Birds of the bluster and rain

Hello

Windy and wet so it's perhaps not surprising that there weren't many reported sightings in the county today!

The drake Scaup was again off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today and two Oystercatchers were seen north of the causeway with the two Barnacle Geese in fields next to the Old Scaldwell Road. A pair of Grey Partridge was the only sighting of note at Harrington Airfield this afternoon in very blustery conditions.

A pair of Blackcaps were again in a Wollaston garden today and there were two Dunlin and a Redshank noted at Summer Leys LNR this evening.

Birds recorded audibly over Scaldwell last night included Teal, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, Rook, Fieldfare and Redwing.

Three recently received ringing recoveries are as follows:-

1. A young male Blackbird was ringed at Greens Norton on 21st September 2012 and found freshly dead in the village on 24th February this year - an eight and half year old Blackbird is a very good age (3078 days between the two dates);

2. A young Reed Bunting was ringed at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve on 22nd September 2020 and caught again at an undisclosed site in Hertfordshire on 28th February this year, this bird moving 57km in a south-easterly direction;

3. A first year female Goldfinch was ringed at Hanging Houghton on 27th November 2018 and was found recently dead in Naseby village this month, 832 days after apparently colliding with a glass greenhouse.

Regards

Neil M

Male Blackbird courtesy
of John Tilly.

Reed Bunting courtesy 
of Robin Gossage.

Goldfinch courtesy
of John Tilly.

Waders, ducks, early Swallows and the Ibis still.

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway included four Goosanders flying over north-west, two Barnacle Geese, twenty to thirty Snipe, a Jack Snipe, two Oystercatchers, a Black-tailed Godwit, two Kingfishers, five Siskins, a Redpoll and two thousand Jackdaws left the roost this morning. A drake Scaup appeared near the Sailing Club today and the usual Yellow-legged Gull was there too.

At Harrington Airfield this morning the Short-eared Owl was again at Bunker Three, there were perhaps no more than about thirty Golden Plovers present and there were at least three Bramblings coming down to mixed seed. There was a singing Chiffchaff and a pair of Ravens by the museum.

Creatures around Hanging Houghton and the valley below today included a singing Chiffchaff at Lamport Hall, two Ravens and two fighting Weasels that pretty much ignored everything around them! There was a roadkill Polecat near Lamport, four Roe Deer out in the fields and a pair of Grey Partridges and a hunting Barn Owl in the valley.

The birds on show at Thrapston Pits at different times of the day included the Glossy Ibis and Mediterranean Gull on the Titchmarsh Reserve plus four Great White Egrets, a pair of Kingfishers, large numbers of Red Kites again, a pair of Oystercatchers and a Chiffchaff.

Terry saw two Swallows at Clifford Hill Pits today and these are apparently the earliest ever in the county. Stanwick Pits today provided a Black-tailed Godwit, nine Redshanks and a Dunlin. Another Black-tailed Godwit was seen and heard flying east over Ecton Brook, Northampton this morning.

Hollowell Reservoir's contribution included nine or so Crossbills and a White Wagtail with a flock of Pieds and a Peregrine was again on St Mary's church at Higham Ferrers.

Stortons Pits and Sixfields Lake has been added to the Birdwatching Site Maps tab courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Regards

Neil M

Chris Payne has two
pairs of Robin nesting
in his garden, both with
eggs and this nest with five.

Water Rails courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Drake Scaup at Pitsford
Reservoir courtesy of
Bethan Clyne.

Sywell Buzzards

Hello

Another rather still, grey day but the hint of spring was still in the air!

A few new birds in at Pitsford Reservoir today included two unringed Barnacle Geese and three Shelduck in the Scaldwell Bay, with a Black-tailed Godwit spending a short time there too. Other birds included a pair of Oystercatchers, a Great White Egret, a Kingfisher, over eighty Snipe and four Jack Snipe. The Yellow-legged Gull was again off the Sailing Club and an Otter showed briefly in the Holcot Bay with a Stoat at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station.

Two Grey Wagtails flew low over the garden here at Hanging Houghton this morning and there was a flurry of thrush movement including two Mistle Thrushes moving over north. Jacob's sound recording equipment picked up vocalising Little Grebe and Redwing over Scaldwell village during the night.

