Iceland - 4th - 8th March 2022
Hi
Members of the Northants Bird Club ventured to the Norfolk coast yesterday on the monthly car trip. They enjoyed the spectacle of coastal migration which tends to be more spectacular and varied than inland. Below are some images taken by Robin Gossage who did well to combat the very grey conditions. As is usual on these car trips, NBC members tend to notch up some interesting species, and on this occasion came across a Barred Warbler moments after it had been found in a garden at Salthouse...
Neil M
Barred Warbler
Little Egret
Redshank
Redshank
Hi
A pleasant if squelchy walk at Harrington Airfield this morning provided a further opportunity to witness visible diurnal migration. Fieldfares were the most obvious with undulating flocks steadily progressing south over the top fields, often at low level. Starlings and Redwings were probably the next most numerous with smaller numbers again of Woodpigeons and gulls moving in the same direction. At Harrington it is difficult to ascertain Skylark passage as most of them seem to be simply flying around and chasing each other and often with many singing. Persistent viewing seems to indicate that they do gradually disappear off the south or west, but I think that some birds do recirculate and appear over the fields again once they have completed a circuit or two.
The Linnet flock attracted Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches and a Brambling. At least two Short-eared Owls flushed up from the long grass and there were Common Buzzards and Sparrowhawks on the prowl. Sparse migrants included Meadow Pipit, Tree Sparrow and redpoll sp. The broadcast seed at the concrete entrance track is attracting common birds with Chaffinch and Yellowhammer being the most numerous.
Regards
E & N
Hi
A wander around Harrington Airfield this morning and plenty of winter thrushes on the move. Many of the Fieldfares were resting in the hawthorns and eating the haws, with smaller numbers of Redwing and appreciably more Song Thrushes and Blackbirds joining in. With reasonable numbers of migrant Starlings moving over low to the south, a flock of a hundred or so stayed to feed on the top fields. There were also plenty of finches again this morning with good numbers in particular of Linnet and Chaffinch. Many of the latter were feeding on scattered mixed seed just inside the concrete track entrance. A single male Brambling was present by the roadside early on. Raptors included a Red Kite, and a Raven was with other corvids to the west of the concrete track. A couple of flighty redpolls included a large-looking individual which for a time was with the Linnet flock. It also had a lower-toned call than is usual for Lesser Redpoll but only ever presented as a silhoutte in flight so I'm afraid no specific identification was possible. Migrant Woodpigeons moved over is small fast-moving flocks early on and quite a number of the same species were feeding on the stubble fields. Other visible movers and shakers included Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and common finches but nothing of particular note was picked out. Never mind, the thrill of migration was enough to keep me happy in cool and dank conditions!
Regards
Neil M
Hi
Neil Hasdell and I completed a short ringing session at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today. Birds captured included 9 Goldcrests, a couple of Nuthatches and typical woodland birds. Neil H suffered a slight occupational hazard injury (see below) as inflicted by a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming on his hand!
Good numbers of Fieldfares swirled over the wood in the strong wind and a couple each of Siskin and redpoll sp lingered briefly.
Neil M
Hi
On a cold, grey and blustery day we found ourselves completing a late WeBS count today at Ditchford Gravel Pits. No sign of the forecast bright and sunny conditions unfortunately!
An adult Peregrine and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls were present west of Ditchford Lane this morning and a Rock Pipit flew west there at 11.20am. An unidentified pipit flew from the viaduct pit in windy conditions and called similar to a Water Pipit. It flew over the railway but couldn't be found thereafter. Small numbers of Siskins and redpoll sp were seen in flight on and off all day but winter thrushes were restricted to little more than a hundred Redwing and barely fifty Fieldfare. Only one Cetti's Warbler was heard calling and 3 Kingfishers were present in the mature pits between Higham Ferrers and Irthlingborough. The only wader noted was a single Green Sandpiper. A single Water Rail was audible and 3 Little Egrets were mobile throughout the complex.
E & N
Hi
In a complete reverse from yesterday, an excursion to Harrington Airfield this afternoon suggested that the top fields and bunker areas were mostly devoid of passerines. However in the space of five minutes, a Red Kite flew east followed shortly after by a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier taking exactly the same line. A Short-eared Owl then flushed up shortly afterwards.
