Scilly Gulls and friends

Hello

Yesterday (Wednesday) saw me on a boat in the Atlantic to the north of the Scilly Isles in search of ocean-going birds and other creatures. Following the strong westerly winds the night before, the swell was big and took a long time to calm down to an acceptable level for a landlubber like me!

Nevertheless I used my camera where I could, albeit that most of the shots showed the subject disappearing in to a deep trough or behind a wave! We wound our way past St Martins and the Eastern Isles after leaving Hugh Town on St Mary's and saw a summer plumage Great Northern Diver and Mediterranean Gull on the way. On hitting the ocean proper, it wasn't long before some pods of Common Dolphins found us and arced towards us in order to play alongside the boat. The attendant Gannets came over for a look but lost interest when they saw that the dolphins were playing as opposed to feeding.

Further out and apart from big gulls it was quiet for birds. Occasional Bonxies careered past and Storm Petrel, Manx Shearwater, Fulmar and Guillemot were all espied in small numbers. A small skua flew through but the boat occupants were divided in their identification and a single Sooty Shearwater showed late-on. We were fortunate to again connect with a particularly huge Basking Shark, some Harbour Porpoises and another Minke Whale. Some line fishing off the boat provided close-up views of fish such as Pollack and Baleen Wrasse.

Back on St Mary's and I caught up with Black Redstart and better views of the summer plumage Red-throated Diver which has been present for about three days. In the meantime Eleanor had birded St Mary's and seen Lapland Bunting, Yellow-browed Warbler, another Black Redstart, the usual Firecrests and Pectoral Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

Great Black-backed Gulls

Herring Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Gannets

Mediterranean Gull (right)

Sooty Shearwater

Common Dolphin

Rock Pipit

Red-throated Diver

Scillies update - Tuesday

Hello

Birds here on the Scillies haven't changed much during the last couple of days, despite a change in the weather and wind direction. Still this provides us with an opportunity of studying some of these stayers and residents with some photographic opportunities too...

Regards

Neil M

Collared Dove in Wych Elm

Goldcrest... also in Wych Elm

Gannet off the Daymark
St Martin's

Red-throated Pipit. A record
 shot of probably our best find of
the trip to date...

Lapland Buntings
St Mary's airfield

Greenshank
Lower Moors, St Mary's

Common Snipe
Porthellick, St Mary's
'If I tip-toe just over this bit
of mud I'm sure no-one will see me!'

Male Firecrest
 caught and ringed
St Mary's

Next Northants Bird Cub meeting

Hello

This is a reminder to members and an invitation to non-members to come along to the next Northants Bird Club Indoor Meeting on Wednesday 7th October at 7.30pm. Our speaker will be Jeff Blincow who will be presenting on two different short subjects, North American Grouse and Snow Leopards. Jeff is an extremely well-travelled and authoritative naturalist and is an avid photographer so these presentations will be a treat.

As usual the venue will be the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Reservoir which is found just outside Holcot village on the Brixworth Road (post code NN6 9SJ). Coffee and tea and biscuits will be available and on this occasion will be available between the two presentations and at the end. 

We look forward to your attendance!

Neil M

Scillies update

Hello

On Friday (2nd Oct) we visited St Martins on the Isles of Scilly and spent the day trying to find interesting migrant birds, as well as taking in the sights of this probably our favourite island. During the morning we located three Yellow-browed Warblers and there were reasonable numbers of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and a scattering of other passerine migrants. The evening was spent checking the headland of Peninnis on St Marys, all this on a day of fabulous sunshine and blue skies.

Saturday morning (3rd Oct) saw us padding around St Mary's, yielding another Yellow-browed Warbler, common warblers and hirundines, White Wagtails, the three common chats and common waders and a Merlin. In the afternoon we took a three hour boat trip in search of dolphins on the flat sea off St Mary's and St Agnes. This proved to be very successful with a good view of a Minke Whale, a Basking Shark, Harbour Porpoises and Common Dolphins. Pelagic birds included Razorbill, Guillemot, Fulmar, Gannet, five Grey Phalaropes and two settled Storm Petrels.

