North Norfolk

Hi

This morning was spent exploring the beaches at Old Hunstanton and Titchwell on the North Norfolk coast, switching to heath-land at Dersingham Bog and Roydon Common in the afternoon.

There were good numbers of gulls, terns and waders on the sand bars at Old Hunstanton and visible migration was evidenced with fly-over Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail and redpoll sp.  The gardens were full of singing Blackcaps.

At Titchwell, we were met by a singing Firecrest in the car park, which later showed well near to the feeding station and cafe.  Despite this little sprite singing loudly and showing well, all the visitors and birders were oblivious!

A walk along the raised path to the beach was, as always, very pleasant and bird-filled.  Standard fare included Marsh Harrier, still plenty of Brent Geese, Pintail, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Little Ringed Plover, Bearded Tit, Cetti's Warbler etc.  The beach held a variety of waders including Grey Plover, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit and Sanderling.

Dersingham Bog is normally a quiet spot but heavy machinery was on-site completing maintenance work which didn't make it too conducive for birding!  A short walk provided four species of raptor including Marsh Harrier, and also Stonechat, Grasshopper Warbler, Crossbill, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin.  We went on to Roydon Common which produced similar birds and Cuckoo, Grey Partridge and a single Woodlark.

On our way home this evening a quick stop at Polebrook Airfield provided 2 singing Nightingales, 3 Grey Partridge, a Turtle Dove, a Cuckoo, and a Lesser Whitethroat.  A drake Mandarin Duck was on a large puddle just inside Ashton Wold.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Jay

Pintail

Black-headed Gull

Bar-tailed Godwit

Avocet

Woodlark

The Brecklands

Hi

A day out today (23rd) in the Brecklands of Norfolk and Suffolk, with fine sunny and warm weather.

First stop was the small Norfolk town of Thetford, where a couple of Otters have been showing most days along the River Thet and Little Ouse.  We saw two animals which were active and completely ignored human activity (please see image below).  Birds included Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, common warblers etc.

A wander around Lynford Arboretum provided a singing Firecrest, Grey Wagtail, Brambling, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and common woodland birds - and Lynford Hall provided a decent cup of coffee too!  Lots of butterflies on the wing today including Orange-tip.  Also interesting that Common Buzzard has now colonised the Brecklands with quite a number seen during the day.

Next was a pleasant hike around open woodland near to Mayday Farm, part of the Thetford Forest complex.  The best birds were Woodlark, Crossbill and again plenty of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll.  Deer were numerous, Muntjac and Roe being the most common.

An afternoon cup of tea at Brandon Country Park gave up another singing Firecrest, Brambling, Siskin and a Nuthatch collecting mud to finish its nest hole.

Scanning at Weeting Heath failed to locate any Stone Curlew; Marsh Harrier, Wheatear and Tree Pipit were suitable recompense.

Our final birding venue for the day was the impressive RSPB reserve at Lakenheath.  A walk along the raised footpath was productive with 2 Common Cranes, up to 4 Bitterns, lots of Marsh Harriers, a Whooper Swan, a Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl, a Nightingale, a Grasshopper Warbler and a couple of Egyptian Geese.  A roadside Long-eared Owl was the final good bird of the day.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Grey Wagtail

Otter

Nuthatch

Tree Pipit

Barn Owl

Grey and cool again!

Hi

Yesterday evening (21st), there were 2 Red Kites and 2 Barn Owls at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Also yesterday local ringers completed a short ringing session at Stortons GP, catching and ringing a few warblers.  Ringing operations there indicate that there are at least 7 Cetti's Warblers on-site currently (believed to be 4 males and 3 females).

I was out and about for much of the day today (22nd) but failed to connect with anything new or unusual.  In fact the highlight of the day was the kind donation of a home-made rhubarb crumble which was yummie!