With a cold northerly wind whistling down the reservoir, the gull roost at Pitsford Res failed to produce any birds of note.
E & N
Hi
In a rather extreme way we decided to go for a run along the Brampton Valley Way this morning to try and shift the jet-lag! Between Merry Tom Lane and Hanging Houghton we didn't meet a soul but there were plenty of birds in the hedging on both sides. The more obvious were Goldcrest in good numbers and relatively small numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare. A small covey of Grey Partridge encouraged us up the hill to HH and a couple of delightful Grey Wagtails were on show at the village sewer works. Yesterday afternoon in the murk a flock of about 30 Wigeon were circling the village seemingly in a slightly confused state about which way they should be going, and Redwings could be heard going over during the evening despite the presumed reduced visibility due to mist and low cloud. With a change in the weather seemingly imminent it will be interseting to see how this affects the visible and audible migration.
E & N
Hi
A Crossbill was present at Scotland Wood (Kelmarsh Estate) early this afternoon and the Black-necked Grebe was present in the yacht bay at Pitsford Res later this afternoon...
Neil M
Hi
A late morning recce at Harrington Airfield today yielded good numbers of common birds with particularly good numbers of Woodpigeons, corvids and finches. With the amount of available potential prey present I can see why there have been a couple of recent records of Merlin from this site. Linnets were the most common finch with a good 60 or so present and smaller numbers of Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch. Up to 8 Bramblings and 6 redpoll sp were also present. With good numbers of Yellowhammers and small numbers of Reed Bunting and other birds in the bushes, the areas around the second and third bunkers were particularly lively. Migrants included a few Meadow Pipits and 4 Redwings. Birds feeding on the top fields included reasonable numbers of Skylark and Starling and a few Golden Plover. Murky conditions and a breeze from an easterly direction are ideal conditions to see birds at Harrington in the autumn even if they are not particularly rare or unusual.
E & N
Hi
This evening Eleanor and I arrived back from a superb 18 day trip to Brazil, concentrating on the Pantanal and a little slice of the Amazon. My apologies in advance if images of a few tropical species appear on this blog over the next few weeks! Our thanks go to our travelling companions Robon and Wendy Gossage for putting up with our daily (very) early morning expeditions, patience whilst I looked for yet another ant-bird and the daily climbs up to the observations towers, night treks looking for critters and many other things!
Also our thanks to Neil Hasdell for endeavouring to keep the blog alive in our absence, and populating it with relevant images and local sightings.
Regards
Neil M
A session at the Pitsford moth traps this morning had a small selection of autumn species on show. These included a couple of Carpets (Red-green and Spruce), Red-line Quaker, Green-brindled Crescent and Beaded Chestnut. The only immigrant on show was a Silver Y.
Regards,
Neil H.
Hi,
Another misty start to a ringing session at the Pitsford feed station. The ringing was pretty slow again with the majority of the birds caught being Tree Sparrows. Most were new captures with a few retraps. Also trapped were Goldcrest (2), Great-spotted Woodpecker (2), Yellowhammer and a rather surprising House Sparrow, not a bird that is often seen let alone caught at Pitsford.
The only bird of note seen was a Peregrine Falcon terrorising the local Lapwings.
Regards,
Neil H.
Hi,
I have just got back from a few days spent visiting friends on the Essex/Suffolk border. Whenever I travel to this area over the autumn and winter months I love to visit the Stour estuary in the area between Mistley and Manningtree. As the tide rises large flocks of waders are gradually pushed up the mud bringing them closer and closer to the banks of the river. It's always exciting scanning through the mass of Black-tailed Godwits, Turnstones, Redshank, Knot and Dunlin in the hopes of finding something rarer. There are often Grey Plovers with their plaintive calls, small groups of Curlew, and the occasional Bar-tailed Godwit. Wintering Acocet, numbering up to 50 birds, skimming their bills from side to side as they feed, are a frequent sight. Occasional small flocks of Red-breasted Merganser sail past on the tide.
In recent years a colour ringing study of Black-tailed Godwit has been conducted with a number of birds being ringed on the adjacent Orwell estuary. On this latest visit I was able to spot 6 ringed birds whose details I have sent off to the rining scheme co-ordinator. I have had one result back already, a bird ringed as an adult in 2003 in Western Iceland whilst on passage, meaning it is at least 10 years old. The bird has been seen on the East coast every year since, often in the Stour estuary. I am looking forward to receiving information on the other 5 birds.
