Scratching, taking flight and stretching!

Hello

Thankfully Storm Conall has proved to be much briefer and less-impactive locally than Storm Bert.

A Short-eared Owl was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon and later the same bird or another was at 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

A Pink-footed Goose was with a Greylag flock at Pitsford Reservoir today and visible from the causeway and a female Blackcap was again in a Mawsley garden.

A Great White Egret was on the River Ise flood plane near Wicksteed Park and a Barn Owl was noted at Newton Bromswold this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Pintail enjoying a scratch.

Drake Mallard taking to the air.

...and a wing-stretching Common Snipe.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

A day of November variety

Hello

A day of calm and cool temperatures provided some good local sightings.

At Stanford Reservoir there were two Red-crested Pochards, a Goosander, a Kingfisher and two Redpolls.

A Caspian Gull was seen at Daventry Country Park this morning and up to three Hawfinches were still in Cottesbrooke village this morning with four at Blatherwycke Lake later in the morning.

A Great Northern Diver was again at Clifford Hill Pits this morning but seemed to fly off at about 7.45am. Subsequently a Great Northern Diver was found at Pitsford Reservoir in the Pintail Bay and other birds on-site included two Goosanders, a pair of Stonechats, a Chiffchaff, two Redpolls, several Siskins and this afternoon a Barn Owl was hunting below the dam.

A Stonechat and a Kingfisher were at Upton Country Park today and three Egyptian Geese and a drake Pintail were in the Welland Valley below Cottingham. Three Pintail were noted at a flooded Titchmarsh LNR at Thrapston Pits.

Two Ravens were over Mawsley this morning and this afternoon there were two fresh-in Short-eared Owls near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell with a Barn Owl and two Green Sandpipers in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

An interesting Redpoll at Westhay Wood with a Lesser Redpoll appeared to be a Mealy Redpoll and a Brambling was seen there too.

Regards

Neil M

Tufted Duck.

Goosander.

Jay courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Kingfisher courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

After the storm...

Hello

With a huge volume of water being deposited in to the county over the week-end following the gales and constant rain we are not back to normal yet!

A Great Northern Diver was located on the main basin at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and a Pink-footed Goose was found with Greylags at Wicksteed Park, Kettering also this morning. The Glossy Ibis was seen again at a very flooded Summer Leys LNR.

An adult Caspian Gull and two Stonechats were at Hollowell Reservoir, a female Blackcap was in a Mawsley garden and at Harrington Airfield there were at least twenty-six Skylarks, thirty Golden Plovers and nine Grey Partridges.

A pair of Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning plus four Bramblings and two Green Sandpipers. The field behind Christies Copse at Pitsford Reservoir continues to attract a flock of about a hundred finches which today included about sixty Greenfinches and a single Brambling.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite.

Robin courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Reed Bunting courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Gull
in afternoon sunshine.

Storm Bert

Hello

In the absence of any bird or wildlife activity due to the gales and heavy rainfall of Storm Bert over the week-end, a few images kindly forwarded by Dave Jackson...

Regards

Neil M

Grey Heron

Carrion Crow.

Red Fox.

Absent birds

Hello

Still pretty hard work out there finding not very much at all!

A Rock Pipit calling and flying over Daventry first thing was a good record courtesy of Ian.

The female Red-crested Pochard was still present at Kislingbury Country Park as were two Ravens, a Stonechat and a Goosander.

The Glossy Ibis, not reported for a few days, was still present at Summer Leys LNR as were two Great White Egrets, a Marsh Harrier, at least two Common Snipe and a Stonechat.

A flock of about three hundred Fieldfares were between Bulwick and Southwick.

The Hawfinches at Cottesbrooke haven't been seen for a couple of days and efforts at Blatherwycke, Deene and Southwick today also failed to connect with these big finches. Sadly it has been some weeks now since any Tree Sparrows have been seen at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station at Pitsford Reservoir - hopefully they will return but we always knew this day would come when almost the last of the Tree Sparrows disappeared.

Regards

Neil M

A Chiffchaff and a Stonechat
taking note of the notice and 
not straying into the training
area (adjacent to Pitsford
 Reservoir)!

Raven.

Female Red-crested Pochard.

Both images above courtesy
 of Tony Stanford.

Lesser Black-backed Gull
 in afternoon sunshine.

Quiet and cold

Hello

A quiet and cold day in the county today with few reports of birds on the move.

The dam area at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon continued to host a pair of Stonechats, a Redshank and a Grey Wagtail with two Grey Wagtails in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

A small field at the back of Christies Copse at Pitsford Reservoir appears to be a bird food crop with plenty of spent sunflowers. Yesterday the Greenfinch flock there had grown to at least sixty birds with smaller numbers of Chaffinches, Goldfinches and Linnets. Marsh Tits from the reserve were exploiting the seeds on offer in the field with short flights in and out from neighbouring hedges.

