Pitsford Wildlife

 Hello

An early morning foray to Harrington Airfield today but it was a case of just walking really as the passerines kept low in the strong southerly wind! A juvenile Marsh Harrier immediately made it's presence known as it swept across the top fields and very slowly filtered south into the wind, using the blustery conditions to hunt the field edges as it slowly disappeared towards Lamport. A couple of Ravens and an Osprey similarly had no problem countering the conditions as they moved over the old airfield. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was present and what I suspect is the original Common Redstart was heard calling from bushes between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One.

Pitsford Reservoir today provided views of a Great White Egret, two Garganey, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, a Hobby, two Green Sandpipers. several Swifts and good numbers of House Martins - most of these birds were noted in the Scaldwell Bay.

At Summer Leys LNR observers notched up a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper and two Great White Egrets and Pied Flycatchers appeared at private sites at Chapel Brampton and Denton Wood - neither afford general public access. Two Whinchats and a Wheatear at Borough Hill Country Park were probably left-overs from yesterday and a Turtle Dove was at another withheld location.

A flock of Yellow Wagtails remain with us at Hanging Houghton, most of the time in the grazing fields with cattle but regularly visiting the lawns in adjacent larger gardens. It is likely that there is a constant flow of birds moving through and so far the maximum flock size has been ten birds but they have to watch out for the regular forays from hunting Sparrowhawks and Hobby that patrol the village daily.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebe
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Red Fox courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Brimstone moth
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Canary-shouldered Thorn
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Little Grebe
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Passage passerines

 Hello

With the weather conditions of the last two days including the heavy rain of yesterday and the anticipated sunny weather with a strong southerly breeze, it seemed as if today should produce plenty of interesting passerine migrants. With this is mind I went over to a place I seldom visit these days, Borough Hill Country Park at Daventry. It has to be said that I've predicted 'falls' of migrants on previous days and it hasn't come to much but as I drove into the car park just at 6am this morning and opened the door to hear multiple calls of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler in a nearby hedge I sensed that I had guessed right this time.

It took me almost an hour to walk slowly south hugging the western hedgeline to cover little more than 300 metres, the numbers of phylloscopus warblers, Lesser and Common Whitethroats and other small birds meant it had to be a methodical process as I didn't want to miss something good! As I reached the southern slope the first Tree Pipit called overhead and continued south and a bird sallied out from the bushes and there was a loud snap of the bill - classic flycatcher behaviour. However I had to wait a good ten minutes before the Pied Flycatcher showed itself again, provided a brief photo opportunity and then disappeared back into the constantly foraging flock of birds.

Juvenile Common Whitethroats were everywhere and possibly outnumbered the Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. Turning my attention to the more open area, three Whinchats posed nicely on the south-facing rough field but a scan up to the summit proved there to be more birds there. I strode up the gradual incline and another Tree Pipit, a couple of Meadow Pipits and some flushed moulting Skylarks were next. On the brambles were six more Whinchats including an adult male. I then walked in an anti-clockwise direction, finding a Common Redstart and a party of four Spotted Flycatchers in bushes further to the east. Two more Tree Pipits called as they flew over south and more common warblers and Nuthatches were calling from the belt of mature trees

The most easterly hawthorn hedge that traverses the hill is frequently good at attracting interesting birds but today it was quiet. I tried the hedges on the north side next but already the birds were becoming more difficult to see and really I was only finding more common warblers and now butterflies which included Red Admiral and Painted Lady. By the time I was back at the car park it was gone 9am and I needed some liquid refreshment!

In the meantime Eleanor was scouring the fields and hedges of Blueberry Farm and the valley bottom between there and the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton. Again exciting pulses of birds worked the traditional hedges with lots of common warblers plus three Common Redstarts, at least two Spotted Flycatchers, a Tree Pipit, a Wheatear and two Whinchats. The juvenile Marsh Harrier was still present and finches included four Crossbills and a Siskin over. Several Clouded Yellow butterflies were still on the nectar crop strips.

My next venue was the Woodland Trust reserve of Kentle Wood on the outskirts of Daventry. Rarely visited by birders, this area of scrub and young trees sits on an edge of an escarpment with sweeping views to the west. Lots of large gulls and corvids were the most obvious birds all around but here also there were warblers, mostly hidden in the trees. On my walk around at least two Crossbills overflew the wood and Southern and Migrant Hawkers hunted the plentiful rides. I couldn't help but think what would be found if the rides had mist nets erected in them!

I next visited Cotton End Park at Long Buckby where a pleasant walk through the orchard and meadow led me to the pond at the bottom which is good for odonata. I didn't see anything unusual but enjoyed watching Common Darters, Emerald Damselflies and singles of Blue Emperor and Brown Hawker regularly tussling with each other!

In the meantime Eleanor checked out the regular stop-over site for Common Redstarts which is the footpath that runs on a ridge between Pitsford Reservoir and the villages of Old and Walgrave. Two field hedges in particular prove attractive and today at least four were present which included two adult males together. The easiest access is from Bridle Road, Old where the footpath is well signed. Other birds included a Whinchat and two Spotted Flycatchers.

On my way home I stopped at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and walked around. Large numbers of Migrant Hawkers and Ruddy Darters were active in the strong sunshine. The summering Pink-footed Goose which this year has been at Clifford Hill Pits, Pitsford Reservoir and Hollowell Reservoir was on the dam with Greylags and provided very good photographic opportunities. Gulls were constantly flying in and out and at one stage a juvenile Mediterranean Gull came in to bathe. Other birds included a Spotted Flycatcher, a group of six Grey Wagtails, three Ravens and a Hobby.

A quick foray around the border hedges of Lamport Hall on the south side provided views of a male Common Redstart and two Spotted Flycatchers.

Elsewhere today and other observers noted singles of Ruff and Common and Green Sandpipers at Clifford Hill Pits first thing, a Clouded Yellow butterfly at Yardley Chase, two Great White Egrets and a Green Sandpiper in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and at Stanwick Pits there were two Great White Egrets, two Green Sandpipers and three Common Sandpipers. A Peregrine was over Westbridge, Northampton today and a Wheatear was an additional find at Borough Hill CP this afternoon, and a Common Redstart may have been a second bird. Another Wheatear was found in a sheep field adjacent to Hellidon Golf Course this afternoon.

Phew and there is still time to find something else!

Regards

Neil M

Willow Warbler Borough Hill.

Willow Warbler meets Chiffchaff
Borough Hill!

Pied Flycatcher
Borough Hill.

Red Admiral
Borough Hill.

Common Darter
Cotton End Park.

Emerald Damselfly
Cotton End Park.

Eclipse drake Mallard
Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Pink-footed Goose
Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Ruddy Darter
Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

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