August bird ringing

Hello

The weather conditions were ideal for bird ringing today with local sessions at Stanford Reservoir, Linford Lakes and Brixworth.

At Stanford Reservoir one hundred and fifty-three new birds were ringed (one hundred and ninety yesterday) which included two Grasshopper Warblers and a first year male Common Redstart.

Over a hundred birds were processed of nineteen species at Linford Lakes which included two Grasshopper Warblers, twenty-five Blackcaps, four Garden Warblers, four Common Whitethroats, three Lesser Whitethroats, nine Reed Warblers, eight Sedge Warblers (including a bird ringed elsewhere), a Cetti's Warbler, eleven Willow Warblers and a single Chiffchaff. Finches were five Greenfinches and four Goldfinches and other birds were a Treecreeper, two Goldcrests and a Reed Bunting.

At Brixworth one hundred and twelve birds were processed which included a Green Woodpecker, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a first year male Common Redstart, two Grey Wagtails, two Reed Warblers, a single Sedge Warbler, two Garden Warblers, ten Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, seventeen Common Whitethroats, four Willow Warblers and fourteen Chiffchaffs plus thirty-four Goldfinches.

Birding-wise the Ferruginous Duck was still at Stanford Reservoir plus four Kingfishers, a Peregrine, four Common Sandpipers, twenty Yellow Wagtails and a juvenile Marsh Harrier.

There was no sign of the Glossy Ibis at Titchmarsh today (but a bird not far away in Cambridgeshire), but the Wood Sandpiper and a Garganey were still present.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier and a Bittern were at Summer Leys LNR and a Turtle Dove was reported nearby near Hardwater Crossing. Other birds were a Hobby, a Common Snipe, two Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper.

Six Yellow-legged Gulls and a Green Sandpiper were at Priors Hall Quarry Lake, Corby

A Hobby was chasing hirundines over Hollowell village this evening and two Common Redstarts were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby between the gate and stone monument.

Another Common Redstart was in hedging by Alfalfa/lucerne fields from the footpath between Old and Walgrave and a Crossbill was at Wicken Wood. At least one Raven was at Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Grasshopper Warbler courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Common Redstart.

First year female Green Woodpecker.

Autumn Wood Warbler and supporting cast

Hello

Sadly it seems like the good birds from yesterday vacated Summer Leys LNR overnight and birders today have spread their wings to try more locations to find something a little out of the ordinary.

The Ferruginous Duck was reported from Stanford Reservoir again and it's Day One of 'Stanstock' where the regular Stanford Ringing Group ringers spend a week on-site in an effort to record and process as many migrants as they can. Both a Common Redstart and a Grasshopper Warbler were caught and ringed today (following two Common Redstarts ringed there yesterday). Other birds noted around the reservoir were four Common Sandpipers, five Pochard, four hundred and twenty Tufted Ducks, twenty Yellow Wagtails, two Hobby and two Ravens.

The best find of the day in the county was an autumn Wood Warbler at Wicken Wood, a tricky bird to find in the spring and particularly difficult in the autumn as they are usually silent. It's likely that very few of these birds move through the county each year so I consider this an excellent find and congratulations to Tyler the finder.

Potentially another new bird was a Glossy Ibis which was located at Titchmarsh LNR (Thrapston Pits) by Adrian - it's unclear whether this is the bird that was at Summer Leys LNR yesterday. Other birds at Titchmarsh were an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank, three Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, three Common Snipe and a Marsh Harrier (which latterly flushed the ibis).

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were four Greenshanks north of the causeway plus a Green Sandpiper, a juvenile Shelduck, four Great White Egrets, four Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart, all in the Scaldwell Bay. Four Yellow-legged Gulls and a Dunlin were at the dam area this evening.

