Red Kites galore!

Hello

On Sunday John Gamble came across an amazing scene between Bulwick and Blatherwycke in north Northants, where as many as 200 Red Kites were feeding in a harvested field - probably unprecedented foraging numbers in Northants!

This morning and Eleanor saw a Marsh Harrier in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton which from its description sounds like the same wandering individual noted at Harrington and Pitsford during the last couple of weeks...

Eric's efforts at Thrapston on the Titchmarsh Reserve this morning was good for confirming the continuing presence of the two Great White Egrets plus an adult Yellow-legged Gull. Some of the warblers were still in song including a Grasshopper Warbler.

Birds visible north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included five drake Red-crested Pochard, half a dozen Little Egrets and singles of Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kites courtesy
of John Gamble,

Harrington migrants

Hello

Eleanor paid Harrington Airfield a visit this afternoon and despite very warm, crispy conditions managed to find some migrants in the shape of a male Redstart in bushes between the chippings compound and the first bunker and two juvenile Whinchats near to the second bunker. Two Turtle Doves were also flying around near to the second bunker...

Regards

Neil M

Male Common Redstart.

Juvenile Whinchat.

Pitsford update

Hello

Early this morning and a Barn Owl was very vocal around the houses at Hanging Houghton.

A subsequent visit to Pitsford Reservoir in the vicinity of the Sailing Club provided a few birds in the shape of a trilling Whimbrel flying south at 7.10am, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, at least four adult Yellow-legged Gulls, a Common Sandpiper, three Little Egrets and a Raven.

This afternoon a small band of 'willing volunteers' braved the very hot temperatures and added two more Tawny Owl boxes to the twenty or so already in situ on the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir. We lost two boxes (which rotted and eventually collapsed) which were well-used by Tawnies a couple of years ago and these replacement boxes are in much the same position.

This evening there were four drake Red-crested Pochards in the Scaldwell Bay, visible from the Bird Club Hide. At least one of these birds has lost all it's flight feathers as it progresses through a complete moult and so won't be going anywhere soon! A couple of Yellow-legged Gulls were loafing here too...

Regards

Neil M

Adult and juvenile
Rook, courtesy of John Tilly.

Shelduck duckling.
courtesy of John Tilly

Juvenile Blackbird.
Image courtesy of John Tilly.

Silver-washed Fritillary.
Image courtesy of John Tilly.

A potential new Tawny Owl
home, image courtesy of
Helen Franklin.

Sunday's sightings

Hello

Debbie and Eric again saw the two Great White Egrets at Thrapston Pits today plus five Little Egrets.

Birds visible at Pitsford Reservoir off the Sailing Club this evening included at least nine Yellow-legged Gulls (four juveniles), an Oystercatcher and three Common Sandpipers.

Regards

Neil M

Yellow-legged Gulls.

Common Sandpiper.

Here come the gulls!

Hello

A ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir sited around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station provided over sixty captures which included seven Mallard, a Magpie, two Blackbirds, two Starlings, and twenty juvenile Tree Sparrows (local priority species). Singles of Blackcap, Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler added some variety with juvenile tits making up the majority of the remainder.

Other birds noted there today included at least three Yellow-legged Gulls, five Red-crested Pochard and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull.

Eleanor's visit to Borough Hill Country Park at Daventry today provided four Crossbills in the mature woodland on the opposite side of the hill from the car park, this same piece of woodland attracting two White Admiral butterflies. A single Raven was seen at Staverton.

This evening and the gull roost off the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir produced a second juvenile Mediterranean Gull (darker than the bird seen earlier in the day), eight Yellow-legged Gulls and a Common Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

Adult Yellow-legged Gull
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

All the gull images today were
from the Bird Club hide in the
Scaldwell Bay.

Post-breeding dispersal

Hello

Eric Graham's foray at Thrapston Pits today provided sightings of two Great White Egrets on Aldwincle Lake, 5/6 Little Egrets and a Green Sandpiper.

Eleanor's efforts in the Brampton Valley have of late produced little in the way of interest and again it was quiet today. With the oil seed rape fields now being harvested and the cereal fields not far behind, the agricultural landscape will change locally and hopefully provide a fresh suite of birds.

At Pitsford Reservoir this evening an influx of Little Egrets provided a roost of ten birds on The Point and there were up to three Yellow-legged Gulls loafing around.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret. Post-breeding
birds are now dispersing...

Glossy Ibis.
The conditions at Pitsford look
just right for this nomadic wanderer
but will there be anyone there to see it?
 The majority of the birds that have turned up in
 the county have only stayed a matter of minutes
or a couple of hours before moving on again!

Some juvenile birds doing well?

Hello

Dave Francis completed a little ringing in his garden on the outskirts of Northampton today catching 31 common birds which included 21 juvenile Blue Tits.

