'Tis the start of the breeding season!

Hello

As we advance in to spring (I'm sure we'll have some more wintery weather to contend with yet) our resident birds are preparing themselves for the next breeding season. This includes securing a territory, finding a mate, singing and of course identifying suitable nesting sites.

Of course some birds are already well ahead with birds such as Rooks and Carrion Crows having already patched up or re-built nests, and some pairs of Robins, Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes will have constructed their new nests of the year. Cormorants, Grey Herons, Ravens and some Tawny Owls will already be on eggs and some species such as the Woodpigeon and Collared Dove never stop or just have brief interludes in mid-winter of no breeding activity...

Regards

Neil M

John Gamble captured some
images of this Nuthatch examining
a cavity at Abington Park on Monday -
no doubt checking to see if it is a suitable
nesting site.

The Stock Dove enjoys a long breeding
season although they tend not to breed all
year round like some of their close relatives.

Image courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Collared Dove taking advantage of
Cathy Ryden's feeding station...

Image courtesy of Cathy

Male Sparrowhawk hoping to make
use of Cathy Ryden's feeding station -
in a slightly different way!

Image courtesy of Cathy.

The Cormorant has a very long
breeding season with the construction
of nests from February and with young
in the nest as late as the end of September.

Image courtesy of Jacob.

Spring continues...

Hello

Brimstone butterflies have been on the wing in small numbers during the periods of lovely milky sunshine during the last couple of days, surely one of the highlights of early spring?

A little light on the birds today but there were still three Stonechats in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton early this afternoon and the Slavonian Grebe remains at Pitsford Reservoir, spending time late this afternoon in the Yacht Bay...

Regards

Neil M

Brimstone butterfly.

Male Stonechat.

Slavonian Grebe.

Spring sunshine!

Hello

Sadly another Barn Owl casualty was lying at the side of the road alongside the A508 between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell this morning, only a couple of hundred yards where I picked up a Common Buzzard last week which had suffered a similar fate...

The Stonechat count went up to seven individuals in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and an evening wander at Harrington Airfield indicated three pairs of Grey Partridge on territory and plenty of buntings coming down for seed and grain.

Chris Payne took a couple of hours out this morning in lovely spring sunshine to commit to a little ringing at Bradden in South Northants which culminated in processing 35 birds made up of 16 Goldfinches, 4 Chaffinches, a Greenfinch, a Goldcrest, 6 Blue Tits, 6 Great Tits and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Eric Graham spent some time on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston today and saw plenty of birds including a Great White Egret, three Little Egrets, four Goosanders, a pair of Oystercatchers, three redpoll sp, six Cetti's Warblers and two singing Chiffchaffs.

Jacob saw a third winter Caspian Gull in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon plus a Green Sandpiper and two Redshanks.

Regards

Neil M

Rainbow over Maytrees
Hide at Pitsford Reservoir
on Sunday!

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Great Crested Grebe versus Pike...errr
no contest really!

Pictures courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Kelmarsh Hall ringing

Hello

Jacob was at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and saw two Shelducks, a White-fronted Goose, two Redshanks, a Green Sandpiper, a pair of courting Kingfishers and a Grey Wagtail.

Five Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley between the Brampton Valley Way and the Gamboro' Plantation today, one of which was caught and ringed.

A ringing session today at Kelmarsh Hall provided 86 birds of 14 species amounting to 57 new birds and 29 re-trapped birds. Finches were well represented with 4 Greenfinches, 12 Goldfinches, 8 Chaffinches and 3 Siskins. A House Sparrow and two Tree Sparrows were not anticipated!

Regards

Neil M

Goldfinch.
Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Greenfinch.
Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Cock Pheasant.
Courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Yet more garden birds!

Hello

Yesterday Steve Bennison noted five Mandarin Ducks and a Great White Egret at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Two pairs of Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and two Ravens were near the village later.

Today Pitsford Reservoir hosted a White-fronted Goose, two Redshank, an Oystercatcher and a male Stonechat all on the reserve north of the causeway.

Regards

Neil M

Siskin.

Robin.

Male Brambling.

Male Sparrowhawk.

It's all action in the Duston garden
belonging to Steve Bennison! Two pairs
of Brambling have remained throughout
the winter and Siskins are appearing on
passage. Today Steve thought it odd that the
garden was empty of birds, then he spotted
this stunning Sparrowhawk and realised why!
All images taken by Steve in his garden.

