Scarce county birds in March

Hello

Eric's visit to the car park at Wakerley Wood this morning provided an opportunity to watch a pair of Crossbills and with the feeders there attracting several Bramblings, ten Redpolls and four Siskins. Nearby an Osprey flew over the road near Bulwick and Deene Lake hosted two Green Sandpipers, lots of Teal and three pairs of Shelduck.

A Black Redstart was a good local find at Ashton Water Treatment Works but unfortunately it wasn't seen after the initial sighting. This record fits in with quite a number being found nationally today with groups of up to seven.

Another good find was a Common Crane seen flying north over the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston - hopefully the first of several this spring as their numbers continue to increase in the UK. The Glossy Ibis was still in the horse field off the A605 layby today.

The Ring-necked Duck was reported at Stanwick Pits today and the long-staying drake at Ditchford Pits was reportedly still present too (presumably on Big Lake), seemingly confirming two different drakes in the Nene Valley. The Dark-bellied Brent Goose remained next to Otter Lake on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve, sticking close to two Canada Geese.

At Summer Leys LNR today a Great White Egret was seen plus two Little Ringed Plovers, a Black-tailed Godwit, nineteen Snipe, a Pintail and a Mediterranean Gull.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the drake Scaup and hybrid female, a fly-over Curlew, a Shelduck, two Oystercatchers, a Snipe and a Great White Egret with a Redpoll in a nearby Scaldwell garden.

Harrington Airfield continued to hold common buntings and finches including about a dozen Bramblings with Ravens there, at Lamport and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

An immature White-fronted Goose was at Stanford Reservoir after being found there initially yesterday evening and a flock of fifty Sand Martins at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this afternoon was the first large number seen so far this spring.

Bucknell Wood and the Hazelborough Forest area has been added to the Birdwatching Site maps tab courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Regards

Neil M

The beginnings of a tit nest
at Scotland Wood today, courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

A nest of Wood Mice at Scotland Wood
today, courtesy of Lynne Barnett.

Male House Sparrow courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

A Common Buzzard attempting
to hunt very quick Rabbits!
Image courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Nene Valley birding

Hello

Last night's nocturnal sound recordings over Scaldwell village logged a Pink-footed Goose over at 9.15pm. Other birds passing over included six Wigeon, a Teal, a Little Grebe, a Water Rail and three Moorhens. Stationary birds included a Barn Owl and two Tawny Owls.

Visible migration at Harrington Airfield this morning included forty-eight Meadow Pipits, thirty-nine Fieldfares and a Dunnock north with nine Golden Plovers flying east. Sixteen Bramblings were feeding on the seed with an additional male in nearby Draughton village. A female Stonechat was also present at Harrington Airfield.

A few each of Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings were in our garden today and a Chiffchaff visited too.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the drake Scaup and the hybrid Scaup x Tufted Duck just off the dam, a drake Mandarin Duck was in the Catwalk Bay, two Dunlin were on the dam first thing and there were brief visits from four Sand Martins. Hollowell Reservoir attracted an adult Caspian Gull, a Crossbill and a Jack Snipe and a Peregrine was on the communications tower at St Peter's Way, Northampton.

The Nene Valley was responsible for the majority of other reported sightings which included five Black-tailed Godwits on the Lower Barnwell Lock flooded field, and the Glossy Ibis was on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits together with four Great White Egrets, a pair of Oystercatchers, a Kingfisher and plenty of Cetti's Warblers and Chiffchaffs.

Three adult Mediterranean Gulls were at Stanwick Pits and at Ditchford Pits a dark-bellied Brent Goose was a great find on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve (plus a White Wagtail and a Sand Martin). A Mediterranean Gull was also seen on the Summer Leys LNR and Clifford Hill Pits also came up trumps with a lingering Avocet on the main barrage lake.

Regards

Neil M

Yesterday's Wheatear at
Wigsthorpe courtesy of
Tom Green.

Nestling Robins in Chris
Payne's garden!

'Surrounded!' courtesy
of Robin Gossage!

Water Rail courtesy
of Laurence Arnold.

Finally...the Wheatears have arrived!

