Portugal Day 5

Hello

A limited amount of birding yesterday afternoon around the beach area of Santo Andres was very pleasant and an attempt at ringing around the reed-beds in the evening provided only a modest catch of birds, but did include a Savi's Warbler.

This morning and an earlier start at 5am sadly didn't provide us with an opportunity of catching nocturnal birds, but the waders were good again with a gaggle of Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover and two Redshank providing us with an opportunity of examining these graceful birds. Most of the waders we are catching are juveniles hatched this year.

Nets in the scrub and reed-beds today provided us with captures of Melodious Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Nightingale, Bluethroat and Kingfisher. Probably the most common birds caught during the last week or so have been Reed and Cetti's Warblers.

With strong winds now and forecast for the next 24 hours plus rain, it is likely that the ringing activities during this trip will now be curtailed.

Regards

Neil M

Ringed Plover

Sanderling

Santo Andres

Stonechat

Melodious Warbler

Portugal Day 4

Hello

Somewhat bleary-eyed today as we recover from nocturnal ringing activities last night around the Santo Andres Lagoon. Richard and Kenny spent the first half of the night working mist-nets on the woodland edges and fringes of the reed-beds and managed to capture a gaggle of Tree Sparrows plus splendid individuals of Little Owl and Nightjar. 

Helen and I managed the wader nets overnight, sometimes in very muddy conditions. We managed to process about 35 Dunlin plus 3 Common Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover and a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper. Wild Boar could be heard in the reed-beds near to us and other constant companions included bats and lots of active fish and frogs in the shallows. The warmth in the air meant that dragonflies were still flying at night but thank-fully very few biting insects. Although there was a lull in bird activity during the early hours, the marshes don't sleep at night and we heard/saw Night Herons and Stone Curlew among more routine fare...

Regards

Neil M

Santo Andres marsh at dawn
courtesy of Helen Franklin

Portugal Day 3

Hello

Further efforts were made this morning to catch migrant waders utilising the excellent muddy margins of the Santo Andre Lagoon. We caught a small number of Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and two Green Sandpipers.

Birds from the drier nets included Little Owl, Bluethroat, Sardinian Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper and Kingfisher.

The small flocks of waders proved attractive to a juvenile Peregrine which successfully struck a flying Dunlin right next to us. The unfortunate wader tumbled in to the mud and the falcon spent some time trying to extract it's prey without landing on the very soft mud. The Peregrine still has a little to learn I think in precision flying and eventually gave up.

Other raptors on the marsh included a fine adult Osprey, a couple of Marsh Harriers, quite a number of Hobby and a pair of Black-winged Kite. Other waders included five Curlew Sandpipers with the Dunlin flock plus Sanderling, Ruff, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover, Turnstone and lots of Black-tailed Godwits and Black-winged Stilts. The calls of Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and Redshank provided  a constant stream of evocative calls.

Roving flocks of Common Waxbills, Tree Sparrows and Yellow Wagtails in the reedbeds came and went and small flocks of both Black and Little Terns graced the airspace above the shallows.

Regards

Neil M

Sanderling and Dunlin

Black Terns

Juvenile Peregrine

Portugal Day 2

Hello

At 6am this morning our small band of ringers were opening nets alongside the marsh and reed-beds and scrubby area around Santo Andre Lagoon. Our early endeavours were rewarded with a small catch of waders and then a few more individuals as the morning progressed. These included migrant Dunlin, four Ringed Plovers, a Redshank, a couple of Common Sandpipers, and a Little Stint.

The variety of passerines on-site was evidenced with captures of seven species of warbler, Nightingale, a couple of Bluethroats, Common Waxbills plus a few Wrens and tits. A Wryneck is always a treat but a real surprise was a Purple Swamphen or Purple Gallinule if your prefer!

Birds flying around us included Hobby, Black-shouldered Kite, Great White Egret, Southern Grey Shrike and a good variety of common waders and ducks. A couple of examples of the down-slurred calls of Iberian Chiffchaff could be heard emanating from the bushes and a couple of 'Chiffchaffs' caught looked good for this 'difficult to be sure' species.

Interesting insects whizzed around us, frogs leapt from the ringing rides and the guttural grunts of the Greater Flamingos echoed around the lagoon...

