It's warming up!

Hello

Eric Graham was over at the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston GP this morning and enjoyed watching a Nightingale providing a singing lesson to the many warblers now in residence. Other birds included Black Terns and a pair of Egyptian Geese.

Kenny Cramer enjoyed a quality ringing session at Linford Lakes on the outskirts of Milton Keynes with 42 birds captured and processed which included 31 new ones. Warblers dominated with three Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, eight Blackcaps, four Garden Warblers, seven Reed Warblers and two Sedge Warblers. One of the Garden Warblers was already ringed from elsewhere...

A Banbury Ornithological Society Long Day Count was completed in SP54 today which is the 10km square in South Northants north of Middleton Cheney. A total of 68 bird species were recorded which included 3-4 Spotted Flycatchers, Kingfishers at two sites, a singing Grey Wagtail, a Raven with young, Tawny and Little Owls and a foraging Willow Tit. The early morning start also provided good viewing of scarcer mammals, notably Noctule-type Bats, Roe Deer and Water Vole.

This afternoon, a single Black Tern was visible from the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir, flying with Common Terns in the Scaldwell Bay, and a singing Grasshopper Warbler remains in the Hill Field at Blueberry Farm.

Regards

Neil M

Blue Tit.
Common but stunning!

Garden Warbler

Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

All images courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Local bird ringing

Hello

Dave Francis completed his first CES ringing session of the season at Pitsford Reservoir today and caught 56 birds of 18 species. These included seven Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, a Reed Warbler, six Chiffchaffs, three Reed Buntings, three Treecreepers, two Bullfinches, a Yellowhammer, a Song Thrush, a Marsh Tit and a Willow Tit.

A more modest ringing session at Harrington Airfield this morning provided 35 captures which included three Blackcaps, two Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, four Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and ten Yellowhammers. Both Whitethroats were returning adults to the site being first caught and ringed there last year. Three of the Willow Warblers were also returning adults from 2015 and 2014. Both these latter species would have wintered south of the Sahara but these waifs have made it back to breed in the same few bushes at Harrington Airfield. Amazing!

Transitory migrants at Harrington seemed to be in short supply today, but two Wheatears were still present...

Regards

Neil M

Willow Warbler

Whitethroat

The warm weather continues...

Hello

Ken Spriggs and Andy Cooke were out on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Gravel Pits today and enjoyed some good birding which included two Black Terns, two Cuckoos, three Nightingales (two showing well) and the usual myriad of warblers which included good views of the normally difficult-to see Cetti's Warbler.

Harrington Airfield was much quieter today but hosted two Wheatears, a Hobby, a singing Lesser Whitethroat and at least one pair of Grey Partridge. There will be some bird ringing conducted on-site there tomorrow in the vicinity of the bunkers and old airstrip and this area will be out of bounds during this time. The footpaths and access to the concrete track remain unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Heron and youngsters
Hardingstone Gravel Pits.

Courtesy of Graham Bentley.

Singing male Blackbird.

Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Cuckoo at Ravensthorpe
Reservoir yesterday.

Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Fancy a chat?

Hello

A quick tour of Harrington Airfield this afternoon was good for seven Wheatears and two Whinchats.

A similarly quick walk around Welford Reservoir this afternoon yielded two or three Common Sandpipers but little else.

So a few images from last week's trip to Provence in France...

Regards

Neil M

Coypu

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Griffon Vulture

Driven grouse shooting petition

Hello

Conservationist Mark Avery has initiated an e-petition on the Westminster government webpage which is asking for driven grouse shooting to be banned:-

              https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/125003 

This e-petition is whizzing along, having been signed by 33,000 UK citizens in under six weeks. We have another 20 weeks to go and we might just reach the magic 100,000 signatures which will trigger a debate in parliament. We might!

Driven grouse shooting elicits illegal persecution of protected birds of prey like Hen Harriers but also depends on intensive moorland management that increases greenhouse gas emissions, reduces water quality (and increases water bills), increases flood risk (and home insurance costs) and reduces aquatic biodiversity (and probably fish stocks). That's the short version of why grouse shooting needs to change.

So, please sign this e-petition and we might just be able to preserve our upland habitats for the right environmental reasons and not just create a huge sterile grouse rearing pen.

Thank-you

Neil M

Female Red Grouse

Meadow Pipit, a typical
breeding bird of the uplands
and wild places in the British Isles.

More migrants and hopefully some more to come...

Great Tit

Hello

Ravensthorpe Reservoir was the venue today for two Cuckoos, which seem to be in short supply so far this spring (courtesy of Celia Martin and Cathy Ryden). Cathy this evening also located three drake Mandarin Ducks in a field next to the reservoir, although I would speculate they may have originated from the nearby Coton Gardens...

