Garden birding

Hello

With the very cold weather continuing our small garden has been very busy with birds again today including an invasion of Fieldfares - on several occasions I counted over twenty individuals attacking apples and each other, or feeding on dried mealworms/suet pellets and the last of the guelder rose berries.

Double-glazed windows isn't great for photography but I spent a little while this morning trying to digitally capture the mini invasion.

At least two Bramblings were still at Harrington Airfield this morning, an adult Peregrine was north of Kelmarsh, a Barn Owl was again at Blueberry Farm and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton continued to host two more Barn Owls and a pair of Stonechats.

Elsewhere and again the Nene Valley dominated proceedings with three Great White Egrets at Summer Leys and Stanwick Pits continued to attract the Bar-tailed Godwit, two Dunlin, two Oystercatchers, two Redshanks, nine Snipe and seven Pintails.

This morning the Ring-necked Duck showed on the Large Lake at Ditchford Pits (plus two Oystercatchers flying over) but couldn't be found on a search this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Feisty Fieldfares!

Mistle Thrush.

Pied Wagtail.

Redwing.

Otters, nest boxes and new maps

Hello

Late news from yesterday (Wednesday) included up to four Otters showing well south of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir, and last night the extreme cold seemed to vocalise the local owls with three Tawnies calling around the village at Hanging Houghton and a Barn Owl shrieking and flying down the tree-lined main road!

It seems that the Nene Valley was the place for the best birds today (Thursday) with the Ring-necked Duck and at least three Smew at Ditchford Pits (two drake Smew and the Rn Duck on the Skew Bridge Lake next to Rushden Lakes Shopping complex and single mobile 'redhead(s)' on Wilsons and Large Lake and Delta Pit).

If you find the plethora of gravel pits and lakes at Ditchford Pits confusing, Neil Hasdell has kindly come to the rescue and has created some new maps of this interesting area with the names of all the pits/lakes marked - please look on the Birdwatching Site Maps tab.

Also in the Nene Valley the Bar-tailed Godwit is hanging on at Stanwick Pits (on the Main Pit) plus at least twenty-seven White-fronted Geese and two Cattle Egrets were still at the north-east end of the complex.

At Summer Leys LNR there were five Great White Egrets, a Shelduck and an Otter showing at about 5pm.

A Peregrine was still visible on St Mary's church at Higham Ferrers and there was a Raven, at least two Bramblings and four 'boxing' Brown Hares at Harrington Airfield.

A Barn Owl persists at Blueberry Farm and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided records of a Jack Snipe, a Barn Owl, two Stonechats, plenty of Fieldfares, at least 116 Skylarks and three more feisty Brown Hares.

It seems that despite the harsh weather many of the Long-tailed Tit flocks have already broken up and I'm seeing them in pairs; Blackbirds and Song Thrushes are singing continually and spring is not far off now. So it's timely to mention nest boxes as we should be erecting and rectifying damaged boxes in time for the breeding season. Chris Payne constructs quality boxes for a variety of species and a two page fact sheet can be found on the Tab 'Eco (nest) Boxes'. In addition to boxes for tits, Robin, Tree Sparrow etc, Chris creates larger boxes for owls, Kestrel and others.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Smew.

Weasel.

Long-tailed Tit.

Otter.

Birds of the cold

Hello

It may be the last of any significant snow this week but seemingly tonight is likely to be one of the coldest nights on record so please make sure your bird feeders are filled up in the morning ready for the hungry birds!

The drake Ring-necked Duck had switched pits at Ditchford Pits today, choosing the old Skew Bridge Pit next to the Rushden Lakes complex as it's water of choice. Other birds in the Nene Valley included five Dunlin on a flooded field next to Barnwell Country Park, the Bar-tailed Godwit still on the Main Lake at Stanwick Pits and a Pintail, a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler at Stortons Pits.

Summer Leys LNR was good for two Great White Egrets, two Shelduck, a Snipe, two Dunlin and a Water Rail showing by the feeding station. Further down the valley and Thrapston Pits entertained another Great White Egret, a Peregrine, two Oystercatchers and a Sparrowhawk subduing a Blackbird.

A Peregrine was again on the National Grid tower off St Peter's Way, Northampton, there were still four Bramblings at Harrington Airfield and Pitsford Reservoir was visited by a female Merlin flying north this afternoon (a rare bird there in recent years) and a pair of Mandarin Ducks in the Pintail Bay.

