Spring's nearly here...honest!

Hello

Some wintry showers today and a strong cold wind. Eleanor witnessed a Common Buzzard plucking a just-taken Moorhen in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning, an event which I think takes place on an occasional basis at Pitsford Reservoir judging from the several piles of feathers on the grassy tracks recently.

A pair of Stonechat were still present in the Small/Large Redgrass field at Blueberry Farm at lunch-time.

At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon, a Green Sandpiper was on the muddy pools below the dam and an adult Mediterranean Gull was in the gull roost off the yacht club (not quite in full summer plumage). At least one Oystercatcher was heard calling as was a redpoll sp, and the regular Grey Wagtail was still present.

Regards

Neil M

North county birding

Hello

This morning there was a Barn Owl and two Ravens in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A visit to Blatherwycke Churchyard this morning provided good views of plenty of common birds but alas no Hawfinches. Blatherwycke Lake hosted four Mandarin Ducks, a Black Swan, two Chinese Geese, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail and three Oystercatchers.

Nearby Deene Lake held fifteen Shelduck and a variety of common wildfowl plus a Grey Wagtail.

All day the Common Buzzards and Red Kites were up and about in the bright and breezy conditions as we toured some birding locations in the north of the county.

We spent some time looking for the Great Grey Shrike near Deenethorpe but drew a blank in very windy conditions. A male Brambling was consorting with a flock of Chaffinches and Yellowhammers around nearby barns and a small plantation.

Scanning from a couple of areas included from the roadside near Lyveden New Bield provided distant views of a small herd of Fallow Deer and a number of single Brown Hares were presumably preparing themselves for a hectic month?

Fermyn Woods Country Park was quiet and short term visits to Fineshade and Wakerley Woods provided few species of note. A walk around the disused Harringworth Airfield provided views of a Snipe and a Woodcock. Areas of the Welland Valley were flooded and two Oystercatchers were present in the valley below Cottingham. We finished the day looking over a rough area off Wire Lane, East Carlton village where one or two Barn Owl(s) were hunting.

Nothing scarce or rare seen today but it was good to notch up over 80 species in a different area of the county.

Regards

Neil M

Fallow Deer

Red Kite

Barn Owl

An old friend...

Hello

Despite the drizzle and light rain, I decided to try one of my favourite short walks which I haven't completed in ages. So this morning I took a circular walk around Harlestone village and Harlestone Lake which resulted in good numbers of common birds, many of them in full song. Grey Wagtail and Little Owl were perhaps the pick of the species and sadly I didn't detect a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, this venue used to be a traditional site for this diminutive and now very rare woodpecker. The habitat hasn't seemingly changed much over the years but the status of the bird has.

Eleanor was over at Staverton near Daventry this afternoon and noted a pair of very noisy Raven, clearly intent on breeding in tall conifers there.

It was a warm welcome to an old friend today when male Blue Tit X669693 turned up in a mist net in our garden today. He was first ringed as a juvenile in July 2010, caught again in August of that year and re-trapped again in 2011 but not recorded since...  During that time his wing-length had increased by two millimeters and today he was in excellent condition. Blue Tits don't live very long and their work-rate when feeding young is phenomenal to the point that they must be absolutely shattered when they finally let their fledged young wander off on their own. This bird has also endured the two cold, hard winters of 2010/2011 and 2011/12 and no doubt dodged countless attacks from predators. How far has he wandered in that time and what other life experiences can we guess at?

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford update...

Hello

The three White-fronted Geese were still present at Pitsford Reservoir this morning, just north of the causeway in waterside vegetation towards the Scaldwell Bay.

The wintering female Stonechat has managed to attract a passing male so now a pair again can be found by the water's edge anywhere between the Bird Club Hide and the causeway.

Moderate numbers of passerines remain attracted to the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station, perhaps the main attraction being the Tree Sparrows and bright Yellowhammers.

A pair of Grey Partridge were again noted at Hanging Houghton today.

Regards

Neil M

It's not just birds
that are attracted to
the feeding station seed!
Muntjac Deer continue
to habitually pop out
to feed at two of the
Pitsford feeding stations.

Images courtesy of
Neil Hasdell

Garden birding

Hello

Little to report today I'm afraid. Visiting and replenishing the local feed stations in the rain wasn't that much fun this morning, although I managed to avoid most of the really heavy stuff! Still the locals were pleased to see me with Robins singing at me and by my feet at all five locations and a Marsh Tit almost perched on my shoulder he was so impatient to get on to the feeder!