Harrington Airfield provided some good birds today which included the still-singing male Ring Ouzel by the shooting wall off the main concrete track, four 'Tundra' Ringed Plovers in the adjacent bean field, at least nine Wheatears, four Grey Partridges and a Hobby.

Please note that a ringing session is planned along the old airstrip and bunkers this coming Friday and these areas will have restricted access. However this spring it seems that all the best birds have been next to the concrete track, and this and the adjacent footpaths will remain accessible throughout.

Birds at Blueberry Farm this evening included two singing Grasshopper Warblers and a Whinchat.

Regards

Neil M

Ladysmock

Singing Wren in silhouette

Male Orange-tipped Butterfly

Male Blackcap

All images courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

May Day

Hello

Eric Graham was up at Blatherwycke Lake this morning and saw four Shelduck and three Little Egrets. Jacob Spinks and Eleanor Morrison concentrated their efforts at Pitsford Reservoir today and saw an Arctic Tern in the Scaldwell Bay, two Common Sandpipers on the causeway and a Hobby which took a martin by the dam.

An early morning recce at Harrington Airfield this morning provided somewhere between three and five Wheatears, a second calendar year Yellow-legged Gull over, two singing Lesser Whitethroats, a couple of Yellow Wagtails and the surprising record of the day was a Quail heard calling briefly on the north side of the complex.

A smart male Greenland Wheatear was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Puffins

Kittiwake

'Bridled' Common Guillemot

Razorbill

Images from John Hallam
following a recent visit to
the fabulous Farne Islands.
A reminder that the British
Isles are particularly important
for breeding sea-birds and a
high percentage of many species
 in Europe visit and breed on our
 cliffs and islands.

This close image of a Cuckoo
was captured by John Gamble
following a recent visit to
 RSPB Lakenheath.

County migrants

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included a Common Sandpiper, thirty Common Terns and three Yellow Wagtails (Jacob Spinks). By late afternoon the terns had thinned out to a mere five birds, the sandpiper was still present and the Yellow Wagtails had increased to six. A Raven flew over and migrant hirundines were increasing and several Swift were feeding over the causeway.

Cathy Ryden was over at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon and located two Common Sandpipers, six Common Terns and eight Yellow Wagtails...

Birds at Thrapston GP today, courtesy of Eric Graham and Nick Parker, included a Hobby, ten species of warbler including a showy Grasshopper Warbler, three singing Nightingales and two or three Cuckoos.

Regards

Neil M

Graham Bentley managed to
capture much of the elaborate
courtship display of the Great
Crested Grebe...

More from yesterday...

Hello

Some more birds from yesterday (Saturday) with Cathy Ryden seeing an Osprey and a Lesser Whitethroat in addition to Common Sandpiper and Yellow Wagtail at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, and Jacob Spinks noting a couple of Siskins at Pitsford Reservoir still plus six Yellow Wagtails and 15+ Common Terns mostly around the tern rafts in the Scaldwell Bay. Hopefully a couple of singing Sedge Warblers around the Scaldwell Meadow will stay to breed...

This morning's (Sunday) wander at Harrington Airfield was good for a pair of Grey Partridge, four Wheatears, two singing Lesser Whitethroats and a pair of prospecting Lapwing.

Regards

Neil M

Yellow Wagtail
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Common Tern
Courtesy of Jacob Spinks

A rather long-billed and
rangy Dunlin photographed
at Pitsford Reservoir
yesterday by Jacob Spinks.
Maybe the race 'alpina'?

Definitely one of my
favourite mammals, a
Brown Hare at Harrington
Airfield this morning.

Northants Bird Club Indoor Meeting 4th May

Elephant Hawk-moth

Hello

A reminder that the next indoor meeting of the Northants Bird Club will be this coming Wednesday (4th May) when Bird Club Committee member Robin Gossage will be presenting his own illustrated talk 'A Journey into Insects'.

Combining Robin's fascination of both photography and mini-beasts, Robin hopes to provide us with an opportunity of properly appreciating the intricacy and beauty of the smaller things in life. The images will portray insects and similar from both the UK and his travels around the world.

As usual the meeting will be at the Fishing Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir, just outside Holcot village on the Brixworth Road (NN6 9SJ) starting at 7.30pm with some preliminary notices.

Hot drinks and biscuits will be available during the evening and both members and non-members are most welcome!

Thank-you

Neil McMahon

Banded Demoiselle

Last day of April!

Hello

Yesterday afternoon (Friday) and the Ruddy Shelduck was noted again below the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and a Grey Wagtail was keeping three Yellow Wagtails company at Brixworth Sewer Works.

This morning Eric Graham was again at Thrapston Gravel Pits and a perusal around the Titchmarsh Reserve provided views of three or four Hobby, lots of common warblers, Oystercatcher and Cuckoo. Two Nightingales sang from hidden song-posts.

