Here come the waders!

Hello

Yesterday (13th) and the best birds seen at Ravensthorpe Reservoir were an adult Yellow-legged Gull and two Green Sandpipers. 

Today (14th) saw no sign of the Common Redstart and Cuckoo immediately north of Hanging Houghton. A ringing session this morning at Stortons Pits provided an excellent 83 captures with many warblers including a French-ringed Reed Warbler. Further ringing sessions are planned for Lamport Hall tomorrow and Pitsford Reservoir on Tuesday.

At Summer Leys reserve today a Little Stint was reported and the waders far easier to see included six Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers and four Redshanks. Further east and Stanwick Pits hosted a Cattle Egret, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, four Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper.

Three Avocets at Clifford Hill Pits today were an excellent find and other birds on-site included two Bar-headed Geese among the many Canadas.

Regards

Neil M

Avocet.

Common Sandpiper.

A quiet couple of days where my birding has been confined to the nearby fields due to having no transport.
Yesterday on my run I saw Turtle Dove and Grey Partridge at Harrington Airfield and heard plenty of Chiffchaff in full song.
I spent a few hours walking the fields around Blueberry Farm and below Hanging Houghton but despite being a lovely day I saw very little of note. A couple of adult Grey Partridge, goodness knows what has happened to any young, and plenty of warblers.  Plenty of butterflies on the wing including good numbers of Marbled White and Painted Lady.
This afternoon whilst in the field behind the house I heard the familiar call of Common Redstart and found a rather scruffy looking male in the hedge and a Cuckoo gave a few calls from the nearby field.
Our garden is still busy with birds and they seem to be eating as much food as they do in the winter months !!!  It can get quite noisy at times with the young Starlings, Jackdaws, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Nuthatches.

Regards Eleanor

Pitsford Wildlife Week

Pitsford Water Nature Reserve – Wildlife Week

Saturday 20th July to Sunday 28th July

Celebrating 50 years of The Wildlife Trust BCN managing this wonderful reserve in partnership with Anglian Water

Help us celebrate this milestone by coming along to one of our events. There is something for everybody - illustrated talks, moth morning, wildlife photography exhibition, wildflower wander, family nature walks, art workshop, bird ringing demonstration and exploring invertebrate sessions.

Come to one of our Meet the Wildlife Trust sessions, to find out more about the site, and how you can gain a permit to walk around the reserve.

For more information, please look at:

www.wildlifebcn.org/pitsfordwildlifeweek

Reservoir birding

Hello

A short ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir in Christies Copse proved quiet today but provided an opportunity to properly study those birds caught. Two drake Red-crested Pochard, a first summer Yellow-legged Gull and a Hobby were all noted in the Walgrave Bay. Later a Great White Egret was on the trees stumps right next to the Bird Club hide in the Scaldwell Bay, there were at least twenty-two Little Egrets north of the causeway and a male Lesser Emperor dragonfly made a couple of passes in front of the Bird Club hide.

Harrington Airfield was pretty routine with the best bird a Grey Partridge and still plenty of butterflies (including Marbled White)  and day-flying moths.

An evening visit to Ravensthorpe Reservoir provided views of an adult Yellow-legged Gull by the dam and at least two Green Sandpipers.

Elsewhere Summer Leys LNR attracted four Green Sandpipers and Stanwick Pits a Greenshank.

Regards

Neil M

Although they haven't
been out long, this Ringlet
butterfly is already quite faded
and worn...

Juvenile Garden Warbler.

Small Skipper butterfly.

Burnet moth sp.

Great White Egret.

Black-headed Gull
hoovering up damsel-flies.
All above images from
Pitsford Reservoir today.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
this evening...

Images from the West Highlands

Hello

Eric Graham again visited Blatherwycke Lake today, notching up a Common Sandpiper, eight Little Egrets, three Mandarin Ducks and four Black Swans. Nearby Deene Lake attracted a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler, an Osprey flying over, two young Shelduck, a Common Sandpiper and at least three Green Sandpipers.

Little in the way of birding opportunities for us today, so some images posted from a tour to the Ardnamurchan Peninsular and Treshnish Isles, West Highlands of Scotland in May...

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Black backed Gull.

Swallow.

Wood Warbler.

Bottle-nosed Dolphin.

Kittiwake.

Razorbill.

Puffin.

Shag.

Chequered Skipper.

Fulmar.

