Pitsford and other news...

Hello

On Thursday morning (12th), Dave Francis conducted a CES ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir based in the Scaldwell Bay. Juvenile birds were to be expected and included Long-tailed Tits, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.  A re-trap Sparrowhawk livened up proceedings!  More juvenile Robins ensured that Dave has now trapped twenty of these yellow-spotted youngsters here this spring, confirming a good early season for them.  The impression is that adult warblers are not hitting the mist nets in any numbers, albeit that there seem to be reasonable numbers singing in the bushes. 

Other birds caught included a couple of Marsh Tits, Treecreeper and Bullfinch. Over a thousand birds have been ringed at Pitsford Reservoir this year, about half of them being young tit nestlings ringed in the nest-boxes.  Earlier ringing in the year at the feed station site at the Old Scaldwell Road provided captures of 71 Yellowhammers and 40 Tree Sparrows.

It is hoped over the week-end to again visit the floating tern rafts in the Scaldwell Bay to count the Common Tern nests and ring any youngsters.  Black-headed Gulls are also attempting to nest on these structures this year.  A trail camera positioned on a raft may provide some answers as to what may predate eggs/youngsters.

Other news from Pitsford indicates that the spring moths enjoyed a very good season but the early summer moths are not being found in high numbers.  A Blossom Underwing observed on the reserve in April was a new species for the site.  Sarah and Mischa will be hosting a moth event on 4th July 2014 in line with the National Moth Night, commencing at 9pm.  This is planned to take place at the end of the Old Scaldwell Road next to Maytrees Hide and if you would like to attend, please let Mischa or Sarah know.

Yesterday (13th),  Helen Franklin and I spent some time near Woodford Halse checking Swallow nests in a stable complex.  We managed to ring three young Swallows in one nest and catch six adults also for ringing purposes.  A brood of Pied Wagtail was also ringed.  Birds present in the near vicinity included Little Owl, Hobby, Tree Sparrow and Spotted Flycatcher.  Just over the border in Priors Marston we checked on a Spotted Flycatcher nest which contained young with two proud adults in attendance.

A Polecat lying in the middle of the road isn't a particularly unusual sight in the county these days, albeit that this animal's nocturnal activities prevent most of us from seeing much of them bouncing around.  Yesterday morning one had been hit on the road between Daventry and Buckby Wharf, but to my surprise when I stopped to have a closer look it managed to right itself and hopped, skipped and jumped in to the roadside hedge!

For the butterfly enthusiasts, Black Hairstreaks were on the wing yesterday at Glapthorne Cow Pasture (Wildlife Trust reserve near Oundle). Neil Hasdell has kindly provided an image (please see below), and a Nightingale was still audible there.  In addition, please also see a couple of images below from Nick Wood when he discovered a brood of Nuthatch in one of his nest-boxes at Chase Park Farm recently...

Regards

Neil M

Black Hairstreak
Neil Hasdell

Nuthatch brood
Nick Wood

Swallow
Woodford Halse

Spring - Summer - Autumn...?

Hello

The smaller passerine species have been churning out young birds for some weeks now, and many of the water-birds have achieved much the same.  In the crow family it is the Raven that nests earliest and their broods have been out for some time now. Then it's the Rooks who aren't far behind and many of the cut haylage fields now are full of both adults and begging juveniles.  About now, the majority of the Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw and Jay youngsters are fledging. Technically it is still the season of spring, but the breeding season is generally early this year so in the birds' world this season is very much summer now!  

And there are birds on the move that are failed breeders which are already beginning to navigate back to safe feeding and moulting sites. Perhaps the most obvious locally is the Lapwing with quite a number of birds gently moving south for about a week or so now, and there are breeding plumage Black-headed Gulls starting to disperse from breeding areas. Other species will be involved soon, including waders such as Green Sandpiper, and in some respects it can become confusing as to which way some of these migrants are going!  Failed breeding adult and juvenile Chiffchaffs will be another species that begins to move soon and those species which are single-brooded and have failed or off-loaded their offspring may soon begin their annual moult or move on to a safe place to do so.