Over at Ditchford Pits the drake Ring-necked Duck continued to entertain, moving between the Skew Bridge Pit and Big Lake, and the drake Smew was still on Delta Lake.

The Glossy Ibis was again on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston this morning and there was a 'kettle' of raptors overhead which contained twenty-nine Red Kites and two Common Buzzards. 

A Great White Egret was noted heading west over Clifford Hill Pits and Stanwick Pits hosted a Black-tailed Godwit and the Ferruginous x Pochard hybrid. A Peregrine again showed on the National Grid communications tower at Northampton and a pair of Stonechats were still at Wicksteed Water Meadows with a Grey Wagtail on the stream between the new lodges.

Regards

Neil M

Two different Common Buzzards
posing at Sywell courtesy of
Jim Dunkley.

Early spring migrants

Hello

The cloud of today finally gave way to some blue sky and sunshine this afternoon but still the air temperature was cool. For many birdwatchers keen to see spring commence this period is a bit of a void between the end of winter and the slow start to the next season. Wintering birds are on the move but still very much in evidence and the much-awaited classic spring migrants are still to arrive in any numbers.

The Nene Valley dominated proceedings today - Thrapston Pits continued to host the Glossy Ibis and a White Wagtail was found within a flock of Pied Wagtails, four Cattle Egrets were on show at Stanwick Pits and Summer Leys LNR scored with a Bittern dropping in to reeds this afternoon plus four Pintail and a Shelduck.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was still on Big Lake and the drake Smew was on Delta Pit at Ditchford Pits this morning.

A White-fronted Goose was at Priors Hall Quarry, Corby this afternoon, a Ring-necked Parakeet was at Sywell this morning and a Little Ringed Plover was sound-recorded flying over Scaldwell village at 0003hrs this morning!

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included four hundred flying Golden Plovers, two Oystercatchers and a Great White Egret and Hollowell Reservoir was good for about fifteen Crossbills, two Jack Snipe and two to four Snipe. Two Blackcaps were in a garden at Wollaston, there were two Ravens at Hanging Houghton, there were about one hundred and sixty Golden Plovers at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and a Barn Owl was seen at Hellidon early this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Redpoll.

Coal Tit.

Siskins.

All these excellent images were
 taken at Wakerley Wood by
 Jess Jones.

Birds of woodland, gravel pit and reservoir

Hello

At Harrington Airfield this morning the Short-eared Owl was again at Bunker Three and there was a male Brambling with a Peregrine chasing the two hundred or so Golden Plovers. Two Ravens were at Cottesbrooke with another couple at Haselbech. 

A drake Ring-necked Duck was on Big Lake at Ditchford Pits today with a pair of Smew on nearby Delta Pit. The Mediterranean Gull was again on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits today and other birds on the reserve included three Great White Egrets, four Little Egrets, a drake Goosander and a Water Rail. Five Cattle Egrets were on North Lake, Stanwick Pits this morning.

A 'ringtail' Hen Harrier was seen over the road between Deenethorpe and Benefield this afternoon, three Crossbills were in the spruce plantation below the dam at Hollowell Reservoir and two Crossbills were at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate.

Some more ringing at Scotland Wood today netted another seventy-four birds which included a Nuthatch, two Redwings, a new Marsh Tit and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

At Pitsford Reservoir a Great White Egret and a Chiffchaff were north of the causeway and there was a female Brambling in a Scaldwell garden.

Regards

Neil M

Jay courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Starling courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Marsh Tit courtesy
of Nathan Jones.

County birds for Friday

Hello

More Black-headed Gulls and smaller numbers of Common Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gulls were pushing through the county today, perhaps most evident this afternoon with some big flocks around.

The adult Mediterranean Gull was still on the Titchmarsh Reserve this morning and other birds in the Nene Valley included four Cattle Egrets at Stanwick Pits around North Lake and the drake Ring-necked Duck still on Big Lake, Ditchford Pits this afternoon.