Back to today and a Grey Wagtail was in Hanging Houghton village and birds at Harrington Airfield this afternoon amounted to a pair of Stonechats and fifteen Golden Plovers with small flocks of Skylark, Yellowhammer and Starling feeding in the top fields.

A pair of Stonechats and two Ravens were at Upton Country Park today.

Regards

Neil M

Carrion Crow courtesy
of John Tilly.

Stonechats today at Upton
Country Park courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

A morning garden ringing
session began with a Tawny Owl!

Birds of a cold, sunny day

Hello

Another cold day but with some smashing sunshine too!

Seven Pink-footed Geese headed east over Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included twenty Golden Plovers in flight, two coveys of Grey Partridge with groups of ten and five and a Barn Owl.

In the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this evening there were two Barn Owls, two Grey Wagtails and a vocal Water Rail.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there was a Woodcock at Christies Copse and at the dam area this afternoon there was a Redshank, a Grey Wagtail, three Stonechats and two Chiffchaffs.

Five Hawfinches were again around the churchyard at Blatherwycke today, a Marsh Harrier was a Summer Leys LNR, a Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh Hall and a Woodcock was at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh estate.

At Stanford Reservoir today there were two Red-crested Pochard, a Mediterranean Gull, an adult Caspian Gull and a Redshank.

At Summer Leys LNR today birds included at least three Great White Egrets, three Pintail and five Common Snipe. Four Goosanders were at Rushden Lakes.

Regards

Neil M

Goosander courtesy
of John Tilly.

Blue Tit.

Chaffinch.

Pintail.

Above three images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

November snow

Hello

A cold day with overnight rain and snow was probably a bit of a shock for people and wildlife alike!

At Stanford Reservoir there were two Red-crested Pochards and a first year Mediterranean Gull present and birds at Pitsford Reservoir amounted to a drake Red-crested Pochard between the causeway and Gorse Bushes, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, two Bramblings, about forty Goldeneye and a Grey Wagtail.

A Bittern showed from North Hide on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this afternoon and at least seven Cattle Egrets were in a field just north-east of Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits at lunchtime. Also in the Nene Valley a female Bearded Tit showed in the reedbed behind the open-backed hide at Stanwick Pits this morning.

A Great White Egret was at Upton Country Park this afternoon and a female Blackcap was briefly on apples in a Duston garden for the second day.

Over at Boddington Reservoir the gull roost contained a Kittiwake and an adult Caspian Gull and in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today there were two Green Sandpipers and a Barn Owl on show this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret.

Kestrel.

Female Red-crested Pochard.

Above three images
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Yellow-legged Gull.

Little Egret.

Kittiwakes

Hello

This morning the most notable reports in the county relate to Hawfinches with one at Cottesbrooke near the church and five birds were seen in flight in the vicinity of Blatherwycke church.

A female Red-crested Pochard and a Stonechat were at Kislingbury Pits and a Cattle Egret was at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows.

This afternoon and gulls in the roost at Stanford Reservoir included two Mediterranean Gulls, a Caspian Gull and a first year Kittiwake, and other birds at the reservoir amounted to two Red-crested Pochards and a Great White Egret.

At Pitsford Reservoir a first year Kittiwake was flying around the dam mid afternoon and subsequently an adult was found on the water which was also joined by a first year which was probably a third bird. With dusk approaching five Kittiwakes were picked up circling over the dam and as they began to gain height two more birds joined them and they all flew off south. A minimum of seven birds were involved. Other birds included an adult Yellow-legged Gull, two Ravens and a Grey Wagtail.

Also this afternoon a Short-eared Owl was seen at Bunkers One and Two at Harrington Airfield and a Woodcock was also seen.

Regards

Neil M

Great Black-backed Gull.

First year Common Gull.

First year Kittiwakes
at Pitsford Reservoir
this afternoon.

For Julie

Hello

A week-end of ringing began yesterday (Saturday) with Kenny and a rather small team being completely immersed in ringing throughout the day at Linford Lakes. One hundred and eighteen birds of twenty-two species kept them stretched on a day when they couldn't connect with the winter thrushes but found just about everything else! Interesting birds included a Barn Owl, two Kingfishers, a Water Rail, a Jay, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Mute Swan, no less than eleven Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, seven Goldfinches, a Lesser Redpoll, a Goldcrest and two Treecreepers. Other things noted included two Great White Egrets and a Great Crested Newt.

