A rainy day...

 Hello

A tour of Harrington Airfield this morning was in order to beat the incoming rain and at least three Common Redstarts were present. The easiest one to see was an adult male at Bunker One which was visiting the isolated elderberry bushes and plucking a couple of berries. Small numbers of common warblers were in the bushes but we didn't see much else of note.

Back at Hanging Houghton a Tree Pipit and several Yellow Wagtails made their presence known just prior to the first of the rain and Eleanor's visit to the dam at Pitsford Reservoir late morning provided a single Wheatear, a Hobby, two Grey Wagtails and two Common Sandpipers.

An Osprey and two Egyptian Geese were seen at Hollowell Reservoir this morning and there were a further two Common Redstarts and at least two Spotted Flycatchers along the Brampton Valley Way near Draughton Crossing.

Hardwater Lake at Earls Barton Pits this morning hosted a Snipe, a Ruff, three Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, two Greenshanks (one not well) and two Little Ringed Plovers.

Regards

Neil M

Female Bullfinch.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Migrant Hawker.

Red Kite. The adults look
pretty tatty at this time of
the year as they replace their
wing and tail feathers.

All images from yesterday at Brixworth.

Warblers and more...

 Hello

Yesterday (Monday) and a succession of birders to Harrington Airfield provided records of two Whinchats (not seen later in the day), two Common Redstarts and a Clouded Yellow butterfly. Birds at nearby Hanging Houghton included a Raven and ten Yellow Wagtails. 

Pitsford Reservoir continues to be interesting and the water level has dropped quite considerably during the last week. Yesterday's birds included an Osprey, three Great White Egrets, four Red-crested Pochard, a Goldeneye and two Green Sandpipers to the north of the causeway and the dam area provided three Black Terns which stayed briefly in the evening plus two Yellow-legged Gulls, three Common Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover and a Dunlin (the latter which was still present today).

Today (Tuesday) and last minute ringing sessions at Stortons Pits and Brixworth Water Treatment Works provided a nice selection of warblers. Ringers were anxious to process the warblers before they disappear and the weather forecast for the coming week does not look good for mist netting so it had to be today! Stortons provided over thirty birds which included a Cetti's Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, seven Common Whitethroats, six Blackcaps and three Sedge Warblers.

Just over forty birds landed in the mist nets at Brixworth made up of a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail, three Lesser Whitethroats, four Common Whitethroats, six Blackcaps, two Sedge Warblers, a Reed Warbler, a Willow Warbler and four Chiffchaffs. Birds seen on-site or overhead included two Tree Pipits, two Ravens, eight Snipe, a Hobby, at least four Grey Wagtails and another Kingfisher.

Birds seen in the county today included four Cattle Egrets and a Green Sandpiper at Stanwick Pits, a Green Sandpiper, two Ruff and four Wheatears at Clifford Hill Pits, a possible Osprey at Fawsley Park, a Spotted Flycatcher at Upton Country Park and a Black Tern at Hollowell Reservoir. A Tree Pipit was caught and ringed today in the Rockingham Forest (Shire Hill Wood complex).                           .

Insects today included two Clouded Yellows in the nectar crop strip in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a Painted Lady in the Fishing Lodge car park at Pitsford Reservoir (scarce this year).

Regards

Neil M

Blackcap.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Sedge Warblers.

Head shots of three
Kingfishers caught and
ringed at Greens Norton
recently...

All images courtesy of
Chris Payne.

A few more from the Ardnamurchan...

 Hello

A few more images from the Naturetrek tour to the Ardnamurchan Peninsular, West Highlands which concluded at the week-end...

Regards

Neil M

Bottle-nosed Dolphin.

Kittiwake.

Juvenile Meadow Pipit sunbathing.

Red Deer.

Juvenile Robin.

Scotch Argus.

The wonderful Ardnamurchan Otters!

Wildlife of the Ardnamurchan

Hello

I have just returned from an eight day Naturetrek tour of the Ardnamurchan Peninsular in the West Highlands of Scotland. The weather was ridiculously warm and sunny but despite the Covid-19 restrictions the small group were successful in their quest to locate the wildlife highlights in this very special area. A few images from this trip are as follows...

Regards

Neil M

Common Porpoise.

Common Seals.

Dark Green Fritillary.

Goosanders.

Grayling.

Manx Shearwater.

Razorbill and chick.

Guillemot and chick.

Pine Marten.

Peacock.

