Yet more Siskins!

Hello

Again another day with limited opportunities to go looking for wildlife but three observers at Harrington Airfield this morning pooled a list which included at least four Common Redstarts, a Whinchat, a Wheatear, a Peregrine and two Turtle Doves. A constant flow of Siskin continues to pour in and through the county with one flock of over fifty birds. Two Common Redstarts persist in their favoured hedgerow at Blueberry Farm. Maidwell.

Chris Payne conducted some ringing in his Greens Norton garden this morning and he caught and processed twenty Goldfinches, eighteen Greenfinches, fifteen Blue Tits plus a single Blackcap and a Robin.

Neil Hasdell saw three Great White Egrets and an adult Yellow-legged Gull in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and Stuart confirmed the continued presence of Common Crossbills at Wakerley Wood with several in the larches around the car park.

Steve Fisher counted nine Cattle Egrets roosting in a tree at Stanwick Pits at the west end this morning and saw a Caspian Gull on the Visitor Centre Pit and eight Yellow-legged Gulls this afternoon.

A Barn Owl was again hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

The trail camera is still
recording nightly Hedgehog
visits to the garden but efforts
at deploying the camera elsewhere
for perhaps scarcer animals has 
so far drawn a blank.

Male Kestrel courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Juvenile Kestrel courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

The Stonechat should now
begin to migrate through the 
county with good numbers in
 recent years. Image courtesy
 of Robin Gossage.

Malaki is back!

Hello

Limited opportunities for birding today but a quick foray out at Pitsford Reservoir was good for a juvenile Shag and an adult Yellow-legged Gull by the dam and two Great White Egrets, two Green Sandpipers and another adult Yellow-legged Gull were in the Scaldwell Bay.

Just two Whinchats were still present in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and Siskins were still passing over during the day.

A Spoonbill seen in flight over Billing Garden Centre heading for Billing Aquadrome early this morning was a good record and it seems that the adult from the summer is still with us somewhere!

Some Ring-necked Parakeets were present in the grounds of St Andrews Hospital, Northampton today and Steve successfully counted four Common Redstarts at Harrington Airfield between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One.

Jonathan's efforts at Hollowell Reservoir this evening provided views of a Great White Egret, two juvenile Ruff and a Whinchat.

Malaki the African Grey Parrot has been located and recaptured and safely back in his Earls Barton home!!

Regards

Neil M

Painted Lady.

Ivy Bee.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

Buddleia heaven in a Sywell
garden - images courtesy of
Jim Dunkley!

Harrington ringing

Hello

A period of bird ringing at Harrington Airfield today seemingly followed a night where there was something of a clear out of lingering migrants! So we had to rely on new birds arriving post-dawn and a few residents. In total 69 birds were encountered, only seven of which were birds ringed on a previous occasion. There was a strong diurnal movement of pipits, wagtails and Siskins overhead and we managed to lure 26 Meadow Pipits, a Grey Wagtail and a Yellow Wagtail into the nets. Warblers were few in number but five Chiffchaffs, a Common Whitethroat and eight Blackcaps were processed. Finches included nine Linnets and a couple of Chaffinches and buntings showed with three Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting caught and ringed. Two Green Woodpeckers were both originally ringed earlier in the year.

Other birds present were two very skulking Common Redstarts between the Chippings Compund and Bunker One and two Tree Pipits which initially lingered but then moved on. Three different Sparrowhawks were seen marauding around the bushes and probably didn't help our cause! Fly-overs included a Little Egret.

Elsewhere and Pitsford Reservoir today hosted a juvenile Shag on the dam and then later presumably a different individual on the causeway, a female Red-crested Pochard, a Hobby, a Great White Egret and the continuation of the heavy Siskin movement.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton attracted a Marsh Harrier, two Whinchats, a Tree Pipit and a Hobby and Borough Hill CP over at Daventry was good for two Wheatears and a Raven. Wakerley Wood remains the venue for Crossbills with about forty in the larches by the main car park. Two Great White Egrets remained at Summer Leys LNR.