Eleanor tried birding at some different locations today including Daventry Country Park, Borough Hill Country Park and Harlestone Heath.  A single pair of Spotted Flycatcher was located at all three sites but apart from this Eleanor assures me she can't think of any other out of the ordinary birds out there!  At least one Willow Tit was along the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton at lunch-time.

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford nest-boxes

Hello

A small team of us spent time at Pitsford Reservoir today erecting some more large nest-boxes on the Wildlife Trust reserve  We managed to achieve our objective and also check on other recently placed boxes, adding sawdust and shavings as appropriate for nesting birds.  Most of this work is in preparation for the 2015 season and beyond, hopefully providing appropriate nesting opportunities primarily for owls but also Kestrel, Stock Dove and Jackdaw and occasionally something else.  Some twenty-two large boxes are now up and in good condition, and are in addition to a couple of hundred small nest-boxes for the local tits and Treecreepers.

No birds out of the ordinary to report today, but it was good to hear a Grey Partridge calling away on the outskirts of Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Birds of Middle England

Hello

Despite spending a fair bit of time out yesterday (9th), there wasn't much to show for our airing, the best being a Hobby near Brixworth.

Today (10th) and Eleanor again checked out Harrington Airfield this morning and again there were two 'purring' Turtle Doves and a pair of Grey Partridge. Yellow Wagtails remain on territory there too.

This evening and a wander around the Blueberry Farm near Maidwell produced a singing Grasshopper Warbler, one or two Barn Owls(s) and a family of Tawny Owls.

Regards

Neil M

Sunday pm

Hello

At risk of sounding repetitive, Eleanor wandered the Harrington Airfield complex this afternoon and again came across two Turtle Doves and two Grey Partridges.  This time the birds were around bushes and rough pasture on land to the north of the main concrete track where it connects with the old airstrip (opposite the old firing range wall).

A change of scenery was required this evening with a walk around Welford Reservoir which produced sightings of Spotted Flycatcher and a Grass Snake.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebe
Welford Res

First Year (hatched last year) male Blackbird

Welford Res.  The end of tail shape and brown

worn wing feathers indicate that this is not a full

adult male Blackbird.  In addition, most mature males

would exhibit a brighter bill and eye-ring and the body

feathers would be blacker and glossier.  Even so the

behaviour of this bird indicated that it was foraging for

food for it's young so despite it's young age it has

presumably been successful in finding and defending

a territory.

Dawn Chorus

Hello

A little late in the season but this morning we had a go at a guided dawn chorus at Pitsford Reservoir, at the request of Pitsford Women's Institute.  A 4.30am start is always a little daunting for some - luckily I am a morning person!  The walk took in the north bank of the Holcot Bay and we walked to the Lagoon Hide and back.  Initially we were distracted because a family unit of Tawny Owls (including two mobile and vocal youngsters) were close to our rendezvous spot.  A Jay was seen and a Sparrowhawk heard and then it was back on the agenda to listen to singing small birds. 

There are plenty of Wrens on site this year, no doubt more numerous due to the mild winter, and their song velocity was in danger of drowning out the remainder of the songsters!  However the Song Thrushes were not to be outdone and we quickly tracked down the monotonous song of Chiffchaff and others amongst the throng.

A couple of Muntjac sprang away from us and we espied water birds as the bushes gave way to open water viewing.  The Coots seem to be doing well this year with plenty of youngsters in evidence and Great Crested Grebes and Mute Swans also have broods on-site.

Other songsters included hidden Goldcrest, Treecreeper and Blackcap but Garden Warblers were much more showy.  A good view of a Grass Snake was a bonus.  Common Buzzard was seen and Green Woodpecker heard and then we meandered back to the cars - where did two and a half hours go?

Breeding Oystercatchers and Common Terns are an assured sight in the Scaldwell Bay and the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station is supporting adult and juvenile Tree Sparrows and Great Spotted Woodpeckers in addition to more standard fare.

Regards

Neil M

Soggy Saturday !

Although I've spent plenty of time outdoors today I haven't much to show for my efforts....apart from a big pile of soggy clothes and wet dogs !!!!  We had a good early walk around Blueberry Farm area, but only saw the usual Common Buzzards, Red Kites, Meadow Pipits etc. 