Despite a good tramp around Harrington Airfield this morning, there seemed to be few new birds although the number of singing Willow Warblers had increased.  Four Wheatears adorned the bunkers and the Whitethroats are beginning to sing a little now.

A few each of Lesser Redpoll and Siskin were present at both Kelmarsh Hall and Scotland Wood.  Pitsford Res seemed unchanged with the 2 Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Ravens and a Lesser Redpoll.

A couple of Lesser Redpolls, Tree Sparrows and several Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers persist in visiting our garden and trying to dodge the regular Sparrowhawk forays.

Regards

Neil M

Pied Wagtail
Pitsford Res

Nice but not as good as yesterday!

Hi

At Harrington Airfield this morning the male Ring Ouzel was still present on the old airstrip, and still acting in a most unsociable manner and hiding for long periods.  Two Wheatears were also present.

At Pitsford Res this morning there was a ringing operation for a few hours at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station which succeeded in capturing and releasing 34 birds, 21 of which were new.  Ten new Yellowhammers add to the impressive tally already caught there during the winter and spring and there were again small numbers of Chaffinch, Reed Bunting and Tree Sparrow.  Two warblers caught amounted to a Whitethroat, and a Sedge Warbler bearing an unfamiliar ring which should prove interesting once information comes from the Ringing Unit as to its original ringing venue.

Other birds noted in the same vicinity at Pitsford this morning included a Barn Owl, a Red Kite, a Common Tern, a Curlew, 2 Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper and small numbers of in-coming summer/passage migrants such as Sand Martin, Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit etc.

Birds at Naseby Res this afternoon amounted to 3 Yellow Wagtails, a redpoll sp and a singing Willow Tit with nothing of note seen at Welford Res.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Yellow Wagtail
Naseby Res

Bring on the sun!

Hi

Well I think we all deserved the sun today which was genuinely warm and penetrating, and accompanied with only with a light cool breeze.  

Yesterday evening (Friday 19th), Eleanor found a female Redstart in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, and went on to see the regular adult female Peregrine at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

This morning (Saturday 20th), and I completed a Common Bird Census around the reserve section of Pitsford Res.  Reasonable numbers of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs are on-site now but there is clearly quite a few absent Blackcaps from the normal territories.  Variety was in the shape of a pair of Shelduck, 3 Goldeneye, 2-3 Oystercatchers, a Raven, 2-3 Crossbills, a redpoll sp, a Brambling, a Red Kite and 2 Common Terns.

The gorgeous sunshine brought forth quite a throng of insects including several species of butterfly.

Anyway whilst I was committed at Pitsford, Eleanor located a male Ring Ouzel at Harrington Airfield (second bunker), at least 4 Wheatears and a Red Kite, and then subsequently 2 female Ring Ouzels at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell in the cropped hay field near to the farmhouses.

This afternoon I visited Blueberry Farm but failed to re-locate the two Ring Ouzels; there were still quite a gathering of Common Buzzards and a Red Kite there.  On next to Harrington Airfield which provided 2 Wheatears, a pair of Grey Partridge and 4 Whitethroats.  I gave up on trying to find the male Ring Ouzel when it suddenly flew in to some bushes on the airstrip.  It was extremely skulking and then flew back towards the third bunker.

In the meantime Eleanor saw 2 Ravens at Great Brington and a Grey Wagtail, 4 Goldeneye and several House Martins at Ravensthorpe Res.  A quick visit to Hollowell Res was enough to find an Arctic Tern with 2 Common Terns and several common summer migrants.  A Polecat lay dead on the road nearby.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite Blueberry Farm

Peacock butterfly

Awful images of a
challenging subject -
Ring Ouzel at Harrington
Airfield

The sun is just around the corner!

Hi

This morning was spent visiting all the local feed stations where the food is still being consumed avidly.  Another sign of a cold and rather unforgiving Spring!

There were still a few Lesser Redpoll and Siskin in the Kelmarsh Estate woodlands as well as small numbers of singing Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.