Today (Sunday) and a very special ringing session took place at Stortons Pits on the outskirts of Northampton. Earlier this year we lost a very good friend and ringing colleague - Julie Donohoe - a bubbly, caring and lovely person who we all miss enormously. Julie's ringing career began at Stortons initially under the tutelage of John Woollett but she also regularly attended other sessions managed by Northants Ringing Group members. In addition to the ringing today, Julie's husband Ken and daughter Clare and son Andrew came along to see why Julie had been getting up at stupid o' clock for years! After seeing the ringers in action and even seeing and releasing a re-trap bird that Julie had originally ringed it was time to plant a nurtured two year oak tree from an acorn collected from The Mere at Holcot. Ken duly dug the little tree in and poignant, emotive words were spoken and we recounted marvellous times with such a special person to all of us.

Oh yes and the birds didn't disappoint with captures of two Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warblers, three Redwings, several Reed Buntings and a Grey Wagtail amongst more regular fare. Other birds on-site included a second Grey Wagtail, singles of Siskin and Redpoll, several Water Rails and more Cetti's Warblers and about two thousand Starlings flying out from their roost in the reeds.

Interesting birds seen around the county included up to five Hawfinches in Cottesbrooke village, two or three Bramblings and a Raven in Hanging Houghton village, a Siskin in Scotland Wood (Kelmarsh) and two Ravens near Haselbech.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Mediterranean Gull and a Caspian Gull in the gull roost, a drake Pintail, a female Red-crested Pochard, two Kingfishers, two Water Rails and eighteen Redpolls.

A Marsh Harrier, three Great White Egrets and a possible Jack Snipe were noted from the Paul Britten hide at Summer Leys LNR.

Regards

Neil M

Members of the Northants
Ringing Group at Stortons
Pits today with Ken, Andrew
and Clare, courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Julie's oak with Ken,
Andrew and Clare, courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Jay courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Male Lesser Redpoll
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Barn Owl courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Great Crested Newt
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Finches and Pinkfeet

Hello

A day of more passage which included a movement of finches and more Pink-footed Geese.

Stanford Reservoir hosted two Caspian Gulls in the roost this evening and during the day other birds included about twenty Lesser Redpolls, a Water Rail, three Red-crested Pochard and two Kingfishers.

The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits proved to be a good site today with eighteen Pink-footed Geese heading east there this morning, one or two Bittern(s) with birds over the Aldwincle Lake and later one on the Heronry Lake in the afternoon, at least six Great White Egrets, a Water Rail, a Shelduck, two Kingfishers, a pair of Stonechats, three Cetti's Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and hundreds of roosting Starlings.

About fifteen Bramblings were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton first thing with a Grey Wagtail in the village, four Ravens at Harrington Airfield and one at Pitsford Reservoir.

A single Pink-footed Goose was at Deene Lake this morning before flying off, and Blatherwycke hosted the female Scaup and four Red-crested Pochards on the lake and later a Hawfinch was seen adjacent to the lake from the west side of the churchyard.

Up to two Hawfinches were seen in Cottesbrooke village this afternoon, an adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Sywell Country Park this afternoon and the Earls Barton complex included a Jack Snipe visible from the Paul Britten hide on the Summer Leys LNR. The New Workings between Earls Barton and Whiston provided a Marsh Harrier, two Shelducks and a late Common Sandpiper.

More garden ringing by Chris Payne at Greens Norton provided about thirty-five Goldfinches, a male Siskin and Starlings amongst over fifty birds processed in just a couple of hours.

Regards

Neil M

The skulking Cetti's Warbler.

Male Siskin courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Starling courtesy
of Chris Payne.

More Hawfinches

Hello

A colder day of late, not unseasonal but we have become used to the mild temperatures this month!

Hawfinches continue to be seen in the county with more sites being found as these big finches exploit mature trees and particularly yew trees. One bird was seen a couple of times at Cottesbrooke village today, one or two were in the churchyard at Blatherwycke and five at Southwick Hall were viewed from the churchyard. Two were seen yesterday at St Peter's churchyard at Oundle and it seems that Northamptonshire is as good as anywhere for tracking down these big-billed nomads.

Birding at Stanford Reservoir today yielded a Stonechat, a Great White Egret, a Cetti's Warbler, a Water Rail and a Barn Owl. Four Stonechats were at Sywell Country Park this afternoon.

A female Scaup was at Blatherwycke Lake today and yesterday a Bittern and four Whooper Swans were seen on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits where there was also a Starling murmuration.

At Hollowell Reservoir today there was a Stonechat, three Common Snipe and a Water Rail all on the north side of Guilsborough Bay. Birds visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon included an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Redshank, a Grey Wagtail and a pre-roost gathering of about five hundred Starlings.

Three Ravens, five Grey Partridges and a Kingfisher were all seen in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Either an extraordinarily pale
Lesser Black-backed Gull or
potentially a LBb x Herring Gull hybrid.

Skylark - not regularly
caught locally in mist nets.