Regards,
Neil H.
Hi,
A relatively quiet night's mothing at Pitsford reservoir last night. There were however some very attractive species present including: Blair's Shoulder-knot, Merveille du Jour, Black Rustic (see below), Garden Carpet, Spruce Carpet and Red-line Quaker. There was also a lone immigrant Silver Y.
Regards,
Neil H.
Hi,
Despite the very foggy conditions (see pic below) a ringing session was carried out at the feed station at Pitsford reservoir this morning.
Total number of birds captured was 54, which included 22 new Tree Sparrows (mostly youngsters), 1 female G.S. Woodpecker, 1 male Goldcrest, 1 Coal Tit and a Song Thrush. Unfortunately the weather went from foggy to bright sunshine in a very short space of time, neither conditions being ideal for ringing. There's no pleasing ringers itseems:)
The Pintail was still in the back of the Scaldwell Bay.
Hi,
Not much to report after a gloriously sunny autumn morning walk at Pitsford. There was quite a lot of disturbance on the reserve half of the reservoir today from a number of low flying hot-air ballons making the most of the conditions. The only bird of note in the Scaldwell Bay was a Pintail.
At the other end of the reservoir the Black-necked Grebe was showing well close into the dam wall along with a couple of Little Grebes.
Regards,
Neil H.
Hi
This morning there were migrants moving over the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and included a Fieldfare, a Brambling and quite a number of redpoll sp and Siskin. Two Barn Owls remained on show at Blueberry Farm.
A little later 5 Curlews arrived in the valley between the Brixworth and Spratton crossings, having arrived from the direction of Pitsford Res.
A smashing mixed flock of small birds in the garden included Long-tailed Tits, a couple of Goldcrests and 4 Chiffchaffs.
Regards
Eleanor
Hi
A trundle around at Harrington Airfield this morning provided an opportunity to again witness visible migration with passerines passing over the airfield in a southerly direction. The most dominant species were Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Swallow and House Martin. Other species moving in smaller numbers included 'alba' wagtail, Tree Sparrow, Siskin and redpoll sp. No particular birds of note were seen but there were at least 24 Golden Plovers in the fields. Two Ravens were cruising over Hanging Houghton during the late morning.
Whilst at home today, anxiety calls from the garden birds announced the arrival of the usual male Sparrowhawk. He was on the lawn with prey in his talons, 'kneading' an unidentified victim in the way they kill small birds. However it soon became clear that he actually had a sprig of ice plant in his talons and no bird! I assume he had impacted with the bird and the ice plant at the same time and thought he had both. After realising his mistake the now grumpy Sparrowhawk walked around the border looking for his anticipated victim, but I don't think he found it and it had long gone! Please see the images below. The bird was ringed and although four males have been caught and ringed in the garden over the years, it is likely that this bird was DB92870 and originally ringed as a yearling in 2005 and retrapped in 2011. He is now very much a mature male.
Birds off the yacht club at Pitsford Res this evening included the Black-necked Grebe and the 4th year Caspian Gull.
Regards
E & N
Hi
A wander in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and around Blueberry Farm was very busy with birds this morning. Large numbers of Meadow Pipits were on the move so it was no real surprise when a male Merlin appeared in pursuit. Other birds included 3 Redwings, 2+ redpoll sp, plenty of Skylarks and Siskins and 2 Barn Owls.
Then up to Harrington Airfield and much of the same with large flocks of Meadow Pipits, a Wheatear, a female Stonechat, a Redstart (the first for a little while), a Grey Wagtail, 30+ Golden Plovers and further visible migration included flocks of Linnets and a few Tree Sparrows passing over.
This afternoon it was back down to the Brampton Valley with many of the morning species still present. Additional birds included 2 Red Kites, a Grey Wagtail and 2 Crossbills.
Birds visible from the causeway at Ravensthorpe Res this afternoon included a juvenile Caspian Gull and a pair of Red-crested Pochard.
E & N
Hi
Some of the county ringers were active over the week-end. John Woollett and team processed 77 birds at Stortons GP today which included a Water Rail, a Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Reed Warblers and a Siskin.