Regards

Neil M

Wryneck

Purple Swamphen with an image of the absolutely
massive feet and claws that this large heavy species
exhibits.

Keeled Skimmer (I think)!

Head shots of Dunlin (above) and Little Stint (below)

Portugal Day 1

Hello

Today I flew from the UK to Portugal and eventually caught up with a group of bird ringers operating south of Lisbon. This group included members of the Northants Ringing Group and I heard first-hand of some of their exploits during the last week and a half of the operation. Surprise catches included Icterine Warbler and Aquatic Warbler, more typical catch species including Bluethroat, Savi's Warbler and Nightingale.

A nature reserve is managed at Costa Santo Andre around a lagoon/small estuary. An extensive reed-bed hides many migrants, and the muddy edges prove attractive to a broad range of wading birds as well as Spoonbill, herons and Flamingos. The heathland and dry pine woods that surround this area also attract a variety of birds including resident Crested Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper, Iberian Magpie, Woodlark and raptors including Booted Eagle.

Today I only had time to join them in an evening foray for roosting Yellow Wagtails and we ended up catching thirty of them plus a handful of Tree Sparrows. Interesting birds noted included an Osprey, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Black Tern, quite a number of Little Terns and a whole host of waders. Hopefully there will be plenty to see tomorrow!

Regards

Neil M

Yet more of the same !!!

Today really has been a beautiful "Autumn" day and I have been lucky enough to spend most of it outside.
I was out and about by 07.30am and already the tractors were busy scuffling the fields with masses of Gulls following on behind.
As I headed off towards Blueberry it was obvious that birds were on the move, both along the hedgerows and flying over. On my walk round I saw 2 Redstarts, 8 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Lesser Whitethroat as well as Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Willow Warbler. There was a steady trickle of Siskins , Meadow Pipit and Skylark flying over.
After a quick coffee I headed off to Harrington Airfield . It has been quiet here of late but today there were birds everywhere! Not necessarily rare birds, but just sheer numbers and obvious migration.  Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Siskins and Hirundines were clearly on the move.  The flock of Linnets and Finches seem to have trebled overnight.  There was at least 2 Redstarts , 2 Spotted Flycatcher,  6 Whinchat , 8+ Grey Partridge and a juv Marsh Harrier around the bunkers.
Entertainment was provided by a group of 6 Ravens each one making bizarre noises and sounding like a dysfunctional orchestra !
Again because the farmers are busy scuffling and ploughing this is attracting Gulls, Starlings, Raptors including many Red Kites and Common Buzzard.  
If I had more time I would have spent more time there as I'm sure that there was the real "potential" for a goodie to fly over.
Early evening I checked the hedgerow between Walgrave and the reservoir and easily counted 5 Common Redstarts who were vocal and putting on a good display of hopping along the fence posts and shimmering their whole body and then flitting down to the ground in the sheep field and back up on the fence posts for more shimmering and tail flicking. The best access is from the footpath Bridle Road, Old which is about a 10 minute walk across 3 small fields.

Regards Eleanor

More of the same...

Hello

More of the same today as the glut of Redstarts and other migrants continue to make middle England their transitory home en-route to Africa.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning provided views of a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Wheatear and two Whinchat. Also this morning up to four Grey Wagtails were utilising Brixworth Sewage Treatment Works and Lamport Hall attracted a Raven and two Hobby. Nearby and Jacob Spinks counted 31 Yellow Wagtails flying over fields between Scaldwell and Hanging Houghton as well as 22 Siskins. A couple of fields near Brixworth and Hanging Houghton have been attracting migrant Yellow Wagtails for some weeks now, the flocks regularly approaching up to twenty birds in each...

Five Redstarts were still in situ in hedging between Walgrave and Pitsford Reservoir - two males and three females. Other birds included a Whinchat and 2-3 Spotted Flycatchers.

Large numbers of Siskins were on the move all day at all locations visited and Blueberry Farm this evening hosted a female Peregrine, a Short-eared Owl, a Redstart and 6+ Whinchats.

Regards

Neil M

Wheatear courtesy
of John Gamble

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy
of Robin Gossage

Reed Bunting

A County Tick for Me !!

