Pitsford update

Hello

This morning south-bound migrants over Hanging Houghton prior to 7.30am included a Tree Pipit and a Grey Wagtail. 

A little birding in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir in warm sunshine preceded a day of ringing ride maintenance in the Walgrave Bay. Birds noted included 2 Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and the pair of Ruddy Shelduck.

This evening a check of the gull roost from the Sailing Club provided a view of a juvenile Caspian Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regards

Neil M

Southern Hawker dragonfly
courtesy of Jacob Spinks

Distant and fuzzy image of a
juvenile Caspian Gull in the
gull roost at Pitsford. It's rather
large size is accentuated due to
the particularly small
'intermedius' type Lesser
Black-backed Gull to it's left

Pitsford images...

Hello

A few images from excursions at Pitsford Reservoir during the last day or two...

Regards

Neil M

Osprey
Courtesy of Robin Gossage

Common Sandpiper
and Ruff courtesy
of Cathy Ryden

Evening shift

Hello

Some ringing operations conducted at Pitsford Reservoir on Sunday evening and this morning was sufficient to catch 68 birds, the majority at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station. Birds included 25 Tree Sparrows, 7 Pied Wagtails, 6 Dunnocks, 4 Mallard, 4 Blackcaps, 4 Robins, 3 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Sedge Warblers including a very young bird clearly hatched on-site, 2 Chaffinches, 2 Blackbirds, 2 Wrens and singles of Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Garden Warbler and Collared Dove. Moths visible in the same vicinity included Red Underwing and Copper Underwing.

The gull roost at Pitsford Res this evening was unremarkable but did contain 4 Yellow-legged Gulls. Waders flying around the Sailing Club included a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and 2 Dunlin and Cathy Ryden noted a Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Ruff and a Kingfisher in the Scaldwell Bay and all visible from the Bird Club Hide.

A Redstart remained at Blueberry Farm this evening and a family of Spotted Flycatchers was present in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Seemingly the only pair of
Mute Swans at Pitsford
Reservoir to have hatched more
than a single cygnet this year!
Productivity on site has been
poor for several years now.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Pitsford Reservoir

Red Admiral

Painted Lady butterfly

Early morning birding

Hello

An early morning start around the dam area of Pitsford Reservoir provided views of two Ospreys, a Kingfisher, a Redshank, a Greenshank, a Dunlin, two Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper and a Swift.

Harrington Airfield this morning yielded a male Redstart and a Wheatear by the first bunker, a Golden Plover, four Crossbills heading south and a covey of Grey Partridge...

Regards

Neil M

Sunday migration

Hello

An enjoyable period of ringing at Harrington Airfield today provided 71 captures made up of 25 Linnets, 9 Whitethroats, 8 Yellowhammers, 7 Willow Warblers, 6 Dunnocks, 4 Reed Buntings, 2 Chaffinches, 2 Goldfinches, 2 Blue Tits, 2 Chiffchaffs and singles of Blackbird, Robin, Wren and Lesser Whitethroat. Birds of note seen included 2 Ravens and a Hobby.

In the meantime John Woollett was at Stortons Gravel Pits and caught 37 birds which included a re-trap Grasshopper Warbler, 15 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 7 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, 3 Reed Warblers and a Chiffchaff.

This evening a mini-fall of migrants at Blueberry Farm included 3 Redstarts (one stunning male), at least 2 Whinchats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Turtle Dove and lots of Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats. In addition 8 Crossbills flew over towards Maidwell and a Barn Owl was out hunting.

Regards

Neil M

Brown Argus butterfly

Common Blue butterfly

Both the above images
were taken yesterday at
Harrington Airfield courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Vulcan photographed yesterday
by Eleanor over Blueberry Hill.
 Apparently it was en-route to
the Eastbourne Air Show.

A slower day today!