At Pitsford Res a first year male Peregrine upset the local pair of Oystercatcher, but I'm sure they'll get over it!  A Brambling remains at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station.  A small band of 10 House Martins feeding off the yacht club was a welcoming sight.

The garden here at Hanging Houghton continues to attract small numbers of Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and a couple of Tree Sparrow.

Here's looking forward to a sunny week-end!

Regards

Neil M

Creatures of the Spring gale!

Hi

An overcast and wind-blasted Harrington Airfield produced very few birds this morning, a pair of Grey Partridge and 2 Whitethroats being the only birds of note.

Efforts were made to retrieve and anchor a wayward tern raft at Pitsford Res early this afternoon and whilst we were at it we checked on the Cormorant colony which now numbers 36 active nests, the highest number in recent years.  A pair of Oystercatcher remain on territory on one of the rafts.

At 3.25pm this afternoon, a female Merlin flew south at Hanging Houghton.

A couple of hours hiking around the Blueberry Farm complex this afternoon was extremely quiet, the passerines in particular being silent and retiring in the very strong wind.  Still plenty of Common Buzzards on-site which seem to be attracted to the healthy and currently active Common Toad population.

Regards

Neil and Eleanor

Oystercatcher

Cormorant on nest

Noisy lambs in field
adjacent to Pitsford Res!

Great Crested Grebe

Wind-blasted Collie!

Spring sunshine

Hi

This afternoon a visit to Welford Res was mostly uneventful with a Red Kite and a Grey Wagtail being the best.  Naseby Res was exposed to the strong wind and the only birds noted were a White Wagtail and two Yellow Wagtails.  Nearby a flock of 73 Golden Plovers were in a field between the A14 and Carvells Lane.

The superb sunshine today ensured I was out and about well in to the evening, and a walk at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell was pleasant but the only bird of note was a single Whitethroat.

Regards

Neil M

Police helicopter
Welford Res

RAF Helicopter
over Blueberry Farm

Common Buzzards at
Blueberry Farm, Maidwell

A breezy affair!

Hi  

Wandering around Hanging Houghton this morning produced an adult Peregrine ranging about and an Osprey over towards Pitsford Res at 8am.  The garden continues to attract small numbers of Lesser Redpolls and about five each of Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.  The Swallows have arrived in the village and there are now a couple each of singing Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

A couple of visits to replenish the feeders at the three feeding stations at Pitsford Res this morning didn't yield much that was different.  There was a White Wagtail on the dam and a Green Sandpiper on the muddy pools below the dam.  Both Marsh and Willow Tits continue to be attracted to the feeders in Christies Copse and a couple of Siskins seemed to be doing likewise.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

A couple of shots of a male
Kestrel at the dam at Pitsford
Res.  One of a pair of birds taking
advantage of the windy
conditions to stall and hover whilst
hunting the ground below.

Pitsford Toad!

En-mass arrival

Hi

This morning the female Mandarin Duck was again on the brook in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and there were two Bramblings at Harrington Airfield at the concrete track entrance off the Draughton Road.  A couple of Siskins and 5 Lesser Redpolls were in the garden at Hanging Houghton this morning together with the usual buntings.

An excursion up to the Old Sulehay complex in the north-east of the county nicely confirmed that there had been a mass arrival of common summer migrants with good numbers of singing Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps throughout.  Two Ravens flew over from the direction of Bedford Purlieus, a Cuckoo was heard calling and there were about 8 Lesser Redpolls buzzing about.  The rain and sunshine has provided carpets of colour with emerging Primroses, Violets and Wood Anemone.

Blatherwycke Lake hosted 5 Shelduck, 2 drake Mandarin Ducks, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Black Swans, a Chinese Goose, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a couple of Siskins.  Nearby, Deene Lake attracted 8 Shelduck and a Barnacle Goose.

