Barn Owls and more...

Hello

A ringing session took place down at Milton Keynes today at the Linford Lakes Nature Reserve which provided small numbers of captures but of a high variety. Perhaps the most interesting birds were singles of Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch, Green Woodpecker and Kingfisher. Other birds on-site included five Swallows, a Cetti's Warbler, a Blackcap, three Oystercatchers, a couple of Little Egrets and first thing there were up to four Barn Owls hunting the rough pasture alongside the reserve. A small heronry in the trees there was very noisy!

Early afternoon found a break-away group visiting the Nene Barrage at Clifford Hill Gravel Pits to see the Avocet found earlier in the day. This bird was busy feeding when we arrived but sleeping soundly when we left! Birds at nearby Weston Mill included a Grey Wagtail, a Blackcap and a Cetti's Warbler.

On next to the Summer Leys reserve with the second summer Mediterranean Gull still showing well but little else that was new. Shelducks had increased to four and there was still two Oystercatchers, two Redshank, four Little Egrets and a Grey Wagtail.

Late this afternoon Eleanor admired a splendid adult male Hen Harrier hunting at Blueberry Farm, close to the farm buildings plus three Barn Owls and a pair of Grey Partridge. Another Barn Owl was near Scaldwell this afternoon with a further individual in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Sadly on my travels today I saw two dead Barn Owls lying at the side of our ever-busy roads.

Regards

Neil M

A Kingfisher, judged to be an adult
male, taking it easy after being ringed!
For some reason this species will simply
remain in position if unrestrained and
placed on it's back...

Image courtesy of Jacob Spinks

A first year Blue Tit with a
deformed bill, this bird frequenting
an Olney garden.

Image courtesy of Nick Wood

Meadow Pipit

Images courtesy of Chris Payne

Mediterranean Gull at Summer Leys

Images courtesy of Robin Gossage

Male Reed Bunting

Courtesy of Robin Gossage

Robin

Courtesy of Robin G!

Summer Leys

Hello

An early start this morning and I was at Summer Leys Nature Reserve at dawn. Twenty minutes later and an Otter showed as seen from the Pioneer Hide, fishing out on one of the pits. It disappeared after about five minutes but then showed twice more during the next hour. A Fox came wandering past the hide but unfortunately the awful light and drizzle means that the images are pretty dire (please see below).

The second summer Mediterranean Gull flew in at 6.35am and very much held territory on Rotary Island, calling, displaying and getting physical with nearby Black-headed Gulls. A thoroughly good-looking gull although I am biased because 'the Med' is definitely one of my favourite gulls, particularly as I was fortunate to find the first one ever in the county many moons ago.

Two White Wagtails were visible from the Screen Hide for a short time and a pair of Red-crested Pochard flew on to the reserve. A Swallow over Mary's Lake was my first of the year. Standard fare included three Oystercatchers, two Redshank, a pair of mobile Shelduck, plenty of Shoveler and Goldeneye and three singing Cetti's Warblers.

A subsequent visit to Pitsford Res suggested this site was quiet with just four Shelduck and a pair of Oystercatcher to show for my deliberations. A couple of hours ringing in the garden provided almost 40 captures, including a dozen new Goldfinches and singles of Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.

During a short reprieve in the rain this afternoon, Eleanor saw two hunting Barn Owls at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

Red Fox

Very much a record
shot of an Otter!

Responsible for much of the
noise during a dawn chorus-
the Song Thrush

Second summer
Mediterranean Gull

Migrants please!

Hello

Little in the way of significant change in the centre of the county these last few days but as always there are subtle movements all the time. Fieldfares, Starlings and Golden Plovers are quietly gathering and moving about in small flocks, some slipping away to the north and others lingering to feed up before doing likewise.

In the garden, new Goldfinches have been arriving, feeding up and departing as they also fly to summer in the north of England and Scotland and I'm still catching new first year Blue Tits in the garden suggesting that they also are wandering around trying to find breeding opportunities which includes a mate for the first time and suitable habitat. 

Small numbers of Linnets, Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and similar fare are also slipping over almost unnoticed, maybe a flight contact call or watching the disappearance of small undulating flock to the distant horizon being the only indication.

The weather conditions for tomorrow, rain and dull conditions combined with a south easterly air-stream, should technically produce a pulse of fresh birds but much of it depends on the conditions much further to the south of us. Anyway I shall be out there in the rain trying to find some migrants!

The below images have been kindly forwarded by Clive Bowley...

Regards

Neil M

Goldfinch
Summer Leys LNR

Mallard
Sywell Country Park

Kingfisher
Abington Park

All images courtesy
of Clive Bowley

Robin's Red Squirrels!