Blueberry Farm near Maidwell provided views of a Barn Owl and over thirty Meadow Pipits and fields there and into the Brampton Valley held hundreds of foraging Fieldfares. Also in the Brampton Valley between Blueberry and Hanging Houghton were nine Grey Partridges, ten Tree Sparrows, two Barn Owls, four Stonechats, twenty five Golden Plovers and sixty Lapwings.

Regards

Neil M

Dunlin.

Peregrine.

Water Rail - in the 
thick mud!

The wintry weather continues

Hello

Another cold day with some quite spectacular snow flurries and a hail storm for some this afternoon.

It would appear that the weather has been affecting some of our coastal waders with inland records of Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwits and particularly Knot. Some of these birds appeared in the county yesterday with a Knot in the Welland Valley near Gretton which was still present today. Another Knot and a Bar-tailed Godwit and two Dunlin were found at Stanwick Pits today where there were still five Redshanks, twenty-nine White-fronted Geese and two Cattle Egrets.

The adult male Ring-necked Duck was seen again on Large Lake, Ditchford Pits today together with a Great White Egret.

Chris Green reported the details of the colour-ringed Peregrine on St Mary's church at Higham Ferrers to the BTO and details have come through quickly which indicates this bird was ringed as a nestling in Leicestershire in 2018, oddly enough on another St Mary's church at Bottesford! It wasn't clear from the BTO response whether the bird had been sighted elsewhere since 2018.

Jon found a couple of groups of Crossbills again at Hollowell Reservoir this morning, amounting to between five and ten birds and birds in the Nene Valley in the Ecton SF area below Cogenhoe included a Kingfisher, three Green Sandpipers, a good number of wintering Chiffchaffs, five Stonechats and two Grey Wagtails.

Eleanor's afternoon patrol of Blueberry Farm near Maidwell again connected with the wintering female Merlin and a Barn Owl, and a Raven was noted at Pitsford Reservoir. Our garden birds included three Reed Buntings and several Fieldfares seeking sanctuary and food plus another increase in visiting Blackbirds.

Regards

Neil M

Common Buzzard near
Scaldwell today attracted
to a roadkill Badger, image
 courtesy of Jacob.

Skylark and Meadow Pipit
are birds of the open country
and a falling of snow and freezing
conditions make them species
easy to witness making daytime
cold weather movements.

A little bit of Storm Darcy

Hello

It seems as if the county has remained on the edge of the latest winter storms with some snow but not the amount we perhaps feared.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was back on Big Lake at Ditchford Pits this afternoon and further east at Stanwick Pits Steve found the Ferruginous Duck hybrid again on the western section of Main Lake and twenty-nine White-fronted Geese and three Cattle Egrets at the north-east end of the complex.

Eight Goosanders were on a small pool at Northampton County Golf Course and a Barn Owl emerged to hunt the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton late this afternoon.

The weather seemed to cause the Golden Plovers and Lapwings to flee the fields at Harrington Airfield but there were new flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings on-site - no doubt pushed here from more extreme weather elsewhere. Four Bramblings remained with the other finches and were quite mobile.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Great Northern Diver was fishing off the Sailing Club and a procession of birds were seen moving south west over the reservoir which included twenty Golden Plovers, a Dunlin, thirty-six Fieldfares, five Skylarks and four Meadow Pipits. A Stonechat and two Snipe were visible in the Scaldwell Bay and yesterday there was a male Stonechat and over two hundred Fieldfares at Chase Park Farm, Yardley Chase.

The weather caused two Mistle Thrushes to reclaim Chris Payne's garden at Greens Norton and our garden welcomed three Reed Buntings and one or two Fieldfare among the regular attendees.

Regards

Neil M

Fieldfare.

Common Buzzard
courtesy of Jacob.

Rook.

It's a cold easterly wind!

Hello

The overnight snow didn't last very long but the cold easterly wind all the way from the Baltic is very much with us! 

An Iceland Gull was at Rushton Landfill (seen the day before too) and today a Caspian Gull was seen there too. Sadly the Ring-necked Duck wasn't seen at Ditchford Pits today.

A male Blackcap was in a Woodford Halse garden today and at Astcote John Woollett attracted a pair of Ravens to his garden after putting food out for the local Red Kites.

A Peregrine and a pair of Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and this afternoon there were two Ravens at Harrington Airfield plus three Bramblings and about one and hundred and fifty Golden Plovers. Three Ravens were noted at Pitsford Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

Artist's impression of the
White-tailed Eagle in the
Walgrave Bay at Pitsford
Reservoir last Sunday morning
courtesy of David Arden.

The Pitsford Great
Northern Diver  
courtesy of David
Arden.

A Brambling at 
Harrington Airfield
today.

