Epetition re grouse shooting - an economic appraisal

Hello, an important message from Dr Mark Avery...

A guy called Les Wallace has an epetition that simply calls on Defra to carry out a proper economic appraisal of grouse shooting and the land management on which it depends. If his epetiton reaches 10,000 signatures on 2 February then Defra will have to respond to this epetition.  Now, I suspect that they will respond by saying 'no, we're not going to do anything' but I'd like to make them say something publicly on this subject.

I have no doubt that a proper economic appraisal of grouse shooting would show that it is a drain on the public purse because of its impacts on flood risk, water quality, aquatic biodiversity, peat degradation and wildlife loss.  But let's see!

To support Les Wallace's epetition you simply have to click on this link, sign up and click on the confirmation email that you will receive. 

There are nine days left to amass another 3000 signatures.  I think it will be a close run thing so your help could make all the difference.

Here's the link again.

Many thanks

Mark

Dr Mark Avery

Red Grouse.

Meadow Pipit.

Potholes, frozen reservoir and the odd bird or two!

Hello

Eric enjoyed his excursion to Thrapston Pits today with sightings of an Otter, the first year Whooper Swan, three Great White Egrets and a drake Pintail. Eric saw a bird fly across the A6116 at Lowick which appeared to be a shrike, and close to the bridle track where one was present a couple of seasons ago!

Neil Hasdell completed a comprehensive assessment of the birds at Pitsford Reservoir today where much of the water on the reserve north of the causeway was frozen. He was able to confirm that both Great Northern Divers were still present near the Gorse Bushes and he located the drake Ring-necked Duck close to the Pintail Bay. Other birds included two Great White Egrets and twenty-three Red-crested Pochard separated in two flocks.

The Brampton Valley between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke continued to be a magnet for good winter birds today - the Great Grey Shrike was still present as was an adult male Merlin, a Barn Owl, two or three Corn Buntings and a covey of Grey Partridge. This afternoon the Lapland Bunting was twice seen in flight with Skylarks again, this time calling both in flight and later whilst hidden in the bird food crop.

The track along the valley is muddy and with numerous potholes with limited vehicle parking by the cone marking the area where most of these birds show. Many visitors are parking at the Brampton Valley Way or by the large barn which continues to attract small numbers of Bramblings on the seed there. Our garden was busy with at least eight Bramblings, two Bullfinches and a few each of Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.

A modest ringing session at Brixworth Water Treatment Works this morning netted just 34 birds made up of two Blackbirds, two Song Thrushes, three Robins, five Dunnocks, two Wrens, three Blue Tits, seven Long-tailed Tits, a Goldfinch, four Yellowhammers, three Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail and a Goldcrest. Other birds seen on-site included a couple more Grey Wagtails, two Water Rails, four Snipe, a Cetti's Warbler, about a dozen Siskins and a fly-over Raven.

Regards

Neil M

Female Siskin caught
and ringed at Bradden
yesterday, image courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Drake Ring-necked Duck
at Pitsford Reservoir today
 courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Winter Starlings courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Griff the springer spaniel
puppy becoming a little
bored with his owner's continual
scanning at Pitsford Reservoir...!
Image courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Brampton Valley birds

Hello

At least six Bramblings were by the barn in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton at lunch-time and three paid us a visit to our garden earlier.

The valley continued to provide good birds, initially with the Great Grey Shrike appearing close to where it was yesterday. During the course of the day it became very far-ranging and was not seen for periods but this afternoon it was again in hedgerows north of the track between Brampton Valley Way and Gamboro' Plantation, and was even in hedges bordering the east side of Blueberry Farm. At one stage it briefly pursued a Great Tit! Interestingly it seems that this bird could have been in the general area since mid December 2018 when a GGS was seen and photographed near Scaldwell village, only a matter of a few miles away (please see images below). Personally I think they are different birds, the Hanging Houghton bird appears to have broader white and cleaner tertial tips, a darker and cleaner mask and less abraded tail than the Scaldwell bird. The white area above the mask of the Scaldwell bird seems to be more extensive and the plumage is overall less contrasting, the flank barring seems more obvious than the HH bird...

Large numbers of passerines coming to feed in the wild bird seed crop (the favoured haunt of the shrike) in the Brampton Valley today included plenty of Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers, Linnets and Skylarks and a Corn Bunting was noted early this morning. By mid-morning there were at least two Corn Buntings and a suspicious-looking bunting seen for the second time flying with Skylarks was clinched as a Lapland Bunting, the first in the county for quite a number of years. This bird then flew up again and flew around for a couple of minutes before dropping down in to the crop. Typically Skylarks seems to be the carrier species for this bird. Please note that there is no access in to this field but the crop can be watched from the tracks bordering the field - it is a case of being patient and carefully watching the Skylark flocks when they periodically fly up. If you approach too close the Skylark flock is likely to go up and disperse elsewhere.