I decided to go for a run and take Tor with me. All was going well until a pesky squirrel jumped onto the track in front of us and Tor nearly pulled me through the hedge in his quest to chase it!  Some time later we both squelched our way back home, managing (as usual) to be out when the rain was at it's heaviest!

As it was a nice evening I went back to Blueberry area and again plenty of Common Buzzards, but also a hunting Barn Owl and a pair of Grey Partridge.

We all jumped with fright when the calm quiet evening was broken by the close barking of a Muntjac deer which was literally just the other side of the hedge.  Our young foster dog squealed with fright and sat quaking behind "old" Bazra for protection.

Regards  

Eleanor

Harrington Orchids

Hello

Although not in huge numbers, the Common Spotted Orchids at Harrington Airfield along the old airstrip are blooming, with significant variation in colours and petal structure.  The Bee Orchids are fewer in number and not as well-developed yet...

Regards

Neil M

Common Spotted Orchids

Bee Orchid

Brixworth raptors

Hello

Brixworth was the place to be today if you like raptors, with two Red Kites scouting low over the village cricket pitch following a grass-mowing session, a Hobby over the middle of the village (making the village Swifts very apprehensive), and an Osprey over towards Pitsford Res at 2.50pm.

Eleanor again noted two 'purring' Turtle Doves at Harrington Airfield this morning (from the main concrete track found off the minor road to Draughton).

Regards

Neil M

Ragged Robin
Kelmarsh

House Martins

Hello

A ringing session held locally was productive today with the capture of 47 new House Martins.  This is not a species I catch very often and they are quite different from the norm with their incredible soft feathery legs and stunning two-tone plumage.  Up close of course the mantle emanates a resplendent metallic blue colour (similar to Swallow), with the upper-side of the wings being more variable and often brown-based and of course the birds also sport a clean white underside and rump.  Birds from a previous session this spring at the same site means that we have managed to catch and process a total of 76 House Martins locally - it is assumed that most of these will be local breeders.

Other new birds caught today included 8 Swallows, 5 Pied Wagtails and 4 Magpies.  A Grey Wagtail present was seemingly too clever to catch!

Yesterday (3rd) and Eleanor again saw the two Turtle Doves at Harrington Airfield and on the evening of the 2nd a Barn Owl was hunting in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton (they seem very scarce this year).

Regards

Neil M

Red in tooth and claw

Nature's harsher realities have been in evidence at Summer Leys for the last week or so.
A pair of Shelduck had a brood of 12 ducklings a little over a week ago. This number has steadily dwindled as predation has occurred and there are now only 5 ducklings left.  A second brood of 7 from a different set of parents lost a duckling within 24 hrs.
Today a pair of Coots were industriously feeding their brood of six under the predatory gaze of an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.  Within about 30 mins the gull had picked off and eaten 4 of the youngsters and very nearly managed a 5th, despite the best efforts of the adults to discourage it.
Clearly birds have large broods in order to cope with predation, it is however difficult not to feel sympathy for the parents and for the tiny, defenceless victims of the predators.

    Neil H.

Harrington Airfield pm

Hello

Eleanor was again up at Harrington Airfield this afternoon where it was generally quiet.  However a flurry of birds at about 4.45pm at the very end of the concrete track included the 'cream crown' Marsh Harrier again plus two Turtle Doves, two Grey Partridges and a Hobby.  The Common Spotted Orchids on the old airstrip are in pristine condition at the moment.

Regards

Neil M

Sunday update

Hello

Whilst out and about today and driving, Eleanor saw an egret sp in flight near Nether Heyford flying west which seemed big, and an Osprey was over Brixworth village at 12.15pm.  I saw a Hobby at Lamport and a brief excursion to Kelmarsh Hall provided views of a singing male Grey Wagtail, a pair of Spotted Flycatcher and a confused 'phylloscopus' warbler singing both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler songs phrases in the same burst.  An evening walk at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this evening produced two calling Grey Partridges plus singing singles of Lesser Whitethroat and Grasshopper Warbler.