Hello

No significant local birds to report today so I thought I would devote this blog to the Red Squirrel!

Robin Gossage recently visited the Highland area of Scotland on a short photographic trip with Dave Thomas, Bob Bullock and Dave Jackson, and the below images depict action shots of our only native squirrel...

Regards

Neil M

Red Squirrel

Courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Interesting Ringing Recoveries

Hello

Some more recoveries have filtered through recently of birds caught and ringed locally and then turning up elsewhere as follows...

D871279 refers to a Blue Tit first caught and ringed at Kelmarsh Hall on 4th April 2014 which was then caught again by a ringer at Carlton, Bedfordshire on 13th December 2014. This bird hatched during the calendar year of 2013 and something later stimulated it to travel 33KM in a SE direction to Bedfordshire;

D871585 refers to a juvenile Blue Tit initially caught and ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 20th July 2014 which was again caught by a ringer (our ringing secretary Nick Wood) at Hollington Wood near Milton Keynes on 8th February 2015. This is a distance of some 26KM in a SSE direction. It is likely that this bird hatched somewhere at or close to Pitsford Reservoir but is another individual that has moved in a SE direction;

V733982 refers to an adult male Reed Bunting first caught and ringed at Stanford Reservoir on 5th June 2010 which was then caught by ringers operating at Stortons Gravel Pits, Northampton on 8th February this year. Although this is only a distance of 24KM in a SE direction this bird will be six years old this year and possibly older...

Regards

Neil M

Spring is slow this year...

Hello

A short ringing session at Kelmarsh Hall this morning provided a modest catch of 34 birds, half of which were new. Highlights included two Goldcrests, a Chiffchaff and a re-trap Nuthatch which was first caught and ringed in 2011 (and re-trapped in the same location in both 2012 and 2014).

Other birds on-site included a pair of Raven and a pair of Grey Wagtails.

Two Barn Owls were showing extremely well on the outskirts of Scaldwell village first thing this morning, and a flock of at least a hundred Golden Plovers were in adjacent fields.

A visit to Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon was sufficient to locate two Kittiwakes off the sailing club and dam, a Green Sandpiper was still on the pool below the dam and a Raven was cruising about.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owl at
Scaldwell

Courtesy of Jacob Spinks

Birds of wind and rain

Hello

Birds around Scaldwell village yesterday (Saturday) as seen by Jacob Spinks included a small flock of Brambling, a Chiffchaff and a singing Blackcap.

This morning a Blackcap was singing in Hanging Houghton village and at least one redpoll sp visited the garden in blustery conditions.

A walk in windy conditions at Harrington Airfield this afternoon produced just five Golden Plovers and three Grey Partridges.

I drove over to Boddington Reservoir this afternoon in an effort to see the first year Ring-billed Gull initially found on Friday by local birder and expert rarity finder Gary Pullan. Sadly the bird didn't show (despite reports to the contrary), and there were very few gulls present. A 'redhead' Goosander was present and a flock of c15 Golden Plovers were south of the reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Back from Islay

Great Northern Diver

Hello

The NBC contingent left Islay on the 9.45am ferry to the mainland yesterday, seeing a few birds along the way! The best were probably a flock of Pale-bellied Brents, Eiders, a Common Scoter, common auks, Red-throated and Great Northern Divers, quite a few Slavonian Grebes, Gannets and Kittiwakes.

While I have been away many people have taken on the task of maintaining the wild bird feed stations at Pitsford, Kelmarsh, and Harrington - thank-you all very much! Perhaps not surprisingly my first day back in the county today was spent visiting all these feed stations and topping up feeders in order to ensure that the feeding birds during the winter are supported during the spring hunger gap. 

There seemed to be a very light sprinkling of Chiffchaffs and clearly the main arrival of these early migrants has yet to occur. A Green Sandpiper was again on the muddy pools below the dam at Pitsford Res, but the gull roost there has all but finished for the season now.

Eleanor was again over at Staverton today and the pair of Raven were still in situ. The only other birds of note were two Barn Owls at Blueberry Farm this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Eider

Great Black-backed Gull

Drake Red-breasted Merganser

Gannet

Islay Birds Thursday

Hello

A very windy day on Islay today but with plenty of sunshine and a couple of sharp showers too!

Our last full day on the island with all Northants Bird Club members departing on the ferry tomorrow morning as a pre-amble for the long drive home.

