Birding before the big soak!

Hello

I spent much of the day in the west of the county in the Daventry area, with a brief look at Ravensthorpe Reservoir on the way through. Three hours at Borough Hill Country Park and there was no sign of the Wryneck or many other passage migrants. I went over to Lilbourne Meadows and the A5 pools between the reserve and the edge of the DIRFT complex and saw the Temminck's Stint at range. It was being bullied by the Common Sandpipers on the A5 pools but had a quieter time of it on the reserve flooded meadows. Other birds there included two Dunlin, a Little Ringed Plover and a Shelduck and a Caspian Gull was noted there earlier.

I also visited Drayton Reservoir, Daventry Country Park, Kentle Wood and Badby Wood without bumping into anything much out of the ordinary (a few Redpolls and Ravens in Badby Woods).

An immature Cattle Egret at Pitsford Reservoir today was a nice surprise, spending much of its time in the sloping grass field between the Old Scalwell Road and the causeway but also venturing in the sheep field on the other side of the causeway and the meadow between the causeway and Maytrees Hide.

A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the small oak copse along the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton and fresh birds in at Harrington Airfield were a pair of Common Redstarts, a male Whinchat, a male Wheatear, a Cuckoo and a Hobby.

Thrapston Pits provided views of an adult Little Gull on Town Lake, four Hobbies, a Great White Egret, a Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, three Cuckoos (one female), two Kingfishers and a singing Nightingale.

Summer Leys LNR continued to be attractive for a Ruff, two Black-tailed Godwits, two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Dunlin, at least ten Hobbies and a Grass Snake was on show near to Pioneer Hide.

Clifford Hill Pits today corralled eight Whimbrel, two Dunlin, two Hobbies, two White Wagtails and a Wheatear and an Osprey was seen over the A45 between Earls Barton and Ecton with another at Hollowell Reservoir. A Black Tern was noted at Stanford Reservoir today.

A ringing session at Stortons Pits this morning processed two Wrens, two Chiffchaffs, four Sedge Warblers, three Reed Warblers, two Garden Warblers, three Blackcaps and a Blackbird. However the main prize was a Cuckoo (see pics below)!

Regards

Neil M

The Bluebells of
Badby Wood.

The Cuckoo at Stortons
Pits this morning, courtesy
of Chris Payne.

More good waders

Hello

Lively northerly winds switching from the east to the west and rain didn't provide huge numbers of new migrants but there were at least three hundred Swallows at Pitsford Reservoir today plus plenty of House and Sand Martins and a few Swifts. A single Greenshank dropped in this morning and began feeding just south of the Bird Club hide in the Scaldwell Bay.

The best new find today was down to the sharp eyes of Gary Pullan in locating a Temminck's Stint on pools off the A5 near Lilbourne. The bird was seen during the day moving between the original pools and a nearby wet meadow off Hillmorton Lane and birders did well to hang on to this dimunitive wader! Other waders there included Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover and Dunlin.

At Clifford Hill Pits today a Turnstone turned up on the main Nene Barrage and there were still seven Whimbrel there and two Dunlin.

Both Spotted Redshanks were at Summer Leys LNR today with the Greenshank on nearby Hardwater Lake. Efforts at locating the Dotterel at Piddington this morning drew a blank and there was no news either way as to whether the Wryneck was still present at Borough Hill CP.

With the mainstay of summer migrants in now we await the remainder and hopefully a couple of overshooting migrants from the south or vagrants from further east!

Regards

Neil M

Temminck's Stint courtesy
 of Robin Gossage
(not the Lilbourne bird).

Spotted Redshank at
Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Wryneck in the frame.