An African Grey Parrot was lost from captivity in Earls Barton yesterday. The bird is tame and a significant reward is available to anyone who can reunite the bird with it's owner! Birds such as this often move quite a way from their captive origin and a variety of parrots in the past have successfully spent long periods in the countryside where they quickly learn to forage fruits, seeds etc. I have the details of the owner and contact number should you come across 'Malaki' the African Grey Parrot!

Regards

Neil M

Autumnal pictures of
Harrington Airfield courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Yellowhammer courtesy of
Lynne Lambert.

Grey Wagtail courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Small birds on the move

Hello

Perhaps the most obvious passerine migrants flying over the county today were Meadow Pipit, all three hirundine species and Siskin.

An intrepid team of ringers carried out a session at Stortons Pits this morning capturing and processing 82 birds of which 74 were newly ringed. Warblers dominated with thirty Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, three Common Whitethroats, two Reed Warblers, a Willow Warbler and five Chiffchaffs.

A few hours ringing at Brixworth Treatment Works this morning with just two nets provided over forty captures including ten Blackcaps, three Sedge Warblers, twelve Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler and a Siskin. At least four Grey Wagtails were present and a juvenile Osprey flew over the site, jostling with a Raven as it went on it's way!

At least three Common Redstarts were present at Harrington Airfield this evening in the bushes between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One and a pair of vocal Hobbies were present too. The site will be off limits tomorrow whilst ringing operations are conducted but access to the concrete track and footpaths is unaffected.

Three Common Redstarts were along the footpath between Pitsford Reservoir and the villages of Walgrave and Old but generally they were elusive. At least three Common Redstarts were at Lamport Hall as were two Spotted Flycatchers and there were still two Common Redstarts and a Tree Pipit at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Chelveston Airfield boasted forty-one Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and a Whinchat.

Birds at Hollowell Reservoir today included a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper and Pitsford's birds included a juvenile Shag, two Great White Egrets, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, two Green Sandpipers, two Hobbies and a Wheatear. Two Ruff were seen briefly at Hardwater Lake, Earls Barton Pits and two Ravens were frequenting Dallington Cemetry, Northampton.

A Barn Owl was watched hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Treecreeper courtesy
of Chris Payne.

The wonderful Hobby
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Siskins, Common Redstarts and Grey Wagtails

Hello.

The migrant of the day was very much the Siskin with flocks moving over all day. Grey Wagtails were also on the move with a concentration of at least four at Brixworth.

Some four or five Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield this morning, all concentrated between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One made up of two adult males, a first year male and one or two female(s). Also present was a Golden Plover and a Wheatear and there was also a Painted Lady butterfly.

Nearby at Lamport Hall there were still at least four Common Redstarts and two Spotted Flycatchers and the Linnet flock on the fields attracted an adult male Merlin. Two Common Redstarts were still in hedging at Blueberry Farm this afternoon. A Clouded Yellow and a Painted Lady were on the nectar strip in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Elsewhere and a Whinchat was near Glapthorn Cow Pasture, a Spotted Flycatcher was at Hardingstone Lake and there were still several Swifts at Clifford Hill Pits and over twenty Yellow Wagtails in cow fields between Little Brington and Brockhall.

In the Nene Valley Summer Leys LNR provided a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and Great White Egret and Titchmarsh LNR at Thrapston yielded a Yellow-legged Gull, a Common Snipe and two Peregrines. A juvenile Shag remained at Pitsford Reservoir just south of the causeway and a Lesser Redpoll at Wellingborough is only the second I've heard of so far this autumn.

A ringing session will take place at Harrington Airfield on Monday 7th September during which time general access to the bunkers and old airstrip will be restricted. The concrete track and footpaths remain open.

A Naturetrek birdwatching day tour at Pitsford Reservoir is planned for this Thursday 10th September starting at 9am and there are still a few places available. Should you wish to come along to the all day event please look at the Naturetrek website (https://www.naturetrek.co.uk/) and if it appeals sign up on line and I look forward to seeing you there!

Regards

Neil M

Starlings.

A red dawn at Pitsford
Reservoir yesterday morning.

A first year male
Common Redstart at
Harrington Airfield today.

More ringing data

Hello

Birds reported at Pitsford Reservoir today included three juvenile Shags around the causeway tunnel, a Great White Egret, three Pintail, two Green Sandpipers and five Siskins over.

