Wandering juvenile Great White Egret and Marsh Harriers.

Hello

Possibly the warmest day so far of the current heatwave and possibly a little respite tomorrow with some hoped-for cloud cover but it is likely to be humid.

All action at Stanford Reservoir with three Marsh Harriers present this morning, two of which exhibit wing tags which confirms them as juveniles and ringed as nestlings near Welney in Cambridgeshire and Breydon Water, Norfolk this summer. A Peregrine and a Common Sandpiper were also present and the ringers ringed a staggering 429 new birds today!

At Hollowell Reservoir the Little Stint was still present plus five Ringed Plovers, four Common Sandpipers and a Greenshank.

At Pitsford Reservoir the Wood Sandpiper was still in the Scaldwell Bay, sometimes visible from the Bird Club hide and other times on the bund and viewable from the James Fisher Hide. Other birds included four Green Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover and three Great White Egrets.

At Summer Leys LNR the Bittern again showed on the main scrape, generally from the double-decker hide. A colour-ringed Great White Egret was also present and Kim managed to find out that it is a bird ringed this year as a nestling at Ham Wall, Somerset where a number of pairs breed. Other birds included a Peregrine, a Hobby, a Ruff, three Common Sandpipers and four Ringed Plovers.

Three Whinchats were at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton with two Wheatears this morning and this evening just the Whinchats appeared to be present.

Meadow Pipits, Yellow Wagtails and Siskins were mostly audible as they passed over Harrington Airfield in blue skies this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Little Stint.

Marsh Harrier courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Great White Egret courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

The Blackcaps keep coming!

Hello

A couple of Northants Ringing Group sessions were undertaken today which helps to underline the sheer number of Blackcaps on the move at the moment. The ringers at Stanford Reservoir have shown in the past that it is possible to catch and ring two hundred of these birds in a day, such are the concentrations of this successful migrant warbler. These days it is more of a short and medium distance migrant and during passage eats plenty of berries to supplement it's insect diet. They are now capable of eating a variety of wild bird food put out for birds in general in gardens and despite being ruthlessly persecuted in the Mediterranean region it is a species that seems to be doing well.

Chris Payne and small team were ringing at a private site near Greens Norton today and in one morning caught and ringed 144 Blackcaps out of an excellent total of 161 birds. A Kingfisher is always an undoubted highlight!

Some more ringing in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning wasn't quite so spectacular but ninety birds were processed which included thirty-two Blackcaps. One of these birds was carrying a ring from elsewhere so hopefully we will find out soon where from! Other warblers caught and ringed included eight Chiffchaffs and singles of Sedge Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat, and a Treecreeper is always great to admire in the hand.

Birds on-site at Pitsford Reservoir today included the Wood Sandpiper still in the Scaldwell Bay (just to the left of the Bird Club hide), a Greenshank, four Great White Egrets, two Pintail, two Ravens, a Kingfisher and several Siskins bouncing overhead. Several Badgers were seen early this morning as well as the usual Brown Hares and Muntjac.

An interesting list of birds for Summer Leys LNR today included the Bittern again plus two Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, two Great White Egrets and seven Little Egrets with a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper and a Common Snipe at Clifford Hill Pits.

Seven Black Terns were at Eyebrook Reservoir early this afternoon and the birds seen at Stanford Reservoir included still two Marsh Harriers, eleven Pintail, two Hobbies, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and two Common Snipe.

The Little Stint was still at Hollowell Reservoir today where the supporting cast were one or two Greenshank(s), a Common Sandpiper, two Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, three Whinchats and Siskin. An adult Caspian Gull was at neighbouring Ravensthorpe Reservoir early this afternoon.

A Corn Bunting, a Common Redstart, three Whinchats and a Wheatear were around Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon with eight Spotted Flycatchers and two Common Redstarts at Lamport Hall.

Regards

Neil M

Kingfisher courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Blackcaps courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Heatwave birding

Hello

For most of us the heatwave continues and will do over the week-end.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included two Marsh Harriers again, one of which exhibited a red wing tag. Waders included three Ringed Plovers and two Golden Plovers flying through with two Common Sandpipers on the deck. At least three Whinchats and a Spotted Flycatcher were present and over two hundred new birds were ringed.