Some ringers are reporting particularly large numbers of Greenfinches and Goldfinches coming to garden feeders where ringing provides some idea of the true numbers involved. After a couple of difficult years for the Greenfinch which has been suffering from avian diseases, this upturn in numbers is very welcome. A ringer operating in South Northants has ringed over 300 Greenfinches in his garden this year including some 177 during this month alone! The same ringer has caught and ringed over 300 Goldfinches this year in the garden too. I hate to think how much he is spending on sunflower hearts and niger seed!
But are these birds simply the adults and offspring of local breeding stock or from further afield? Hopefully some of these birds will be recorded again and provide the answer.
Birds noted today included 2 Ravens in Lamport village, 3 Crossbills in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res late morning (in trees between Christies Copse and West Hide) and a drake Red-crested Pochard and a drake Mandarin Duck at Ravensthorpe Res.
Regards
Neil M
Hi
At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning there was a male Stonechat partnered with a Whinchat in the northern-most field along the central ditch.
Other birds included 2 Red Kites, 2 Barn Owls and 3 Ravens. South-bound passerines included Meadow Pipits, a Grey Wagtail, Skylarks and Swallows and House Martins.
Neil M
Hi
Birds noted at Harrington Airfield this morning included a Short-eared Owl, a female Stonechat, 5 Redwings over south and singles of Yellow and Grey Wagtail also over south.
At Pitsford Res this evening the Black-necked Grebe was still present off the yacht club as was the Caspian Gull.
Some images from Pitsford below, courtesy of Robin Gossage...
E & N
Black-necked and Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Meadow Pipit
Hi
Birds at Sywell Country Park this afternoon amounted to 2 drake Red-crested Pochard (the Pitsford birds?), 2 Grey Wagtails, a Kingfisher, a Common Sandpiper and 12 Siskins.
Regards
Eleanor
Hi
Some ringing in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res was accomplished this morning with 56 birds caught and released. Birds processed included 6 Chiffchaffs, a couple of Goldcrests and a Blackcap.
There were plenty more Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs and several Blackcaps in the bushes, together with at least 3 Marsh Tits and a Willow Tit. Moving migrants included a Grey Wagtail, a couple of Yellow Wagtails, c10 Siskins, 2 redpoll sp and relatively small numbers of Meadow Pipits and 'alba' wagtails. Two Kingfishers were careering around the margins.
Plenty of dragonflies were still on the wing, mostly Ruddy Darters and Migrant Hawkers but also a late Brown Hawker.
A Rock Pipit flew high south over Hanging Houghton at about 3.15pm (calling well).
Neil M
Hi
At Blueberry Farm this evening there were 2 Short-eared Owls, 2 Barn Owls, a Hobby, a pair of Stonechat plus a redpoll sp and 2 Crossbills over.
At Pitsford Res this evening it was much the same with the Caspian Gull still present off the yacht club, the 1st winter Little Gull was still present as also was the Black-necked Grebe (in yacht bay).
Regards
E & N
Hi
A walk around Harrington Airfield this morning was a little disappointing as the weather conditions looked good for finding something a little different. As it was the best birds were a female Stonechat, 18 Golden Plovers, 3 Blackcaps and southbound singles of Siskin, Grey Wagtail and Yellow Wagtail.
Regards
E & N
Hi
Birds at Harrington Airfield this morning included a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a male Peregrine, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Ravens, a Wheatear, a pair of Stonechat, a Blackcap and still 2 Whitethroats. Finches moving over included a Brambling, a redpoll sp and 8 Siskins.
Birds visible from the yacht club at Pitsford Res this morning involved the Caspian Gull still, a 1st winter Little Gull, an Arctic Tern, a Common Tern and a male Peregrine.
Regards
E & N
Hi
The highlight of a very wet morning at Pitsford Reservoir was a glimpse of an Otter in the Walgrave Bay.
This afternoon the 4th winter Caspian Gull was again present off the yacht club and the moulting adult Black-necked Grebe was at the mouth of the yacht bay near to the pontoons. Also present were two 1st year Arctic Terns and two 1st year Common Terns and several lateish Sand Martins amongst the hirundines.
Regards
Neil M
