Heatwave wildlife

Hello

A very hot day and birds in Hanging Houghton village included the singing Spotted Flycatcher and a Siskin with a Grey Wagtail and a Kingfisher at the brook in the Brampton Valley (and large numbers of Banded Demoiselles).

A Broad-bodied Chaser, a Comma and still plenty of Scarlet Tiger moths were the best of the insects in the garden.

A flock of 14 nomadic Crossbills were seen at Harlestone Heath today as they flew over the clearing next to the saw mills and Steve Fisher was able to report a pair of Mediterranean Gulls with a juvenile on the Layby Pits at Stanwick Pits, together with the Red-crested Pochard and a Common Sandpiper.

Jonathan's visit to Hollowell Reservoir this evening provided views of two Great White Egrets, a Ruddy Shelduck and a Green Sandpiper.

On the butterfly front there were four Purple Emperors at Bucknell Wood this morning and good numbers of White Admiral too and Purple Emperors were showing at Fermyn Wood this afternoon too. A wander of the meadows between Short and Southwick woods was good for large numbers of Marbled Whites (these have really spread in the county during the last decade) with White Admirals actually in Short Wood.

A very pleasant evening in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir brought a surprise in the shape of an Avocet plus the Pink-footed Goose again and a fly-over Curlew. The Avocet remained until dusk, favouring the shoreline between the Bird Club and Maytrees hides and often swimming out on the open water.

Regards

Neil M

Male Reed Bunting at
Stortons Pits courtesy
of Paul Crotty.

Reed Bunting nest
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Marbled White at Stortons
Pits in evening sunshine
courtesy of Gary Burrows.

Kestrel nest near Astcote
containing three young
courtesy of John Boland.

This nest was evident when
a large branch of the tree came
away and the nest cavity was
completely exposed. The decision
was made to not intervene and
despite heavy rain and a very hot
sun to date these fluffy youngsters
have survived and thrived and now
have the beginning of their first
feathers!

Let there be sun, birds and butterflies!

Hello

A modest ringing session was undertaken in Christies Copse at Pitsford Reservoir this morning after setting up yesterday evening and provided just 26 captures (plus a Mallard in the duck trap). In the absence of quantity, quality birds included two Willow Warblers, two juvenile Marsh Tits, three Treecreepers. a re-trap Green Woodpecker and two re-trap Garden Warblers both of which are five or more years old.

A male Crossbill was there first thing and narrowly missed being captured and a Brown Hawker was another odonata species not seen yesterday.

Kenny in the meantime continued with his Cuckoo quest at Linford Lakes and caught and ringed his eleventh of the year this morning!

A small but merry ringing team at Stortons Pits this morning enjoyed a great session before the heat brought proceedings to a halt with an excellent 86 birds caught on the south side of the pits. Only 13 of these birds had been previously encountered on-site. Highlights included a Lesser Whitethroat and a juvenile Grasshopper Warbler, and there were good numbers of Blackcaps and Whitethroats.

Bucknell Woods proved a popular venue today and Martin Dove saw a flock of 16 Crossbills there which then flew west. A Purple Emperor delighted and landed on his trousers briefly and other butterflies on show there today included White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, Wood White, Comma and a single White Letter Hairstreak. Two Purple Emperors were seen on the north side of Salcey Forest today and about six more were reported at Lady Wood.

Two Siskins flew south west over our garden at Hanging Houghton this afternoon and adult Swallows remained pensive with a Hobby lingering. A late May Bug (Cockchafer) in flight was quickly intercepted by a House Sparrow.

At Summer Leys LNR, two Black-tailed Godwits and a Green Sandpiper were on the scrape and Adrian's urban Wellingborough garden list is on the rise again after a flock of nine Crossbills flew over south-west at lunchtime. At Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon, Jonathan Cook saw an Osprey and a Common Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

Dark Green Fritillary
Ring Haw yesterday
courtesy of David Arden.

Silver-washed Fritillary
courtesy of David Arden.

Pyramidal Orchid
courtesy of David
Arden.