A Little Stint was a good bird for Hollowell Reservoir and two Whinchats remained at the feeder stream end of the reservoir. A second calendar year Mediterranean Gull was off the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir early this afternoon. Pitsford's contribution was a Common Sandpiper and three Grey Wagtails on the dam and a male Common Redstart in field hedging in the Scaldwell Bay, two Pintails, two Great White Egrets and a Yellow-legged Gull all north of the causeway.

Birds at Summer Leys LNR today included a Ruff, six Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin and two Common Sandpipers and two Cattle Egret were discovered on Titchmarsh LNR, Thrapston Pits this evening.

Migrant passerines included about six Spotted Flycatchers at Lamport Hall, at least two Spotted Flycatchers at Kelmarsh Hall and still two Whinchats by Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A pair of Mute Swans at Kelmarsh Hall have an extraordinary brood size of eleven  three-quarter size cygnets.

An adult Caspian Gull was present at Daventry Country Park today.

Another ringing session is planned for Harrington Airfield this coming Sunday when there will be restricted access around the bunkers and old airstrip. Anyone wishing to come along to observe proceedings are requested to make prior contact.

Regards

Neil M

Southern Hawker.

Marsh Tit.

Coal Tit.

Brown Hare leveret.

All above images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wildlife of Pitsford

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included four Yellow-legged Gulls at the dam with three Common Sandpipers there too. This afternoon a Wood Sandpiper was found feeding close to reeds in front of the Bird Club hide in the Scaldwell Bay and four Great White Egrets were north of the causeway. Also this afternoon three Otters were seen twice in the Holcot Bay.

Stanford Reservoir hosted an eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard today, a Common Sandpiper, a Wheatear and two Spotted Flycatchers. Two hundred and forty-eight new birds were ringed there today which included one hundred and ninety-five Blackcaps!

Hollowell Reservoir provided for two Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper, a Pink-footed Goose, thirteen Yellow Wagtails and two Whinchats.

Summer Leys LNR yielded a Great White Egret, four Little Egrets, two Snipe, five Ringed Plovers, a Ruff, a Dunlin, three Common Sandpipers and a Black-tailed Godwit. A Clouded Yellow butterfly is the first local record for a while. A Ruff and four Snipe and two Wheatears were at Clifford Hill Pits.

At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning there were still two Common Redstarts with two Wheatears nearby and two Whinchats and a Wheatear at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Diurnal migrants on the move included Yellow and Grey Wagtails and Meadow Pipits with an unseasonal singing Sedge Warbler, two Grey Wagtails and a Little Egret at the brook there.

About twenty Spotted Flycatchers and a Whinchat were at Lamport Hall this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile and adult
Yellow-legged Gulls.

Wood Sandpiper.

Brown Hare leveret.

Otters.

All images from Pitsford Reservoir
today, the Brown Hare and Otters 
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Birds of a hot September day

Hello

Another very warm day but with more of a breeze made it very pleasant.

A Bittern seen on the main scrape at Summer Leys at about 6pm this evening was probably bird of the day. Other birds included a juvenile Shelduck, three Ringed Plovers and three Common Sandpipers.

Clifford Hill Pits attracted three Wheatears and a Whinchat with a Common Redstart nearby opposite the hotel on Hardingstone Lake and two Spotted Flycatchers at Delapre Park - all this morning.

Just two Common Redstarts were on show at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning but Harrington Airfield was busier with four Common Redstarts, thirty plus Blackcaps, twenty plus Common Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, two Spotted Flycatchers, a Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier. Lamport Hall continued to attract Spotted Flycatchers which numbered at least twenty birds and also two Common Redstarts.

Honey Hill, Cold Ashby was good for at least two Common Redstarts, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Wheatear, six Ravens and migrant Meadow Pipits.

Hollowell Reservoir hosted two Whinchats, a Wheatear, the Pink-footed Goose, two Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover and two Spotted Flycatchers.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Shelduck at
Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Common Buzzard
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Kestrel courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Male Siskin caught and ringed
in the county today, image courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Three Barn Owl chicks ringed
in the county this evening.

Indian Summer?

Hello

Few bird sightings on a very warm day for the time of the year, with a similar pattern of warm sunshine predicted for the next six days or so.