With the number of birders present on-site not surprisingly other birds were seen, the best being a lunch-time Merlin, two Ravens and an afternoon hunting Barn Owl.

Elsewhere birds at nearby Brixworth Water Treatment Works included four Snipe, a Grey Wagtail and a Water Rail and there was at least one Great White Egret and a Redshank north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Great Grey Shrike
near Scaldwell Dec 2018
courtesy of Bill Draper.

Barn Owl
Eldernell, Cambs
recently, courtesy
of John Gamble.

Great Grey Shrike and other birds!

Hello

Both yesterday (Monday) and today (Tuesday) it was great to see flocks of thrushes combing fields and pastures in search of worms. With most of the berries having being consumed, Redwings and Fieldfares are on the look out for invertebrate food and are prepared to hop around in flocks in open areas. Starlings, Mistle Thrushes and Blackbirds were joining them, clearly feeling braver in their company despite being rather exposed to raptor attacks.

Yesterday I noted a female Brambling in our garden and Eleanor saw eight by the barn in the valley below the village and of course the hunting Barn Owl was there too.

Also yesterday Ruth Ward relocated the Earls Barton drake Ring-necked Duck, this time on the western pit called Grendon Lake. Johnl Hunt saw the female Scaup on Dragonfly Lake at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, two Short-eared Owls were again at Neville's Lodge, Finedon and birds at Hollowell Reservoir included two Shelduck and two Green Sandpipers.

Today and Eleanor's daily visits to the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton paid off with the discovery of a newly-arrived cracking Great Grey Shrike. This bird coincided with a big influx of passerines into the valley which included Skylarks, Tree Sparrows and finches and buntings. These in turn attracted a male Merlin which paid a fleeting visit and there were Bramblings by the barn again.

The shrike was watched on and off all day, enjoying brambles and hedgerows about half way between the Brampton Valley Way and Gamboro' Plantation, a traffic cone placed along the track indicates the best place to stand! Although active this bird wasn't reportedly seen to feed so we will have to wait and see if this area provides sufficient food for this bird. Three Ravens and a Barn Owl were also in the valley and nearby a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was calling well in Cottesbrooke village. Eight Bramblings were counted in our garden today and a male Blackcap was seen in a Moulton garden.

The WeBS count at Ditchford Pits today started in cold but bright and sunny conditions but this afternoon the conditions deteriorated with falling snow and sleet. Three Great White Egrets were present, two west of Ditchford Lane with another at Wilsons Pits. At least ten Little Egrets were also present as were eight Snipe, a Jack Snipe, a pair of Egyptian Geese, two/four Goosanders, a first year female Peregrine, two female Stonechats, a Grey Wagtail, four Cetti's Warblers and a Chiffchaff.

I also found a keep net immersed in the water containing live and dead fish. This appeared to be a deliberate act to trap and kill Otters following a previous net find at Ditchford containing fish and a dead animal. Please be aware that with an increase in Otters there is sometimes conflict with fishing interests and it seems that leaving keep nets or similar in water baited with fish is a deliberate effort to dispose of Otters. I removed the net today and released the fish.

Other birds reported today included a hybrid drake Tufted Duck x Pochard on Grendon Lake at Earls Barton Pits and two Short-eared Owls were near to bunker one at Harrington Airfield this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

The Hanging Houghton
Great Grey Shrike. Images
courtesy of Martin Swannell
(top two) and Robin Gossage
(bottom three)

Back from the Brink 'Roots of Rockingham' project.

Hello

A message from Susannah O' Riordan...

We’re looking for help to survey and monitor some of our threatened bird species across Rockingham Forest as part of the Back from the Brink ‘Roots of Rockingham’ Project.

Species that we are focusing on are Willow Tit, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Lesser Redpoll and Spotted Flycatcher.

We have some free training workshops coming up for WT & LSW in conjunction with RSPB (more details below), and will be running workshops for surveying remaining species later in March.  It’s also possible for people to get involved in looking out for these species if they aren’t able to come along  
to a workshop.