Pitsford Reservoir hosted a Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper today and a circular walk at Welford Reservoir in wintery showers was good for three Common Sandpipers and three Yellow Wagtails.

Cathy Ryden picked up a dead Barn Owl this morning on the outskirts of Creaton village. The circumstances suggested it was a road casualty. The bird was ringed and sadly it seems like it was a brooding female.

Eleanor saw the regular pair of Raven at Staverton today and a subsequent walk at Borough Hill Country Park yielded two Ring Ouzels and at least twelve Wheatears. This evening a Whinchat was in the southern-most field at Blueberry Farm and a cream-crown Marsh Harrier was hunting over fields in the Brampton valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Goodens Nomad Bee
photographed by Robin
Gossage at Pitsford
Reservoir on Wednesday.

A brood of Egyptian Geese
active at Earls Barton GP
earlier in the week as
photographed by Graham Bentley.

Song Thrush

Goldfinch

Yellowhammer

Above three images
all taken by Cathy Ryden.

Harrington foray...

Hello

I have just returned from a short trip to the Provence region of South France where I helped out on a Naturetrek tour based mostly around the inland lavender region and a couple of days on the coastal Camargue. My thanks to Eleanor and Neil Hasdell for writing the blogs and to Cathy, Graham and others for providing information and images in my absence.

A breezy and cool stroll at Harrington Airfield this morning brought me back to the reality of this cold spring we are experiencing but it was nice to see at least three Brown Hares careering around the top fields and a couple of pairs of Grey Partridge still on territory. A/the Ring Ouzel was singing well from bushes by the shooting wall next to the concrete track, the third year in a row I've heard migrating birds singing whilst on passage in Northants, and there were two Wheatears sheltering from the wind around the bunkers and a singing Lesser Whitethroat in the old airstrip bushes.

Please see below some images of local birds as taken by Cathy Ryden with her trusty Canon bridge camera...

Regards

Neil M

Singing Wren

Pied Wagtail

Male Reed Bunting

All images courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Odds and Ends

Birding remains hard work in this cold spell. Whilst I seem to be struggling to find anything, spare a thought for the birds who feed on insects as they must be really finding it hard. As I was watching the numerous Hirundines flying low over the water at Pitsford I wondered how many would not survive due to lack of food and cold , the last thing they need after their long journey to get here.
Our garden was again very busy with birds including 2 Lesser Redpoll, a Brambling, Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers. This afternoon there was a noticable increase in the birds feeding, then a couple of hours later the garden was completely white as we had quite a heavy snow shower !!! Totally bizarre .
Yesterday the only birds of interest were the Ruddy Shelduck below the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and a significant movement of Yellow Wagtail.
Today there was a Whinchat, Grasshopper Warbler and Barn Owl in the valley below Hanging Houghton and 4+ Wheatear at Harrington Airfield but very little else.

Regards Eleanor

Redstart's in the snow !!!

Where has the warm weather gone to ?  I had to sort out my fleece layers and gloves today as the cold north wind continues, brrrr. 
I don't think that the birds are enjoying this weather either as they are certainly keeping a low profile.
What I have noticed is the return to our garden of a Brambling, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 10 Reed Buntings and 8 Yellowhammer , all busy tucking into the food. The increased number of birds in the garden has not gone undetected by the local Sparrowhawks who have made several successful strikes. 
Yesterday the only birds I could find were at least 8 Wheatears as I scanned the promising looking bean fields at Harrington Airfield.
Today was slightly better. This morning there was a very showy singing Grasshopper Warbler at Blueberry Farm in the field nearest the farm itself. It was behaving as if it had just arrived and took absolutely no notice of myself or the dogs. I did regret not taking my camera as even with my bridge camera I would have managed a reasonable shot.
This afternoon more dog walking, this time across the fields between Walgrave and Old.  Initially the skies were blue and the sun shining, but this soon changed to grey and rain which turned into snow !!!!  Myself and the dogs took shelter in the hedgerow which had been productive last autumn for Redstart's etc.  After the snow had stopped the sun came back out again and so did 2 male Common Redstarts. They were obviously doing the same as me and taking shelter from the inclement weather.
This field is quite raised and gives good views all around and whilst scanning I looked over towards the back of the Walgrave Bay of Pitsford Reservoir and watched a Great White Egret fly out of the reservoir and drop into a pond situated between the back of the reservoir and Walgrave village.  I do not know whether this is a new bird or one of the long staying birds which has obviously been hiding itself away.
The day would not be complete without a visit to Harrington Airfield and a look at the bean fields. It was very bleak, cold , windy and it snowed again !!  But I soon forgot about that as I watched a male Ring Ouzel near the shooting wall. Definitely a new bird as it was in superb pristine plumage.  
There were no other birds of note and I've just watched the weather forecast and sadly no change for the next few days.  Oh well, I've got plenty of jobs to do !

Regards  Eleanor