Birds of early May

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included a rather unseasonal Great White Egret in the Scaldwell Bay at about 9am and then later this afternoon, but interestingly Dave Francis saw three together in the Walgrave Bay on Sunday (30th April).

Other birds today at Pitsford included a Greenshank in the Scaldwell Bay, a couple of Common Sandpipers, three Oystercatchers and a pair of Shelduck.

The first Constant Effort ringing session took place in the Scaldwell Bay this morning and resulted in a modest capture of birds but which included two male Kingfishers.

Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning included a Barn Owl, two Wheatears and a pair of Grey Partridge.

Regards

Neil M

Jim Dunkley kept his
distance but still managed
some interesting shots of
a recent Honey Bee swarm!

...and Graham Bentley was rather close
to this singing Goldcrest which is always
a treat...!

Yellowhammer coming for garden
 feeding seed still,
courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

A posing Red-legged Partridge
courtesy of Jacob Spinks.

More waders!

Hello

An early morning visit to Pitsford Reservoir provided a fresh batch of migrant waders with the spit near the Moulton Grange Bay providing most of the records. A summer plumage Knot was a different bird to yesterday and there were also 2 Grey Plovers, 4 Ringed Plovers, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, at least 7 Common Sandpipers, 3 Dunlin, a Sanderling, 2-3 Oystercatchers and 2 Greenshank.  Pitsford spring records of wader passage have been poor in recent years and this passage is somewhat unprecedented and helped by low water levels.

Other birds on-site today included a female Blue-headed or Channel Wagtail, two Hobby, a Black Tern, two Shelduck and a drake Red-crested Pochard.

Eleanor had five Whimbrel flying north over Blueberry Farm this morning and there were two singing Grasshopper Warblers there too. A Barn Owl was again hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Little Ringed Plover
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Waders at Pitsford Reservoir
today - Dunlin, Knot
 and Ringed Plover.

Cuckoo at Summer Leys
today courtesy of Robin
Gossage.

Ringing recoveries

Hello

Some recent ringing recoveries have come through from the BTO Ringing Unit and kindly disseminated by our local ringing secretary Nick Wood...

W24716 is a ring fixed on the leg of an adult Mute Swan on 5th April 2008 in Leicestershire. The ring was photographed by Cathy Ryden at Guilsborough Fish Ponds on 15th March 2017 where this bird is the male on territory. Cathy successfully photographed the ring on this bird at the same venue in 2015 so these small ponds are clearly his own back yard. This bird is at least eleven years old.

A male Fieldfare was caught and ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 30th December 2011 (LC22169) and was sadly killed by hunters on or about 15th January 2017 at Trainou, Loiret, France. Although the simple distance between the two sites is 530km clearly this nomadic bird had travelled many thousands of km during its life.

On 28th July 2016 a young Blackbird was ringed by a Swedish ringer at Vanbo, Smedjebacken, Dalarnas Lan near Kopparberg. This bird turned up in a mist net at Milton Keynes Community Orchard on 20th February this year where it's gender was confirmed as a female. In 207 days this young migrant travelled a minimum of 1347km and probably wintered in Milton Keynes.

Yellowhammers are generally considered sedentary so when John Woollett caught and ringed a female at Astcote on 8th January 2015 and this bird was found dead in the village (believed to be a road casualty) on 17th March this year it wasn't particularly surprising. It is a shame that with small birds many of our recoveries are only recorded when they become a casualty.

Regards

Neil M

Mute Swan.

Fieldfare.