Sunday (today) and a dramatic turn in the weather brought grey conditions and then rain this afternoon. However not before we located a Red-throated Pipit on the airfield with a supporting cast of a large flock of Meadow Pipits, three Lapland Buntings and their nemesis, a hunting Merlin. Other birds included Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Red-throated Diver.

Regards

Neil M

Herring Gull

Minke Whale

Guillemot

Grey Phalaropes

Common Dolphin

Gannet

Autumnal Pitsford

A stroll along the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res yesterday afternoon was glorious in the autumn sunshine. 
Autumn is my favourite season at Pitsford: the berry laden trees and bushes, late hunting dragonflys, wonderful odours and colours plus of course the large number of waterfowl all combine to make a visit special.
The two Great White Egrets were still present, one in the Walgrave Bay and one on the bank between the Walgrave and Holcot Bays.
I couldn't find any Pintail Today, there have been up to 4 recently in the Scaldwell bay. Only two Red-crested Pochard were on view, the pale drake with a duck present for the first time this autumn as far as I am aware. The group of 4 eclipse drakes were not in evidence.
A pleasant, but not entirely unexpected surprise was a solitary male Stonechat near to Paul's bench. It wasn't sporting a ring, so not a bird captured by Neil M last winter.
The Yellow-legged Gull was still in attendance as well as the immature Shelduck.
On the return leg a Kestrel was hunting over the meadow near to the Maytree's Hide without success.

       Regards,
                     Neil H.
                     
                                       

Sunny Scillies!

Hello

The warm sunshine and blue skies enjoyed by most of the country currently is down here in the Scillies too. Common migrants in good numbers include Goldcrest and from yesterday large numbers of hirundines, mostly Swallows and House Martins. Half a dozen Firecrests can be found on St Marys and we are particularly spoilt because two of them are currently resident around our chalet.

Little in the way of rarities here, but the amazing weather, profusion of butterflies and other insects makes up for it.

Autumn birds during the last two days included plenty of Siskins, a Brambling, waves of Meadow Pipits and small parties of White Wagtails which easily out-number Pied Wagtails here. The keen easterly wind keeps the fishing Gannets and Sandwich Terns close to the shore and a few Grey Seals are cavorting just off the rocks.

Regards

Neil M

Pectoral Sandpiper

Swallows. Large numbers have
arrived in the last two days, the
majority like these two above are
juveniles.

Wheatear

'Tis the Scilly Season!

Hello

My apologies for the lack of posts recently.

Eleanor and I are now on the Scillies after travelling down on Saturday and sailing over on the Scillonian III. Common Dolphins and a Basking Shark were the highlights, the birds were quiet with three Mediterranean Gulls, a Balearic Shearwater and common sea-birds about the best.

Four days of warm sunshine has been most impressive and the birds have included a Red-eyed Vireo, Richard's Pipit, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Lapland Bunting, Ortolan Bunting, Firecrests (three caught and ringed), and Yellow-browed Warblers and the usual supporting cast of common migrants.

Eleanor found a first for the islands - a Swallowtail butterfly!

Regards

Neil M

Merlin

Blackbird

Whinchat

Greenshank

Firecrest

Stonechats

Hello

A super autumnal day today and with some warm sunshine too. Sadly neither of us had time to venture far today. However Eleanor came across a group of at least four Stonechats at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell, the birds in brambles bordering the southern-most field.

Yesterday evening (Thursday), and seven Yellow-legged Gulls were present in a fairly sizeable gull roost at Pitsford Reservoir just off the dam.

Regards

Neil M

Male Stonechat
by Eleanor

Portrait of a Sand Martin

Hello

Little opportunity for birding today and nothing of note to report. I forgot to mention that yesterday Eleanor saw a/the juvenile Marsh Harrier twice during the day in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, presumably the same bird that has been seen regularly at Blueberry Farm.

In relation to my blog of 18th Sept, I have now heard from an authoritative member of the Portuguese birding scene that a Steppe Eagle has been seen in the Castro Verde area for about a month now, so it seems we came across and photographed the same bird. It's provenance is questionable though and I think it is generally regarded as an escapee...