A Tree Pipit was at Hollowell Reservoir this morning plus two Greenshank and two Dunlin. A Common Redstart was found in a field hedgerow just east of Boughton this morning and another was south-west of Great Brington. Three more Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield this morning, two betweeen the chippings compound and Bunker One and a single at Bunker Two. Another Common Redstart was at Lamport Hall where also eight or so Spotted Flycatchers.

Summer Leys LNR attracted two Cattle Egrets and two Marsh Harriers this morning. A Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Wood Warbler at Wicken Wood today
courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Spotted Flycatcher.

Common Redstart courtesy of
Tyler Atkinson.

Juvenile Red Kite.

Quality birds in the Nene Valley

Hello

The Summer Leys reserve at Earls Barton Pits was the place today with the discovery of an adult White-winged (Black) Tern this morning and then subsequently three Spotted Redshanks followed by a Bittern, the Glossy Ibis again and a showy Hobby! Other birds were two Egyptian Geese, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a few Common Snipe and a Common Sandpiper.

Two Common Redstarts were on show at Lamport Hall this morning where also a couple of Spotted Flycatchers and with Raven and Little Owl at Hanging Houghton. A hunting Common Buzzard in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth was seen to catch a large rat this afternoon.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there was an Osprey north of the causeway plus four or five Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers and three Spotted Flycatchers.

The female Ferruginous Duck was again at Stanford Reservoir and the female Ruddy Shelduck at Hollowell Reservoir where also an Osprey, a Peregrine, a Little Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and two Greenshanks. 

Naseby Reservoir again hosted the adult Caspian Gull, four Green Sandpipers and two Common Sandpipers with an adult Yellow-legged Gull at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and two Green Sandpipers.

The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits continued to host a Wood Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Common Snipe.

Clifford Hill Pits early this morning provided views of four Cattle Egrets, two juvenile Black Terns, a Water Rail and a Common Sandpiper.

A Whinchat was noted at Bunker Three Harrington Airfield where also Grey Partridges were encountered.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, migrants included two Whinchats, a Wheatear and a Common Redstart around shrike hedge, with three Common Redstarts at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and where also two Spotted Flycatchers and a Whinchat. A family party of Hobby were in the general area (four flying juveniles), as was a juvenile Marsh Harrier and an increase in Yellow Wagtails and Meadow Pipits.

The footpath south of Old, Cherry Hill and Walgrave provided three or four Common Redstarts in the hedges and perhaps fifteen Clouded Yellow butterflies in the fields of purple lucerne.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton again this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Adult White-winged (Black) Tern at
Summer Leys LNR today
courtesy of Tyler Atkinson.

Juvenile Black Terns at
Clifford Hill Pits courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Green Sandpiper Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Greenshank at Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Hottest Day of the year

Hello 

Extreme temperatures ensured less sightings of interest today.

About six Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this morning and a Common Redstart, a Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier were in the vicinity of shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Nearby there were two Common Redstarts and a Whinchat at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and Harrington Airfield was good for three Common Redstarts, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier. A Common Redstart and sixteen Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall.

At Naseby Reservoir there was a Whinchat in a flowery field to the east of the entrance track to the car park and two Caspian Gulls on the reservoir plus six Green Sandpipers and four Common Sandpipers.

Stanford Reservoir recorded three Green Sandpipers, seven Common Sandpipers and twenty Yellow Wagtails.

At Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits the Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper and a Greenshank were all still present.

Regards

Neil M

Wood Sandpiper and Greenshank
at Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Little Egret courtesy of
John Tilly.

Reed Warbler courtesy of
Tyler Atkinson.

Birding around the partial eclipse

Hello

Very warm this afternoon, a very clear partial eclipse this evening and autumn migrants on the move.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning fly-through waders were a Whimbrel, a Turnstone and a Curlew - all calling birds. On Osprey fished north of the causeway and Common Sandpipers included two north of the causeway and two by the dam. Three Green Sandpipers were in the Holcot Bay and visible from Wendy's bench. Three Great White Egrets were stalking the shallows and small numbers of Yellow Wagtails and Swallows were on the move, plus a few Swifts, and at least four Spotted Flycatchers were between the Old Scaldwell Road and the Bird Club hide. A Badger was active in the Walgrave Bay at 11.20am and odonata included Common Emerald Damselfly, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common and Ruddy Darters and Migrant and Southern Hawkers. Two Clouded Yellows were in Scaldwell Meadow.