At Hollowell Reservoir there was a fishing Osprey, a Great White Egret, a Garganey, a Pintail, two Hobbies and a Common Sandpiper.

Further east and Stanwick Pits attracted similar birds to the previous couple of days which included three Cattle Egrets and a Great White Egret. A Peregrine remained at St Mary's church in Higham Ferrers.

Elsewhere and a Tree Pipit was witnessed flying over Brackley and another was sound recorded over Duston, Northampton. A roosting flock of 32 Yellow Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Some ringing recoveries/sightings are as follows:-

1. The recently seen female Pochard at Pitsford Reservoir with a nasal saddle fitted was first ringed in France at Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu on 20th May 2016 and has been seen there regularly in 2016/2017/2019 and 2020. In fact she was still there on 17th June 2020 before turning up at Pitsford last month;

2. A first year Reed Warbler ringed at Icklesham, East Sussex on 7th August 2017 was encountered again at Stortons Pits on 2nd July 2020 when deemed to be an adult female and probably breeding. A total of 1060 days and six African journeys elapsed inbetween times!

3. A juvenile Cetti's Warbler was ringed at Brandon Marsh, Warwickshire on 6th July 2019 and caught again at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 12th July 2020 when regarded as an adult female. She had moved 56km in a SE direction over a period of 372 days to find a suitable breeding territory;

4. A predated Barn Owl found at Pitsford Reservoir on 12th July this year had been ringed as a nestling at Rutland Water on 9th June 2017 - 1129 days had elapsed between both records, 32km separating the two sites.

Regards

Neil M

Pochard.

Reed Warbler.

Barn Owl courtesy of
Chris Payne.

Cetti's Warbler.

September birds

Hello

It seems that there has been quite an exodus of small birds associated with summer during the last twenty-four hours and an influx of classic autumn birds with more waterfowl arriving.

A saunter into the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning paid off with a super adult male Merlin chasing the passerines around the nectar crop strip next to 'shrike hedge' plus a couple of Whinchats in the same area. Later on there were 2/3 Clouded Yellow butterflies on the nectar crop strip nearer to the Brampton Valley Way.

A subsequent recce at Pitsford Reservoir from the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station was sufficient to spot a Great White Egret, four Pintail, a Dunlin and a Green Sandpiper in the Scaldwell Bay and a juvenile Shag on and next to the causeway near to the tunnel. A subsequent more thorough perusal by David Arden later added a second Great White Egret, a Garganey, an Osprey and three Hobbies. This evening there was a juvenile Black Tern and a very good-looking freshly moulted adult winter plumage Mediterranean Gull (plus just two Yellow-legged Gulls) all off the Sailing Club.

Hollowell Reservoir hosted two Great White Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, two Common Sandpipers and a Whinchat. Harrington Airfield seemed very quiet for passerines this afternoon but there were still two Common Redstarts between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One, four over-flying Crossbills, three Ravens and a Hobby. Nearby at Lamport Hall, there was no sign of any Pied Flycatchers, only a single first year male Common Redstart and three/four Spotted Flycatchers were found. The Yellow Wagtail flock had also reduced considerably and I only saw nine with cattle in the cow fields at Hanging Houghton.

Blueberry Farm still hung on to some of it's birds with at least two Common Redstarts present plus four Whinchats, a Marsh Harrier and a Short-eared Owl that seemingly set off aiming for Harrington Airfield! A male Common Redstart was still present off the footpath leading from Twywell Hills and Dales Country Park.

In the Nene Valley, Chris Green noted ten Common Snipe at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, a Whinchat was near Bozeat and a Dunlin was on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR. At Stanwick Pits Steve Fisher totaled up a Cattle Egret, three Great White Egrets, about fifty Wigeon, two Little Ringed Plovers, five Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and nine Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Shag at Pitsford
Reservoir courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Birds of Wednesday.