Regards

Neil M

Sand Martin portrait
by Robin Gossage

Pitsford Waterbird Count

Hello

A WeBS count was completed at Pitsford Reservoir today in pleasant sunny conditions. A Great White Egret was present in the Walgrave Bay and other birds included a juvenile Shelduck, four Red-crested Pochard, three Pintail, a Goldeneye, a Hobby, four Ringed Plovers, four Green Sandpipers, four Snipe, two Yellow-legged Gulls and as many as eighteen Little Egrets. Passerines included Marsh Tit, Siskins, a couple of redpoll sp and three Grey Wagtails.

A brief visit to Naseby Reservoir this afternoon produced two Little Egrets and two Green Sandpipers.

Chris Payne was ringing at Bradden in South Northants today and caught almost forty birds including a Nuthatch. Birds in the area included two overflying Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

Wigeon

Sparrowhawk

Spitfire and friend!

Nuthatch
Courtesy of Chris Payne

Still a couple of Redstarts...

Hello

Very little to report today as a day mostly of no birding. Eleanor managed to walk over to the field hedges between Walgrave and Pitsford Reservoir and was able to locate just two Redstarts still...

Regards

Neil M

A portrait of Swallows by
Robin Gossage. On the bottom
image the two juveniles were
watching dragon-flies flying
above them!

Just a little birding...

Hello

This morning Eleanor again visited Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and spotted the juvenile Marsh Harrier plus a pair of Stonechat and six Whinchats. All the birds were in The Hill field.

Just after 10am this morning an Osprey was over the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir and then headed south over the causeway...

Regards

Neil M

Overt Migration

Hello

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield today resulted in the capture and processing of 79 birds of 19 species which included 3 Chiffchaffs, 9 Meadow Pipits, a Coal Tit, a Reed Bunting, 4 Linnets, 6 Goldfinches, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 16 Yellowhammers and a Green Woodpecker.

Jacob Spinks saw a Wheatear and a Whinchat briefly but his main prize was a low-flying Honey Buzzard by the Chippings Compound at 5.25pm which then flew south. The low cloud and mist first thing ensured that migrants were all at low-level and included some 50 Siskins, about a hundred Meadow Pipits and small numbers of 'Alba' Wagtails, Yellow Wagtails and redpoll sp. Flocks of House Martins and Swallows flew over the old airfield at various stages of the day before moving off south.

John Woollett and his team were ringing at Stortons Gravel Pits this morning and caught 76 birds which included 22 Blackcaps (including a 'control' from elsewhere), 2 Sedge Warblers, 3 Reed Warblers, a Whitethroat, a late Garden Warbler, 2 Cetti's Warblers and a Magpie.

Two Redstarts remain off the footpath between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir and Blueberry Farm hosted a pair of Stonechat, 4 Whinchats, a female Peregrine and a juvenile Marsh Harrier, all in The Hill Field.

Regards

Neil M

Autumn sunshine

Hello

This morning was spent at Ditchford Gravel Pits completing the WeBS count. Super weather with plenty of sunshine provided ideal conditions for end-of -season insects with plenty of dragon-flies and butterflies on the wing. The calls of Meadow Pipits, Siskins and Chiffchaffs were constant all day today as these passerines move through our county in large numbers.

The scarcer birds at Ditchford today included 16 Egyptian Geese west of Ditchford Lane, a flock of seven Red-crested Pochard on a small pit between the main pit and Irhlingborough, a Green Sandpiper, two Snipe, seven Little Egrets, two Water Rails and seven Kingfishers.

At Pitsford Res, a Great White Egret was present in the Walgrave Bay and there were at least six Little Egrets north of the causeway early this afternoon. Two Willow Tits were present in the Scaldwell Bay and a Raven flew over the Fishing Lodge.

This afternoon birds in the vicinity of the southern end of Blueberry Farm included two male Redstarts, four Whinchats and a Wheatear and Harrington Airfield hosted a Wheatear, two Ravens, calling Grey Partridges and a Barn Owl.

Please note that there will be a ringing session at Harrington Airfield tomorrow which means there will be no general access to the old airstrip and bunkers. All the footpaths and access to the concrete track remain unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Song Thrush

Egyptian Geese

Blackcap