Blackbird.
Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

House Martin survey

From Ben Reeve, Assistant BTO Regional Representative for Northants Hi all, We hope you're enjoying the arrival of our summer migrants; the county has plenty of Warblers in full song, waders visiting our reservoirs and Swallows overhead. Here's hoping we'll see a higher number of House Martins in 2017! Sadly, as you may already know, House Martin numbers are in steep decline so in 2015 the BTO launched a specially designed survey to gather vital information to help understand them better. Hopefully you'll be aware of last year's House Martin nest study even if you couldn't participate. It was originally going to run from 2015 to 2016 but last year wasn't considered a typical year for House Martins so the nest study has been extended for another year. Do you have House Martins nesting on your house, close by or somewhere else convenient where you will be able to monitor them regularly throughout the season? If you can answer yes to the following questions we’d love you to take part in the survey – Can the nests be viewed safely (from ground level or from a window) without causing disturbance to the birds? Is the site convenient to commit to visiting regularly throughout the breeding season until September (ideally once a week, with an occasional break being acceptable)? Could I obtain the site owner’s permission where necessary? Surveying can be very satisfying and enjoyable, this nest study in particular is straight forward and will provide useful data that may help to explain the species’ decline. Below is a list of useful links which should help you decide if you can take part in the survey. We're also more than happy to chat to you to help with any reservations, concerns or general questions you may have. House Martin appeal Nest study info Video tutorial Resources Sign up / log in House Martin ID video If you can’t take part in the survey there are other ways you can help, the appeal needs to raise funds to make up a shortfall and you can donate here. We’d very much appreciate you giving this some thought. House Martins are in danger of being added to the Red Data list and you could really help by spending 15 minutes a week over the coming few months. All the best, Ben. Ben Reeve BTO Assistant Regional Rep for Northants 7 Rectory Close, Crick, Northants, NN6 7SY Email: benreeve@outlook.com Twitter: @NorthantsBTO Personal Twitter: @BeardWarbler 01788 824413 07961 038455

Waders and terns...

Hello

What a fantastic day to be birding in the county today! The conditions conspired to provide some excellent visible migration with particular concentrations of waders and terns on the move in the Nene Valley and at our county reservoirs.

By way of example, Pitsford Reservoir attracted a Little Tern, 23+ Black Terns, at least 2 Arctic Terns, 8-9 Whimbrel, an injured Knot (which was colour-ringed), 2 Grey Plovers, about 6 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Dunlin, a Little Gull, an Osprey, a pair of Red-crested Pochard and a White Wagtail.

Summer Leys pulled in 2-3 Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks, 6 Redshanks, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones, a Black Tern, a Little Tern, 4 Shelduck, a Peregrine and a Wheatear.

Six Black Terns were at Thrapston Gravel Pits with the Titchmarsh Reserve attracting singing Nightingales, a singing Grasshopper Warbler and a drake Red-crested Pochard.

Harrington Airfield managed just four Grey Partridges!

Regards

Neil M

Hobby at Summer
Leys yesterday courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Peregrine with prey
at Summer Leys yesterday
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Little Gull courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Little Tern at Pitsford
Reservoir today courtesy
of Jacob Spinks.

Grey Plover at Pitsford
Reservoir today courtesy
of Jacob Spinks.

Knot at Pitsford Reservoir
today courtesy of Jacob Spinks.

A very oddly marked Peregrine
at Summer Leys today, sporting
a pale brown upperside and very
pale underside...

Waderquest coming to the Bird Club

Hello

This coming Wednesday (3rd May) is the next indoor meeting of the Northants Bird Club and the guest speakers are Elis and Rik Simpson who will be providing an insight into Waderquest, a small organisation set up to support shorebird conservation (more details at www.waderquest.org).

As usual the meeting will commence at 7.30pm at the Fishing Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir, just off the Brixworth Road outside the village of Holcot (NN6 9SJ). Hot drinks and biscuits will be available and for those wader enthusiasts, there may just be a wader or two to look at on the edges of the reservoir before the meeting commences, such is the current low water level!

Regards

Neil M

Pectoral Sandpiper.

Bar-tailed Godwits.

A busy day at Pitsford Reservoir!

Hello

The advertised Pitsford Reservoir dawn chorus event was held this morning, starting at 4am! I was very impressed that all participants attended at this unearthly hour and we were not disappointed as the conditions were almost perfect to appreciate the multitude of songs and calls making up the chorus just before and after dawn. It was still, relatively mild and the ground mostly dry as we listened to the early morning calls of Fox, Tawny Owl and predictable early songsters such as Robin, Blackbird and Song Thrush. Other common residents joined in and were joined by the warbler family which included Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Garden Warbler.

Early morning sightings included Muntjac, Little Egrets and a couple of bats and the provision of muffins, pastries, fruit and hot drinks made it a very convivial affair! Thank-you to the volunteers from the Pitsford team and Mischa Cross for organising the event!

Also this morning at Pitsford, Jacob Spinks was conducting a Common Bird Census and whilst doing so located a splendid singing Wood Warbler in the Walgrave Bay, which spent the early morning in waterside trees near to the Old Walgrave Road.