At Hollowell Reservoir today an adult Caspian Gull was on show plus a Ringed Plover, two Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper, a Hobby and a Whinchat with Willow Emerald Damselfly being a notable record for this location. Two Ravens were at the dam end of Pitsford Reservoir this morning and a single Wheatear was seen at Clifford Hill Pits. Two Grey Partridges were near Old village.

Blueberry Farm still played host to three Common Redstarts this morning with a single Whinchat near Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

This afternoon and the footpath between Bridle Road, Old and Pitsford Reservoir provided views of two Common Redstarts and a single Whinchat with two Common Redstarts and a Wheatear at Harrington Airfield.

An excursion to Honey Hill, Cold Ashby was good for six Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart and this evening the hoped-for gathering of migrants at Lamport Hall didn't come to much with a single Common Redstart, about six Spotted Flycatchers and two Ravens.

Quite a number of Yellow Wagtails were on the move for most of the day and a few high-flying Siskins were noted at three locations. Very small unidentified blue butterflies were seen poorly in Scaldwell village and Harrington Airfield today - much too small for Common or Holly Blues. They remained unidentified and it is understood that Small Blue butterflies may have been released relatively locally.

Regards

Neil M

Kite-tailed Robber Fly courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Rufous Grasshopper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Nursery-web Spider courtesy
of John Tilly.

Meadow Grasshopper courtesy
of John Tilly.

Turnstone courtesy of
John Tilly.

Ruff courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Fall of Blackcaps

Hello

Efforts were made today to catch and ring migrant birds at Harrington Airfield this morning and the session appeared to have coincided with a fall of warblers on-site. Two single Common Redstarts were present but declined to visit the mist nets! Diurnal migrants appeared to be restricted to one or two Siskin(s), several Yellow Wagtails and several Swallows. Nocturnal migrants roosting in the bushes included over two hundred Blackcaps with one hundred and eighty-five being caught and ringed. Other warblers ringed included five Garden Warblers, twenty-eight Common Whitethroats, seven Lesser Whitethroats, four Reed Warblers, a Willow Warbler and nine Chiffchaffs.

Stanford Reservoir attracted two Marsh Harriers this morning plus a Water Rail, five juvenile Shelduck, a Common Sandpiper, a Cetti's Warbler, six Yellow Wagtails and twelve Meadow Pipits.

At Summer Leys LNR today there was a juvenile Osprey, a Ruff, three Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, four Great White Egrets and a juvenile Shelduck with a Yellow-legged Gull and two Common Sandpipers at Thrapston Pits. A Wheatear was at Clifford Hill Pits.

Hollowell Reservoir hosted four Greenshanks, seven Common Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover and a Great White Egret. At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell there were three Common Redstarts and a Tree Pipit and a Wheatear with two Whinchats and a Common Redstart in the Shrike Hedge area in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Three Common Redstarts and at least fifteen Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall as viewed from the footpath on the south side of the parkland this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Garden Warbler courtesy of
Chris Payne.

Kingfisher courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Dunlin courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Migrant activity in September

Hello

Some earnest ringing down at Linford Lakes on the outskirts of Milton Keynes provided seventy-eight captures of sixteen species with the Blackcap easily being the most common bird caught (twenty-five). Other warblers included sixteen Chiffchaffs, six Reed Warblers, three Common Whitethroats and a single each of Garden Warbler and Cetti's Warbler. A young Jay and a young Green Woodpecker were the star birds of the day although a variety of large insects found themselves in the nets including the large and once rare Clifden Nonpareill or Blue Underwing moth. The next door land owner shooting Woodpigeons with the shot raining down wasn't impressive on all counts! Other wildlife included Red Fox, Grass Snakes, a pipistrelle bat in the net, Common Newt, lots of Migrant Hawkers and a rather late Brown Hawker. Grey and Yellow Wagtails and a single Meadow Pipit were high-flying migrants over and at least one Raven was vocal.

Over at Stanford Reservoir the ringers were hard at it with 275 new birds processed today and birds seen included a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Common Sandpiper and twenty-five Ravens.

At Pitsford Reservoir birds included two Great White Egrets north of the causeway, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Kingfisher by the Kingfisher Screen. At Hollowell Reservoir the Wood Sandpiper was still present plus three Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and five Common Sandpipers.