Hello

I spent the day on the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir today conducting a Naturetrek Day Tour. It was rather cool and with showers and hail and even some thunder at times which meant that insects were at a minimum! Mischa had some moths for us to examine comprised of Powdered Quaker, Hebrew Character, Muslin Moth and the aptly named Brindled Beauty. During the periods of sunshine we managed to find butterflies in the forms of Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Peacock and Speckled Wood and other insects included Dark-edged Bee-fly and Ashy Mining-Bee. Plenty of newly-arrived Garden Warblers were on-site with a couple of them showing and we enjoyed good views of Marsh Tit, Willow Warbler and Goldcrests.

Muntjacs showed regularly including a very young fawn just in front of us and the best of the birds were two Little Egrets, three or four Great White Egrets, the pair of Oystercatchers, four Common Sandpipers and plenty of Swallows, martins and a few Swifts.

The Borough Hill Wryneck showed well at times today as reflected in the images kindly provided; other birds there included a Tree Pipit and two Whinchats and a Wheatear.

Clifford Hill Pits and particularly the Nene Barrage basin provided seven Whimbrel today plus three Dunlin, two Common Sandpipers, two Hobbies and a Wheatear. Summer Leys LNR was still seeing some action in the form of a Sandwich Tern, both Spotted Redshanks, a Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Dunlin, two Hobbies, a Cuckoo and a White Wagtail with a Greenshank and a Dunlin on nearby Hardwater Lake.

Welford Reservoir provided for three Common Sandpipers and a White Wagtail and Hollowell Reservoir first thing had a Duinlin and an over-flying Osprey. Another Dunlin was seen in flooded fields near the A605 near Lower Barnwell Lock and the two Dotterel were still in a bean field near Piddington. A Whinchat was a good find in a field at Kingsthorpe off Studland Road between the allotments and Spencer Football Club and a Wheatear was in a sheep field at Oundle at the east end of the Deenethorpe Road. Three Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin and a family of Oystercatchers were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR. A Whimbrel was seen at Stanford Reservoir early this morning.

John Hunt was delighted to see a returning Swift to his nestbox at Spratton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Images courtesy of
Ken Prouse.

Image courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Image courtesy of
Nathan Jones.

All images of the Borough Hill
Country Park Wryneck.

Still more waders and terns

Hello

A very windy day with sporadic showers didn't feel very May-like and still cool too!

Thrapston Pits today provided viewings of a Sanderling, three Dunlin, a Whimbrel, two Common Sandpipers and a Cuckoo. The weather ensured there were plenty of hirundines and Swifts over the water there and probably all significant waters in the county.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted forty-two Dunlin, six Whimbrel and an Arctic Tern and the haul at Summer Leys included two Spotted Redshanks now, a Ruff, twenty-two Dunlin, four Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, two Ringed Plovers, a Garganey and a photogenic Hobby. In the evening one hundred and fifty plus Common Terns were joined by about twenty Arctic Terns.

Stanwick Pits also enjoyed the Dunlin/Arctic Tern fest with twenty five Arctic Terns and at least twenty-three Dunlin

Hollowell Reservoir still had two Whimbrel today and Pitsford Reservoir hosted two Arctic Terns, two Little Egrets and a Great White Egret and birds at Boddington Reservoir included a successfully hunting Barn Owl, a Cuckoo and four Arctic Terns. Two Wheatears were in a bean field near Maidwell this morning and two Arctic Terns were seen briefly at Stanford Reservoir.

The two Dotterel were apparently seen again south-west of Piddington and the Wryneck sometimes showed well at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry and no doubt the appropriate pictures will be in circulation soon!

Regards

Neil M

Swallow courtesy
of Nathan Jones.

Black-tailed Godwit at
Summer Leys LNR today
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Hobby at Summer Leys LNR
today courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Here comes the rain!

Hello

With such a dry and cold spring, we welcome the rain if not the gusty winds!

The Wryneck at Borough Hill Country Park at Daventry continued to delight visitors today and it showed well at times. The two Dotterel, which appear to be a male and female, were still in a bean field south west of Piddington today, albeit that they had changed fields this afternoon. A Wheatear was there too and nine Fieldfares flew over.