Twenty-four birds were caught and quickly processed during a two and half hour ringing session at Christies Copse (in the Walgrave Bay) and included two Willow Tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Willow Warblers, a Blackcap and a Garden Warbler. One of the Willow Warblers was first ringed in the Scaldwell Bay as an adult male on 27th April 2015 and the Garden Warbler was first ringed as a juvenile and also in the Scaldwell Bay on 8th August 2013.

Other birds noted at Pitsford today included a dozen Common Terns, an Arctic Tern, a pair of Shelduck, as many as five Little Egrets, a female Redstart, a Little Ringed Plover and two Common Sandpipers.

Eight or nine Wheatears were well spread between the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and Blueberry Farm this afternoon...

Regards

Neil M

Wood Warbler at
Pitsford Reservoir today...

Migration on-going...

Hello

A walk around the Harrington Airfield complex this morning confirmed the presence of plenty of on-territory Willow Warblers and Whitethroats plus a singing Lesser Whitethroat and three passage Wheatears.

A Barn Owl was again hunting field margins in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and a couple of Swifts had made it back to their breeding quarters in Mears Ashby village.

Jacob's tally of birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included singles of Yellow and White Wagtail, an Arctic Tern briefly, two Shelduck and one or two Common Sandpiper(s), and he witnessed a huge flock of over three hundred Black-tailed Godwits heading north- west over Scaldwell village late this evening...

Regards

Neil M

Oystercatcher.

Shelduck.

Common Tern.

 All these images were taken
 at Pitsford Reservoir today
by Robin Gossage.

Grasshopper Warblers and Black Terns

Hello

Eleanor came across a singing Grasshopper Warbler showing well at Blueberry Farm this morning, but with the lack of available habitat it is likely that this is a returning bird from last year that will quickly move on... A hunting Barn Owl was also present.

This afternoon Eleanor was at Harlestone Heath and saw at least two Siskins in the trees. A wander around the rough fields and scrub between Harlestone Heath and Kings Heath provided two more singing and visible Grasshopper Warblers, a Cuckoo and an adult male Peregrine.

There were two Black Terns visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this evening and Robin Gossage saw another today at Summer Leys Nature Reserve at Earls Barton.

Regards

Neil M

Black Tern today at Summer Leys
 NR courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Mid week round up

Although I have been out and about during the last couple of days I have not really seen many birds of note.
A Barn Owl was again hunting in the valley below Hanging Houghton at 07.00hrs and 20.00hrs today. Other birds included a pair of Grey Partridge, Sedge Warbler and a party of 4 Fieldfare heading north.
I have bumped into both Blackbird and Song Thrush out with their newly fledged young, starting out on the most dangerous part of their life. Fingers crossed that they will survive.
I always find this time of year quite exciting in the county as you never know what you might bump into. Birds on migration can turn up in the most unlikely places.  Chris Dobbie reports hearing the distinctive song of a Nightingale at dusk on 23rd April next to the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line approx 200m NW of Norton Junction.
It really is a case of ears and eyes wide open and you just might find a good bird in an unexpected place.

Regards Eleanor

Weekend Ringing

Whilst most of us were out and about enjoying the lovely weather , searching for migrants or perhaps catching up with the gardening the ringers were busy at Pitsford and Linford.
Dave Francis reports that at Pitsford there were a steady flow of 38 birds. 15 Yellowhammer, 11 Tree Sparrow, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Blackbird, 2 Robin , and 1 of Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Lesser Whitethroat.
Kenny Cramer at Linford reported 43 birds, of which 26 were new birds and 17 retraps of 11 species. Spring migration was in evidence with 11 new Blackcaps and 4 new Sedge Warblers. A new female Cettis Warbler was caught with a well developed brood patch indicating that this species is continuing to successfully colonise the area.
Notable retraps included a female Blackcap ringed 9/7/16, Sedge Warbler and Willow Warbler both ringed 7/5/16.  Whilst it is always nice to see returning migrants it is also good to encounter resident old friends such as HHL503 a Long Tailed Tit ringed on the very first session at Linford on 13/4/14 making it at least 4 years old !!

Hope that you find this interesting.