A Dunlin was on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits, four Great White Egrets were at Summer Leys LNR plus a Ruff, four Little Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin, a Hobby and an episode of formation fishing of up to twenty Cormorants. Two Spotted Flycatchers were at nearby Mary's Lake. Two Whinchats were again seen at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield tomorrow will mean restricted access to the bunkers and old airstrip but the concrete track and official footpaths are unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Black-tailed Godwit
courtesy of John Tilly.

Greenshank courtesy of
John Tilly.

Clifden Nonpareil moth
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Jay courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Sunset at Linford Lakes
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Black-necked Grebe, Merlin and Wood Sandpiper

Hello

A day with very little wind and warm if rather grey and drizzly in some parts of the county today.

A Black-necked Grebe (moulting adult) was off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this evening and was coming nice and close until two paddleboards and a canoe went directly for it and frightened it off down the reservoir - so no photo! Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls and three or four Common Sandpipers were also present and to the north of the causeway a Green Sandpiper and a Hobby were noted.

A Merlin in Old Quarry Lane, Hartwell this morning was a true sign of autumn as the youngsters disperse from the breeding areas to the north and follow their prey south.

A Wood Sandpiper arrived at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon and an Osprey was again seen there too.

Birds at Clifford Hill Pits included a Common Redstart, a Whinchat and two Wheatears and a Turnstone was reported at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon. The mobile female Ruddy Shelduck was at Crick today.

A Hobby and two Ravens were at Lamport Hall at lunchtime with ten of a flock of twelve Common Buzzards moving south. The two Whinchats and a Common Redstart were at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and Blueberry Farm supported three Common Redstarts, five Spotted Flycatchers and two Whinchats. Two Spotted Flycatchers were on the nature reserve at Woodford Halse this afternoon and a Common Redstart was calling from bushes at Harrington Airfield near Bunker Three.

Regards

Neil M

This Grey Heron was fishing
in the shallows at Pitsford Reservoir
today in thick algae-laden water. This 
spot is only 200m from the wild water
swimming area - rather them than me!

Bathing Meadow Pipit
courtesy of John Tilly.

Brimstone butterfly courtesy
of John Tilly.

Chats and more warblers

More ringing efforts at Stanford Reservoir today yielded 209 new birds processed with yet another Common Redstart included (57 ringed there this autumn). Other birds noted on-site included a Marsh Harrier, twenty-five Ravens, a Hobby, a Common Sandpiper, a Siskin and three Swifts.

A ringing effort at Stortons Pits this morning provided eighty-six captures on the north side of the complex with warblers making up the bulk - forty-one Blackcaps, three Common Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, seven Reed Warblers, eleven Chiffchaffs and four Cetti's Warblers.

Some ringing around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir provided eighty captures which included eighteen Blackcaps, two Garden Warblers, nine Common Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, eleven Reed Warblers, seventeen Sedge Warblers, a Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff. Other birds on-site north of the causeway were four Great White Egrets and at least ten Little Egrets leaving The Point roost at dawn, two or three Green Sandpipers, at least one Raven, a Kingfisher or two, a Whinchat and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

During the course of August ninety-four each of Reed and Sedge Warblers have been caught and ringed at Pitsford Reservoir all from a few mist nets south of Maytrees Hide - the Meadow Sweet, Mint and glyceria vegetative belt at the water's edge proving a haven for these migrant warblers.

Birds visible from the dam this evening included a first year Mediterranean Gull (moulting from juvenile plumage to first winter), two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, three Common Sandpipers, a Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail.

A Common Redstart and fifteen plus Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall this evening, two Whinchats spent the day near to Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and birds at nearby Blueberry Farm amounted to three Common Redstarts, two Spotted Flycatchers, two Whinchats and a Wheatear.

In the Nene Valley there was a Wheatear and three Common Sandpipers at Clifford Hill Pits and two Ruff and a Ringed Plover plus the Wasp Spider still at Summer Leys LNR. A Wood Sandpiper was found at Daventry Country Park today.

Regards

Neil M

Tree Sparrow courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Great White Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wasp Spider courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Chris Payne.

This oddly-marked Reed Warbler
was caught and ringed at Stortons 
Pits today, courtesy of Chris Payne.

The ringing team at Stortons
Pits today!