Sadly yesterday's Black-necked Grebes at Ravensthorpe Reservoir had moved on overnight and although not the rarest birds seen in the county this spring for me they are probably my favourite. Swimming and diving at point blank range with one of the birds depicting stunning colours with the other two not far behind made them real show-stoppers.

A Common Sandpiper was on the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir and there was a Spotted Flycatcher at Kelmarsh Hall but it was down to the Nene Valley to produce something different today with a Sanderling at Clifford Hill Pits which also hosted six Whimbrel, five Common Sandpipers, seven Dunlin and four Ringed Plovers.

On the Summer Leys LNR a drake Garganey, seven Dunlin and a Ruff put in an appearance this morning and birds at Thrapston Pits included three Cuckoos, a Great White Egret, a Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher with seven Hobbies reported early morning.

Regards

Neil M

Marsh Marigolds on the
lake at Kelmarsh Hall.

Whimbrel courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

A Wryneck , two Dotterel still and those Black-necked Grebes!

Hello

The excellent spring in the county continues - it's not every day where it is possible to spin around the county and savour two Dotterel, three summer plumage Black-necked Grebes and a Wryneck!

The two Dotterel were still present near Piddington today in a bean field and were on show all day. Three Wheatears were also near there.

Stuart found three stunning Black-necked Grebes at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and visible from the causeway, often showing very closely. Three drake Mandarin Ducks were also present.

Eleanor in the meantime bumped into a Wryneck in a south sloping field at Borough Hill Country Park and after spending a period out of view the bird began to show intermittently into the evening and then for a lengthy period before dusk. A male Common Redstart showed there briefly.

Summer Leys LNR provided a drake Garganey, a Ruff, the Spotted Redshank, a Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers and five Hobbies.

The three Whimbrel were still at Hollowell Reservoir as was the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year. A Wheatear was near Deenethorpe and Clifford Hill Pits provided five Whimbrels and an Oystercatcher.

Cuckoos were noted today at Stortons Pits, Wakerley Wood and the Titchmarsh Reserve. A Siskin was on feeders at Nether Heyford and nine Fieldfares flew north at Hanging Houghton this evening. A Hobby and a Common Sandpiper were at Fawsley Park today, three Common Sandpipers were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows and a Barn Owl was seen again at the Titchmarsh Reserve.

Regards

Neil M

Black-necked Grebes at
Ravensthorpe Reservoir today.

Dotterel and more summer visitors

Hello

A couple of local ringing operations took place today and at Linford Lakes the star bird was definitely a Cuckoo that was first caught in May 2017 when it was at least two years old (so it will be at least six years old this summer). The longevity record for Cuckoo is not much older than this so hopefully he will make it through another British summer and African winter to perhaps break a few records next year!

Warblers dominated proceedings with fourteen Reed Warblers representing quite a new arrival of birds. Included within these birds was an individual with a ring from elsewhere and a re-trap bird that was ringed as an adult on-site in 2016 making it at least six years old. Four Blackcaps, two Sedge Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and two Song Thrushes were very welcome too and free-flying birds included a Hobby.

At the same time some ringing was undertaken at Harrington Airfield where fifty-eight birds of seventeen species were handled and included a female Common Redstart, eight Willow Warblers (with three re-traps from previous years), a returning Garden Warbler from last year, five Blackcaps, two Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat (one of at least three on-site). Two new Song Thrushes were encountered too and small numbers of finches included Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Linnet. Other birds noted included two Ravens, two Grey Partridges and six fly-through Redpolls.

A super find today was of two Dotterel found in a field just south west of Piddington and they were much-admired by a procession of observers today. Bonus birds also there included ten Wheatears and a male Whinchat.

Birds reported at Summer Leys LNR today included two Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Ruff, the now long-staying Spotted Redshank, three Hobbies and two drake Garganey with Earls Barton new workings producing a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a White Wagtail with a Cuckoo at Mary's Lake.