Dave Francis and Lynne Barnett paid a visit to the floating tern rafts at Pitsford Res today.  Thirty-three Common Tern nests was a good number, with many females still to lay more eggs.  A dead adult Common Tern on one of the rafts bore a ring, but the number is not a recognised Pitsford sequence so no doubt we will hear more of the origins of this bird to the future.  Three Oystercatcher chicks were alive and well on one of the rafts (a fourth had died) and these birds were ringed.

In the meantime a team of ringers were active at Stortons Gravel Pits this morning, the still and pleasant conditions providing a catch of 62 birds.  Of these, twelve were new Reed Warblers and seven were new Sedge Warblers. In addition John Woollett and the team identified one 'control' of each species (birds originally ringed elsewhere), and an individual Reed Warbler ringed at Stortons GP in 2010 but not recorded again until today.

I understand that there has been something of an ecological disaster at Stanwick Gravel Pits following sluice management in the week which has caused widespread flooding in and around the pits and sadly swamped all the nests of ground-nesting birds including terns, gulls and breeding warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford tern rafts

Dave Francis with an Oystercatcher
chick.  They both have beards but Dave
 is the one with the hat and specs!
All images courtesy of Lynne Barnett

Early summer migration

Hello

There are some advantages of being a dog-owner and birder. Certainly most of the birds that Eleanor sees and hears are while she is out exercising both herself and our pack.  My contributions to the dog walking regime are much more minimal, but we have developed a routine over the years whereby I take the dogs out last thing at night.

Whilst out at night, even for just a short period, it is rare not to hear birds calling. Sometimes it is just bickering birds roosting together, and of course owls are vocal for most periods of the year, but often fly-over migrants are detectable by sound.  Probably the most consistently heard bird for me during the relevant period is the Redwing, a particularly resilient migrant that can be heard calling in all weathers. For me this species is one of our most iconic of migrants.  

During the winter wildfowl are regularly heard, sometimes just the sound of the 'singing' wings as they motor overhead, but often vocal calls too.

Many people are surprised when I say that I regularly hear Moorhens and Coots calling as they fly over, and judging from the calls they are flying slowly at low altitude.  And this is not a winter theme, in fact I hear them during the summer as much as any other season.  Where they are going and what drives them to move around at such times is one of the wonderful mysteries that stimulates my interest in bird migration.

Just gone midnight this morning and it was very still as I meandered my way back home after a short nocturnal walk below the village, and in the space of ten minutes, singles of Coot, Moorhen and a beautifully trilling Whimbrel all over-flew the village.

Anyway, back to more traditional birding methods!  This morning Eleanor enjoyed an early walk at Harrington Airfield and saw a 'cream-crown' Marsh Harrier (possibly a young male), two Turtle Doves, a singing Grasshopper Warbler and heard a Quail that called just the once.  A Roe Deer showed itself, one of several records from here recently...

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford CBC

Hello

A Common Bird Census took place on the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir today in rather dull, sultry conditions.  Nothing remarkable was seen, although a singing Spotted Flycatcher in the Scaldwell Bay may be holding territory.  The singing Cuckoo is still present, being quite mobile around the Scaldwell and Walgrave Bays.  A few Gadwall remain on-site plus a drake Shoveler and of course the breeding Oystercatchers remain.  A single Raven flew through.

Only small numbers of Reed Warblers seem to be present this year and I only logged a single Sedge Warbler territory.  The Blackbirds on-site are quite curious inasmuch that there is very little in the way of territorial singing early in the season but they are particularly vocal later in the season associated with the attempts at second and third broods.  However the Song Thrush shows no such subtlety and their strident and far-carrying songs can be heard throughout the breeding season.

Regards

Neil M

Not much!

Hello

Not much to report during a very soggy week, but Eleanor again saw two Turtle Doves at Harrington Airfield today; the best I could manage was a Hobby near Brixworth...