Yesterday I had a "county tick" ???  ........after seeing many squashed heaps of fur on our roads I finally saw a live Polecat near Cottesbrooke !!!!!
Today's birding has been combined with dog walking and running errands.  At Harrington Airfield this morning there was a Redstart and 2 Whinchat keeping me company around the compound area whilst I picked some blackberries. It certainly seems to be a good year for blackberries as the hedgerows are laden and they are just calling out to be picked and eaten, both by the birds and ourselves.
The rough area appeared quiet until a covey of 8 Grey Partridge exploded just infront of me as I reached the first bunker.  It was whilst I was scanning from here that I saw 2 Turtle Doves and 4 Ravens.
This afternoon I checked the hedgerow between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir [ access via the footpath which runs from Bridle Road, Old] and 5 Redstarts remain, 2 rather smart males and 3 female types. They were very active flitting about on the fence posts and going down onto the grass.  These birds have been very vocal and usually I can hear them as I'm walking across the fields to the hedge, but today they were strangely silent.
But the silence was broken by the evocative calls of a couple of Whimbrel as they headed over towards the reservoir.
The farmers have had to make the most of this spell of fine weather and in the valley below us it has been all systems go for the last couple of days. There are combine harvesters and an assortment of tractors, rollers and ploughs working as far as the eye can see and this has produced an influx of Red Kites, Common Buzzard, Gulls, Corvids and Passerines as the land is worked.  Certainly my favourite time of the year.
Anyway whilst I was birding here tonight there was a Redstart, 4 Whinchat and a Tree Pipit at the southern most end of the Blueberry complex.
It was getting dark as I left and I was reminded of the "War of the Worlds" sci fi as I looked around and could see all the farm machinery lit up and could hear the constant hum of the combines as they prepared to work on into the night.

Regards  Eleanor

In memory of John

Hello

More autumnal birding again today when opportunities permitted provided some birds at Haselbech Hill in the shape of 1-2 Redstart(s), 2 Spotted Flycatchers, vocal Nuthatches and plenty of Siskins. Nearby at least two Whinchats were still present in the northern-most field at Blueberry Farm and at Lamport Hall two Redstarts were present in ancient hedging.

Siskins seemed to be calling wherever we were today, such are the numbers on the move.

A walk this afternoon around the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Grave Pits was very pleasant and followed our attendance at the memorial service for John Finlayson at the nearby church in Titchmarsh village. We thought the best way to mark John's passing was to walk around the reserve he loved. Large numbers of Chiffchaffs could be heard calling from the bushes and also good numbers of juvenile Cetti's Warblers were trying out their songs for the first time. Two Little Egrets and three Kingfishers were noted and the clumps of elders attracted Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats all intent on consuming the ripening berries.

Birds visible from the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included three juvenile Shelducks and the pair of Ruddy Shelduck and the gathering gulls included an adult Mediterranean, an adult Caspian and two adult Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regards

Neil M

All day birding

Hello

Yesterday (Saturday) saw Kenny Cramer and team commit to a ringing session at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes which provided a big catch of 74 new birds and 17 re-traps. This included the first Cetti's Warbler to be caught at this site plus 4 Reed Warblers, 8 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Treecreepers, 5 Goldcrests, a Marsh Tit and a Kingfisher.

This morning (Sunday) saw some ringing take place in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir under the leadership of Dave Francis. Fifty-three birds were caught, the highlights being 12 Blackcaps, 2 Reed Warblers, a Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Treecreepers, a Willow Tit, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Kingfishers and a Tree Pipit.

All day diurnal passage of passerines has been extremely heavy with large numbers of hirundines on the move plus wagtails, Meadow Pipits and constant numbers of Siskins.

Other birds seen or heard north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included a Great White Egret, 6 Little Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Curlew, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Nuthatch and a Whinchat. An Otter was watched swimming in from the Walgrave Bay and in to the Scaldwell Bay, displacing waterfowl as it swam through the shallows and disappeared in to the Scaldwell feeder stream with prey.

Six Redstarts remained in hedging and feeding off fence posts and barbed wire between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir, these birds being visible from a public footpath which is accessible from Bridle Road, Old. Other birds here today included at least one Whinchat, a Wheatear, two Spotted Flycatchers and 10+ Siskins.