Debbie and Eric's visit to Titchmarsh Reserve provided a succession of views of a daylight-hunting Barn Owl ending with a successful catch of a vole. Three Nightingales was a great development and other birds included a Cuckoo, Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper and two Kingfishers.

Boddington Reservoir provided a Wheatear, a Common Sandpiper and a Grasshopper Warbler and a Whinchat was a good find at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this morning. A Ring Ouzel was observed yesterday evening in the Pury End area and today there were three Wheatears on the summit plateau at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry.

Regards

Neil M

Cuckoo courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Garden Warbler courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Female Common Redstart
courtesy of Lewis Aaron.

Common Whitethroat courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Screaming Swift Tower

Hello

A further morning was spent at Kelmarsh Hall completing the installation of the Swift nesting tower, the product of our very own Chris Payne! All the research suggests we will have to be very patient before any anticipated take up but we have at least set it up and will be playing screaming Swifts sounds to encourage passing birds! A wander along the lake this time didn't produce any scarce migrants (Pied Flycatcher last Friday).

About twenty-five Fieldfares were hanging on at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell today and birds at Harrington Airfield this afternoon included a female Wheatear and two wheezing male Bramblings hidden in the bushes. A period of ringing will be undertaken there tomorrow which will mean restricted access to the bunkers and old airstrips but the concrete track and official footpaths remain open.

A slower day of visible migration today, with most of the gulls, Meadow Pipits and 'alba' wagtails and winter thrushes and finches having passed through by now, but still Yellow Wagtails, warblers, Hobbies and terns and waders continuing to push on into the blocking northerlies.

Single Ospreys were seen passing over Sixfields and Far Cotton today and Stortons Pits attracted a Barn Owl, two Hobbies and a Cuckoo. Summer Leys LNR hosted a drake Garganey, three Ruff and a Dunlin first thing and later the Spotted Redshank and a Mediterranean Gull were found to also be present. There were three Hobbies there by early afternoon.

Clifford Hill Pits today provided sightings of an Arctic Tern, a Whimbrel, a possible Blue-headed Wagtail and two Common Sandpipers and Titchmarsh LNR fielded a Greenshank, two Great White Egrets and four Common Sandpipers.

There were four Great White Egrets north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today and Hollowell reservoir continued to be favoured by the three long-staying Whimbrel.

A Whinchat was near Lilbourne by the A5 layby next to the DIRFT3 pools plus a Whimbrel and a Green Sandpiper with a Hobby over Braunston.

Regards

Neil M

The Kelmarsh Hall Swift Tower.

Skylark courtesy of
Nathan Jones.

Mistle Thrush courtesy 
of Nathan Jones.

Lapwings courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford Day Tour

Hello

The reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir was the venue for another Naturetrek Day Tour which we started with a flurry of birds around the Fishing Lodge and Mischa's moth trap provided six species - Powdered Quaker, Hebrew Character, Pale Pinion, Clouded Drab, Swallow Prominent and Early Thorn.

Singing Reed Warblers remained hidden in the phragmites but Blackcaps were a little more showy and the few Garden Warblers present declined to show themselves. Goldcrests and a singing Marsh Tit were happy to strut their stuff but two calling Kingfishers remained hidden in the depths of tangled Crack Willows. A Tawny Mining Bee didn't seem to like the cool temperatures as we progressed around the Holcot Bay and tried to decipher the calls of common tits and listened to the variations of Blackcap song. A couple of migrant 'buzzy' Sedge Warblers were sub-songing and we glimpsed the first of several Muntjacs.

The Walgrave Bay provided three Great White Egrets, a Little Egret and views of the Grey Heron and Cormorant colonies. Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins were joined by nomadic flocks of cything Swifts. A spell of warm sunshine procured activity from Ashy Mining Bees and a Speckled Wood and two/three Orange-Tip butterflies with brief views of a Bank Vole and soaring Common Buzzards.