Hello

A period of ringing was undertaken at Kelmarsh Hall today which resulted in 153 birds of fifteen species being caught and processed, the majority being common tits. In addition there were two Siskins caught and ringed plus Goldfinches, Chaffinches, two Redwings and a couple of Nuthatches. Up to three Ravens and a pair of Grey Wagtails were noted on-site.

Birds at Harrington Airfield today included the Short-eared Owl, the female Merlin and several Bramblings and there was one or two Brambling(s) in our garden at Hanging Houghton with two Ravens overhead.

There seemed to be a movement of Wheatears this afternoon with birds making landfall near Wigsthorpe, on top of Blueberry Hill and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, the first I have heard of in the county this spring.

At Pitsford Reservoir the drake Scaup and hybrid female were again off the dam and north of the causeway there was at least one Great White Egret (third hand report of four individuals), a Snipe and two Oystercatchers with a Barn Owl between Old village and the reserve perimeter.

Summer Leys LNR was the venue for a Mediterranean Gull, a Black-tailed Godwit, twenty plus Snipe, four Dunlin, two Redshanks, two Oystercatchers and two Great White Egrets. The Glossy Ibis was again in the horse field next to Tharpston Pits near to the A605 layby.

Birds sound recorded over Scaldwell last night included two Little Grebes, a Moorhen, a Coot, two Black-headed Gulls, twenty-three Common Gulls and nine Redwings.

Regards

Neil M

Siskin courtesy of Lewis Aaron

Nuthatch courtesy of
Lewis Aaron.

Cock Pheasant.

Otter in Abington Park,
Northampton courtesy of
Dave Jackson. This animal
is showing regularly in the lakes
at the park with most observations
being early in the morning and again
late in the afternoon.

Migrants on the move

Hello

A much quieter ringing session at Harrington Airfield this morning provided fifty-three captures of ten species which included four Fieldfares, twenty-seven Yellowhammers, a Meadow Pipit and a number of finches including Linnets, Goldfinches and Chaffinches. The northerly airstream activated significant passerine migration with over three hundred Meadow Pipits moving over north plus 'alba' wagtails which included two Whites and winter thrushes. Up to a dozen Bramblings were a combination of birds moving overhead or singing in the bushes. Other birds present included about two hundred Golden Plovers and a Brimstone butterfly was on the wing when it was sunny.

An Osprey flew high north over Spratton village at 2pm (there are already three now back at Rutland Water) and birds at Pitsford Reservoir included the two Oystercatchers, two Barnacle Geese, a Great White Egret and a Chiffchaff.

An assessment of the nocmig recordings over Scaldwell village last night included a Water Rail, two Moorhens, a Coot, three Common Gulls, a Little Grebe, two Wigeon, a Grey Heron and thirty-one Redwings.

This morning and a drake Ring-necked Duck was found on the Main Lake at Stanwick Pits and a Rock Pipit was there briefly before moving off east. The Glossy Ibis again spent some time in the horse field alongside Thrapston Pits near to the A605 layby and a Mediterranean Gulls and a small selection of common waders were on the Summer Leys LNR. A Jack Snipe was located at Clifford Hill Pits and three Peregrines were visible near to the church at Higham Ferrers. Five Crossbills maintained a presence at Hollowell Reservoir again today and a House Martin was seen at Raunds.

Regards

Neil M

Fieldfare courtesy
of Beth Clyne.

Brambling courtesy of
Lynne Barnett.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Beth Clyne.

Mist nets at dawn

Hello

With a reduction in the wind strength, today was an ideal ringing day and at Linford Lakes the best and brightest capture was an Oystercatcher! Three each of Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit were also good encounters. Other birds seen included four Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and a Chiffchaff with amphibeans in the shape of Great Crested Newt, Common Newt, Toad and Frog on-site too. Yesterday there was a vocal Lesser Spotted Woodpecker there.

Ringing at Harrington Airfield today netted about ninety-nine birds of sixteen species with the finches and buntings dominating the session which included twenty Linnets, a couple of Tree Sparrows, eight Goldfinches, a couple of Greenfinches, six Chaffinches, two Bramblings and forty Yellowhammers. Other birds noted during the morning included Grey Partridge, Raven and migrant Redwings, Fieldfares and Meadow Pipits. A further session is due to take place tomorrow and the bunkers and old airstrip will again experience restricted access.