Upcoming workshops:
Thursday January 31st 10.30am-3.30pm  - Top Lodge, Fineshade, nr Corby,  
NN17 3BB

Wednesday February 6th 10.30am-3.30pm  - Benefield Village Hall, Main  
Street, Lower Benefield, PE8 5AF

Help monitor two of the UK’s rarest species!
We’re looking for willing surveyors with birding experience to help survey and monitor Willow Tits and/or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker across woodlands within the Rockingham Forest area. The training will involve learning survey methods, including the playback method for Willow Tits, and habitat evaluation before choosing a site to survey.

The workshop is running on two dates at different locations (you only need to come along to one of these). If anyone would like to book on a workshop, or find out more information about getting involved, please contact me Susannah O’Riordan,  
soriordan@butterfly-conservation.org  Tel: 01780 444067

Thank you

Regards,
Susannah O'Riordan | soriordan@butterfly-conservation.org

Birds of a cold Sunday

Hello

Kenny and team targeted thrushes for their ringing session in an orchard in Milton Keynes today and despite the cold conditions affecting the mist nets they caught a very good 47 birds made up of an amazing total of 29 Blackbirds! It is likely that a high proportion of these birds will be from other countries 'enjoying' the relatively mild UK winter and hopefully we will have confirmation of this if and when we next hear of them! Other birds included 11 Redwings, 3 Woodpigeons, 3 Robins and a Chaffinch.

Birds at Hanging Houghton included a pair of Bullfinches and about six Bramblings in the garden plus a hunting Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below the village.

Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows again hosted the female Scaup, a pair of Red-crested Pochard, a Shelduck and a Great White Egret.

Nearby at Stanwick Lakes/Pits the ringing demonstration processed 53 birds which included two Redwings, a Song Thrush, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and two Goldcrests. Some birding on-site produced sightings of a Kingfisher, two Little Egrets, three Snipe, four Goosanders, a Chiffchaff, a Grey Wagtail and a Pink-footed Goose which was at the east end of the complex with Greylag Geese.

Some scanning late afternoon looking over towards Neville's Lodge from the A6 south of Finedon produced good views of a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier hunting the fields close to the road (it looked like a first year male), and a more distant Short-eared Owl that was hunting the area towards the base of the old landfill site. Both birds occasionally perched up on the low hedges.

Other birds noted today included a Great Northern Diver at Pitsford Reservoir (near to the Gorse Bushes this afternoon) and nine Mandarin Ducks and a Black Swan at Blatherwycke Lake. John Friendship-Taylor's efforts in the under watched south of the county located a/the adult Caspian Gull in cattle fields by a farm between Chacombe and the A361 and about ten Tree Sparrows in a hedgerow near there.

Regards

Neil M

Blackbird courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Tree Sparrow courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Adult Caspian Gull
courtesy of Jacob Spinks.

Big Garden Birdwatch

Male Bullfinch
courtesy of John Tilly.

Hello

Cold and grey today but not as cold as yesterday and no frost or snow...

A touch of 'urban birding' initially this morning with a visit to Abington Park in Northampton. Despite not being far from the town centre this relatively large open space has a mixture of habitat and a pretty good range of bird species. Nine Ring-necked Parakeets were in trees in the spinney between the two lakes, a favourite haunt. A Little Egret was on the brook running between the two main lakes and other birds noticed included a Grey Wagtail, Nuthatches and a small flock of Siskins.

At least three Bramblings were in our garden again today and a Woodcock flushed up in Scotland Wood (Kelmarsh Estate) this afternoon. A late afternoon visit to the Old Scaldwell Road at Pitsford Reservoir to replenish the bird feeders just gave me enough light to see the rather distant drake Ring-necked Duck in the Walgrave Bay and a couple of Great White Egrets.

Debbie and Eric had a quick stroll around at Thrapston Pits and saw the long-staying Whooper Swan and three Great White Egrets. Ian Moore saw the female Scaup at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows today (Ditchford Pits complex) on Dragonfly Lake.

Next week-end is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and most years Ian Wrisdale and members of the Mid Nene RSPB group host an event to help promote the initiative. Tomorrow (Sunday) there will be guided walks at Stanwick Lakes at 10am and again at 11am with an emphasis on garden and woodland birds. In the cabin near to the visitors centre there will be leaflets, childrens craft activities and a nature table display. There will also be a bird ringing demonstration starting at about 8am and concluding at lunch-time. It is likely that all the activities will be centred around the visitors centre and car park area or very close by.

Regards

Neil M

Long-tailed Tits courtesy
of John Tilly.

House Sparrow courtesy
of Cathy Ryden. Despite being
a much scarcer bird these days
the House Sparrow has nevertheless
still featured as the most common
bird seen on the RSPB Big Garden
Birdwatch in recent years...

Snipe, Bramblings and other winter fare...