Waders on-site included two Oystercatchers, two Snipe, a Lapwing and a Common Sandpiper plus six Yellow Wagtails and small numbers of Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and Tree Sparrows coming to the main feeding station. Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls hawking low over the water attracted a first summer Little Gull.

A Wheatear was on top of Blueberry Hill this morning with about fifty Fieldfares around the paddocks at Blueberry Farm and this afternoon there were still three Bramblings at Harrington Airfield plus a Hobby and a couple of Swifts.

An Arctic Tern passage through Stanwick Pits this morning saw four flocks moving in a north-easterly direction totaling seventy-four birds. A Pink-footed Goose was grazing in a field next to the pits.

Birds at Summer Leys LNR included a drake Garganey, three Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Ringed Plover, four Common Sandpipers and an Arctic Tern.

The Titchmarsh LNR also saw fourteen Arctic Terns flying through and other birds included a Cuckoo, a Greenshank, three Redshanks, two Common Sandpipers and three Kingfishers with three Hobbies over Town Lake.

There were two Black Swans at Clifford Hill Pits plus a Wheatear and a Lesser Whitethroat and the Oystercatchers at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows have hatched young which is great news.

Regards

Neil M

A monitored Blue Tit
nest with the female now
brooding, image courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Ivy-leaved Toadflax
courtesy of Lynne Barnett.

A showy Grasshopper Warbler
courtesy of David Smith.

Abington Park Pied Flycatcher

 Hello

A series of images from David Smith of the first year male Pied Flycatcher at Abington Park today...

Regards

Neil M

Wood Warblers, Pied Flycatcher and terns

Hello

In a spring perhaps dominated by waders, terns and Little Gulls, it was great to turn our attention to two quality passerines in the shape of a Wood Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher which were both found in Abington Park, Northampton today. The Wood Warbler showed well this morning and then seemed to melt away and the Pied Flycatcher continued to show well following it's discovery at about 1.50pm. At least three noisy Ring-necked Parakeets were present too.

A Nightingale was discovered singing at Old Sulehay today and a Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling' at Nassington. The east end of the county proved profitable with Thrapston Pits being the location for a pair of Common Scoters on Town Lake and an arrival of migrating terns in the shape of three Blacks and at least forty plus Arctics. A male Ring Ouzel was seen near the River Nene in a field also near Thrapston, and the Titchmarsh Reserve also attracted a Great White Egret, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, at least one Whimbrel and a Blue-headed Wagtail.

Summer Leys also experienced a passage of Common and Arctic Terns and hirundines and the Blue-headed Wagtail was still present too. Waders included two Ruff, the Spotted Redshank, three Common Sandpipers, two Ringed Plovers and four Dunlin. A Grasshopper Warbler in the car park remained elusive. A Wood Warbler was heard singing at the back of Mary's Lake, Earls Barton Pits this morning but soon went quiet. Eleven Arctic Terns flew through Stanwick Pits just before 7am this morning.

Clifford Hill Pits attracted about twelve Arctic Terns, nine Dunlin, a Greenshank and a Hobby this afternoon and an evening birdwatch at Boddington Reservoir produced a Black Tern and about one hundred and thirty terns arrived from the south comprising about two thirds Common and one third Arctic. A 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler was there too.

The three Whimbrel remained at Hollowell Reservoir - it is very unusual for spring birds to linger for so long. An Osprey showed well there today and two Hobbies were at Cold Ashby Golf Course early this afternoon.

A Brambling was still singing at Harrington Airfield this evening and there were three pairs of Grey Partridge on territory and a good number of Brown Hares cavorting about. A ringing session is planned for this venue on Saturday when access to the bunkers and old airstrips will be restricted.

Regards

Neil M

The Abington Park
Wood Warbler courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

The same Wood Warbler
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

The Abington Park Pied
Flycatcher courtesy of
Neil Hasdell.

The same Pied Flycatcher
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Bar-tailed Godwits at Pitsford 
Reservoir two days ago courtesy
of Dave Jackson.