Juvenile Grasshopper Warbler
Stortons Pits today courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Adult female Green
Woodpecker Pitsford
Reservoir today.

Pitsford's birds and insects

Hello

I spent most of the day at Pitsford Reservoir today, completing a Common Bird Census on the reserve this morning and back again this evening to set up for a ringing session there tomorrow morning.

It was an early start this morning and there were so many wildlife distractions that it took me an age to walk around the reserve (plus I'm getting older)! Bird highlights included a Curlew calling as it flew south and at about 8am four Crossbills were flying low around Christies Copse. Some fifteen minutes later and a nice male bird was seen flying around on his own, I'm not sure if he was in the original group or not but I didn't see any of them again after that.

A pair of Spotted Flycatchers are breeding on the reserve and waterbirds are faring well with several broods of Mute Swan and Great Crested Grebes. The summering Lapwing flock is over fifty birds strong now, the Gadwall are up to one hundred and twenty and the Pochard increased to seventeen birds today. One of the drake Wigeon is still present as is the pair of Oystercatcher which still seem intent on breeding.

Other birds today included a couple of Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail and just one pair of Willow Warblers on territory this year. Although we have lost breeding birds such as Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler, there are now breeding Red Kites and Nuthatches.

Insects were in profusion in the sunny, warm conditions and dragonflies included Blue Emperor, Southern Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Four-spotted Chaser and Broad-bodied Chaser, plus a couple of Beautiful Demoiselles. Lots of butterflies included a good number of Marbled Whites between the Maytrees Hide and the causeway, Purple Hairstreaks in the oaks and two White-letter Hairstreaks near to The Point.

Elsewhere and Fiona found hitherto unknown colonies of Marbled White and Purple Hairstreaks in the triangle of land between Brixworth, Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell villages. Other good butterflies seen today included a Purple Emperor in Titchmarsh Wood and still three late Black Hairstreaks at Souther Wood. Fermyn Wood hosted a Purple Emperor, nine White Admirals and five Silver-washed Fritillaries. A colony of Marbled Whites near Gayton numbered 50/60 individuals. A Dark Green Fritillary was at Ring Haw, Old Sulehay today and a Silver-washed Fritillary was at Glapthorne Cow Pastures

Kenny's efforts at Linford Lakes this evening provided an opportunity of catching and ringing the tenth Cuckoo there this year!

Regards

Neil M

A shoal of about twenty-five
large trout were circulating in 
the water in the causeway tunnel
at Pitsford today...

Small Skipper.

Great Crested Grebe with
her two chicks.

Female Gadwall.

Four-spotted Chaser.

Common Tern selecting
and catching the correct
size fish for it's young. One
bird was actually seen with a
tiny Pike in it's bill!

Male Beautiful Demoiselle.

All images from Pitsford
Reservoir today...

Here comes the heat!

Hello

Well we started as the week is meant to go on with a warm, sunny if breezy day.

The predicted heat wave for this coming week should coincide with the emergence of some of our most spectacular butterflies and other insects and I'm sure the entomologists will be keen to go exploring!

Staying with insects and specifically butterflies, a Dark Green Fritillary was seen at Summer Leys LNR this morning on the small meadow in the north east corner, an excellent local record. Three Marbled Whites and a Clouded Yellow were on the old airstrip leading up to the bunkers at Harrington Airfield this afternoon. The Fermyn Woods complex is well-known for its butterflies and today there were Marbled Whites in the Country Park there, and at least eight White Admirals and three Silver-washed Fritillaries in the woods. Nearby at Souther Wood a single Purple Emperor showed well. Another Purple Emperor showed on the ground at Bucknell Wood at the other end of the county.

Bird news today included an Arctic Tern this morning at Hollowell Reservoir, an Osprey successfully fishing at Elinor Lake, Thrapston Pits just after midday and three Siskins moving over Harrington Airfield in a southerly direction this afternoon. Other birds on the move today included a small movement of Swifts moving south over Hanging Houghton, two flocks totaling about thirty birds.