Common Buzzard at
Scaldwell village
 yesterday, courtesy
of Bethan Clyne.

New arrivals

Hello

A fresh suite of birds found today with the best bird being a drake Ring-necked Duck on Big Lake at Ditchford Pits as found by Matt Hazleton. This is the second old gravel pit found by walking east from Ditchford Lane (and the Wildlife Trust car park) or perhaps more easily from the Rushden Lakes shopping complex and walking west from the old Skew Bridge Ski Pit. A little bit of nostalgia as this was the same place I found one many, many moons ago! In some respects it was anticipated as there have been recent individuals in neighbouring Leicestershire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. Nevertheless a great find and well done to Matt!

A flock of eighteen Bewick's Swans were briefly at Stanford Reservoir late morning before moving off north and seemingly they haven't been seen again.

Two Peregrines on St Mary's church at Higham Ferrers includes one with a colour ring and birds at Harrington Airfield this afternoon included a Short-eared Owl flushed from Bunker Three and flying around before returning from where flushed, at least four Bramblings including three stunning males and about two hundred and fifty Golden Plovers.

Jon's efforts at Hollowell Reservoir provided views of a Jack Snipe, four Snipe and three Stonechats.

At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon there were four Stonechats and roost monitoring counts provided 395 Redwings, 390 Fieldfares and 49 Yellowhammers all courtesy of Jacob. Again the Little Owl was vocal between the reservoir and Scaldwell village.

The female Merlin was careering around the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and other birds included the usual Barn Owl and four Stonechats. Perhaps not the best timing, but I noticed some frog activity in our garden pond today!

Regards

Neil M

Drake Ring-necked Duck
(Image taken at WWT Slimbridge).

It isn't just the birds
that come for the free
food at Harrington Airfield!

Golden Plovers at
Harrington Airfield.

Short-eared Owl 
courtesy of Robin
Gossage.

Cold weather birds on their way!

Hello

As we await the arrival of a significant change in the weather this week-end with strong easterly winds from the Baltic and snow forecast, it was a day to visit the local feed stations and top up the feeders in anticipation of some challenging weather for our birds.

With extreme weather hurtling in from the east it will probably push birds ahead of it and already there is evidence of a huge invasion of Woodcocks on the Yorkshire east coast. In a day or two these birds and thrushes and others will be seeking refuge in the county and our gardens may well swell with extra hungry birds.

Our garden is only small but some ringing in the garden tells me that this year we have already been visited by over forty Blackbirds, over forty Goldfinches, over eighty Blue Tits and fifteen Robins. Helen opened her garden net today and the first bird processed was a male Blackcap!

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Great Northern Diver was near the Pintail Bay and birds north of the causeway included at least one Stonechat and four Snipe.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton the four Stonechats and the Barn Owl were still there and birds at Harrington Airfield this afternoon included a male Brambling and two hundred and twenty Golden Plovers.

At Hollowell Reservoir Jon located an adult Caspian Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

Regards

Neil M

Male Blackcap courtesy
of John Tilly.

Woodcock.

Female Blackbird. Expect
extra Blackbirds in your gardens
 from Sunday onwards!

Buntings, snowdrops and maybe more snow!

Hello

A foggy morning and a wet afternoon didn't really provide the perfect backdrop for finding much out there today! It looks like that at least some of the county will experience more snow this coming week-end!

A male Bearded Tit was seen by the gritting table at Stortons Pits today, probably one of a pair wintering there.

At Stanwick Pits Steve located two Cattle Egrets and five Redshanks and Harrington Airfield still supports at least one Brambling, and an undetermined number of Golden Plovers and Lapwings were calling in the fog.

An interesting ringing recovery received today was of an adult male Reed Bunting which was ringed at Harrington Airfield on 7th September 2020 and then caught again at Besford Bridge, Worcestershire on 2nd January this year. This is a distance of 91km with this small bunting travelling West South West during a 117 day period. Most Reed Bunting recoveries tend to be local and we have quite a number of records of birds moving around the county but also with a movement between Harrington Airfield and the Cambridgeshire fens. In contrast, over the years we have ringed hundreds of Yellowhammers and have not received any records that suggest these birds of farmland and marginal habitats stray far.

Neil Hasdell has been busy again (with the kind assistance of Adam Homer) and a map relating to Stanford Reservoir has been added to the Birdwatching Sites Map tab.

Last night was the Northamptonshire Bird Club's annual photographic competition and congratulations to Robin Gossage for being victorious and winning the Graham Soden shield. If you would like to see the three winning images from all thirteen categories please visit:-

https://northantsbirdclub.blogspot.com/p/photographic-competition.html

Regards

Neil M

Male Reed Bunting (in
winter plumage).