A further visit to Harrington Airfield this afternoon indicated fresh arrivals with 2 female Ring Ouzels briefly (flew from bushes on the airstrip to the shooting wall - not seen since), 8 Wheatears, a Red Kite and c45 Golden Plovers.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Black Swans

Chinese Goose

Red Kite

Definitely a Spring day!

Hi

Forgot to mention that yesterday there was a female Mandarin Duck on the brook in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Also yesterday John Woollett and team completed some maintenance work at Stortons GP and whilst they worked they were stalked by an inquisitive/fearless Water Rail!  A couple of mist nets there were sufficient to catch a new Cetti's Warbler on-site and 2 Chiffchaffs, one of which was first ringed at Stortons in June 2011.

Today and our first excursion was to a blustery Harrington Airfield which hosted 2 Wheatears, a Brambling, 3 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap.  The garden at Hanging Houghton was interesting with 2 Lesser Redpolls, a Blackcap, 2 Tree Sparrows and several each of Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting.  The late morning sunshine tempted to me to take a few images!

A singing Willow Warbler was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and a Wheatear utilized a manure heap as a vantage point between Walgrave village and the A43.

Swallows were moving through the county in a constant flow during the day, with a surge in numbers during the early afternoon.

A visit to the Nene Valley below Irthlingborough off Lime Street provided a vantage point over floods at the eastern end of Ditchford GP.  The drake Green-winged Teal was on show just before we arrived but was flushed and we failed to re-locate it.  Other birds included a Little Egret, a pair of Shelduck and 2 Oystercatchers.

We then visited the western end of Ditchford GP and birded the area west of Ditchford Lane.  Birds here included 6 Egyptian Geese (split in to three separate pairs), a drake Scaup (Viaduct Pit), a Little Egret, at least 4 Oystercatchers, a Little Ringed Plover, a Blackcap and a Siskin.

A male Brambling was still present at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station at Pitsford Res this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Reed Bunting

Chaffinch

Blackbird

Yellowhammer

Great Black-backed Gull

A wet afternoon at Hanging Houghton!

Hi

This afternoon the rain arrived and made it a rather wet affair around the village.  We still have a couple of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers in the garden with a vocal Chiffchaff nearby.  Two Ravens flew over the garden and a pair of Grey Partridge were just below the village en-route to the Brampton Valley Way.

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford am

Hi

Birds seen in the vicinity of the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station at Pitsford Res this morning included an Osprey over south at 10am, 2 Oystercatchers, a handful of Swallows and Sand Martins, a singing Blackcap, a singing Brambling and a Yellow Wagtail.

Regards

Neil M

Here they come!

Hi

Finally the last of the local snow had disappeared by this morning, the overnight rain helping no doubt.

A warmer but wet day ensured several soakings, but it was worth it with a 'buzz' of migrants about!

Two visits to Harrington Airfield today didn't yield a great deal, but it was raining both times!  The best live birds were a Red Kite, a Chiffchaff, two Wheatears, c100 Fieldfares and a pair of Grey Partridge.  Some Ring Ouzel feathers were found near to the second bunker this evening, indicating that it had been predated.  However the feathers didn't look fresh so it was unlikely to have been yesterday's bird.

Birds in the garden at Hanging Houghton first thing included Blackcap, Redwing, Tree Sparrow and several each of Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.

Three visits to Pitsford Res today provided views of a Great White Egret (Walgrave Bay), 2 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatchers, a Green Sandpiper, 6 Swallows, 1+ Sand Martins, a Yellow Wagtail, a Brambling, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Tit.

Two visits to Earls Barton GP on the Summer Leys Reserve notched up a Great White Egret, 2 superb summer plumage Black-necked Grebes, a Pintail, 2 Shelduck, a couple of Redshank, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 Dunlin, 2 Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, 8 Swallows, a few Sand Martins, 2 Common Terns and lots of noisy Black-headed Gulls intent on breeding.