The garden was busy with birds with an impressive eight Lesser Redpolls first thing and six Reed Buntings together in the afternoon. I drew another blank at the gull roost at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon - this roost now has very few large gulls visiting and even the usual wintering adult Med Gull seems to be absent.

Ah well some more garden birding then with a coffee to sup!

Regards

Neil M

Interesting Ringing Recoveries

Hello

Chris Payne completed some bird ringing at his busy Bradden site this morning which provided 74 captures including 6 Chaffinches, 4 Robins, 2 Reed Buntings, a control Blue Tit (a bird ringed from elsewhere) and a fine female Sparrowhawk which no doubt produced a little rush of adrenalin!

Chris went on to erect and fix nest boxes at sites in South Northants in preparation of the forth-coming breeding season.

Eleanor spent some time in the NN6 district of the county but was only able to locate birds which have been in situ for much of the winter, namely two Ravens in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a Barn Owl and two pairs of Stonechat at Blueberry Farm.

In recent days we have received details of recovered ringed birds associated with the county as follows...

1. LE85055 refers to a Starling ringed at Astcote near Towcester on 7th March 2014 and then re-captured by a ringer operating at Six House Bank, Lincolnshire on 29th December 2014, some 297 days later and 89KM in a north-east direction. Presumably very much a nomadic bird and possibly a wintering bird from the continent;

2. J614475 refers to a Great Tit ringed at Pillerton Hersey, Warwickshire on 10th November 2010 and re-captured by ringers operating in Glyn Davies Wood, Northants on 17th December 2014. This female originally hatched in 2010 so is a good age for this species and a distance of 17KM between sites is a reasonable distance too;

3. 1ET23138 refers to a Chaffinch first ringed on 26th August 2012 in Sweden at a place called Inre Fjarden near Gavleborg. It was re-captured at Stortons Gravel Pits on 17th February 2013, some 1452KM from it's ringing site. A clear example of a Scandanavian finch wintering in the warmer climes of the UK;

4. LE85059 refers to a Blackbird first caught and ringed at Stortons GP on 16th March 2014 and then found dead near Shustoke, Warwickshire on 18th January 2015, some 59KM in a westnorthwest direction;

5. LE50561 refers to a Blackbird caught and ringed in our garden at Hanging Houghton on 29th January 2013 and then being found dead on 2nd January this year at Cottingham in the East Riding of Yorkshire north of Hull. Again probably a wintering bird from the continent;

6. 7512659 refers to a Blackbird first ringed on 18th March 2014 at Bardshaugen, Skei, Surnadal, More og Romsdal, Norway and then re-captured by ringers operating at Pitsford Reservoir on 10th November 2014;

7. XP98752 refers to a Great Spotted Woodpecker first ringed on 12th May 2014 in Wormley Wood, Hertfordshire which also had colour rings attached to both legs. Robert Cave saw and photographed this bird visiting garden feeders in Crick, Northants in November 2014. British birds are thought to be sedentary but this female re-located 99KM to rural Northamptonshire - who knows what stimulated her to do this!

Neil Hasdell visited Market Harborough today in an effort to see the Otters on the River Welland but couldn't find them (there was quite a bit of disturbance).

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant
Courtesy of Robin Gossage

Female Sparrowhawk
Courtesy of Chris Payne

Pitsford Smew

Hello

A visit to Pitsford Reservoir this morning in pleasant sunshine provided views of between 3-5 Smew north of the causeway. Initially there was a drake and two 'redheads' near to the Lagoon Hide and later there was a single 'redhead' and then a single drake in the back of the Holcot Bay. A Nuthatch is holding territory near to the Fishing Lodge and in the Holcot Bay, the first time I think this has ever happened on the reserve.

Blueberry Farm near Maidwell continued to host two pairs of Stonechat and a Barn Owl this afternoon.

Yesterday, Robin and Wendy Gossage espied a Reeve's Pheasant on the roadside at Holdenby village. We are not sure if this is an escapee or a deliberate local release.

Regards

Neil M

Tree Sparrow at
Pitsford Reservoir
Courtesy of Lynne Barnett

Displaying Great
Crested Grebes
Courtesy of Robin Gossage

Coot running on water!
Courtesy of Robin Gossage

Ringing before the rain...