Harrington Airfield provided some birds today with a Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Turtle Dove at the shooting wall off the concrete track, a Green Sandpiper on the muddy pool at the start of the concrete track, a Raven and two Whinchat on the old airstrip scrub.

Birds visible from the garden today at Hanging Houghton included 2+ Ravens, 15+ Siskins, a Brambling and 2+ Crossbills.

Blueberry Farm near Maidwell was again good for interesting migrants which included 3 Redstarts, 11 Whinchats, a Wheatear, a Tree Pipit, a Hobby and a Peregrine. A single flock of eleven Red Kites is easily the largest group recorded locally, these birds and up to twenty Common Buzzards seemingly taking advantage of some late harvesting and soil turning activity in the fields surrounding the long-term setaside complex.

Regards

Neil M

Kingfisher
Pitsford Reservoir

Adult Common Buzzard

Juvenile Common Buzzard

Redstart
Walgrave

Still plenty of Redstarts!

Hello

This morning a Hobby was chasing Linnets across fields at Hanging Houghton and a revisit to the hedge-line between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir was again profitable with at least seven Redstarts still present, including at least three males. A number of thrushes in the same hedge included a juvenile Ring Ouzel.

A visit to the dam area at Pitsford Reservoir this morning was busy with sailing craft but it didn't put off the pair of Ruddy Shelduck, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Greenshank.

Blueberry Farm was busy with birds today including plenty of Siskins and Swallows moving in the cool northerly breeze. Other migrants included three Redstarts, ten Whinchats and six Crossbills flew over. A Short-eared Owl was flying around the most northern field (Redgrass) and other birds included two Ravens and two Hobby.

Regards

Neil M

Redstarts near Walgrave
courtesy of Eleanor

The Puddle!

Hello

When one bird starts bathing in a puddle the others just cannot resist! I'm not sure which bird started the process off but here is a series of images from Robin depicting the activity around a compelling collection of rain water...

As ever my thanks to the photographic skills of Robin Gossage...

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Blackbird, sporting
what appears to be a tick close
to the eye

Juvenile Blue Tit

Female Bullfinch

It's a soggy Great Tit

Blue Tit also becoming soggy!

Blackcap bath-time!

Male Chaffinch - thinking about it!

Juvenile Blue Tit

Here come the finches?

Hello

Yesterday (Thursday) and Eleanor saw four Redstarts still in the hedging between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir. No sign of the Pied Fly or Spotted Flys though...

At Blueberry Farm there were four Whinchats and a Redstart in the northern-most field of the complex plus four Ravens over.

Today (Friday) and Eleanor's dog-walking duties provided an opportunity to see some local birds. However Harrington Airfield was again very quiet but Blueberry Farm provided birds at it's southern edge amounting to four Whinchats, a Redstart and six Ravens.

Siskins continue to filter through in small numbers but this afternoon a flock of fifteen flew south over Hanging Houghton as did a single vocal Brambling. It seems that the finches are moving very early this autumn, born out with a significant movement of Chaffinches last week-end. A cool air-stream from the north may be a significant influence, but with Siskins and Crossbills moving since June, is there a problem with food-stocks in Northern Europe?

Regards

Neil M

Redstarts galore!

Hello

Another day of Redstarts today, this species is becoming increasingly more common on passage each year...

An amazing flock of passage migrants in ancient hedging made up of Elder and Hawthorn between Pitsford Reservoir and Walgrave village today provided at least 10 Redstarts including six males, a Pied Flycatcher, 6+ Spotted Flycatchers and numerous Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Willow Warblers. A juvenile Marsh Harrier was quartering over the Pitsford Res Walgrave Bay (all EKMcM).

Blueberry Farm near Maidwell still held 2-3 Redstarts, 2+ Whinchats and a Wheatear today.

In contrast, Harrington Airfield seemed quiet with just a Hobby noted...

Regards

Neil M

Redstarts

Limited birding today

Common Sandpiper

Hello

A quick visit to the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this evening was sufficient to see singles of Common Sandpiper and Spotted Flycatcher and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. A Hobby was hunting Swallows at Harrington Airfield just before dusk.

Birds at the south end of Blueberry Farm today again included a Redstart, 2 Whinchats and a Wheatear...

Regards

Neil M

Spotted Flycatcher
Courtesy of Robin Gossage

Yellow-legged Gull