Regards

Neil M

Ringing today

Hello

A ringing session today at a private and restricted site in the county was successful, the weather conditions causing many hirundines to fly low over the ringing area.  In total 104 birds were caught which included:-

71 Swallows, 69 of which were new birds and 2 were controls (previously ringed birds from elsewhere)
19 new House Martins
1 new Blue Tit
4 new Pied Wagtails
1 new Reed Bunting
3 new Magpies
2 new Green Woodpeckers
1 new Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 new Starlings

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford CES ringing

Hello

A Constant Effort Site (CES) ringing session took place at Pitsford Res this morning, as led by Dave Francis.  Using established rides in the Scaldwell Bay for lines of mist-nets, some 48 birds were captured and processed as part of a long term study.  The captures of 12 juvenile Robins was very significant, strongly suggesting that early broods of this species had fared well this year.  A female Willow Tit sporting an active brood patch was also an important catch, suggesting that a pair of this very thinly distributed resident are again breeding in the Scaldwell Bay.  Three Chiffchaffs and five Bullfinches were also processed, Pitsford remains a good place to see Bullfinch despite declines elsewhere in the region and country.

A Cuckoo has remained very vocal in the ringing area in the Scaldwell Bay for a couple of weeks now - there are very few birds in the NN6 postal area these days - and a singing Reed Warbler and a singing Lesser Whitethroat remain in the area of the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station.

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford Res & ringing update

Hello

Typical Bank Holiday weather - heavy rain!

An Osprey was fishing on the reserve north of the causeway at Pitsford Res late morning, much to the annoyance of the summering Great Black-backed Gull there!  Surprisingly, of the two it seemed that the gull has the longer wing-span.

The pair of Oystercatcher hatched four young on one of the tern rafts last week, and the adults were ferrying worms to them today. Common Terns have now started laying eggs on the same rafts.

Details have emerged in recent days of some more ringing returns:-

A Blackbird controlled at Pitsford Res on 1st December 2013 was first ringed in Holland as a youngster on 10th September 2012 at a site called Hollum, Ameland.  The distance between the two sites is 454 km with the bird having moved in a traditional WSW direction (and presumably over the North Sea). Whether this bird wintered in the UK during the 2012/13 winter is not known.
  
Also an adult male Lesser Redpoll that was ringed in East Hunsbury, Northampton on 25th February 2013 was subsequently controlled at Market Drayton, Shropshire on 15th March 2014. This little chap had no doubt clocked up many hundreds of kilometres in that time, a straight line between the sites is 131 km over a duration of 383 days.

Regards

Neil M

Top Lodge, Fineshade

Hello

Barrie Galpin (BTO rep for the county), has kindly forwarded details of a Planning Application for Fineshade Top Lodge which if successful is likely to have an impact on the local wildlife in this section of the Rockingham Forest complex. As many will know, this area is one of the few available to us in the county where reptiles such as Adder and Common Lizard thrive.  There are also several species of orchid, including one rare variety, which grow within a couple of hundred metres of this site.

I think most local naturalists would agree that the current visitor numbers, usage of the current Caravan Club site and the shop complex does not adversely affect the diverse and sensitive wildlife that Top Lodge and the adjacent land is renown for.  However, the development of this site as below-indicated is likely to create a local ecological collapse of a number of sensitive and fragile species which appear not to be replicated anywhere else in Northamptonshire.

Please read on and respond as you feel appropriate...

Urgent - another plan to develop Top Lodge, Fineshade

Since the end of the last year we've been aware that the Forestry Commission have been working on a plan to build a Forest Holidays site in 70 acres of  what's almost certainly ancient woodland here. However, last week a planning application has been submitted for another, completely different, development here. This will not affect the woods directly but will have a big impact on Top Lodge.

The application is for a "Change of use" of the privately owned field immediately in front of the Top Lodge offices and Visitor Centre. See picture attached. It is a proposal for:

"Change of use to lodge camping facility including 30 'glamping' pods, car park, wardens residence, reception, welfare building and associated works."

The entrance and two main buildings will be located close to the Whitebeam tree on the left of the picture.

The reference number for the application is 14/00195/FUL and it can be found online at http//:www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/planning applications

or use the direct address:

http://pawebsrv.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=N0GVBMGO0CZ00

You will find the Design and Access Statement, Ecological Survey and maps in the External Documents.

Comments can be made online, or very simply emailed to planning@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk. 

Or by letter to: 

Planning comments, 

East Northamptonshire Council, 

Cedar Drive, 

Thrapston NN14 4LZ. 

All comments must include your name and address and the reference 14/00195/FUL. The consultation period ends on 2nd June

For more information about responding to this planning application, or to be kept informed of further developments please send an email to fineshade.wood@zen.co.uk

Back to the county!