Hello

John Finlayson was at Summer Leys Nature Reserve at Earls Barton GP this morning and saw a couple of striking-looking Cormorants in nuptial plumage. He obtained an excellent photo of one (please see below)...

John Woollett and ringing team were at Stortons Gravel Pits today and managed a meaningful session before the wind curtailed mist-netting activities. Seventeen Reed Buntings caught included eleven new birds and a re-trap bird first ringed in 2010. Two Smew were also noted on-site.

At Kelmarsh Hall today an ongoing ringing project on the estate provided 110 captures, half of which were new birds. Eleven species were caught which included Great Spotted Woodpecker (4), a Nuthatch, Goldfinch (17), Chaffinch (4) and plenty of common tits. Other birds noted at this location included singles of Raven and Siskin.

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant
Courtesy of John Finlayson

Birds of the breeze and winter sun

Hello

A breezy, cool but often sunny day in the NN6 district of Northants today, and just the odd winter shower thrown in for good measure!

A Raven was cruising about over Kelmarsh village at lunch-time and a flock of about 65 Golden Plovers were flying around over wet fields adjacent to Scotland Wood this afternoon. A male Peregrine caused a little consternation among the local corvids and pigeons as it cruised over the garden here at Hanging Houghton this afternoon and the Common Buzzards have been riding the air currents and calling loudly.

The bright sunny conditions seemed to initiate some overhead movement with flocks of Starlings, winter thrushes and Goldfinches passing in good numbers and the garden here continues to attract at least three Lesser Redpolls plus the usual fare.

Regards

Neil M

Ruddy Duck no longer...

Hello

On Wednesday the DEFRA-paid personnel returned to Pitsford Reservoir and apparently eradicated the very last male Ruddy Duck on-site. A sad end to an era which might mean we don't see this charismatic species locally in the wild again.

Today at Pitsford Res the three White-fronted Geese were just north of the causeway in waterside vegetation towards the Old Scaldwell Road and a flock of about 65 Golden Plovers were present on the top fields at Harrington Airfield.

Our garden continues to attract interesting birds and today a couple of Lesser Redpoll were on the feeders which also attracted two Nuthatches and a Marsh Tit whilst food sprinkled on the ground brought in a couple of Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer. This is the critical time to provide food for our seed-dependent species and when gardens come in to their own.

At Blueberry Farm this afternoon Eleanor notched up two Woodcock, two pairs of Stonechat and a Barn Owl.

Regards

Neil M

Long-tailed Tit from
the ringing session at
Scotland Wood on
Wednesday.
Courtesy of Helen Franklin

Fineshade Wood post victory

Hello

It’s been brilliant to hear from so many of you this morning - as you can imagine there’s been quite a buzz!

I promised more details of yesterday’s meeting but I really can’t do better than direct you to Mark Avery’s account  which is here:  http://markavery.info/2015/02/19/perfectly-fineshade-8/#comment

We know this battle has been won because we’ve been able to all pull together, both those of us who live here and the many, many folks who visit Fineshade and value it for what it is.  We all deserve a bit of a celebration!

But what’s next? Will Forest Holidays appeal? Will they come back with another application in a different part of the wood? There are two bits of information that make us wonder today...

1) A black executive car accompanied by a Forestry Commission vehicle was deep in the wood this morning.

2) Forest Holidays have appealed against Eric Pickles' decision refusing their development in Delamere Forest in Cheshire. They don’t like losing.

So there may be more battles to fight ahead of us and, while enjoying this moment, we need to think ahead.

Here’s some things we're thinking we might do on both those counts. What do you think of these ideas?

•  The next fine weekend we could have a guided walk round the wood. Who knows we may be able to find some souvenirs to take home!

•  Have a get together/party of some kind at Top Lodge - for supporters and as many of the local FC folks as would like to come.

•  Form a group (Friends of Fineshade Wood?) using this email list as a basis . If the worst happens, we can be a bit better prepared next time.

Do please let us know what you think of these ideas - but once again….. 

                    …… thank you!

Barrie and Trish Galpin

County Bird Ringing

Hello

During the afternoon of Tuesday (yesterday) and this morning, some ringing was undertaken at the feed station at Pitsford Reservoir and produced a modest total of 27 birds, 13 of which were new. New birds included a Moorhen, a Starling, four Reed Buntings and a Tree Sparrow.

Chris Payne was active down at Bradden again this morning and quickly caught 44 birds which included a bright male Sparrowhawk (please see below), Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Chaffinch and common tits.