Different tactics today with five car-loads splitting up to check different parts of the islands. Plenty of birds seen on previous days were logged which included at least three Hen Harriers, two Dippers on the burn by the Woollen Shop and of course plenty of wildfowl and waders. A new bird for the trip was a group of four Purple Sandpipers on rocks and sea-weed on the edge of Loch Indaal. Other birds of note included a couple of Greenshank, a flock of between 30 - 40 Choughs at Ardnave Point and 3-4 Wheatears at the same location.

Throughout the trip the views of the hills and mountains of Islay, Jura and distant uplands of Mull, Colonsay and the mainland have been particularly clear and colourful and the light quality superb which has really enhanced the ambiance and theatre of this special part of the world.

Regards

Neil M

Barnacle Geese

Greenland White-fronted Goose

Jura

Hello

Most of today (Wednesday) was spent on the island of Jura, a rugged island which takes just five minutes to reach on a ferry crossing from Islay. Although still cool, much of the day was sunny and the light quality excellent.

After much scanning we were rewarded with distant views of three White-tailed Eagles visible from the Straits of Islay, these huge birds dwarfing the mobbing Common Buzzards. Other birds included Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Eider and Great Northern Diver. Another White-tailed Eagle materialised while we were at the only island village of Craighouse and other birds on show were Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, common waders, Red-breasted Merganser and more Eider and Great Northern Divers. No sign of the hoped-for Otters though...

We motored slowly to the north of the island, seeing plenty of Red Deer along the way, and espied a pair of Golden Eagles flying together above a rock crag. Sustained views included a period when they both chased Red Deer across the hillside, actually making contact on a couple of occasions and causing them to bolt in panic. Most of the birds from this point were repeats of previous days, but a flushed Jack Snipe was a little unexpected.

We crossed back to Islay at about 6pm and checked the north end of Loch Indaal which provided views of thousands of roosting Barnacle Geese, a flock of eleven Pale-bellied Brent Geese, about fifty Bar-tailed Godwits and a first year Iceland Gull.

Regards

Neil M

Jackdaws

Red Deer

Oystercatcher

Islay Birds Tuesday

Hello

A cold and strong wind on Islay all day today with rain showers in the morning but sunnier in the afternoon. In the morning we drove around the perimeter of Loch Gorm, checking the fields for geese and marshy areas for general wildlife. Geese of three species were well-represented of course and waders included Curlew, Ringed Plover and Golden Plover. The strong wind meant that many smaller birds kept a low profile but we found Stonechats, plenty of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits and good numbers of thrush species.

A short walk at Machir Bay allowed us to locate some Twite, a couple of which were singing in the grassy dunes, up to twenty Chough and good numbers of pure-looking Rock Doves. Most of the gulls on the beach were adults in superb summer plumage with a mixture of Common, Herring and Lesser Black-backed almost glistening in their different shades in the sharp light. Distant Gannets patrolled the mouth of the bay.

Following more roadside scanning we popped in to the burn-side location of the Islay Woollen Mill and Sarah located a Dipper working the stream above the weirs. Some feeders there attracted good numbers of Chaffinches and Blue and Great Tits. Lunch was a pleasant affair in a High Street cafe in Bowmore

We subsequently checked out Port Askaig but apart from a Black Guillemot and some distant Red Deer we couldn't see much in the bright spring sunshine. Some snow on the Paps of Jura reminded us that the temperatures had plummeted somewhat! Barry had spent some quality time in the hides on the Gruinart RSPB reserve and taken some excellent wildlife images, including some close Snipe. He also noted Greenshank and Pintail among other water-birds using this site.

We finished the birding day with drives down minor roads and scanning over the rolling moorland and freshwater lochs. New island birds for the trip included Red-legged Partridge, Tufted Duck and Barn Owl!

Regards

Neil M

Stonechat

Islay Birds Monday

Skylark

Grey Heron

Wren

Iceland Gull superimposed
against a Highland Cow and a
Rock Dove flying over!

Hello

Another full day on the island of Islay today, and although there was the odd rogue shower we enjoyed sunny if rather breezy conditions. We saw as a many as four different Iceland Gulls, all of them first years on our travels today but the high-point of the day was a pair of displaying Golden Eagles over the Mull of Oa, the male for a very protracted period of time. He was extremely energetic, performing rapid stoops with flexed wings and diving down at high speed towards the ground before hurtling back up again. Other birds in the same area included plenty of Ravens, some distant Chough and as many as fifty Twite feeding with Skylarks. The Fulmars were on their breeding ledges and wild goats were about in good numbers.

Earlier we saw two male Hen Harriers quartering the marshes next to the RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve and Common Buzzards were seen throughout our travels. The usual species of geese were out in force and we stumbled across three Pale-bellied Brent Geese late in the afternoon. Roadside birds included large numbers of Hooded Crows and Ravens and the more interesting passerines were probably Grey Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll and Rock Pipit.