A Turtle Dove was seen at a site in the county today and two Kingfishers were on the brook in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Silver-washed Fritillary.

White Admiral.

Dark Green Fritillary.

Juvenile Jackdaw. Lots of these
youngsters out and about now!
Image courtesy of John Tilly.

A couple of hours at Pitsford...

Hello

A wet start to this morning followed by a breezy, sunny day was as forecast. 

This year at least one pair of Cattle Egret have bred successfully again at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits and today Adrian was able to state that four or five young were on show among the Little Egret colony. Two Crossbills flew west along the valley there too.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning there was evidence of the usual summer gathering of ducks beginning on the reserve with eleven Pochard, a couple of flocks of Tufted, two drake Wigeon, five Shoveler and over a hundred Gadwall in the Scaldwell Bay. At least three Little Egrets were present but it seems that again they haven't bred on-site. Plenty of Black-headed Gull and Common Tern chicks are jostling for position on the rafts there.

Geoff Douglas saw a Mediterranean Gull overfly his garden at Barton Seagrave this afternoon.

The first Purple Emperor butterfly in the county this year was seen at Salcey Forest today and the first Gatekeeper of the year was noted also.

Regards

Neil M

Black and Yellow Longhorn
Beetle, thanks to Robin for the
identification!

Large Skipper.

A young Red Fox.

Thick-headed Fly sicus furrugineus,
as identified by Robin again!

Female Red-eyed Damselfly and not
what I originally thought it was. My thanks to
Mark Tyrrell for the correct identification!

All images from Pitsford Reservoir
this morning.

More ringing recoveries

Hello

Another rather quiet day in the county if you are a pure birder, but plenty of insect action in generally warm and mostly dry conditions.

Thrapston Pits still continues to host two calling Cuckoos plus a couple of Hobbies and the usual excellent selection of breeding warblers. There were also three Oystercatchers and three Little Egrets on show.

Adrian Borley saw an Osprey at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon plus a first summer tern that showed plumage features most similar to Arctic Tern.

The breeding birds at Harrington Airfield were visited by two Cuckoos this morning and a selection of good butterflies in the county today included freshly emerged Essex Skippers (Bradlaugh Fields) and White Admirals (Fermyn Wood). It seems that Marbled White butterflies are now relatively widespread and numerous and Dark Green Fritillaries and a few Silver-washed Fritillaries are being seen adjacent to and in some of the bigger and well established woodland blocks in the county.

A few bird ringing recoveries have been reported as follows:-

1. A juvenile Chiffchaff was ringed at Stanford Reservoir on 25th July 2018 and was recaptured presumably as a breeding female at Stortons Pits on 14th June this year. Although it is only 24km between the two sites this bird will have probably wintered well to the south the last two winters;

2. A juvenile Reed Warbler ringed at Stortons Pits on 4th August 2019 was caught again by ringers operating at Alderney in the Channel Isles on 9th June this year when assessed as an adult male. Again 293km separates these two sites but the bird will have wintered well to the south in Africa between these two records;

3. A Common Tern ringed as a nestling at Pitsford Reservoir on 21st June 2017 was seen again at Draycote Water (Warwickshire) on 11th June this year when the ring details were read and photographed in the field. Like the others this bird will have spent it's three winters well to the south, in all probability off the west coast of Africa;

4. A juvenile male Greenfinch was caught and ringed at Greens Norton on 29th August 2019 and killed by a cat on or about 5th June this year at Wappenham which is about 8km from Greens Norton;

5. An adult female Reed Warbler was caught and ringed at Stortons Pits on 12th August last year and on 27th May this year it was caught again at Blyth End in Warwickshire. Yet another summer migrant bird that has presumably returned to the midlands to breed after wintering in Africa for at least two years.

Regards

Neil M

Mullein moth caterpillar
courtesy of Fiona Barclay.

Syrplus rebesii courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Xthanthogramma pedissequm
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Jackdaw courtesy of
John Tilly.

Frugal Friday

Hello

Not much seen locally today but the two drake Common Scoters remained at Pitsford Reservoir, spending much of their time diving and feeding in the mouth of the Pintail Bay.