Weekend Roundup

It has been a bit of a strange weekend weather wise. A mix of a small amount of sunshine, plenty of low cloud, drizzle, thunder, lightening and the much needed heavy rain.  Already our lawn looks so much healthier following the rain and the birds have returned in large numbers to feed in the garden.  It has been a full time job topping up the feeders especially the sunflower hearts, mealworms and suet balls. The birds don't even move out of the way but practically sit on my shoulder whilst I'm feeding them.  The increase in the number of birds has attracted a large female Sparrowhawk and I know that she has taken at least 3 birds during the weekend.

Yesterday I started my day with an early morning run and noted that the family of Spotted Flycatcher were still present at Beck Dairy Cottesbrooke.  Other birds included a Grey Wagtail, 2 Ravens and a covey of 6 Grey Partridge. They all appeared to be the same size so I'm not sure if they were adults, youngsters or a mixture. As I drove back into the village a Little Owl was sitting on a fence post.  

Late morning found me at Harrington Airfield.  I have given up actively looking for any Common Redstarts and have adopted the approach of "letting them find me", which so far seems to be working. As I walked slowly through the bushes a super male Common Redstart flew up into the bush in front of me and another bird started calling incessantly nearby but that one remained elusive. As I loitered around the bunkers I saw a Northern Wheatear and then as I scanned the skies looking back towards Lamport I picked up the distinctive shape of the Lancaster Bomber as she headed to London for a flypast to commemorate 75 years since VJ day. On my walk back to the car I saw a Clouded Yellow butterfly.

Today I decided to have an early morning run at Pitsford. So with my two young collies in tow I walked across the dam to get us all warmed up as well as checking for any birds.  There was a Sanderling and 4 Common Sandpiper.  The run was quiet and uneventful so when I completed my circuit I popped the dogs in the car and decided to check the dam again, This time I located a Turnstone near the tower which meant that I needed to walk across the dam again.  It was worth it because as I watched the Turnstone another one ran past it and they were both very confiding. A quick look at the small side in the gloomy weather only produced 3 Great White Egret but I noticed that the number of wildfowl is increasing so it is well worth taking the time to scan through the rafts of birds. 

When I got home it was time to take my old crocs out for a walk. So we had a slow steady wander around the area in front of the old cattle shed below Hanging Houghton.  There is a large manure heap here and 2 Northern Wheatears were perched on the top and a Clouded Yellow butterfly was on the wing.  A juv Marsh Harrier appeared and headed low across the fields towards Brixworth.                      So all in all not a bad weekend !!

Regards Eleanor

Turnstone at Pitsford today

 

It was a dull and murky start to the day but as far as I was concerned perfect conditions for some bird movement.    I was chomping at the bit to get out and about but long standing commitments and errands meant that it was late morning before I managed to get out.    First stop was the dam at Pitsford. I very nearly didn't bother as the dam was busy with people walking/running/cycling over and the water busy with sailing activity. However I thought "now I'm here I 'll just have a quick look ".  I couldn't see anything of note on the water but I could see a small group of waders at the far end of the dam and as I started to walk towards them they flew towards me calling, 4 Sanderling.  I was really pleased with this as not a common bird at Pitsford. As I stood enjoying watching them running like clockwork toys a further 2 Sanderling joined them.  I believe that later observers saw 12 birds.       Time to look at the small side, but not before a quick walk across the causeway produced a Turnstone and 4 Common Sandpiper.   On my walk into the Scaldwell arm there was a fem/imm Common Redstart in the field hedge which runs parallel to the reserve. Over the years this has been a regular site for these birds as they move through on passage.   Plenty of wildfowl to look through which can be challenging at times as they most are in their "eclipse" plumage so all look the same, just different shapes !! There were 4 Red Crested Pochards which have been there a while plus a Goldeneye.  Two Great White Egrets suddenly appeared and they were extremely vocal and it looked as if they were simply chasing each other around as they flew around both the Scaldwell and Walgrave bays.

Early afternoon I took the dogs for a walk around the fields below Hanging Houghton / Cottesbrooke area.  A juvenile Marsh Harrier was quartering the ripening crops.  It may be the same bird which I have seen on a few occasions before.  A Whinchat and a Northern Wheatear were flitting about near to one of the nectar strips and there were also several Clouded Yellow butterflies were on the wing.

If it was waders that you were after then the Nene Valley between Stanwick , Summer Leys and Clifford Hill was the place to be.  A good selection of waders were seen by several observers today including Wood, Green and Common Sandpiper, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank, Ruff, Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin, Snipe and Black Tailed Godwit.