Regards

Neil M

The Gruinart Farmhouse
Islay

Barnacle Geese

Greenland White-fronted Geese

Wild Goat

Raven

A funny sort of day !

I was out and about early this morning and enjoyed a  glorious sunrise at Blueberry. The birds were pretty good as well, a female Merlin , 2 Barn Owls, 2 Grey Partridge , pr Stonechat and several Red Kites who were very vocal.
On my way into town I stopped off at the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and watched an Osprey attempting to fish and noted the Green Sandpiper still present . 
I took the dogs for a walk at Harlestone Firs and plenty of activity from the common woodland residents, Marsh Tit's, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Treecreeper being the most vocal. There were a few Siskin dotted around the wood and the Chiffchaff's have definitely arrived !!! 
This afternoon I walked a stretch of the Brampton Valley Way to check out reports which I had received from concerned folk about the numbers of dead corvids noted in some recently sown fields. Sadly this does appear the case, I've informed the relevant agencies  and now await their response.
Whilst in this area I came across 2 Oystercatcher feeding on a grassy area, a reminder of the arrival of Spring and of the fact that you never know where birds are going to turn up.

Regards Eleanor

Birds of Islay

Hello

Our first full day on Islay, and it was sunny for much of the day. Many of the birds on Loch Gruinart were visible from our accommodation, and a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier paid us a visit at 7am. We spent the morning checking out the RSPB reserve and saw plenty of the usual local birds including large numbers of Barnacle Geese and smaller numbers of Greylags and Greenland White-fronteds. Wildfowl included Pintail and Red-breasted Merganser and good numbers of Lapwings and Redshank were displaying.

The afternoon was spent exploring the Rinns of Islay which provided plenty of geese, Common Buzzards and Stonechats. Two more Hen Harriers were seen and passerines included plenty of Meadow Pipits, smaller numbers of Rock Pipits and plenty of Rock Doves. Mammals out and about included Roe Deer, Common Seal and still good numbers of Brown Hares.

Birds on the calm water at Loch Indaal were mostly distant but a good variety were on tap such as Eider, Slavonian Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser, Black Guillemot, Red-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver. However a day without the sought-after eagles was a little disappointing - must try harder tomorrow!

Neil M

Chough

Common Seal

Barnacle Geese

The journey to Islay

Hello

Yesterday (Friday), 12 Northants Bird Club members ventured north to Scotland as part of a mini expedition to Islay. Most of the day was spent travelling up the M6 and further north and some of us called in at the Caelaverock Wildfowl and Wetland reserve near Dumfries. Plenty of Barnacle Geese and Whooper Swans awaited us and other birds included Pink-footed Geese, common wildfowl and waders and five Little Egrets.

After staying overnight, today (Saturday) we travelled around dramatic scenery en-route to boarding our ferry and sailing for 90 minutes before landing at Islay at about 3.30pm. Interesting birds included Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, lots of divers including a splendid pack of 18 Black-throateds, common auks, Eider, Slavonian Grebe, Kittiwake, Gannet and a pair of Golden Eagles. Smaller fare included Grey Wagtail and Rock Pipit and Chough and the geese on Islay included lots of Barnacles, Greylags and the very handsome Greenland White-fronteds. Mammals included Harbour Porpoise, Grey and Common Seal, Red and Roe Deer and lots of Brown Hares.

We are staying on the island until Friday morning and are hopeful with catching up on many of the local wildlife specialities.

Regards

Neil M

Shoveler

Whooper Swan

Mute Swan

Brown Hare

Agility Birds !!

I spent the morning at Staverton near Daventry attempting "agility" with Tor one of my dogs. It was quite an entertaining morning by both the antics of the dogs and by the birds present !!! Firstly I nearly fell over a tub of flowers as I was busy trying to locate a suspicious looking passerine on the roof of one of the buildings. It turned out to be a Black Redstart !!!
Most folk there were oblivious to the loud cronking and other weird and wonderful noises made by a pair of resident Ravens as they demonstrated their own style of ariel agility over our heads .
Finally the morning was rounded off nicely by the evocative calls of 2 Curlew as they flew over.
It is a good job that Tor was paying attention to the instructor as my ears and eye's were everywhere else !! That's the problem with birds......they just get in the way sometimes !!
A very blustery walk at nearby Borough Hill only produced another Raven, and a quick scan at Ravensthorpe Reservoir 2 Sand Martins.
I finished the day at Blueberry where I could only locate one pair of Stonechat and 2 Barn Owls.

Regards  Eleanor