A female Garganey was in the feeder stream area of Hollowell Reservoir today and a Quail was heard calling distantly in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon, roughly in a westerly direction towards Blueberry Farm.

An Otter was photographed during the day on the River Welland near to the Aldi supermarket at Market Harborough two days ago, the first recent sighting there that I am aware of.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite.

Juvenile Starlings courtesy
of John Tilly.

A wet one!

Hello

Yesterday (Wednesday) evening and a Barn Owl was noted at Harrington Airfield.

Also yesterday Chris Payne tried a little ringing near Greens Norton and his catch included eight Robins, seven Blackcaps, a Bullfinch, a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler and others. The dedicated efforts towards the Cuckoo project have caused two more birds to be caught and ringed at Linford Lakes, thus making nine birds ringed there this year.

Today (Thursday) and a very wet morning at Pitsford Reservoir confirmed the continued presence of yesterday's two drake Common Scoters in the vicinity of Pintail Bay, and a Garganey was seen in flight in the Scaldwell Bay. The summering Lapwing flock is growing in numbers and a Green Sandpiper was by the Bird Club hide this afternoon.

The summering/passage large gulls at Pitsford are very pleased to see the return of the fisherman as there are again plenty of dead and dying fish to feed on as a result of their activities. Two Grey Wagtails were at Brixworth this morning and a Siskin briefly at Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of John Tilly.

Lesser Stag Beetle courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Ruby-tailed Wasp courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Stormy weather!

Hello

Yesterday evening (Tuesday) we enjoyed some powerful weather with thunder and lightning and a good hour of heavy rain, just what the garden needed!

Before that there was clearly another hatch of Scarlet Tiger moths in the garden but they successfully survived the deluge and were still on show this morning. Butterfly enthusiasts yesterday also found the first Purple Hairstreaks on the wing with specimens seen in the Souther Wood complex (Rockingham Forest). Also yesterday David Arden found some Marbled White Butterflies at Pitsford Reservoir on the reserve near to the Lagoon Hide and odonata included plenty of Black-tailed Skimmers.

This morning (Wednesday) and a Green Sandpiper was seen on the scrape at Summer Leys and late this morning two drake Common Scoters were at Pitsford Reservoir, trying their best to avoid craft on the water there just off the Sailing Club. Tony Vials witnessed a Crossbill flying into Hardwick Wood today - clearly there is a small passage of these and Siskins on the go at the moment and fairly typical of rapid post-breeding movement that we have noted in recent years.

We have been experiencing quite a flock of juvenile Starlings in the garden of late but their visits are much more sporadic and the numbers much smaller now as they are particularly targeted by the local pair of Sparrowhawks. From the Sparrowhawk's perspective it is much more efficient catching a Starling than the equivalent bio-mass of seven Blue Tits!

Regards

Neil M

Marbled White butterfly
Pitsford Reservoir courtesy
of David Arden.

Scarlet Tiger moth
Hanging Houghton.

Just-fledged juvenile
Robin.

Large Red-belted Clearwing moth
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Insects on the prowl!

Hello

A ringing session took place at Pitsford Reservoir yesterday evening and this morning culminating in 68 birds being processed of 13 species. All the birds were typical species breeding on-site or nearby and included two Garden Warblers, eight Blackcaps, a Whitethroat and nine Tree Sparrows.

An early morning bird was a Common Crane flying north over East Hunsbury, Northampton at 4.28am this morning and Stanwick Pits continued to host the drake Red-crested Pochard on the layby pit and two Cattle Egrets on the main pit.

Another summer Siskin was seen feeding in a Kettering garden today and Twywell Hills and Dales Country Park attracted a host of butterflies which included a Grizzled Skipper and Marbled Whites. Up to nine Black Hairstreaks were tracked down in the Fermyn Wood complex today.

Regards

Neil M

Band-eyed Horsefly.

Black-headed Cardinal Beetle.

Horned Tree Hopper.

Common Whitethroat.

All images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.