Hello

The bushes and hedgerow at Lamport Hall were eerily quiet this morning but I spent some time scanning and listening and eventually identified at least three different Common Redstarts which included a different individual from yesterday (a female). A Spotted Flycatcher sat out briefly and small flocks of Siskins flew through and the cattle attracted at least twelve Yellow Wagtails. Warblers seemed to include just singletons of Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff so back to Hanging Houghton where earlier I had seen an overflying and calling Tree Pipit flying south and about twenty-five Yellow Wagtails with the grazing cattle. A Grey Wagtail was in the general area.

Whilst back at home there were fleeting visits in the garden from further singletons of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler and then a juvenile Common Buzzard alighted on the shed roof! He/she didn't stay long.

A visit to Market Harborough to see the Otters that have been showing well on the River Welland there drew a blank despite me patrolling the banks for nearly three hours. Three animals have been seen together very recently. My wildlife highlights were an adult male Peregrine circling over the town plus a couple of Nuthatches and a juvenile Grey Wagtail.

In the meantime Eleanor's daily jaunt in to the Brampton Valley provided a Peregrine (also an adult male) and four Whinchats and the nearby Blueberry Farm complex remained the place to see two Tree Pipits, three Common Redstarts, a Wheatear and four more Whinchats. Neil Underwood located two Common Redstarts at Harrington Airfield today, a Great White Egret was at Hollowell Reservoir and three Shags were congregated just off the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir late morning.

A Bittern was an excellent find on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR this morning plus a Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, two Dunlin and a Great White Egret. Not too far away and another Peregrine was perched on St Mary's church, Higham Ferrers.

This evening and Steve Fisher's diligent efforts at Stanwick Pits provided views of four Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret, twenty-one Yellow-legged Gulls, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

Goldfinches courtesy of
John Tilly.

Juvenile Whinchat courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Common Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers and another Tree Pipit.

Hello

With perfect weather conditions it wasn't surprising that more ringing was undertaken in the county today.

At Pitsford Reservoir Dave Francis ran a session during yesterday evening and this morning at Pitsford Reservoir and captured 99 birds of 17 species which included eight Willow Warblers, eight Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, a Reed Warbler, two Sedge Warblers, a Whitethroat and six Tree Sparrows among more regular fare.

At Harrington Airfield ringing operations provided 88 captures of 18 species which included thirteen Linnets, five Yellowhammers, three Chiffchaffs, a Reed Warbler, ten Blackcaps, six Whitethroats, a Meadow Pipit, a Tree Pipit and two first year male Common Redstarts. Other birds noted on-site included another three Common Redstarts, a Grey Wagtail, a Golden Plover, several Siskins and a Short-eared Owl.

Two or three Pied Flycatchers were found in hedging at Lamport Hall this afternoon and during the course of searching for them at least four first year male Common Redstarts and nine Spotted Flycatchers were located. On the opposite side of the A508, twenty-eight Yellow Wagtails were in the cow fields at Hanging Houghton. Down in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were four Whinchats and two Clouded Yellow butterflies and further up at Blueberry Farm there were two adult male Common Redstarts and four more Whinchats.

Hollowell Reservoir fielded four Common Sandpipers and a Whinchat and a Yellow-legged Gull and a Common Sandpiper were noted at Pitsford Reservoir. Two more Common Redstarts were along the footpath leading from Twywell Hills and Dales Country Park and a Spotted Flycatcher and five Siskins were also seen.

At Summer Leys LNR the Garganey was still present, as was a Great White Egret and a Dunlin; Clifford Hill Pits hosted a Dunlin, three Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

First year male Common Redstart
at Harrington Airfield.

First year Tree Pipit at Harrington Airfield.

Bank Holiday Monday

Hello

The relatively still and cloudy conditions today were perfect for more ringing. At Stanford Reservoir the ringing team there caught an astounding 468 new birds today which included four Common Redstarts, four Grasshopper Warblers, a Sparrowhawk, a Lesser Redpoll and a Meadow Pipit.

At Stortons Pits 51 birds were caught with Blackcaps dominating at sixteen but also five Whitethroats, six Reed Warblers, four Sedge Warblers and four Cetti's Warblers among more common fare.

At Linford Lakes near Milton Keynes the ringing session produced over a hundred birds which included two more Kingfishers (with another yesterday), a Grasshopper Warbler, forty-two Blackcaps, twenty Reed Warblers, six Sedge Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, eight Willow Warblers and nine Chiffchaffs.