Male Yellowhammer. A
bunting regularly in the same
habitat as the Reed Bunting
but with a different wintering
strategy.

Bobsie hiding in the snowdrops!

Correction!

Hello

Following the last blog, it seems that the White-tailed Eagle reported north east of Kettering is more likely to be the female G318. Satellite tracking indicates that this bird is now in Cambridgeshire. The original bird, male G393 has now progressed even further south into Buckinghamshire so for the time being it seems that our WtE fun is over!

Regards

Neil M

White-tailed Eagle.

More spring-like weather!

 Hello

With no further news on the female White-tailed Eagle, it was a surprise to see that the male bird flew through the county again this morning, identified near Kettering flying in a north-easterly direction.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Great Northern Diver and a Barn Owl were in the Pintail Bay area and birds north of the causeway included four Chiffchaffs and a couple of Siskins. Some impressive roosting totals in the Scaldwell Bay this afternoon included over four thousand Jackdaws, 491 Fieldfares, 429 Redwings and about 65 Tree Sparrows. A flock of 240 Golden Plovers flew around and headed off. A Little Owl was heard calling near the reservoir again.

A huge flock of 3,000 Lapwings were counted on floods near Bozenham Mill and the Peregrine was again on the National Grid tower at St Peters Way, Northampton.

Four Stonechats, two Ravens and a Barn Owl were in the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton and a further Barn Owl was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

A blast from the past - 
the Great Grey Shrike
from last year that
wintered in the Brampton
Valley, courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Short-eared Owl
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Fieldfare eyeing up the sloes!

Male Stonechat at
Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Jacob Spinks.

Raptors...but not the big one!

Hello

Sorry but no news on any eagles this evening!!

After the night of rain, today was remarkably spring-like with mild temperatures, some lovely sunshine and plenty of singing birds.

At Pitsford Reservoir the Great Northern Diver cruised the southern section and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was loafing on buoys off the Sailing Club. North of the causeway there was a Great White Egret, several Snipe, at least three Stonechats and some of the local raptors were watched preparing for the forthcoming breeding season.

Harrington Airfield's Golden Plover flock reached an impressive 470 birds, the majority on the sodden fields opposite the concrete track entrance. A single male Brambling was with finches and buntings there.

A Barn Owl and a pair of Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and last night a Barn Owl was very vocal around the village.

A Peregrine sat atop the National Grid tower off St Peter's Way, Northampton this morning and Stanwick Pits continued to host twenty-nine White-fronted Geese, two Cattle Egrets and two Great White Egrets.

Regards

Neil M

Common Buzzard.

Male Kestrel. Not a great photo
but after catching this vole the 
Kestrel carefully cached it for a 
future meal. However a Carrion
Crow was watching so who knows
who eventually ate it!

Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Jacob.

Then he was gone! But...

Hello

Most of the people looking for the White-tailed Eagle in the Pitsford Reservoir area today were unlucky and didn't manage to connect with the huge raptor. It was certainly north of the reservoir in the morning but then went missing for a time before Mark Williams picked it up circling south of the dam at 1.45pm. It then went further south circling with a Peregrine between the villages of Pitsford and Chapel Brampton and there are no known subsequent sightings.

Satellite tracking indicates that he went south west and has roosted near Banbury in Oxfordshire.

Amazingly, a second bird has been tracked into Northamptonshire today - G318 a female, flew south into Northamptonshire from the Lincolnshire Wolds, passing west of Corby at 1.10pm and continuing south at a height of 452 metres. She could have possibly seen the male just south of the dam at Pitsford but they didn't connect. G318 is roosting in woodland in central Northants and not far from Pitsford Reservoir. So if you see a White-tailed Eagle tomorrow it will almost certainly be a different individual! Talk about buses!

Other birds seen in the area by would-be observers included a Chiffchaff, a female Stonechat and two Ravens seen from the footpath between Old and Walgrave. At Pitsford Reservoir 553 Fieldfares and a staggering 7,200 Jackdaws roosted in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and that scarce bird the Little Owl was heard calling between Scaldwell village and the reservoir.

A male Blackcap was briefly in a Scaldwell garden, there were two Grey Wagtails at the Draughton Crossing section of the Brampton Valley Way and Harrington Airfield provided views of at least four Bramblings and a rather paltry six Golden Plovers.