Fineshade Wood attracted a handful of Siskins and two Ravens and a good walk around at Wakerley Wood notched up fifteen Crossbills in the car park including some very bright males, about twenty-five Siskins, eight Redpolls, a Chiffchaff and at least two Ravens.

In the Welland Valley the two Oystercatchers remain below Cottingham and a Barn Owl was perched on a post near Gretton. There were plenty of gulls, Wigeon and Teal close to Harringworth village.

At Blatherwycke Lake there was just one pair of Mandarin Ducks, two Egyptian Geese, a Little Egret and a Water Rail with twelve Shelducks again at nearby Deene Lake.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Yellow-legged Gull was off the Sailing Club and north of the causeway there were two Kingfishers, an Oystercatcher, two Siskins and a Redpoll but otherwise it seemed very quiet.

A limited ringing session took place at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today which netted sixty birds - all common species with perhaps the highlights being two Nuthatches, a Treecreeper, three Marsh Tits and a Song Thrush. Other birds on-site included at least half a dozen Siskins and a Raven.

Regards

Neil M

Male Nuthatch at
Scotland Wood today.

Treecreeper at
Scotland Wood today.

Below...Badger on the patio!

Video and images courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Spring movers

Hello

Limited birding opportunities for me today although I did flush up a Woodcock in Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate. Large numbers of Black-headed and Common Gulls invaded the county today, many of them moving on in a north and east direction.

Bethan and Jacob's efforts at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway provided sightings of a Great White Egret, at least four Oystercatchers. eighteen Snipe, a Kingfisher, an adult male Peregrine and two Siskins.

Eight Crossbills were at Hollowell Reservoir this morning and birds visible/audible from the causeway at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this afternoon included a Raven, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff.

The adult Mediterranean Gull was seen on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning and birds at Cifford Hill Pits included a drake Red-crested Pochard, four Goosanders, three Oystercatchers, two Redshanks and a Dunlin. At Stanwick Pits there was an adult Mediterranean Gull on the Layby Pit with nine Redshanks, a Dunlin and a Pintail all on Main Lake.

A Little Owl was on show at Delapre Park today, Clive had two Blackcaps in his Wollaston garden today and a Peregrine was again showing on the National Grid communications tower at Northampton.

A Starling murmuration of some thousands is an evening spectacle in the Linden Avenue/St Mary's Road area of Kettering with attendant raptors in the shape of Sparrowhawks and Peregrine.

Some garden ringing today completed by Dave Francis on the outskirts of Northampton provided nine Reed Buntings, a Siskin, three Goldcrests and other common birds including a six year old Blue Tit.

The rural South Northants birding site map of Edgcote has been added to the Birdwatching Site Maps tab.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gull.

Common Gull.

Male Reed Bunting. This species
moves around a great deal in the
early spring as they seek out feeding
opportunities prior to settling down 
for breeding. They exploit gardens
looking for seed and tend to prefer
millet (particularly red millet) and 
other small seeds, but will occasionally
peck at fat products and other feedstuffs
too.

A grey spring day

Hello

A change of scenery today with a walk around the Nene Barrage section of Clifford Hill Pits which held large numbers of birds including an excellent array of gulls and wildfowl. Parking in Riverside Retail Park and a noisy Ring-necked Parakeet flew over. Other birds attracted to the wetlands included a pair of Pintail, seven Goosanders, a single Golden Plover, a pair of Oystercatchers, a couple of Siskins and a Cetti's Warbler.

A ringing session at the main feeding station at Pitsford Reservoir this morning began with a Chiffchaff being the first bird caught. Others included twelve new Reed Buntings, seven Tree Sparrows, five Great Tits, seven Blue Tits, two Dunnocks, a Robin, a Greenfinch, a Yellowhammer, a Starling and two Blackbirds.

Other birds on-site in the Scaldwell Bay included a pair of Oystercatchers, thirty Snipe, two Jack Snipe and a hunting female Merlin which caught a Starling over fields to the west of the reserve.

A Sand Martin was seen at Summer Leys LNR this morning and there was also a 'redhead' Smew there plus an Oystercatcher, a Siskin and a Redpoll.

The Short-eared Owl flushed up again from Bunker Three at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and there were about two hundred mobile Golden Plovers on-site.