Hello

Birds yesterday (Thursday) at Hanging Houghton included a Brambling and a Raven with other Bramblings heard calling in the hedge by the barn in the valley early morning.

Birds reported elsewhere included a Great Northern Diver at Pitsford Reservoir, a single Short-eared Owl in the afternoon at Neville's Lodge, Finedon and two good gulls at Stanford Reservoir in the afternoon comprising of a Glaucous Gull and an Iceland Gull!

Today (Friday) and a ringing session at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford provided 72 captures of 13 species, 47 of the birds being newly-ringed. Specific efforts aimed at catching Common Snipe proved successful with twelve birds being caught, eleven of them being new birds. The bird already bearing a ring was ringed at Pitsford way back in 2013 by Neil Hasdell and deemed to be an adult bird then!

Other birds processed included four Fieldfares, five Blackbirds, a Redwing, eight Great Tits, seventeen Blue Tits, six Long-tailed Tits, two Dunnocks, two Robins, seven Tree Sparrows, three Chaffinches, three Yellowhammers and two Reed Buntings.

Other birds noted north of the causeway included at least three Great White Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Redshank and the pair of wintering Stonechat (the male looking particularly bright).

Ten Bramblings graced our Hanging Houghton garden this afternoon (five males) and birds noted at Thrapston Pits by Eric included the juvenile Whooper Swan still, 3-4 Great White Egrets, four Little Egrets, a drake Pintail and three Goosanders. Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows (Ditchford Pits complex) hosted a female Scaup, a Great White Egret and a Redshank.

Regards

Neil M

Female Lesser Scaup at Blithfield, Staffs
on Wednesday...courtesy of Bethan Clyne.
This species was a predicted county bird for
 Northants over twenty years ago...but we
are still waiting!

Common Snipe at Pitsford today...

Fieldfare at Pitsford Reservoir today...

Stortons Ringing past and present

Hello

A ringing session at Stortons Pits today with John Woollett at the helm provided a nice sprinkling of birds with 51 captures of ten species. These were made up of a Woodpigeon, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Blackbird, six Reed Buntings, a Chaffinch, four Goldfinches, three Greenfinches, fifteen Great Tits, eighteen Blue Tits and a Treecreeper. Three of the Reed Buntings were birds ringed before with two of them initially ringed way back in 2014.

This evening news came through of an adult female Blackbird first ringed at Stortons in November 2016 being caught again in October 2018 but this time 412km away in Reddingbootpad, Vlieland in the Netherlands! This suggests that this bird is of continental origin and that she has wintered successfully in the UK during the last two winters. She may be back here again somewhere with the Dutch recapture site probably being a launch pad for another sortie across the North Sea!

The two Great Northern Divers were sitting together off the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir this morning, with at least one of them flying around a great deal later in the morning suggesting it is either thinking about going or may already have slipped away...

Two Yellow-legged Gulls were in the same area (adult and second calendar year) and there were at least two Great White Egrets north of the causeway.

We did have a nice male Reed Bunting in the garden today, just before a young female Sparrowhawk caught a bird in the garden in the area where it had been! It was so quick it wasn't possible to say what she caught but there has been no sign of the bunting since!

Eight Bramblings were again on the seed in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Many congratulations to Dave Jackson who has yet again won the Birdguides Picture of the Week with an excellent image of a stunning adult male Sparrowhawk taken through glass! The story to go with the image is as follows...

'I arrived home and walked straight into the kitchen and noticed a Sparrowhawk perched low down about four metres from the back door. I slowly back-tracked to get my camera not expecting it to be there when I returned but fortunately he hadn't seen me otherwise he'd have been off like a shot.

I took a few shots from a distance and then knelt down and shuffled closer using a dining chair to hide behind and as a rest for my camera. It was clear from the full crop that the bird had enjoyed a sizeable meal and was in no hurry to depart. I daren't move even to check my images and camera settings and it finally flew off 35 minutes later when I moved to ease my aching knees! There was no sign of any feathers from its prey but I haven't seen the neighbour's cat for a few days now!'

The sacrifices we make to obtain 'that shot'!

Regards

Neil M

Female Blackbird.

I can almost feel the pain
in Dave's knees!

Still good birds out there!

Hello

Eric's visit to Thrapston Pits today was an exercise in how to count Great White Egrets! Trouble is they keep moving around but he was able to confirm four together at one point! The drake Pintail was still present and the Goldeneye flock has reached nearly a hundred birds now...

Bob Bullock spent the day visiting a number of central county sites and the birds he espied at Hollowell Reservoir included a Caspian Gull, two Goosanders and two Stonechats with three Green Sandpipers and 380 Teal at nearby Ravensthorpe Reservoir. He also visited Barnes Meadow LNR and counted five Jack Snipe and a Common Snipe.