Seven Goosanders were at Abington Park Lake this morning and birds on-site at Stanwick Pits today included about thirty White-fronted Geese, three Great White Egrets and three Cattle Egrets (access from Ringstead-end is recommended).

A Barn Owl was at Buckby Wharf today and two were seen near the turbine on the hill above Boddington Reservoir this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite near Old
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Drake Goldeneye at
Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Bethan Clyne.

Lesser Black-backed Gull
at Pitsford Reservoir courtesy
of Jacob. It's not just ducks and
geese that come close next to the
public car park off the causeway!

Flying Barn Door!

Hello

It's finally happened! With near-misses and birds moving around in counties close to us, one of the reintroduced White-tailed Eagles from the Isle of Wight scheme has landed and spent a few days with us in Northamptonshire. The bird, G393, is a male bird released in 2019 so is now in it's third calendar year. He is fitted with a satellite transmitter and this indicated that he arrived in Northants on Thursday from the north (after spending quite a time in Norfolk and then subsequently Lincolnshire and Leicestershire) and roosted near Desborough. On Friday satellite data indicated he then flew south and arrived at Pitsford Reservoir during Friday afternoon. Since about 4th January his travels have mostly gone unnoticed by the human eye. Remarkably this was the same bird seen moving north east over the county in the spring of 2020 when Steve Fisher saw it over Irthlingborough!

Today G393 has been quite mobile, spending time on the reserve north of the causeway and visiting all three bays. He has also been spending time in hedgerow trees north of the reservoir just south of Old and Cherry Hill villages. If we are fortunate he may remain with us for a while yet before presumably travelling slowly back to the south coast - albeit we would much prefer it if he makes Pitsford his home!

To see the bird it is recommended that viewing points on the Pitsford causeway, Old Scaldwell Road and high ground to the north are the best areas. Would-be observers should adhere to Covid restrictions and keep strictly to public footpaths and bridle tracks. Anyone failing to comply is at risk of damaging the reputation of birdwatchers and naturalists as a whole and also the innovative introduction scheme.

Other birds noticed in the immediate area included a Brambling near Old, two Peregrines and two Ravens between Old and the reservoir, a female Stonechat near Cherry Hill and a Great White Egret and a roost of 415 Fieldfares in the Scaldwell Bay.

Harrington Airfield hosted sixteen Golden Plovers, a Brambling and two Ravens today with a couple of Grey Wagtails at Brixworth.

Over at Stanwick Pits, Steve found a female Ferruginous x Pochard hybrid and other birds there included a Great White Egret and a Cattle Egret and nearby Ringstead Pits had a Great White Egret on Kinewell Lake. At St Mary's church, Higham Ferrers there were two Peregrines today, one with prey.

At Thrapston Pits today there were four Goosanders on Town Lake and a pair of Pintail on a badly flooded Titchmarsh Reserve. Stortons Pits sported a Great White Egret and three Goosanders, a Blackcap turned up in an Irchester garden, a pair of Stonechats and fifteen Redpolls were in the Brampton Valley near Boughton Crossing/Martin Moore wood and a pair of Stonechats were in a field near Raunds.

At Hollowell Reservoir today there was a Jack Snipe, a Common Snipe and two Woodcock (nice trio!).

Regards

Neil M

White-tailed Eagle
in flight courtesy of
Bethan Clyne.

White-tailed Eagle
courtesy of Stewart Short.

Winter's return

Hello

A return to rain, snow and cool winds reminds us that winter is still with us!

Pitsford Reservoir is well over 100% water capacity with excess water pushing up to the perimeter fence in places. The brown water doesn't seem attractive to many waterfowl, particularly the diving ducks, grebes and Cormorants. North of the causeway birds on show included a female Stonechat, a Raven and at least seven Common Snipe. A Weasel was on show too.

The Brampton Valley is also flooded and the sodden fields below Hanging Houghton contained hundreds of Starlings and Fieldfares plus the usual four Stonechats, the Barn Owl and the female Merlin still racing around all over the place. A dead plucked and half-eaten Starling was very fresh but the predator wasn't identified.

A Great White Egret was at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, a Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh Hall, a female Blackcap was in an Oundle garden and Harrington Airfield hosted up to one hundred and fifty Golden Plovers and a male Brambling. A Peregrine was sheltering from the weather on a Higham Ferrers church.

A first year male Greenfinch was caught and ringed at Bragborough Hall, Braunston on 11th October 2020 and caught again at Hanging Houghton on 26th January 2021, 107 days later with the bird having travelled 22km in a ENE direction.

Regards

Neil M

Female Merlin.

Male Greenfinch.

Starling courtesy of
John Tilly.