Hello

We arrived back in the county early this morning after the long drive down from Scotland in very wet weather!

However sunny Northants lived up to it's reputation today with some superb sunshine for much of the day.

Eleanor took a walk at Harrington Airfield late this morning and located two 'purring' Turtle Doves in the bushes on the north west side of the complex.  This is a regular site for them but they are often very elusive and don't call particularly loudly.

A hunting Hobby was noted between Old and Pitsford Res and another pair were seen in NN6 clearly checking out a crow's nest.

I checked on the NN6 Raven nest today and found the adults with just one fledged juvenile in evidence.

Regards

Neil M

Mallard & ducklings

Wednesday and Thursday

Hello

The weather has turned cooler up here during the last two days, together with some drizzle and light rain.

We have spent the last two days exploring areas close to us and on both the Glenmore and Rothiemurchus estates.  These last two estates contain some of the best pristine Caledonian forest still in existence.  Despite being a popular area for tourists, it isn't long before you lose people and can immerse yourself in some fabulous habitat.  Some of this old forest with ancient Scot's Pines and waist-height heather is difficult terrain to find wildlife, such is the cover and scarcity of our quarry.  The Crested Tits are moving around in pairs, collecting food for their nestlings.  Their calls are more subdued but they have moved up a gear or two in their frantic search for caterpillars and grubs.  Crossbills of one variety or another can be heard all the time as they fly over in small groups, but it hasn't been possible to obtain really good views of perched birds.

Damp depressions in the heather and mud-fringed pools are home to Snipe, Green Sandpiper and Teal.  It's not often you see a Snipe perched on top of a century-old Scot's Pine, and the Woodcock are roding in day-light conditions.  Interesting passerines in this habitat include the old favorites of Meadow and Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart and Willow Warbler.

A couple of visits to the car parks just below the Cairngorm Mountain ski-lifts and funicular railway provided plenty of Red Grouse, a single male Black Grouse and up to three pairs of Ring Ouzel.

A walk along the entire length of the Badenoch footpath this afternoon was very pleasant but only managed to provide repeats in the shape of Osprey, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, Redstart etc.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Crested Tit

The Valley of the Eagles

Hello

Yesterday (Tuesday 20th May), and we drove north on the A9 to the Findhorn Valley.  This deep-clefted valley marks the passage of the River Findhorn and contains a rich mixture of habitats which becomes wilder and more extreme the further you travel up it.  On the top, heather moors dominate and the slopes are a mix of birch woodlands, rough pasture and juniper.  The river valley is green and luxuriant, with a variety of plantations, grass fields and a few lakes and ponds.  Very large numbers of Red Deer dominate the valley.

In general it is the easiest place to see eagles in the Highland area and away from the west coast, but sightings are not assured.

On our way to the Findhorn, we checked out Loch Vaa.  Typical birds included Little Grebe, Goldeneye, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart and Common Sandpiper but not much else of note.

In the Findhorn we walked several sections which took most of the day, in pleasant sunshine and a warm breeze.  A juvenile White-tailed Eagle took to the wing over the valley a couple of times, a mobbing Common Buzzard looking ridiculously small in a direct size comparison.  A juvenile Golden Eagle showed well at the top of the valley, with a pair of harrying Kestrels keeping it active!  A hunting adult Golden Eagle on the top moors was only seen briefly.

Other raptors included Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and several Peregrines.  It was great to see as many as four or five pairs of Kestrels on territory, probably the only place in recent times where I would comfortably call them common!

Passerines included plenty of Meadow and Tree Pipits, Redstart, Wheatear and Ring Ouzel.  Common and Black-headed Gulls breed here in small numbers and their calls rang out continually, blending with the chipping of Snipe, 'bubbling' Curlew and shrill trilling of Oystercatcher.  A couple of Raven remained high up, Dipper and Grey Wagtail and Common Sandpiper bobbed and careered along the river and mammals included both Brown and Mountain Hare.

In the late afternoon, we took the single track road to the small settlement of Farr, which crosses grouse-managed moorland.  Red Grouse were obvious but there was very little else.  Mobile grouse chicks seemed very early.