Hello

A period of bird ringing at Harrington Airfield this morning provided a modest catch of just 31 birds. Not many migrants were present and the numbers were made up of a good total of 12 Linnets, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 6 Whitethroats, 2 Chaffinches, a Reed Bunting, a Yellowhammer, a Wren, a Dunnock, a Green Woodpecker and 4 Willow Warblers. Other birds noted on-site included a Hobby or two successfully hunting Swallows, Turtle Dove and Grey Partridge. We hope for some better ringing returns tomorrow when the ringing site will again be closed to the public.

Jacob Spinks spent some time at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and north of the causeway he notched up the two Ruddy Shelduck, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers and a Ruff. He also located a migrant Redstart close to the village of Scaldwell.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Whitethroat
Harrington Airfield

Migration underway!

Hello

An experimental ringing session at Brixworth Sewer Treatment Works took place today, often in drizzly but mostly still and even humid conditions. Some eighty-five birds were caught involving very few re-traps. Highlights included 20 Pied Wagtails, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Grey Wagtails, 12 Starlings, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 5 Swallows and singles of Whitethroat, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler. However without doubt the most exciting bird to enter a mist net was a fine adult Hobby! Please see images below.

On both Saturday and Sunday this week-end there will be some further bird ringing at Harrington Airfield and access is restricted. The concrete track and footpaths remain unaffected, but the scrubbed-up airstrip and bunker areas will not be available for general access. My apologies if this affects your plans this week-end.

Eleanor visited Harrington Airfield this morning and witnessed three 'trilling' Whimbrel flying over south at 9.10am and saw singles of Grey Wagtail, Wheatear and Redstart. Whitethroats and Willow Warblers were present in good numbers and other migrants included 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Whinchats and 2+ Crossbills flying over.

A Barn Owl was present at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Hobby

Courtesy of Neil Hasdell

Pitsford weather watch

Hello

This evening I spent an hour or so scanning from the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir as the weather deteriorated. At about 6.20pm a flock of 13 Black Terns accompanied by 2 juvenile Arctic Terns arrived north of the causeway and then disappeared southwards. Some ten minutes later, 12 Black Terns reappeared and spent time flying around the reserve.

At about 7pm an Osprey arrived from the south and was still present north of the causeway at 7.30pm on a look-out for a fish...

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford waders

Hello

Eleanor came across another juvenile Marsh Harrier this morning in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. It flew towards Blueberry Farm at 8.15am...

In the meantime a small collection of waders were located near the dam at Pitsford Reservoir consisting of a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, eight Dunlin and eight Ringed Plovers. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was present too...

Regards

Neil M

Dunlin and Ringed Plover
Pitsford Reservoir

Skokholm Delight!

Hello

Chris Payne and his wife Barbara were part of the Northants Ringing Group contingent to visit the Pembrokeshire island of Skokholm recently, and elected to stay on for several more days. Please find below some of the photographic highlights captured by Chris...

Regards

Neil M

Gannets at Grassholm

Grey Seal

Puffins

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Swallows just after fledging

Storm Petrel chick

Marsh Harriers!

Hello

This afternoon I spent a short time at Summer Leys Nature Reserve and witnessed a juvenile Marsh Harrier fly east through the reserve at 4.25pm, to the consternation of loafing gulls. Other birds included a Little Egret and six adult Yellow-legged Gulls.

Today at Pitsford Reservoir, Jacob Spinks saw the two Ruddy Shelduck north of the causeway plus two Green Sandpipers and an adult Yellow-legged Gull and birds by the Sailing Club this evening included a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, at least three adult Yellow-legged Gulls, a Greenshank and a Dunlin.

Eleanor in the meantime saw another juvenile Marsh Harrier at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell heading towards Haselbech at about 7.15pm. Other birds present included a Barn Owl, a juvenile Cuckoo and two Whinchats.

Regards

Neil M

Green Sandpiper at Pitsford Reservoir.
A superb shot as taken by Jacob Spinks.

Harrington Airfield

Hello

Eleanor is just back in from a walk at Harrington Airfield this morning in breezy but sunny conditions. A pair of Grey Partridge with three young were a welcome sight as they are the first young game birds we have seen all season. Other birds of note included a juvenile Cuckoo, a singing Grasshopper Warbler and two Turtle Doves, the latter perched in the dead willows half way along the concrete track (a favoured resting area).