This evening and a flock of Yellow Wagtails in the Scaldwell Bay numbered at least thirty-six and other birds were at least seven Spotted Flycatchers, an Osprey, two Common Snipe, a Ringed Plover over, a Shelduck, a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper.

A Quail was seen in flight between Helmdon and Greatworth this morning, about twenty Ring-necked Parakeets were in the Great Billing area of Northampton this evening and a Green Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover were at Sywell Country Park. Two Ravens and a Swift were at Abington Park, Northampton this morning and Clifford Hill Pits provided for a Common Snipe, three Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers, a Peregrine, a juvenile Cuckoo and in excess of twenty Yellow Wagtails.

The female Ruddy Shelduck was at Hollowell Reservoir this morning where also a Greenshank.

Birds reported from the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits today included a Bittern, a Marsh Harrier, two Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers and a Redshank.

A Glossy Ibis turned up at Summer Leys LNR this morning and a Hobby was seen on the ground there near to water.

Two Common Redstarts and two Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, along the Brampton Brook towards Brixworth, and a Marsh Harrier was hunting in the same area. Two Marsh Harriers together were in this area this evening. Early this morning there was a Barn Owl over the A508 between Hanging Houghton and Brixworth and later a Raven in Hanging Houghton village. A Hobby and two Barn Owls were in field hedges between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Curlew courtesy of
John Tilly.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Ringed Plover courtesy
of Tyler Atkinson.

Grey Heron courtesy
of Jon Tilly.

Toasty Tuesday

Hello

A warm day but with a super cooling breeze made it so much more manageable.

A morning walk at Harrington Airfield provided three or four Common Redstarts, with all the birds between the chippings compound and Bunker One. A Wheatear was at Bunker Two and ten Song Thrushes were in a loose flock in the same area as the Redstarts. A passage Meadow Pipit whispered over south and two Common Toads, a Stoat, several Brown Hares and Small Heath butterflies were the non-avian highlights.

A male Common Redstart was at Lamport Hall this afternoon and birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir were three Great White Egrets, a Marsh Harrier, an Osprey, four Greenshanks, a Ruff, a Common Snipe, a Common Sandpiper and several Spotted Flycatchers.

Three Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning plus two Spotted Flycatchers and a Whinchat. Nearby the shrike hedge area in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a Hobby, a Common Redstart, a Whinchat and a Wheatear.

The Caspian Gull was again reported from Naseby Reservoir and the Ferruginous Duck and Ruddy Shelduck were both still at Stanford Reservoir.

Clifford Hill Pits this morning produced a Black-tailed Godwit, two Ringed Plovers, a Little Ringed Plover, three Common Snipe, three Common Sandpipers, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Common Redstart and in excess of twenty Yellow Wagtails.

The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits hosted two Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Whinchat.

Regards

Neil M

Sand Martins at Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Goldfinch courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Whinchat at Titchmarsh LNR courtesy
of Nick Parker.

Garganey at Titchmarsh LNR
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Can't be found, won't be found!

Hello

Sometimes, despite being very much in migration season, there are days when no matter how hard you look somehow the birds seem to be absent or impossible to find. Today was one of those days with blanks at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell, the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and the usual spots at Lamport Hall appearing as birdless zones! Oh well there is always tomorrow!

Stanford Reservoir still showed off it's female Ferruginous Duck and Ruddy Shelduck with a supporting cast of four Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers and a Common Snipe.

The adult Caspian Gull was at Naseby Reservoir before flying off south and waders there were five Common Snipe, three Green Sandpipers and four Common Sandpipers. An Osprey and a Dunlin were at Hollowell Reservoir.