An adult Grass Snake was in preparation of changing it's skin with a thin membrane over the eyes and amphibians included Common and Great Crested Newts.

Birds seen in the county today included more bumper numbers of Common Redstarts with birds at Harrington Airfield (probably four), Blueberry Farm, Ashby St Ledgers, Borough Hill Country Park (two) and the footpath between Pitsford Reservoir and the villages of Old and Walgrave (at least three).

Pitsford Reservoir attracted one or two Shag(s) and two Great White Egrets and Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Ruddy Shelduck, a Redshank, 2-4 Common Sandpipers, a Whinchat and a Wheatear. More Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton (four), Borough Hill CP and  Blueberry Farm (four).

A Marsh Harrier was again in the valley below Hanging Houghton, there was a Tree Pipit at Blueberry Farm, four Spotted Flycatchers were at Borough Hill CP and this evening a Short-eared Owl flew over Harrington Airfield where a ringing session will take place tomorrow (restricted access).

Regards

Neil M

Grass Snake.

Kingfishers.

Grasshopper Warbler courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Migration in full swing

 Hello

Stanford Reservoir Ringing Group were operating again today and again did well with 139 new birds caught and 22 birds re-trapped from previous sessions. Obvious highlights among the captures were singles of Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart and three Grasshopper Warblers. Down at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes, preparations were made for a ringing session tomorrow morning. However in the course of setting up the nets this afternoon a Spotted Flycatcher and a Kingfisher were caught as well as small numbers of Reed Warblers and Chiffchaffs. Other wildlife on show included Grass Snakes, Common and Great Crested Newts and other birds noted on-site included Green Sandpiper and Water Rail.

Plans are afoot for another period of ringing at Harrington Airfield during the morning of Tuesday 1st September when I'm afraid the old runway and bunker areas will be out of bounds during the session. A wander around there this morning confirmed two Common Redstarts as still being present between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One. Three Siskins flew over and a trickle of Meadow Pipits overhead signaled the start of their migration south over the county.

Sadly a juvenile Common Buzzard was found in a crumpled heap at the side of the A508 between Hanging Houghton and Brixworth - the corpse will be sent away for tissue analysis by the Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) that regularly assess any toxic build up of chemicals in the tissue of birds of prey and owls.

A Shag was still at Pitsford Reservoir this morning in the vicinity of the causeway plus a Common Sandpiper and a Swift. At the southern end of the reservoir this evening there was a second winter Mediterranean Gull, six Yellow-legged Gulls and a Curlew flew south.

Three Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and a Common Redstart and two Spotted Flycatchers remained at Lamport Hall. Ian Dobson found two Common Redstarts at the traditional passage spot at Fawsley Park at the top of the track near the Granary.

Two Peregrines were using St Mary's church at Higham Ferrers as a resting spot today and in the Nene Valley today there was a Greenshank and a Whinchat at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR and a flock of gulls using Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits to bathe in included at least fourteen Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regards

Neil M

Kingfisher.

Anaglptus mysticus Longhorn Beetle
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Apple Fruit Weevil courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Scarce Seven Spot Ladybird
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Egrets, Whinchats and a Short-eared Owl

 Hello

More strong winds and rain this afternoon made for unappealing conditions for wildlife watching!

Nevertheless there were things still out there to see and birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included a juvenile Shag, two or more Yellow-legged Gulls, two Garganey, a Great White Egret, a Hobby, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and a Swift. One of the local Common Buzzards has made the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station it's regular spot and can be found sometimes perched on the bird table there where it brings prey for butchering (most of the time Brown Rats)!

Stanwick Pits provided views of six Cattle Egrets plus a Great White Egret, a Greenshank, two Common Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin and a Whinchat. Another Whinchat was found in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and Gary Burrows found a Short-eared Owl at Harrington Airfield this morning (Bunker Three).

The weather forecast for the coming week indicates that the weather will calm and it is anticipated that county ringers will again be active on Monday and Tuesday which again might provide captures of scarcer migrants.

Regards

Neil M

Common Buzzard.

Short-eared Owl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Cattle Egret.