Adrian located an adult Mediterranean Gull on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits this afternoon, a Peregrine was on the usual communications tower at St Peter's Way, Northampton and Clive again saw a Blackcap in his Wollaston garden.

Regards

Neil M

A rather tame Grey
Heron at Weston Mill,
Northampton today.

Female Goldeneye courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Goldfinch courtesy of
John Tilly.

Tuesday's tidings!

Hello 

Another grey day but perhaps not quite so raw as I listened to a singing Siskin in my neighbour's garden first thing and watched a female Sparrowhawk speed across the field behind the garden. Still reasonable numbers of birds in the garden with plenty of Goldfinches, small numbers of Chaffinches and Greenfinches and a few Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers. One of our Great Spotted Woodpeckers has a liking for sunflower hearts and the finches have to move over or off the feeder when he turns up.

Two Grey Partridges and two Grey Wagtails were near Brixworth and an afternoon walk at Harrington Airfield provided views of twenty Golden Plovers, a pair of Grey Partridge and at least three Bramblings.

Birds south of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today included the regular Yellow-legged Gull, a Raven, a pair of Stonechats and two Grey Wagtails. North of the causeway and there were views of a Great White Egret, a Peregrine, two Snipe, two Oystercatchers, a Kingfisher, a Siskin and a Chiffchaff.

The drake Smew was reported at Skew Bridge Lake at Ditchford Pits again today and there were five Cattle Egrets and seven Redshanks at Stanwick Pits. A Peregrine was visible on the church at Higham Ferrers and another was again near the top of the communications tower at St Peter's Way, Northampton.

Jon found about eight of the Crossbills at Hollowell Reservoir on the north side of the Sailing Club bay.

Ringstead Pits has been added to the Birdwatching Sites Maps tab courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Regards

Neil M

Cock Pheasants come
in a variety of colours
and markings, this one
sporting a blue head and 
collar with no white 
neck ring.

Fourth calendar year
Yellow-legged Gull, 
almost certainly the 
 same individual seen as
an advanced first year
bird in the autumn of 
2018, and has rarely strayed
from Pitsford Reservoir since.
Yellow-legged Gulls generally
exhibit a much more rapid age
 moult strategy than say the 
average Herring Gull.

Raw first day of March

Hello 

A raw, grey and initially murky day felt quite different to the lovely sunny weather from last week!

A walk in the morning mist at Harrington Airfield first thing proved quite challenging to see anything but the Short-eared Owl flushed up at Bunker Three again and about a hundred Golden Plovers came wheeling out of the mist on a couple of occasions. At least one Raven could be heard calling and there are still a few Grey Partridges on-site.

In the Welland Valley this afternoon there was a Little Egret and two Oystercatchers below Cottingham and a young male Merlin showed twice in the valley between Rockingham and Gretton.

The cold day brought a resurgence of birds back in to the garden which included a couple of Reed Buntings and three Yellowhammers.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was reported at Big Lake, Ditchford Pits today and the drake Smew was apparently on the Skew Bridge Pit again too. Late news from yesterday was of a sighting of the male Bearded Tit again at Stortons Pits.

Geoff saw another Merlin between Upper Benefield and Deene today where there was also a Little Owl on show. Two Peregrines were over Barnes Meadow LNR today and probably the same two birds were also seen perched on the National Grid communications tower off St Peter's Way, Northampton.

Four Cattle Egrets were at Stanwick Pits this morning and birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir included a Great White Egret, a Woodcock, an Oystercatcher, five Snipe and a gathering of 73 Stock Doves. A Barn Owl was at Scaldwell village this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Stock Dove.

Barn Owl by
Nathan Jones.

Kestrel courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Sunday's sightings

Hello

Another sunny day but very cool when the sun wasn't out!

On the Kelmarsh Estate today there were Ravens over Rabbithill Spinney and there was at least one Siskin at Scotland Wood. Birds at Pitsford Reservoir included a Yellow-legged Gull, two or three Great White Egrets, five Snipe, an Oystercatcher, two Ravens and two Siskins.