A walk at Sywell CP produced an Osprey in flight towards Earls Barton, a Raven, 4 Common Terns, a Yellow Wagtail, 4+ Swallows and Sand Martins and a couple of Siskins.  Nearby, a Woodcock was flushed from hedging near Wellingborough Grange.  A quick visit to Welford Res provided only a Kingfisher and 2 Sand Martins.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Migrants on the move

Hi

First thing this morning there was again a hunting Barn Owl at Pitsford Res, quartering the Scaldwell Bay meadow, with a noisy Brambling in hedging next to the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station.

Despite daily visits, Harrington Airfield has been quiet for a good week now and so it was again this morning.  However this afternoon was a different story with rain and a southerly air-flow changing the picture completely.  A male Ring Ouzel was by the third bunker (walking from the chippings compound) and other rain-dumped birds included 2 Wheatears, 2+ Swallows, a Yellow Wagtail, c100 Fieldfares, c10 Golden Plovers and 200+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Regards

Eleanor

Inland migration

Hi

Birds in and around Sunderland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate this morning included a Red Kite, 3 Woodcock, 4 redpoll sp, a Siskin, 2 singing Bramblings and lots of singing Redwings.

The garden at Hanging Houghton was busy today with an influx of new birds which included 2-3 Blackcaps, a Siskin, 5 Reed Buntings, 5 Yellowhammers, 2 Nuthatch and 1-2 Tree Sparrow(s).

Plenty of diurnal migration all day today which involved common finches, Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails, winter thrushes and gulls all filtering over north and east.

Regards

Neil M

Not a lot!

Hi

Limited opportunity for birding today in slightly warmer conditions but still with a cool easterly wind.

A walk along the Brampton Valley Way near Arthingworth produced a Raven and two quiet Chiffchaffs.  A single Brambling was at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station at Pitsford this afternoon.  Dwindling numbers of finches at Kelmarsh Hall included a couple of Lesser Redpolls and Bramblings and Scotland Wood hosted a couple of Siskins and the usual Marsh Tits and Nuthatches.

Regards

Eleanor & Neil

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker finally!

Hi

A run around Harlestone Heath this morning produced lots of Siskins throughout and a couple of Bramblings.  A circular walk around Harlestone Lake provided views of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a Red Kite and a couple of Siskins and redpoll sp.  A Red Kite was seen near Lamport.

At Pitsford Res today there was a Barn Owl and a Green Sandpiper in the vicinity of the dam and a Woodcock, a singing Brambling and a couple of Siskins were in the Walgrave Bay.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

A ringing week-end

Hi

With the temporary improvement of the weather this week-end, many of the county ringers endeavoured to try and catch and ring some of the migrant birds before they move off and some of the residents before they start breeding.  The difficult weather conditions for much of this year has frequently compromised ringing operations so some effort was required to catch the last of the winter finches and other wanderers.  Pitsford Res was the venue for yesterday with ringing at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station and in the Walgrave Bay.  Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings made up much of the catch at the main feed station, with common tits and other woodland birds being processed in the Walgrave Bay.

This morning and we changed venue to Kelmarsh Hall which continues to attract small numbers of transient finches and woodland birds.  Six Siskins and three Lesser Redpolls were caught and released, but the three or so Bramblings remained out of reach in the tall trees (more intent on singing their wheezy songs than feeding)!  A Woodcock narrowly missed the nets.  A short ringing session in our small garden at Hanging Houghton this afternoon was sufficient to catch, amongst others, four Reed Buntings and two Lesser Redpolls.

This morning there were still two female Bramblings at Harrington Airfield, but despite a shift in the wind direction, no obvious arrival of traditional summer migrants was evident.  There should be reasonable numbers of Chiffchaffs by now, but they remain very few and far between.

A quick spin around the woodlands on the Kelmarsh Estate to replenish the feeders this afternoon was mostly uneventful, but both a Woodcock and a Roe Deer sprung from the undergrowth at Scotland Wood.

