May Day

Hello

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

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

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

Regards

Neil M

Puffins

Kittiwake

'Bridled' Common Guillemot

Razorbill

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

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

County migrants

Hello

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

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

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

Regards

Neil M

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

More from yesterday...

Hello

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

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

Regards

Neil M

Yellow Wagtail
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Common Tern
Courtesy of Jacob Spinks

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

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

Northants Bird Club Indoor Meeting 4th May

Elephant Hawk-moth

Hello

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

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

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

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

Thank-you

Neil McMahon

Banded Demoiselle

Last day of April!

Hello

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

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

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

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

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

Regards

Neil M

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

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

Song Thrush

Goldfinch

Yellowhammer

Above three images
all taken by Cathy Ryden.

Harrington foray...

Hello

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

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

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

Regards

Neil M

Singing Wren

Pied Wagtail

Male Reed Bunting

All images courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Odds and Ends

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

Regards Eleanor

Redstart's in the snow !!!

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

Regards  Eleanor 

Lings & Summer Leys

A visit to Ling's Wood earlyish this morning was rewarded with views of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming on its favourite dead tree branch. There has been some rivalry for this position in recent days with a Great Spotted Woodpecker claiming priority over its diminutive cousin. 

Whilst viewing the bird yesterday a fox in pursuit of a baby rabbit was somewhat surprised to see me in the middle of the path, it didn't hang around for long after realising its error.

After calling in at Ling's, the next stop was Summer Leys.
The Spotted Redshank and a couple of Greenshank were again visible in Wader Bay whilst the Wood Sandpiper was on the scrape with 3 Little Ringed Plover. Snipe numbers had jumped overnight to at least 23 birds.
2 Whimbrel were wandering the grassy bank beside the disused railway occasionally finding a morsel to eat, whilst keeping a wary eye on a passing Buzzard. A third bird flew through calling but didn't stop to join its colleagues.

Garden and Reed warbler were new in today, whilst an enthusiastically singing Sedge Warbler was on show between the Feed Station and Kim's Corner.

Two further Little Ringed Plover were present on Gull Island whilst a fly through Yellow Wagtail was my first of the year.

Last Wednesday a visit to Glapthorn Cow Pasture was rewarded with views of a singing Nightingale in the undergrowth 150m or so from the entrance to the wood.

Finally, the Pasque flowers at Barnack Hills and Holes have just come into bloom.

                 Regards,

                                 Neil H.

Quiet Times !

Just as I thought migration was gathering pace it seems to have come a full stop !! The last couple of days have been very quiet and despite being out and about I have seen very little.
The only bird to mention for yesterday is a Barn Owl hunting below Hanging Houghton at dusk.
This morning I started the day with an early morning visit to Harrington Airfield where it was dead as a "Dodo". All I saw were 2 Wheatear.
I took Tor agility training at Staverton where the resident pair of Ravens were very vocal. One spent quite a bit of time perched on top of a conifer making all sorts of weird and wonderful noises......or was it just having a laugh at us as we tried to get our dogs to run the course.   A Common Buzzard strayed too close to their nest and both Ravens went in for the "attack" which took place literally over our heads. The Common Buzzard beat a hasty retreat and peace was restored.
Whilst in this part of the world I walked around Borough Hill and Daventry Reservoir and again saw nothing.
A look at Ravensthorpe and Hollowell Reservoirs on my way back home produced nothing. I felt very sorry for a Willow Warbler at Ravensthorpe, one minute it was singing then the next it was killed as it was hit by a car as it tried to cross the road. Such a waste of such a bright and beautiful little bird who had just survived flying thousands of miles.
My best bird of the day was at 15.45hrs as I watched a cream crown Marsh Harrier quartering the rape fields below Hanging Houghton. It disappeared out of sight heading in the general direction of Brixworth.
I suspect that many of the migrants will slow down as the winds have changed to a cold north easterly. But we will see what tomorrow brings.

Regards Eleanor

Migration continues

An early morning visit to Harrington Airfield was quite productive.  On a  slow meander around the bunkers I saw 2 Ring Ouzels chasing each other around, in fact I heard them long before I saw them, their distinctive harsh "chack chack" call resonating through the air. A third bird, a male, was again present in the vicinity of the shooting wall. Quite an amazing sight and sound.
I saw at least 4 Wheatears, a male Redstart and 2 pairs of Grey Partridge. 
A large number of Whitethroats had arrived overnight as every bush seemed to have one !!
At Blueberry the Grasshopper Warbler was still showing well and a Hobby flew over.
My first Cuckoo of the year was at Brixworth Country Park.