Regards Eleanor

Restful Sunday

Today was a much quieter as I had very little "birding" time, most of it being confined to an early morning visit to Harrington Airfield. I actually went there to feed the birds but ended up wandering about for two hours. We were planning on reducing the amount of times we are feeding the birds but with the cold weather forecast for the coming week we will continue. 
The most surprising bird on my walk round was a singing and very showy Grasshopper Warbler in the roadside bushes. This bird was clambering about on the top of a bramble bush but I had left my camera at home !! In the past I have found that these warblers show themselves very well when they first arrive.
Other birds seen were 2 Northern Wheatear, 2 or 3 pairs of Grey Partridge, 4 dapper summer plumaged Golden Plover a Lesser Whitethroat, several Willow Warbler and plenty of Whitethroat. 
This evening I managed a walk with the dogs below Hanging Houghton where the Barn Owl was again hunting and a Sedge Warbler singing from its perch on top of a field hedge.

Regards Eleanor

Bluebells and Birds

It has been a lovely sunny day and for once I've managed to be out and about for most of it.
First stop was Ravensthorpe Reservoir which was very quiet apart from an Osprey going over heading towards the village. On to Daventry Reservoir which was equally as quiet.
I decided to visit Badby Wood as I knew that the bluebells would be out which are one of my favourite flowers. I parked at Fawsley where there was a Water Rail, Sedge Warbler, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and 2 Siskins. I then headed across the fields towards the wood following the Knightley Way which gives some stunning views across the rolling south Northamptonshire countryside. As I entered the wood I was not disappointed as I was met by a rich carpet of blue, dappled sunlight and the sweet heady perfume smell of the bluebells, a truly wonderful sight.  A good walk round produced 2 Brambling, 2+ Siskin, 4 scruffy looking Raven, Marsh tit,numerous Nuthatches and two Roe Deer.
I then headed towards my agility training at Staverton and took the gated road to Upper Catesby. It is quite an interesting area and over the years we have seen some good birds along this road. This morning there were at least 6 Northern Wheatears and a male Ring Ouzel feeding in a sheep field.
Tor was his usual self at agility, making everyone laugh whilst I was pulling my hair out and the resident Ravens were entertaining .
I decided that we both still had a bit of energy left so I had a wander around Borough Hill where there was a male Common Redstart and 2 Northern Wheatear.
This evening there was a Barn Owl, 2 Northern Wheatears and a pair of Grey Partridge in the valley below Hanging Houghton.
Tomorrow will definitely be a quieter day for myself and the dogs.

Regards Eleanor

It was grey and drizzly when I went out this morning, perfect for a good bird at Harrington ............wrong, as all I could find was a Wheatear.
I thought that I would try my luck at Pitsford Reservoir. Firstly I ran around the big side with my hound but it was quiet apart from a Redshank and a Ringed Plover on the shoreline near the causeway carpark. Then I checked the small side. In the Scaldwell arm there was a Shelduck, 2 Oystercatchers and several displaying Goldeneye. There were also good numbers of Swallows and at one point they were sitting in rows on the fence chattering away. You could almost imagine the conversations they were having about their recent migration journey to get here.
This evening in the valley below Hanging Houghton there was a Barn Owl, 2 Wheatears and a flock of about 200 Fieldfares which were heading northwards.

Regards Eleanor

Young herons and migrant wagtails...

A curious image of
a Coot hitching a ride
on the back of  a Muscovy
Duck at Abington Park,
Northampton.
Image courtesy of Phil Davies.

Hello

Yesterday evening Nick Parker paid Thrapston Gravel Pits a visit and located 4 Wheatears, a couple of Yellow Wagtails, 250+ Sand Martins, 23 Common Terns, 2 Redshank, 2 Shelduck and a pair of Egyptian Geese. This morning Eric Graham was there and also saw the Egyptian Geese and two drake Red-crested Pochards.

This morning Eleanor saw a stunning summer plumage Grey Plover flying around and calling in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, but the bird sadly didn't linger.

Jacob has been at Pitsford Reservoir this evening and has picked out a male 'Channel Wagtail' at the dam amongst some 50+ Yellow Wagtails. Other birds on-site include a Rock Pipit, two White Wagtails, a Wheatear, two Little Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

Nestling Grey Herons
at Abington Park, Northampton,
courtesy of John Gamble and Phil Davies.

Purple Thorn Moth
courtesy of John Gamble.

Great Crested Grebe courtesy
of Robin Gossage.