I have been monitoring a steady run of juvenile Blue Tits coming through our garden at Hanging Houghton during the last couple of weeks, providing further rather anecdotal evidence that this species has enjoyed a good breeding season locally. The number of juvenile House Sparrows here at Hanging Houghton this year is looking pretty good too and in complete contrast to the downturn of the last five years or so. It seems that this prolonged warm weather is providing a seasonal improvement in juvenile mortality of at least some of our small birds.

Another ringing recovery relates to an adult female Greenfinch that was ringed at Astcote near Towcester on 25th July 2014 and then found dead, possibly predated by a cat, on 6th July this year at nearby Showsley, also in South Northants. This means that this valuable breeding bird was at least five years old before it met it's demise which by modern standards for a Greenfinch is long-lived (a total of 1442 days between the two data sets)!

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Blue Tit.

Winter plumage male
House Sparrow.

Female Greenfinch.

Swift ringing activity
at Lamport Hall yesterday
evening courtesy of John Hunt.

And still the warm weather continues...

Lapwing.

Sandwich Terns.

Wren.

Rook.

All above images
courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Hello

Neil Hasdell's visit to Pitsford Reservoir today concentrated on the Scaldwell Bay where five Red-crested Pochard could be found. A Common Sandpiper was present and butterflies including several Small Coppers and a Marbled White.

A couple of hours mist netting at Lamport Hall this evening provided only twenty captures made up of six Swifts, thirteen House Martins and an adult Jackdaw in heavy wing and tail moult and consequently only being able to fly with a great deal of effort!

Regards

Neil M

Swift.

House Martin
courtesy of John
Tilly.

Emperors, a harrier and Ospreys

Hello

This morning was spent at Pitsford Reservoir, initially in the Walgrave Bay where some bird ringing in a new ride at Christies Copse caught a very modest number of birds which included two Treecreepers, two Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and a Garden Warbler.

A second calendar year Marsh Harrier showed briefly at 8.50am (presumably the same bird seen several times during the last couple of weeks) and an Osprey flew low over the bay at 8.10am but wasn't seen again. Other birds of note included three Ravens and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

At Welford Reservoir this afternoon, an Osprey was flying away from the reservoir carrying a fish at 4.30pm and other birds noted included six Little Egrets, two Common Sandpipers and two Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant.

Black-headed Gull.

Common Tern.
The Northants Bird
Club hide in the Scaldwell
Bay is providing excellent
photographic opportunities
at the moment...

Blue Emperor dragonflies
are in good numbers at
Pitsford currently. These
images portray a patrolling male
and an egg-laying female.

All images from Pitsford
Reservoir today.

Pitsford CBC

Hello

The last Common Bird Census of the year was completed at Pitsford Reservoir today, concentrating on the reserve north of the causeway.

A Garganey was seen briefly in the Walgrave Bay, a Little Ringed Plover flew over, there were two Common Sandpipers and a Little Egret on the causeway and singles of Yellow-legged Gull and Raven were noted.

Marsh Tits seemed to be well scattered throughout the reserve suggesting they may have enjoyed a good breeding season, but just a single Willow Tit was noted in the Scaldwell Bay. A brood of Tufted Ducks nicely confirmed breeding and there were Mute Swan, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Coot and Moorhen all with well-grown young.

At least eighteen species of butterfly were on the wing which included Purple Hairstreak, Marbled White and Painted Lady and seven species of dragonfly which included several of the bold and inquisitive Southern Hawkers, definitely one of my favourites! A Hummingbird Hawk-Moth was noted at Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

Eric Graham's wander at Thrapston Pits today provided views of two Great White Egrets and two Green Sandpipers on the north side of Aldwincle Lake plus at least eight Little Egrets and plenty of common warblers on show.

A pair of Grey Partridge were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening and a freshly killed Tawny Owl towards Blueberry Farm had been eaten down to it's breastbone.

Regards

Neil M

Male Reed Bunting
in song.

Common Buzzard in
early morning sunshine.

Great Crested Grebes.

Juvenile Wren.

Purple Hairstreak.

All images taken at
Pitsford Reservoir today.

Birds of mid July

Hello

Kenny, Sarah and Nick supported the Shenley Wood Nature Day at Milton Keynes today by providing a bird ringing demonstration. Visitors enjoyed seeing common birds in the hand which nearly included a Sparrowhawk but sadly this avian hunter spent only seconds in the mist net before flying off.

More typical birds included 18 Blue Tits, 15 Great Tits, 2 Marsh Tits, a Wren, 5 Robins, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap.

Birds of note today included a calling Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Hanging Houghton and this evening at least one Whimbrel was heard calling whilst flying south over the Bird Club Hide at Pitsford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Marsh Tit.
Image courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Wren.
Courtesy of Robin Gossage.