Below the airfield and close to the south end of Kelmarsh Tunnel, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was drumming and calling and showed itself briefly in trees bordering the Brampton Valley Way. Three singing Chiffchaffs were along the Brampton Valley Way and are now becoming more widespread. Two Ravens and a good number of Meadow Pipits were at Blueberry Farm and there were four noisy Ravens at Hanging Houghton.

Over at Thrapston Pits birds on show included the Glossy Ibis in the horse field by the A605 layby, four Great White Egrets, a pair of Goosanders, a pair of Oystercatchers, two pairs of Kingfishers, twelve Sand Martins, a Swallow plus good numbers of Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers.

An Avocet was a good find late this morning at Lower Barnwell lock flooded field before it was disturbed and flew off.

Stanwick Pits birds included four Cattle Egrets, an adult Mediterranean Gull, nine Redshanks and two Dunlin and at Summer Leys LNR sightings included two Great White Egrets, an adult Mediterranean Gull, twenty-six Snipe, nine Redshank and six Dunlin.

The drake Scaup and hybrid female were off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir again today and Hollowell Reservoir attracted a Jack Snipe and seven Crossbills. Elsewhere and a Barn Owl was along the Charwelton to Hellidon road early this morning (eastern section) and garden Blackcaps included a female at Duston, Northampton and a male again at Woodford Halse, this time being treated to some grapes!

Regards

Neil M

Oystercatcher courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

First year male Brambling
courtesy of Beth Clyne (sorry
about the muddy hand)!

Blue Tit courtesy of
Beth Clyne.

Scoters, Med Gulls, Black-necked Grebes and raptors

Hello

Another grey and sometimes dreich weather day with a gentle but cool north-easterly breeze.

Morning birds at Pitsford Reservoir included the drake Scaup and his hybrid friend between the dam and Moulton Grange Bay, two Yellow-legged Gulls off the Sailing Club and a couple of Siskins in the trees there. A Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers and a Snipe were seen north of the causeway.

Over at Earls Barton Pits a Black-necked Grebe and a Mediterranean Gull and a Snipe were on the Summer Leys LNR with two more Black-necked Grebes on Mary's Lake. Three Mediterranean Gulls were at Stanwick Pits this morning and a flock of eight Sand Martins were over Town Lake at Thrapston Pits.

Ian saw an eagle in flight over Byfield this afternoon flying towards Fawsley and it was presumed to be a White-tailed Eagle, and Gary saw a Marsh Harrier over Byfield subsequently.

A/the Merlin was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon, there were two Peregrines towards Haselbech and there were still about two hundred Golden Plovers and a couple of Bramblings at Harrington Airfield (restricted access tomorrow due to ringing operations).

Jacob's nocmig sound recordings over Scaldwell village during the night confirmed two over-flying flocks of Common Scoters, one just before 10pm last night and another at 3.09am this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Common Scoters.

Merlin.

White-tailed Eagle.

Drake Scaup courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Preparing for the summer visitors

Hello

A dull grey day with a few light showers didn't stop the migrants with Meadow Pipits, Fieldfares, Redwings and Starling all on the move in a northerly direction during the day.

Six Redpolls were at Kelmarsh Hall this morning with a pair of Grey Wagtails and a Raven at Lamport Hall, a Grey Wagtail and a Raven at Hanging Houghton and nearby Harrington Airfield continued to host the long-staying Merlin, about two hundred and forty Golden Plovers and at least two Bramblings.

Ringing sessions are planned at Harrington Airfield on Saturday and Sunday when the bunkers and old airstrip will be a restricted area. Access along the concrete track and footpaths will be unaffected.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the drake Scaup and hybrid female and sixty-eight Goldeneye at the south end of the reservoir. The frame of a Sand Martin bank was constructed in the Scaldwell Meadow today and we hope to have it up and running before the Sand Martins arrive in any numbers! A very significant task is rescuing two of the tern rafts which have run aground in the Scaldwell Bay and require refurbishment and anchoring with the remaining rafts in readiness for the returning Common Terns.