We visited the nearby Scottish breeding stronghold of Slavonian Grebe, namely Loch Ruthven.  Three resplendent but unfortunately distant Slavonian Grebes were actively displaying and weed-carrying, but it was a pair of Little Grebes that stole the show, feeding their four young close up in the shallows.  A Peregrine flew over but otherwise there were no further birds of note.

We finished our day again at Insh Marshes, and Eleanor witnessed a Pine Marten balancing supremely on a narrow birch branch before jumping down and bouncing away.  In the meantime I was watching a Fox trying to catch Rabbits and counted nearly twenty Roe Deer munching on aquatic vegetation.

Regards

Neil M

Tor on tour!

Little Grebes

Lapwing chick

Red Grouse

Insh Marshes

Carn Ban Mor

Bazra enjoying the snow!

Hello

Much of Monday 19th May was spent clambering up to the summit of Carn Ban Mor and then walking the Cairngorm high tops before descending late in the afternoon.  For the first half of the day it seemed we were the only people up there, but by mid-afternoon we had met a few other trekkers.  We were also lucky with the weather, as we later found out that there had been some heavy pulses of rain at lower altitude.

Despite the warm spring, there is plenty of snow at higher elevations, the first snow that Tor the hound had ever seen!

The high tops were mostly barren for birds but we saw a couple of close Ptarmigan on our way up, several Red Grouse and several attendant Wheatears.  The Dotterel were quite skittish and didn't allow for a close approach.  Of the eight we saw, the majority were vocal females that were trotting rapidly after the duller couple of males.  The rocky outcrop of Sgor Gaoth was home to a pair of Ring Ouzel, and providing a very dramatic overview of Loch Eanaich.  A new mammal for the both of us in the UK was the distant sighting of five Reindeer, these animals now seemingly ranging across the uplands of Cairngorm National Park.

On our way back to 'home', we called in at a nearby Osprey nest and could confirm a pair in residence again this year. Several Goldeneye on the loch there included a female with ducklings, at the same stage in life as we saw ducklings up here in July last year. Further confirmation that spring this year is warm and early and last year was cold and late.  Also there appears little difference in the breeding season timing from Northants and the Highlands, as we have seen plenty of fledged birds including Treecreeper, thrushes, Robin etc.

We spent the early part of the night looking for nocturnal mammals and after plenty of Red and Roe Deer, we added Badger and then finally the sought-after Pine Marten.  A roding Woodcock showed before it became too dark and then it was finally time for a couple of hours of sleep before the next early morning!

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Loch Eanaich from
Sgor Gaoith,
Cairngorm National Park

Ptarmigan

Speyside

Hello

Apologies for the lack of updates over the last few days.  Our Internet connection now appears to be finally resolved!

On Sunday 18th May it was an early 4.30am start as we motored over to Loch Garten.  As expected no Capercallies were on show (apparently it has been a very poor season for them showing this year), but we were privileged to witness (with the assistance of a high definition camera), the first-hatched Osprey chick take it's very first feed from mother!  The egg hatched overnight but the female brooded the nestling before finally offering it some carefully manipulated slithers of best trout as acquired by the male bird called Odin.

A pair of Redstart were busy in a nest-box right in front of the visitor centre, the female already brooding a clutch of eggs.  A couple of Red Squirrels showed and a scat on the track outside the centre showed that a Pine Marten had been about while we were in there, but no-one saw it!

Next was a walk through the Abernethy Forest and in to Nethybridge.  Crossbills were heard calling and the deep tones suggested they were not of the Common variety.  As with much of the woodland up here at this time of the year, the trees played host to incredible numbers of singing Willow Warblers and good numbers of Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Siskin, and with plenty of Tree Pipits singing in the glades and edges.   Quite different to the English Midlands where such sounds are pretty isolated and the populations fragmented.  Cuckoos too are a common sound here, frequently on the moorland and woodland edge.  Both Grey Wagtail and Dipper were on territory at Nethybridge.

After a well-deserved brunch at the excellent Rothiemurchus Estate cafe, we next birded an area close to Aviemore.  A couple of singing Wood Warblers included an apparently unmated male singing and vibrating his heart out plus more Tree Pipits and Spotted Flycatchers.  A female Peregrine remained well-concealed on her clutch of eggs.

