinch, this reserve is
proving popular!