Summer merging with autumn

Hello

Although it started very dull and rather cool, I completed another Common Bird Census at Pitsford Reservoir today. By the time I had finished the temperature had risen and the dappled sunshine and occasional warmer periods brought out plenty of insects.

Birds on-site included a Great White Egret in the Scaldwell Bay, at least nineteen Little Egrets, three drake Red-crested Pochard in the Walgrave Bay, three Teal, a drake Wigeon, the moulting drake Goldeneye, 143 Tufted Ducks, 36 Pochard and 342 Gadwall. Singles of Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper were further heralds of autumn and other avian highlights included a Raven, two Oystercatchers, the summering Cetti's Warbler and two Willow Tits (one a singing male) near Lagoon Hide.

At least six species of odonata and at least nine species of butterfly were on the wing which didn't include Painted Lady - have they all moved through now? Marbled White butterflies can be found at several places on the reserve but there is an excellent collection of them currently between the causeway and Maytrees Hide. Roesel's Bush-crickets were strumming today, the first I've heard this year.

Steve Fisher again saw two Cattle Egrets around the Main Lake at Stanwick Pits today plus a Common Sandpiper. Birds at Thrapston Pits included a successfully fishing Osprey, a Hobby and a Green Sandpiper and three Green Sandpipers were today in Wader Bay at Summer Leys NR (Earls Barton).

Regards

Neil M

Willow Tit.

Little Egret.

Black-tailed Skimmers.

Common Tern.

Black-headed Gull.

All images taken at
Pitsford Reservoir today...

Black-taileds!

Hello

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Little Egret count had risen to at least eighteen birds north of the causeway plus the usual Yellow-legged Gull and a Kingfisher. Good numbers of Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies enjoyed sunning themselves on the track between the Maytrees and Bird Club hides.

A Grasshopper Warbler was again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and Harrington Airfield today hosted four adult Grey Partridges, a Turtle Dove and a Grasshopper Warbler. Plenty of butterflies at Harrington again included good numbers of Small Heaths and several Marbled Whites.

Stanwick Pits again hosted a Garganey and two Cattle Egrets today and further along the Nene Valley Summer Leys attracted eleven Black-tailed Godwits, eight Redshanks and two Green Sandpipers.

Regards

Neil M

Black-tailed Skimmer.

Black-tailed Godwit

Wildlife on tap in July

Hello

Yesterday (Friday) and Harrington Airfield continued to attract good numbers of Small Heath butterflies, Small/Essex Skippers and Marbled Whites at one section; a Grey Partridge was also seen,

Two Grasshopper Warblers were 'reeling' at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) and there was a hatch of Marbled Whites there too as well as Roe Deer and two Badger cubs active during the day.

An Osprey was over Pitsford Reservoir in the morning and a moulting male Ruff was seen at Summer Leys reserve.

Northants Ringing Group members were active today (Saturday) with sessions at Howe Park Wood in Milton Keynes (ringing demonstration as part of a 'Nature Day'), Stortons Pits and Christies Copse again in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir.

Kenny, Sarah, Helen and Nick managed to catch 48 birds at Milton Keynes and were able to demonstrate to the attentive crowd the ethos of ringing and it's role in wildlife conservation and monitoring. Members of the tit family entertained with the star bird being a juvenile Marsh Tit. Other birds of the 13 species temporarily captured were five Treecreepers (including one ringed as an adult in 2017), seven Blackcaps, a Coal Tit, a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff and a Bullfinch.

Christies Copse delivered 81 captures of 17 species made up of a Blackbird, two Dunnocks, ten Great Tits, twenty-six Blue Tits, a Coal Tit, a Marsh Tit, thirteen Long-tailed Tits, four Treecreepers, three Wrens, a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, three Robins, a Lesser Whitethroat, eight Blackcaps, three Garden Warblers, a Goldfinch and a Bullfinch. Two drake Red-crested Pochard remain in the Walgrave Bay and a juvenile Cuckoo was reported.

The Stortons gang were busy with 94 birds which included a Jay and two Reed Warblers bearing rings from elsewhere (including a Portuguese-ringed bird). And twenty-one Long-tailed Tits made for a sizeable flock! The best bird seen there was a Bittern in flight over the reed-bed.

Other birds noted in the county today included a Garganey and a Cattle Egret at Stanwick Pits and the Ruddy Shelduck at Hollowell Reservoir still.

Regards

Neil M

Marsh Tit
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Juvenile Blackbird.