Two Ravens and a Grey Partridge were also at Scaldwell village and pairs of Peregrines were on their respective churches in Market Harborough and Higham Ferrers.

Ditchford Pits continued to host the drake Ring-necked Duck on Big Lake and a drake Smew on the Skew Bridge Lake next to Rushden Lakes Shopping Centre. A single Goosander was noted at Thrapston Pits.

Two Ravens were again at Cottesbrooke village and a Barn Owl was hunting the valley this morning below Hanging Houghton. A first winter Caspian Gull was on floodwater alongside the A5 by the DIRFT 3 complex near Lilbourne.

Regards

Neil M

Peregrines at
Market Harborough
courtesy of Trevor
Alcock.

First year male Blackbird
courtesy of John Tilly.

The primeval Raven.

More Bramblings...

Hello

A second day of ringing took place at Harrington Airfield today in amazing weather and resulted in ninety-eight captures of eighteen species which included plenty more Yellowhammers, lots of finches including five more Bramblings, a Tree Sparrow, two Fieldfares, three Redwings and a third calendar year male Sparrowhawk. Other birds on-site included a Raven, a calling Grey Partridge and about seventy Golden Plovers.

At Pitsford Reservoir birds on show included a flock of 310 Golden Plovers circling around plus an Oystercatcher and a Little Egret with a Siskin still in a Scaldwell garden.

Two Ravens were at Cottesbrooke village and there were singletons of Barn Owl at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and in the valley below Hanging Houghton.

Four Cattle Egrets were at Stanwick Pits this morning and a pair of Peregrines were at St Mary's church, Higham Ferrers. At Quarry Walk, Earls Barton there was a small party of Redpolls feeding in alders and about ten Crossbills were at Hollowell Reservoir on the north side of Sailing Club Bay.

A pair of Smew were on an unspecified pit at Ditchford Pits but near to Rushden Lakes with a Chiffchaff at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows. The juvenile Iceland Gull was again reported in sheep fields south of Rushton Landfill today.

Ian's feeding station at Woodford Halse attracted two male Bramblings today amongst a mixed flock of Chaffinches and Yellowhammers with a male Blackcap in Ian's garden. A female Blackcap was in a Hunsbury garden today and a male was seen not far away at Wootton.

Butterflies on the wing in the county today included Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma.

Regards

Neil M

First year female Brambling.

Adult male Bramblings...
surely one of the most stunning
of finches.

Third calendar year
male Sparrowhawk.

Finches, buntings and Barn Owls

Hello

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield this morning provided 101 captures of fourteen species of birds with finches and Yellowhammers dominating.  Linnets were the most common capture with thirty-four birds and two female Bramblings were a bonus. Other birds on-site included at least one more Brambling, calling Grey Partridges and about two hundred and forty Golden Plovers still. Another ringing session will take place tomorrow morning and general access to the bunkers and old airstrip area will be restricted.

At Sywell Country Park birds seen during a circular walk (with lots of people) included a Cetti's Warbler, 1-2 Water Rail(s), two Chiffchaffs, a pair of Stonechats, six Redpolls, thirty Siskins, a pair of Grey Wagtails and a Green Sandpiper.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was reported again on Big Lake at Ditchford Pits today (and yesterday) and birds at Thrapston Pits today included the Glossy Ibis, the 'redhead' Smew and six Great White Egrets.

The juvenile Iceland Gull continues to be attracted to Rushton Landfill and was seen on the roof of the main building there during the early afternoon. Mark found an adult Mediterranean Gull off the dam at Hollowell Reservoir late in the afternoon.

A drake Goosander was on the golf course lake at Collingtree, a female Blackcap was in a garden at Wollaston and a Siskin was in a garden at Scaldwell.

Two Barn Owls were again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and a pair of Stonechats remain. Due to a recent incident it is worth reminding photographers to keep their distance from the roosting/nesting sites of Barn Owls and that any attempts at photographs should be at long range or preferably in areas where they hunt and with no close proximity to where they reside.

Regards

Neil M

Adult male Siskins
coming to feeders at
Wakerley Wood yesterday.

Linnet courtesy of
John Tilly.

Yellowhammer courtesy
of John Tilly.