We finished the day at an old favourite venue of ours which is the very extensive Insh Marshes, which is made all the more accessible due to the Bradenoch Way footpath.  The RSPB manage the area and there is an excellent viewpoint which provides a commanding view over a section of the marsh.  Large numbers of Roe Deer are always on view, the aquatic habitat with it's lush vegetation much to their liking.  Breeding waders include Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and Snipe.  Redstarts and Tree Pipits sing from the birch-covered slopes and resident raptors include Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.  It is thought that this area represents one of the key sites in the UK for breeding Spotted Crake, but it is another thing seeing one!

We finished the day with an Osprey, common woodland birds and a Large Red Damselfly, and providing some food on the grass by our woodland cabin induced the local wildlife to banquet, including a couple of Badgers.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Tree Pipit

Highland Toad!

Many of the adult male
Chaffinches in this part
of the world are incredibly
bright.

Spotted Flycatcher trying
out a possible new home!

Bird of the Day - a stunning
Wood Warbler

Ruthven Barracks standing
proud before the Insh Marshes

'Peanuts are OK but is
there any more jam sandwiches?'

Perth and Tay

Hello

After a very pleasant guesthouse accommodation in the village of Luncarty north of Perth, we spent the day exploring the fabulous landscapes and habitat west of the A9 and Pitlochry.  Before leaving Luncarty we noticed Tree Sparrows on the adjacent farm-land and coming to the guesthouse bird feeders.  We visited a number of venues including Loch of the Lowes, Tumnel Bridge and a couple of Forestry Commission woodlands, but the best venue was certainly the single-track road along Glen Quaich which almost borders Loch Freuchie.

Unlike further south, the weather in this region was dull during the morning with low cloud, and first drizzle and then light rain settled in for much of the afternoon.

Nevertheless there were birds to be found and we duly notched up Red Grouse, Black Grouse, Goosander, Osprey, Red Kite, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, lots of common waders, Wheatear, Tree Pipit, Redstart, Wood Warbler and Crossbill.

After tearing ourselves away from this very picturesque area we drove north to Newtonmore, purchased some provisions and found our self-catering cabin in the village of Insh, Speyside.  And tomorrow is a whole new day!

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

A herd of Fallow Deer
included a cream-white individual.

Swallow - including one
with nesting material

These black-faced variety
of Sheep are common in the
Perth area and all look
particularly clean-looking.

Brown Hare

The drive north...

Hello

Early this morning the McMahon clan drove north to Scotland, as part of a short break centred around Speyside.

Our first venue after three hours solid driving was the excellent Westmoorland Tebay Services off the M6 in the Lake District.  Not only was the cooked breakfast excellent but there were some birds there as well, which included 'bubbling' Curlew on the adjacent moorland, nine Crossbills and singing Willow Warblers, Garden Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher.  On next to the outskirts of Edingburgh, where a committed animal lover took in our physically disabled foster dog Theo for a week.  With our friend Diane taking in the other foster dog Joseph and Eleanor's parents looking after Bobsie, it left just Tor and Bazra with us to explore Scotland!

Birds seen and heard by the roadside included plenty of gulls and corvids, Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Oystercatchers and a Wood Warbler.  We motored over the impressive Firth of Forth bridge and on to Loch Leven, a large freshwater loch near Kinross.  Here the RSPB maintain the Vane Farm nature reserve.

Siskins and Blackcaps were in good voice on our arrival, and other warblers included Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.  Some chattering Tree Sparrows was a sound from sunny Northants, and some of the birds visible from the hides was very much Nene Valley-like, with a drake Garganey, a pair or two of Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Redshank,a Pink-footed Goose, Black-headed Gull colony etc.  A Glossy Ibis feeding close to a flock of Greylags sadly does not reflect the current Northants scene however!

A Temminck's Stint had been seen earlier in the day but couldn't be found by us or those there in the latter part of the afternoon, but a Red Squirrel coming to bird feeders in the shadow of the foliage will hopefully be the first of many on this trip!

Regards

Neil M

Loch Leven

'C'mon Mum, when
are we going for a run?'

On-territory Lapwing

Red Squirrel