Six Bramblings were noted below Hanging Houghton by the barn again this morning with one in the village too.

Pitsford Reservoir was visited by numerous observers today and birds noted there today included the Ring-necked Duck still, a Great Northern Diver near to the gorse bushes, at least four Great White Egrets, at least eleven Red-crested Pochards, a Redshank, a Peregrine and two Stonechats.

Regards

Neil M

Jack Snipe.

Stonechat.

Redshank.

Birds of the Algarve

Hello

A ringing session at a community orchard in Milton Keynes yesterday provided 32 birds made up of common tits, a Woodpigeon, four Blackbirds and six Redwings.

Eric's visit to Thrapston Pits today provided views of a drake Pintail, two Great White Egrets, six Little Egrets, the wintering juvenile Whooper Swan and a Stonechat.

This afternoon there were at least four Bramblings and a hunting Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Bob Bullock saw the Ring-necked Duck in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir today plus at least eight Red-crested Pochards and three Great White Egrets and a Short-eared Owl was still near Neville's Lodge, Finedon.

Regards

Neil M

Little Bittern.

Thekla Lark.

Yellow-legged Gull.

Rock Bunting.

Short-toed Treecreeper.

White Storks.

A birding trip to the Algarve in Portugal
over the Christmas period provided views
 of the usual suspects!

Breezy Sunday

Hello

A mild and breezy day with some occasional wet stuff thrown in!

At least eight Bramblings were on the seed by the large barn in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and two males turned up in our garden for a short time late morning (but with a marauding female Sparrowhawk on the loose didn't stay too long)!

Brixworth Water Treatment Works hosted a couple of Snipe and one or two Grey Wagtail(s) and one of the Great Northern Divers showed briefly north of the dam at Pitsford Reservoir (lots of watercraft on the water meant it/they was super elusive today) with an adult Yellow-legged Gull loitering in the Pintail Bay and a Raven over.

North of the causeway the drake Ring-necked Duck showed again in the Scaldwell Bay and with a drake seen again at Summer Leys Reserve today at last we have confirmation of two birds being present in the county at the same time! Other birds on the reserve at Pitsford included twelve Red-crested Pochard, a drake Pintail, three Great White Egrets and a pair of Stonechat.

Harrington Airfield remains very quiet for birds but at Thrapston Pits the juvenile Whooper Swan was still in situ today as were two or three Great White Egrets.

The area around Neville's Lodge near Finedon was again the venue for the wintering third calendar year male Hen Harrier and two Short-eared Owls this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Trembler.

Lesser Antillean Bullfinch.

Grey Kingbird.

I returned from a tour of St Lucia
on Saturday and these birds were
common there...!

Birds of a mild January!

Hello

The Ring-necked Duck wasn't reported at Summer Leys Reserve today (seen there yesterday) but a Ruff was seen amongst the Golden Plover flock there.

Adrian saw two Short-eared Owls at Neville's Lodge near Finedon and the Stanwick male Hen Harrier flew through there too for good value!

Eleanor saw her usual pair of Ravens at Staverton today and a quick visit to Ravensthorpe Reservoir causeway was all it took to see a Great White Egret, two Green Sandpipers, a pair of Mandarin Ducks and an Otter west of the road causeway.

Two Bramblings and a Barn Owl were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Ravens.

Drake Ring-necked Duck
at Summer Leys yesterday...

Images courtesy of Robin Gossage.

County Birding 10th Jan

Hello

Eric's visit to Thrapston Pits on Thursday 10th Jan provided views of four Great White Egrets, three Goosanders, a pair of Egyptian Geese, the juvenile Whooper Swan and a flock of over a hundred Pochard.

David Arden's visit to Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway confirmed the presence still of four Great White Egrets and three Woodcock (two in Christies Copse and one in Plantation Block 5).

Chris Payne completed a little ringing at Bradden in South Northants during the morning and caught 77 birds with Blue Tits dominating. Among these feisty characters were some quite old birds. The total was made up of 52 Blue Tits, 6 Great Tits, a Coal Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tits, a Dunnock, 8 Goldfinches and 4 Chaffinches.

Elsewhere Barbara Nunn located a drake Scaup at Earls Barton Pits on the Summer Leys Reserve as viewed from Chestnut Corner and Alan Coles saw the wintering male Hen harrier at Stanwick Pits at the east end from 3.20pm.

Regards

Neil M

Blue Tit.

Drake Scaup.

Juvenile Whooper Swan.