Male Bullfinch.

Garden Warbler.

Great Tit.

Juvenile Robin.

Juvenile Long-tailed Tit.
Images courtesy of
John Tilly.

Jay courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Ringing at Pitsford Reservoir

Hello

This morning Steve Fisher located two Cattle Egrets on the main lake at Stanwick Lakes.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were two parallel ringing sessions with the main activity being the CES in the Scaldwell Bay and a smaller concern with nine nets placed in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay.

Some 113 birds of 16 species were trapped for ringing/assessment purposes made up of 30 Blackcaps, 5 Garden Warblers (including a controlled bird from elsewhere), a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests, 14 Wrens, 8 Robins, 4 Dunnocks, 4 Treecreepers, 6 Blue Tits, 4 Marsh Tits, 18 Great Tits, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Blackbirds and a Kingfisher. The star bird though was a totally unexpected Red-breasted Flycatcher which was found in a mist net in Christies Copse. It was judged to be a moulting adult female and was ringed and duly released. At this time I'm not aware of it since being seen 'in the field'.

Other birds on-site included plenty of Little Egrets, two drake Red-crested Pochard, a female Tufted Duck with two ducklings, a singing Cetti's Warbler still and a Cuckoo. A juvenile Little Owl was showing nicely nearby.

Regards

Neil M

Red-breasted Flycatcher.
As unexpected as this capture was
I was aware that Taiga Flycatcher (near
relative from further east) was the potential
confusion species. Taiga tend to be colder and
greyer and lack much warmth in the plumage.
they tend to have blacker tails and with
black upper tail coverts. Most guidance
suggests they have darker even blackish
bills lacking the pink/horn colour of the
Red-breasted's lower mandible. This bird was in
body and wing moult so wasn't looking at
it's best! The tail to my eyes did seem very
black but the uppertail coverts were brown. The extent
 of the white on the outer tail feathers (and extending
 down the tail) seemingly eliminates Taiga.
The bill was dark but not black and with hints
of warmth. The plumage was rather grey but with warm
 browns in the crown, wings and upper mantle.
The bird was kind enough to deposit a little package
and left a small feather behind so if my identification
is questionable we may have a DNA option!

Brown Hare.
A species regularly seen in the
grounds of the reservoir or
fields adjacent.

Juvenile Little Owl.

Grasshopper Warblers and friends!

Hello

A bit of a surprise this morning with three 'reeling' Grasshopper Warblers in the Brampton Valley between Hanging Houghton and Blueberry Farm plus the more usual hunting Barn Owl. A quick recce at Harrington Airfield produced views of two flying Turtle Doves, an adult Cuckoo and another 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler.

Steve Fisher saw one of the Cattle Egrets on the main lake at Stanwick Pits this morning, one of a couple being seen there regularly. This evening a walk in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir provided sightings of two drake Red-crested Pochard, a fleeting view of yet another 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler and a variety of insects including Blue Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies, Scarlet Tiger moth and good numbers of common grassland butterflies and plenty of unidentified beetles! At least nine Little Egrets roosted in willows at The Point.

Regards

Neil M

Chris Payne and John
Woollett spent some of today
monitoring breeding Swallows
in South Northants. This image
from Chris depicts an adult
male bird.

'Reeling' Grasshopper Warbler
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Summer birds of 'middle England'

Hello

A late evening walk in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton yesterday evening (Monday) was good for a hunting Barn Owl and a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler.

Eric paid the lakes in the north of the county a visit today (Tuesday) seeing a family party of Spotted Flycatchers, Gadwall with broods of young, three adult Black Swans and six Little Egrets all at Blatherwycke. Nearby Deene Lake hosted an Osprey, a drake Pochard, a Snipe and five Green Sandpipers.

Dave Francis paid the tern rafts a visit at Pitsford Reservoir today and ringed a further eight Common Tern chicks and another Black-headed Gull chick. Also in the Scaldwell Bay was a female Tufted Duck with just a single duckling, eleven Little Egrets now next to the Willow Hide and three broods of Mute Swans generally north of the causeway.