A small group of ringers used just two mist nets at Scotland Wood (Kelmarsh Estate) today to catch 129 birds, 81 of which were new. Species caught and assessed included 39 Blue Tits, 32 Great Tits, 15 Coal Tits, 10 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Marsh Tits, 2 Willow Tits, a Treecreeper, 2 Nuthatches, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Goldcrest, 5 Dunnocks, 5 Blackbirds and 14 Chaffinches. Birds of note on-site included a couple of fly-through Siskins and a redpoll sp with a Raven nearby.

Regards

Neil M

Male Sparrowhawk at Bradden
Courtesy of Chris Payne

Fineshade - Decision

WE WON!   -  Because of your support Fineshade will remain part of the PUBLIC forest estate

More details to follow.

Barrie and Trish Galpin

In summary, councillors met this evening and rejected the application for the development of Fineshade Wood. There will however be an appeal...

Neil M

Fineshade - the deliberation and the decision

Hello 

Just one more day to go.  

1)  There’s a bit of a media storm. This is what we’re aware of:

Radio Northampton, live interview (Trish) tomorrow morning 07:40.

ITV Anglia are coming for an interview and to film in the woods tomorrow morning. The Wildlife Trust are also being interviewed.

BBC say they will be at the meeting tomorrow night.

An article on the Guardian website now and published in the paper tomorrow. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2015/feb/17/privatisation-uk-woodlands-happening-by-backdoor

Also Mark Avery’s blog http://markavery.info/blog/

Please send comments to Mark’s blog and also the Guardian. Tweet widely etc, etc.

There are now 147 objections on the East Northants website.

Paul Hackett's 38-degrees petition is shooting up as I write. 2362 signatures now.

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/forest-privatisation-by-the-back-door?bucket=&source=twitter-share-button

2) Tomorrow’s meeting

But let’s keep our eye on the ball: - 

what counts is how councillors vote tomorrow night

and how strong their reasons are to make it hard for FH to appeal.

Nothing else really matters much.

Here’s the details...

Meeting starts at 7pm in the council chamber in Thrapston. It’s here...  http://www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/location

There is a public gallery which holds 50 with a large overflow room with video link. 

Public entrance to the gallery is via a door from the carpark - councillors enter by another door.

While we want councillors to be aware of the depth of feeling, we don’t want them to be threatened at all. Good humoured encouragement to vote the right way will be fine. We hope that many of them will be supporting us. There will be a supply of A4-sized placards available from about 6pm if you’re a banner waver or last minute lobbier. (e.g. "The Gruffalo says NO to hot tubs in his forest”!). We hope there will be representatives of the press there who may want to hear your views.

Once the meeting starts another local planning application will be dealt with first. We are told that this is also contentious and we may not be allowed onto the public gallery at first if space is needed for supporters of the other application. When that’s been heard we’ll be able to take their places on the gallery.

During the meeting it really is important that we keep a dignified silence. It really won’t help antagonising the councillors or the Chair.

There will be 3-minute presentations by:

David Williamson, Head of Recreation at the Forestry Commission (last time he was supported on the gallery by two planning guys from Forest Holidays)

Shenagh Hackett, speaking on behalf of our Parish Council

Barrie Galpin, speaking on behalf of protesters.

And then there will be a discussion.

And then there will be a decision.

And after that it will be hard to maintain the dignified silence!

And after that, we’ll be stopping off at the Queen’s Head in Bulwick on the way home.

Barrie and Trish Galpin

Stortons Ringing

Hello

John Woollett and team were active at Stortons Gravel Pits yesterday (Sunday) and managed to catch 63 birds for research and monitoring purposes. Twenty-seven of these birds were new birds to be ringed. Ten of these were Reed Buntings and eight further individuals of this species were re-trapped making this the most common species processed.

Reed Buntings, like all British buntings, remain a species of concern and although their status is not too alarming it is another species of farmland and marginal habitat that is continuing to decline. Movements of these birds within the county during the last two winters has been interesting with several birds pitching up at a variety of feeding stations showing their ability and need to seek out fresh feeding opportunities.

A Lesser Redpoll was feeding in birches near to the feed station at Stortons. This species has only been present in the county in low numbers so far this winter but might there may be a small influx of birds starting to occur...?

Today (Monday) and our garden at Hanging Houghton attracted at least three Lesser Redpolls, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Nuthatch, a Marsh Tit and a Reed Bunting.

Regards

Neil M