Regards

Neil M

Spring sunshine at last!

Hi

A cold start but some fabulous sunshine today.

Birds in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res this morning included a Raven, a singing Brambling, c6 Siskins, 2 Lesser Redpolls, a Kingfisher, and a Willow Tit.

A further singing Brambling was at Kelmarsh Hall this afternoon together with several Siskins and a couple of Lesser Redpolls.

Four each of Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer graced the garden this afternoon.

And another day with no passerine summer migrants, but with a southerly air-stream tomorrow watch this space!

Regards

Neil M

Hard graft migrants

Hi

Despite plenty of time out and about today, the still powerful and cold wind made finding migrants hard work.  Harrington Airfield didn't yield much, a Red Kite and 2 female Bramblings being about the best.

A quick wander at Hollowell Res was enough to locate 2 Jack Snipe and 2 Grey Wagtails.  A hunting Barn Owl was present at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon.  Birds in the garden here at Hanging Houghton included a Brambling and 4 Reed Buntings.

At Pitsford Res a female Peregrine was hunting over the causeway just before 10am and this evening a Knot was on the shoreline between the Pintail Bay and Yacht Bay briefly with a Green Sandpiper on the floodwater below the dam.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Woodpigeon
Thornton Park, N'pton

Great Crested Grebe
Ravensthorpe Reservoir

Unidentified big bird
over Hollowell Reservoir!

Common Gulls
Pitsford Reservoir

Birds of the Easterly blast!

Hi

A visit to Harrington Airfield this morning provided some birds despite a very strong and cold easterly wind. The best were 2 male Bramblings, 200+ Fieldfares, a Yellow Wagtail, a Wheatear, a Raven, a Red Kite and 2 Grey Partridges.

A wander around the Blueberry Farm/Brampton Valley area produced 4 Grey Partridges, an adult female Peregrine, 2-3 Red Kites and a Wheatear.

Birds persisting in the garden here at Hanging Houghton included a male Brambling and 2 Lesser Redpolls, with a Raven and Red Kite overhead.

Regards

Eleanor

Another raptor day...

Hi

A walk at Harrington Airfield this morning was very pleasant in strong sunshine but the birds were not exceptional with a Raven, a Red Kite and 3 Grey Partridges being about the best.

Between 2 and 4 Red Kites were around Hanging Houghton with a couple of Reed Buntings and Lesser Redpolls in the garden.

This afternoon an adult Peregrine was seen at Corby.  

Birds visible from the dam at Pitsford Res included an Osprey over from the south at about 2.30pm, and there was a Green Sandpiper and drake Garganey on the floodwater below the dam until flushed by a male Peregrine.  They hadn't returned by early evening, 2 Red Kites being the only additional birds of note seen.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Well it is that time of the year!

First Year male Blackbird.  Note the brownish
 wings and dull eye-ring typical of this age

Adult male Blackbird.  Note the glossy plumage
including all flight feathers, bright eye-ring
and bright bill

Carrion Crow in evening light

Common Gulls also in evening sunshine

Pitsford CBC

Hi

Each year David Arden and myself complete a series of Common Bird Census surveys, conducted whilst walking around the nature reserve at Pitsford Res.  The first one is normally towards the latter half of March which is useful for detecting the more obscure resident species.  We have delayed the process this year due to the very cold conditions and minimal singing of song birds.  However today I gave it a go in cold grey conditions.  There was some bird song for the first couple of hours but it soon petered out and most of the records of Song Thrushes, Blackbirds etc were non-singing birds occupied in finding food for themselves.  The first Canada Goose nest was located and both Cormorant and Grey Heron nestlings were heard.

Five to seven Smew were still present (five including two drakes in the Holcot Bay and two redheads in the Scaldwell Bay), as were two Oystercatchers, three Woodcock, about a dozen Siskins, 2 redpoll sp and a Willow Tit.

Regards

Neil M