A patrolling Osprey was visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir at 12.30pm and a juvenile Marsh Harrier was hunting over fields between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell villages this morning. An afternoon walk at Harrington Airfield was sufficient to find a Marsh Harrier and two or three Common Redstarts. A Hobby was escorted by a flock of Swallows in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

In the Nene Valley there was a Caspian Gull, a Marsh Harrier, a Green Sandpiper, two or three Common Sandpipers, four Common Snipe and a Wigeon at Summer Leys LNR.

Three Black-tailed Godwits were at Clifford Hill Pits and a Wood Sandpiper and a Greenshank were at the north end of the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits.

Regards

Neil M

A juvenile Carrion Crow
with crossed mandibles
courtesy of John Tilly.

A Kingfisher caught and ringed
yesterday at Brixworth.

A portrait of the humble but
very successful Woodpigeon.

Ringing the next generation

Hello

Some bird ringing over the weekend at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes provided one hundred and fifty-seven birds of twenty-one species. Only fourteen of these birds had been previously ringed. Warbler highlights were twenty-six Blackcaps, seven Garden Warblers, five Common Whitethroats, five Lesser Whitethroats, twelve Reed Warblers, four Sedge Warblers, four Chiffchaffs and twelve Willow Warblers. Fourteen Greenfinches and six Goldfinches continued the good run of finches on-site. Other birds were two Goldcrests, a Kingfisher and a re-trap Bullfinch plus a juvenile Pied Wagtail.

At Brixworth Treatment Works another ringing session provided one hundred and twenty-five captures with warblers dominating made up of twenty-nine Common Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, singles of Sedge and Reed Warbler, two Garden Warblers, ten Blackcaps, two Willow Warblers and eighteen Chiffchaffs. Other highlights were another re-trap Bullfinch, ten Goldfinches, three Grey Wagtails (of about five/six present) and a Kingfisher.

At Stanford Reservoir today the Ferruginous Duck re-appeared and other sightings were a Common Snipe, three Common Sandpipers, a Hobby, three Raven, twenty-five Yellow Wagtails and a Cetti's Warbler.

A Caspian Gull and up to seven Yellow-legged Gulls visited Priors Hall Lake, Corby this morning and at least two Spotted Flycatchers were at Old Quarry Wood, Priors Hall.

A Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Pintail were at Titchmarsh LNR, Thrapston Pits. Clifford Hill Pits hosted a Common Snipe, a Great White Egret, a Common Sandpiper and twenty Yellow Wagtails. At Summer Leys LNR two Cattle Egrets flew towards Hardwater Mill and two Hobbies were active. Eight Grey Partridges were on the scrape.

A Marsh Harrier was at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits where also Small Red-eyed Damselflies were showing as was a Lesser Emperor.

At least ten Spotted Flycatchers were roaming between the Old Scaldwell Road and the Bird Club hide at Pitsford Reservoir, and where also a Greenshank.

A Common Redstart was along the south perimeter hedge at Cold Ashby Golf Club, and a male Common Redstart and about ten Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall with still the Spotted Flycatcher family in gardens in Hanging Houghton village. Two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided a Marsh Harrier, a Common Redstart and a Siskin.

A Hobby was over Great Oxendon.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Whitethroat.

Pied Wagtail.

Willow Warbler.

Images courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Birds of warm air and parched land

Hello

Another warm day with varying amounts of wind and some cloud made for high humidity.

At Stanford Reservoir today the bird ringers processed an astonishing four hundred and forty-five new birds, the majority of them being migrant warblers. The Ruddy Shelduck was still there and other sightings were four Common Sandpipers, a Common Snipe, a Kingfisher and seven Yellow Wagtails.

A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was noted at Sywell Country Park and birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir were four Great White Egrets, two Greenshanks, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Common Snipe, a Shelduck, two or three Spotted Flycatchers and five Yellow Wagtails.