Regards Eleanor

Bright and Beautiful

There has been a lack of birding opportunities due to mundane things like shopping, running errands, training, vet visits and of course the weather.  Despite visits to Harrington Airfield, Pitsford Reservoir. Blueberry and the area below Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke I have seen very little with Grey Partridge, Little Owl and Hobby being the highlights.

The garden has been very busy with birds.  We have been inundated with juvenile Starlings who have reached "adolescence" and look quite bizarre with their mixture of juvenile and adult feathers. As ever they have been entertaining to watch as about 20 try to hang on the same feeder in order to gorge themselves on the mealworms.  Others just simply sit and chatter away incessantly whilst others take great delight in bathing in the bowls of water that are scattered around for the dogs to use.      Today I counted 18 Chaffinches on the lawn !!  I did a double take as we haven't had such a high number since the winter.    The Goldfinches have returned and I have had to refill their feeders twice today.  Nuthatch , Great Spotted Woodpecker and Dunnock have been absent for a few weeks but have put in an appearance today whilst the Jackdaws, Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves have become very scarce.

There is a field of Sunflowers between Arthingworth and Desborough which looks amazing and has attracted a steady stream of visitors, myself included. It was quite dull whilst I was there but this didn't detract from these bright and beautiful flowers

Regards Eleanor

Images from Scotland

 Hello

A few images from the West Highlands of Scotland!

Regards

Neil M

Common Seal.

Dark Green Fritillary.

Red Deer.

White-tailed Eagle.

The Heat drags on !

It has been a hot couple of days which has influenced the amount of birding I have been able to do.  Yesterday a slow steady walk through the bushes on the rough area produced a superb male Common Redstart and an immature Common Redstart, plus a couple of Clouded Yellow butterflies.

As I was up early this morning I decided to run around the big side at Pitsford reservoir.  It was a beautiful morning and everywhere looked so tranquil and serene. As I ran along the dam at 06.30hrs a Spoonbill flew low infront of me and headed southwards. I assume that this is the same individual that has been doing the rounds of the local gravel pits and reservoirs.  The only other birds of note were 4 Common Sandpipers.

A walk around Blueberry produced 2 Whinchats, a Common Redstart and several Clouded Yellows.  These butterflies seem to be attracted to several "nectar" strips between Hanging Houghton, Blueberry and Cottesbrooke.   Also seen on my walk were 2 stunning Roe Deer who were trying their best to melt into the background as they stood like a couple of statues and I could imagine them saying "don't move and she wont see us "...... how wrong they were !!  As usual I had some of the dogs with me and suddenly Tor the hound tried to run off in fright which was quite difficult as he was attached to me whilst my young collie Rouzel literally jumped 3 ft in the air and all her hair stood on end.  They had found a Grass Snake sunbathing.  Eventually it slipped slowly away. Never a dull moment!!

Regards Eleanor 

Weekend Wildlife

Yesterday [Saturday] I walked the same route as the previous day and saw a few of the same species but in a different place.  Blueberry was very quiet and I didn't see anything of note until I was in the area between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke. Here there was a Northern Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, Common Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Cuckoo. There is a hedge which crosses the main track and it seems to act as a magnet for migrating birds at this time of year. Although today I couldn't find a single bird in this hedge, but that's birding, no two days are alike !
Today I managed very little birding. However this evening I found myself on a footpath leading from Beck Dairy Cottesbrooke. I actually didn't get very far across the first field before a large herd of cattle appeared from the corner of the field so I beat a hasty retreat with the dogs in tow. As I neared the car I could hear Spotted Flycatcher calling. With one eye on the advancing cattle I watched a family party of Spotted Flycatchers flitting about in the hedge and bushes. A Common Redstart flew through my field of view.
I ended up walking the dogs by the stream below Hanging Houghton and just as my spaniel was about to launch himself into his favourite swimming area I just caught a movement out of the corner of my eye.....an otter, which then slowly melted away.  I'd no sooner recovered from this when a couple of Kingfishers flew past and a Barn Owl started hunting in front of me.  Amazing end to the day and to the weekend.

Kenny and his team were busy ringing yesterday on the bund at Linford near Milton Keynes.
72 birds caught of which 62 were new and 12 species represented. 
Warblers dominated with 26 Reed Warbler, 10 Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 6 Sedge Warbler , 6 Garden Warbler and 5 Chiffchaffs.
Star bird was a control Garden Warbler wearing a Spanish ring with the inscription Madrid Icona.
Non avian sightings included 5 Great Crested Newts, a Common Newt, 2 Toads and a Frog.

Regards Eleanor