Finches on the move...

Hello

This morning just one pair of Stonechat were visible in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and higher water levels at Ravensthorpe Reservoir haven't put off the Otters with two animals on show from the causeway this morning.

Chris Payne enjoyed a brief spell of ringing at Greens Norton today, catching 14 Goldfinches and 2 Siskins and reported that Goldfinches were clearly on the move all day.

A ringing session at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today caused 127 birds to be processed made up of 61 new birds and 67 re-trapped individuals. These were made up of 9 Dunnocks, 4 Nuthatches, 29 Great Tits, 3 Blackbirds, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrushes, 3 Wrens, 3 Goldcrests, 11 Robins, 31 Blue Tits, 9 Chaffinches, 3 Siskins, 16 Coal Tits, a Treecreeper and 2 Long-tailed Tits. Another dozen or so Chaffinches were released from the nets due to diseased legs.

At least one of the Chaffinches processed today was a typical continental bird and was carrying a great deal of fat and weighing on average a third more than the average bird. I think he will be on his way any day now...

Siskins seemed to be on the move with small flocks arriving and departing during the day, a Crossbill spent some time in the trees above us before moving on and other birds included anything between six to a dozen Woodcocks active just before dawn. Other birds noted include several Marsh Tits, a singing Willow Tit, a redpoll sp and a couple of Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

A stunning adult male
Siskin courtesy of Chris Payne.

A rather wet Friday!

Hello

Our garden was a good place to be this morning with a brief visitation by four Waxwings and subsequently from a flock of Reed Buntings, several Yellowhammers, a Tree Sparrow and Tree x House Sparrow hybrid and finally a male Sparrowhawk.

Harrington Airfield still fielded a flock of over a hundred Golden Plovers and birds at Pitsford Reservoir included a Redshank and a Shelduck. A Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh Hall and Scotland Wood hosted a Siskin and a Willow Tit.

Some evidence of passage today with now three pairs of Stonechats in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and with a quartering Short-eared Owl and a Peregrine there this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Tree Sparrow.

Sparrowhawk.

Grey Wagtail.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Winter waders

Hello

Eleanor took Tor the hound for a run around the south section of Pitsford Reservoir this morning and observed the Red-necked Grebe immediately north of the causeway right next to the causeway tunnel, plus a couple of Grey Wagtails.

The regular Barn Owl hunting alongside a minor road on the outskirts of Scaldwell village was there again this evening...

Regards

Neil M

Oystercatcher

Redshanks.

Green Sandpiper.

Some recently-taken images of waders
at Pitsford Reservoir courtesy of Robin
Gossage. Two each of Redshank and Green
Sandpiper have successfully wintered here
and the first spring Oystercatchers have already
paid the reservoir a visit with the potential
of coming back a little later and trying to
breed again.

More garden birds...

Hello

A quick wander around Harrington Airfield today where I fed the Yellowhammers and their friends; other birds included a pair of Grey Partridge and about 140 mobile Golden Plovers. At least one Raven was in Hanging Houghton today and two others were seen in flight between Holcot and Brixworth. A Brambling was noted in Scaldwell village.

Chris Payne was ringing for a couple of hours at Bradden today and caught 43 birds made up of 5 Chaffinches, 7 Goldfinches, 3 Greenfinches, 17 Blue Tits, 8 Great Tits, a Robin, a Goldcrest and a Dunnock. There were two Ravens there too...

Regards

Neil M

Kestrel

Adult male Siskin.

Greenfinch and Siskin.

All images taken by Cathy Ryden
in her garden today...

Garden Birds

Hello

Cathy Ryden enjoyed a Brambling, a Bullfinch and Reed Bunting in her Guilsborough garden this morning and Jacob Spinks noted about forty Golden Plovers in fields between Holcot and Moulton this afternoon.

No birding opportunities for Eleanor or me today but our rather morose Little Owl continues to call from a neighbouring garden and the field behind our garden. This chap didn't find a mate last year and from the calls it is emitting currently it seems he hasn't managed to find a partner for the 2017 season thus far. Mind you it could be this evening's heavy rain that is making him a touch glum! 

Less than ten years ago we enjoyed three pairs of Little Owls breeding around the village but they have sadly thinned out and I don't think any young were raised last year.

Regards

Neil M

Little Owl

Starling.

Starling.

Male House Sparrow.

Male Bullfinch.

Brambling.

Images courtesy of
Cathy Ryden.