Regards  Eleanor

New summer and lingering winter migrants

Hello

Eleanor was up at Blueberry Farm this morning and located a singing Grasshopper Warbler in Hill Field. This bird gave the impression of having just arrived - it was flying from patches of vegetation and singing in full view.

A flock of about a hundred Fieldfare passed over Blueberry Farm in a northerly direction and nearby another twenty Fieldfares and two Redwing were along the Brampton Valley Way between Hanging Houghton and Brixworth.

A singing Reed Warbler and a few Siskins were at Pitsford Reservoir in the vicinity of The Fishing Lodge...

Regards

Neil M

'What you looking at?'

'Square one for Robin [Gossage]'

'From the double-decker [hide]'

Recent images of  Little Egrets and a
Grey Heron from Summer Leys and
 comments by Graham Bentley.

Birds of the warm sunshine!

Hello

Harrington Airfield continues to host Ring Ouzels with at least two birds on show today and a probable third more skulking individual. Four Wheatears were also present this morning...

At Pitsford Reservoir Dave Francis and Lynne Barnett committed to some quality ringing around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding station, netting a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, three Tree Sparrows, six Goldfinches, two Lesser Redpolls and thirteen Yellowhammers amongst others. A Hobby was present between the causeway and Holcot village.

Regards

Neil M

Yellow Wagtails at
Hollowell Reservoir today,
courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Recent images from
Summer Leys of Black-tailed
Godwit, Oystercatcher,
 Little Egret and Little Grebe.

Courtesy of  Graham Bentley.

Harrington Airfield revisited!

Hello

A little more ringing at Harrington Airfield this morning in surprisingly cold, grey and breezy conditions didn't produce many fresh birds. Three new Willow Warblers were caught and ringed and another bird from 2015 was caught too, the fourth returning individual during the last two days. This last individual was ringed as a juvenile at the same site on 9th August 2015 so it is almost certainly returning to the same few bushes it first experienced as a freshly-fledged bird. Not bad for an eight gram migrant that has migrated to West Africa and back!

Other birds processed included a Chiffchaff, a Lesser Redpoll, a Song Thrush and of course some more stunning Yellowhammers.

Birds noted on the old airfield included the adult male Ring Ouzel, still religiously feeding on the wet field ruts next to the shooting wall and viewable from the concrete track. At least four Wheatears were still present and a further trickle of overhead migrants included Meadow Pipits, Yellow Wagtails, Swallows and singles of Tree Pipit, Fieldfare and a vocal and low Little Ringed Plover.

Regards

Neil M

Collared Dove

Male House Sparrow

Female Bullfinch

All images courtesy
of Chris Payne, taken
 whilst conducting ringing in
South Northants this past week...

Snow, frost and birds at Harrington...

Hello

After early morning frosts and a layer of snow, a ringing session at Harrington Airfield proved to be a good move with 126 captures of 17 species. Four Willow Warblers caught included three returning birds (one from 2014 and two from 2015) and two Green Woodpeckers were females first ringed last year. The most common bird caught was the Yellowhammer with 58 new birds and 10 from previous years. Other birds included 17 Chaffinches, 2 Linnets, a Lesser Redpoll (one of three flying around), 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Blackcaps and four of the six or so Wheatears present.

Other birds present included two Ring Ouzels, a Redwing, three Redstarts, a Raven and two Willow Tits. Small numbers of Swallow, Sand Martin, Meadow Pipit and Yellow Wagtail trickled over in a northerly direction. Two of the trapped Wheatears keyed out as male 'Greenland' Wheatears, with the two females apparently of the nominate race.

A Ring Ouzel was seen in flight at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon and four Wheatears were in the Brampton Valley between there and the Brampton Valley Way.

Nick Parker visited Pitsford Reservoir this morning and watched a perched Osprey north of the causeway and later visited Thrapston Gravel Pits to locate a well-marked Whimbrel.

Further ringing at Harrington Airfield is planned for tomorrow morning with restricted access to the old airstrip, but the concrete track and footpaths remain unaffected...

Regards

Neil M

Male 'Greenland' Wheatear
Harrington Airfield.

Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.