This evening a flock of about thirty Black-tailed Godwits were visible on the Summer Leys Reserve at Earls Barton, on the island in front of the screen hide. Earlier Hollowell Reservoir played host to the long-staying Ruddy Shelduck, a Yellow-legged Gull and two Little Ringed Plovers

Five members of the Northants Ringing Group supported a Bioblitz Day as managed by the Parks Trust with a bird ringing demonstration at Howe Park Wood, Milton Keynes. Although not a regular ringing site some well positioned mist nets succeeded in catching 63 birds of eleven species, the highlights being two juvenile Nuthatches, a juvenile Goldcrest and a Blackcap. This small but excellent mixed deciduous wood was also home to butterflies including Marbled Whites (near to the wood), Silver-washed Fritillary and Purple Emperor.

Regards

Neil M

Nuthatch.

Sparrowhawk.

Images courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Partridges and butterflies!

Hello

Eric Graham was at Thrapston Pits again today and saw a young Nightingale by the metal bridge over the River Nene, a Water Rail showing well in front of South Hide and a good number of all-sorted common warblers. There were plenty of butterflies and dragonflies on the wing and a Pyramidal Orchid was noteworthy.

The best of the insects on show at Brixworth Country Park today were a Blue Emperor dragonfly, plenty of newly hatched burnett moths and a vibrant colony of Marbled White butterflies. Old Sulehay in the north east of the county has been the site for good numbers of Marbled Whites recently plus Silver-washed Fritillaries and a Dark Green Fritillary.

Birds noted at Summer Leys reserve at Earls Barton Pits today included two Black-tailed Godwits, two Common Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plover and Lesser Whitethroat.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included two Common Sandpipers and seven Little Egrets (the latter all in the Scaldwell Bay) and 'on territory' Spotted Flycatchers were located today in the villages of Cottesbrooke and Haselbech.

Regards

Neil M

This adult Jackdaw
is minus an upper
mandible but despite
it's disability was the
usual weight for such
a bird and is clearly
able to forage successfully!

Red-legged Partridge at
Harrington Airfield. It's a
shame the Grey Partridges
don't pose like this!

A typical 'photographic'
view of a Grey Partridge
at Harrington (spot the birdie)!

Linford Lakes ringing

Hello

Last night a Barn Owl was very vocal around the village, flying around and calling a great deal. This territorial flying and calling is rarely seen during daytime as they fly around calling a couple of hundred feet up; in some respects this action is similar to a Woodcock. The begging juvenile Tawny Owl was vocal at the same time.

A fairly early morning walk around Harrington Airfield provided a calling Quail, audible from the bunkers but in all probability calling from further west and probably west of the concrete track as well. A couple of Grey Partridge are happily part of the scenery but there was no sign of any early passerine migrants. It was a bit early for butterflies but there were Painted Ladies, Ringlets and Small Heath on the go and Cinnabar and Burnett Companion moths.

A nectar crop is in flower at the moment in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and there was a distinct hum of busy bees of all sorts plus a variety of butterflies and Silver Y Moths taking advantage. Reed Buntings, Common Whitethroats and Skylarks are all holding territories in the crop too. Two Hobby went racing over but otherwise it was just the usual suspects in the valley today.

Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included four Little Egrets and a moulting drake Goldeneye, a regular feature at this site in mid summer.

A busy ringing session at Linford Lakes at Milton Keynes today saw about 150 birds being processed, with two nestling Kestrels being ringed there yesterday. The catch today was made up of 25 Blackcaps, 13 Garden Warblers, 10 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Sedge Warblers, 8 Reed Warblers, 5 Cetti's Warblers, 15 Chiffchaffs, 2 Treecreepers, 6 Wrens, 4 Dunnocks, 3 Robins, 26 Blue Tits, 16 Great Tits, 5 Long-tailed Tits, a Song Thrush, a Bullfinch, 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Kingfishers and a Green Woodpecker.

A bit of drama here at Hanging Houghton today when the regular visiting male Sparrowhawk caught a Starling in the field behind the garden. The hawk was trying to subdue the Starling which was resisting and making quite a noise with mobbing Swallows making the Sparrowhawk duck as it began to pluck the unfortunate prey item. As always the hawk was constantly looking around as it is vulnerable itself in this situation and with the Starling still creating a racket two Carrion Crows came in to investigate. At the same time a Common Buzzard glided in and in the commotion the Sparrowhawk was frightened off and the buzzard grabbed the Starling and flew off with it and presumably killed it shortly afterwards. A very traumatic end of life for the Starling and the Sparrowhawk empty-taloned despite doing all the early hard work!

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Whitethroat.

Juvenile male
Green Woodpecker.

Images courtesy of Kenny Cramer.