Regards

Neil M

Butterflies of Summer Leys

Hello

Neil Hasdell was at Summer Leys Local Nature Reserve today, and timed it right when a period of sunshine caused the butterflies to pose beautifully (please see below)...

Neil also noted a Peregrine and a possible Marsh Harrier flying westwards...

Regards

Neil M

All images courtesy

of Neil Hasdell

Pitsford update...

Hello

At about 2.30pm this afternoon a 'cream crown' Marsh Harrier was quartering fields between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir.

Birds visible from the road causeway at Pitsford this afternoon included the pair of Ruddy Shelduck, the long-staying juvenile Shelduck, a Greenshank, a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Egret and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

Regards

Neil M

Quality fishing at Pitsford!

Hello

Some ringing activity at Brixworth Sewer Treatment Works today provided some 32 birds which included 7 Pied Wagtails, 6 Grey Wagtails, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Magpies and 5 Chiffchaffs. Up to three Ravens were noted on the slope above the compound first thing.

At Pitsford Reservoir this evening, three different Ospreys were present and on view both sides of the causeway, two of them successfully catching a trout for supper! Other birds included a Raven, a Hobby, at least one adult Yellow-legged Gull and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull by the Sailing Club again.

Regards

Neil M

Ospreys
Pitsford Reservoir

Sunday ringing

Hello

A cool start to what turned out to be a warm and sunny and very enjoyable day. Ringers operating out of Stortons Gravel Pits under the leadership of John Woollett enjoyed a catch of warblers (nine Reed Warblers, six Sedge Warblers, six Blackcaps, five Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler) and resident birds, the highlight being an adult Grasshopper Warbler.

Dave Francis and Jacob Spinks were managing the Constant Effort Site nets at Pitsford Reservoir this morning, and although the catch was relatively small there was a good mixture of warblers and common birds. The highlight here was the capture and processing of a Yellow Wagtail, a species only caught in very low numbers locally. A Green Sandpiper and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were on the bund in front of the New James Fisher Hide

The Willow Warbler is a much scarcer breeding bird in Northants these days; it seems that the bulk of the population now breeds in Scotland, perhaps another example of global warming. Harrington Airfield has a small number of pairs breeding in the scrubbed up area, and these bushes also attract Willow Warblers moving through too. Five birds were caught there this morning (including a bird first ringed there in April 2015) together with a couple of Whitethroats, two Yellowhammers, a Linnet and two Green Woodpeckers in a small catch of birds. Other birds noted included a Golden Plover, a couple of Grey Partridge and a calling Raven.

Four Ravens were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and birds visible from the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included the pair of Ruddy Shelduck, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Greenshank, three Green Sandpipers and three Ringed Plovers.

Regards

Neil M

A series of images from Jacob Spinks
after his wildlife foray in Pembrokeshire.
Images depict a Kestrel, a Gannet and an
Emerald Damselfly

A county of Buzzards!

Hello

Beautiful weather today but not much time to commit to birding. Three or four Siskins were in trees near to the Brampton Heath Golf Club building at lunch-time today and a walk adjacent to Lamport Hall this afternoon provided views of at least three Spotted Flycatchers, possibly part of a family group. As in most areas of the county currently, begging juvenile Common Buzzards were trying out their flying skills and calling away. These loud and incessant calls will be with us for some weeks to come yet - deep joy!

A further bird ringing operation will commence at Harrington Airfield again tomorrow morning (Sunday) and access will be restricted to the old scrubbed up airstrip and bunker areas. The concrete track and footpaths all remain open and are unaffected. My apologies if this affects your plans for visiting Harrington.

Regards

Neil M

The top bird exhibits a very typical plumage trait of the
Common Buzzard in the UK. However, more than any other
British raptor, the Common Buzzard comes in a number
of hues and markings. The pale bird is a resident at Pitsford
Reservoir, generally to be found on the west side of the Walgrave Bay.