Three Grey Wagtails and a Raven were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and a family of Spotted Flycatchers and a Raven were in Hanging Houghton village, with vocal Little Owls pre-dawn and again this evening.

A Marsh Harrier and a Barn Owl were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and two juvenile Marsh Harriers were again by shrike hedge this evening.

A Marsh Harrier and two or three Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell late this afternoon.

Ten Grey Partridges and a Raven were at Harrington Airfield today and a Kingfisher was at Harlestone Lake where both Small Red-eyed Damselfly and Willow Emerald Damselfly were on show.

Summer Leys LNR attracted a Goosander, two Hobby and a Common Sandpiper and both Clouded Yellow butterflies and Hummingbird Hawk-moths remain widespread.

Regards

Neil M

Spotted Flycatcher.

Juvenile Willow Warbler.

Meadow Brown butterfly.

All images from Pitsford Reservoir
yesterday courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Ringing at Woodford Halse

Hello

A ringing session at Woodford Halse today successfully processed one hundred and forty-two birds of fifteen species. A large proportion of those were Blue and Great Tits but highlights included an adult male Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher and just a handful of common warblers. A Cattle Egret was observed flying over and a Raven was heard calling.

At Clifford Hill Pits early morning birds were a male Common Redstart in the south-west corner of the complex plus two Common Snipe and a Common Sandpiper

A Garganey was located on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning and visible from North Hide on the Aldwincle Lake.

The Ruddy Shelduck remained at Stanford Reservoir today where there was a fly-through Greenshank, six Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers, three Ravens and two Kingfishers.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir were a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, five Great White Egrets and a Hobby.

Hollowell Reservoir attracted a Greenshank and singles of Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin. Two Greenshanks and a Common Sandpiper were at Sulby Reservoir with the adult Caspian Gull and two Green Sandpipers at Naseby Reservoir. Nearby two Common Redstarts were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby.

A family party of Spotted Flycatchers remained around The Green at Hanging Houghton and two Common Redstarts and at least eight Spotted Flycatchers were in the usual spot at Lamport Hall.

Two juvenile Marsh Harriers were together in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, next to shrike hedge this evening and there was one Marsh harrier and a Common Redstart there this morning. Two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and mid-morning at Harrington Airfield provided three Common Redstarts, two Whinchats, a Peregrine and a fresh brood of Grey Partridges.

Three Common Redstarts were still in hedgerows off the footpath running south of Old, Cherry Hill and Walgrave and there were at least twenty Clouded Yellows in the lucerne fields there. Two more Common Redstarts were still off a byway west of Glassthorpe Hill, a km north of Upper Heyford.

Regards

Neil M

Young Woodpigeon.

Kingfisher.

Adult male Grey Wagtail.

Images courtesy of Chris Payne.

A relatively quiet start to August

Hello

Another quiet day in the county and with cooling temperatures too.

Two Great White Egrets and two Ravens were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and a Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

A Garganey was still at Summer Leys LNR and waders there included a Black-tailed Godwit, three Common Snipe, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. Two Hobby, two Egyptian Geese and a Water Rail were all noted.

Clifford Hill Pits provided a Black-tailed Godwit, a Raven, a Peregrine and over twenty Yellow Wagtails.

Two Common Redstarts were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby and nearby Naseby Reservoir provided the usual adult Caspian Gull, a Ringed Plover and two Green Sandpipers.

The Ruddy Shelduck was still at Stanford Reservoir where also a Swift and over twenty-five Common Terns.

Yet another Tawny Owl lies dead alongside the A508, this time near Hanging Houghton, and is probably another victim of the current night closures on the A14 with trucks and other traffic diverted along the A508 on a regular basis.

Regards

Neil M

Puffins.

Razorbill.

Images courtesy of Robin Gossage
following a successful photographic
venture to Skomer in the summer.