Thirteen Swift nest boxes are now at Lamport Hall with a view to hopefully all these going up before the screaming Swifts arrive. A big thank-you to Bill Draper and Chris Payne in the rapid production of these. We very much hope the Swifts respect the care and thought that has gone into the creation of their additional homes! There are also some grand plans, delayed a year because of Covid 19, for Swift boxes to be fitted at Kelmarsh Hall and an innovative (but currently untried) Swift tower to be erected in the gardens there. Fingers crossed that we can progress this initiative at the earliest opportunity!

Two Siskins visited Ian's garden feeders at Woodford Halse today.

Regards

Neil M

Male Chaffinch (typically
with diseased legs/feet).

Pitsford Cormorants
courtesy of Beth Clyne.

Pitsford Mallard courtesy
of Beth Clyne.

Kestrel courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Nuthatch courtesy of
Robin Gossage (nope it's
not a Rock Nuthatch)!

Ditchford WeBs Count

Hello

Today was a slightly late WeBs count at Ditchford Pits which took all morning and into the early afternoon in a mixture of spring weather.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was on Big Lake and the drake Smew was on Delta Lake and there were between five and eight Great White Egrets with almost every pit at some stage adorned with a big white heron! In comparison there were only two Little Egrets plus two Egyptian Geese, a big female Peregrine, 2-4 Oystercatchers, a displaying Lapwing, fourteen Snipe, one Jack Snipe, five Water Rails, four Kingfishers, two Grey Wagtails, twelve Cetti's Warblers, eleven Chiffchaffs, eighteen Siskins and three Redpolls.

At Thrapston Pits the Glossy Ibis was again in the horse field adjacent to the A605 layby and two Cattle Egrets flew over the main lake at Stanwick Pits. A Barnacle Goose was visible distantly from the screen hide at Summer Leys LNR today with two Peregrines on the church at Higham Ferrers. A pair of Pintail and four Grey Partridges were the highlights at Ecton SF today.

Siskins visited a Barton Seagrave garden today and there were five in a garden at Scaldwell too. A Barn Owl was again near Old and a Brambling visited our Hanging Houghton garden this afternoon. At Harrington Airfield this afternoon there were five more Bramblings with a Raven flying towards Lamport. Jon picked up a dead adult Kittiwake at Hollowell Reservoir this morning. A pair of Great White Egrets were acting maternally at Pitsford Reservoir today, but they've done this before in previous springs and moved on...the two Barnacle Geese were near the Bird Club hide in the Scaldwell Bay.

A flock of forty-five Golden Plovers flew SW over Scaldwell today and last night's audible offerings included five Canada Geese, two Coots, a Black-headed Gull, a Common Gull and fifty-nine Redwings.

Regards

Neil M

Cetti's Warbler courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Great White Egret carrying
nesting material at Pitsford
Reservoir today courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Grey Heron courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Peregrine at Market
Harborough courtesy
of Dave Thomas.

Frogs and some spawn in
our garden ponds!

Highland Cattle are used by the
Wildlife Trust BCN for reserve
management at Ditchford Pits.

The Thrapston Glossy Ibis
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Peregrines, a returning Osprey and owls.

Hello

It seems that up to three Peregrines are now frequenting the church at Market Harborough with two more joining the semi-resident female two days ago. One of these new birds is a colour-ringed male that was ringed as a nestling at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in June 2018 some 100km away. My thanks to Chris Green and others for this info.

Today the first female Osprey returned to Rutland Water, apparently the same individual that was first back last year. The regular Northamptonshire Ospreys tend to be a week or two later but it won't be long now and we particularly look forward to sighting any youngsters returning from Africa for the first time.

Locally we were able to count nine Reed Buntings in our garden at Hanging Houghton and there was also a Chiffchaff just below the village, a Barn Owl in the valley and a couple of Ravens too. Sadly a Roe Deer was dead at the side of the A508 just south of the village this morning. A certain amount of frog activity in our garden ponds has resulted in a couple of clumps of spawn.

Jacob's sound recordings from overnight at Scaldwell provided wing-beats consistent with an unknown number of Common Scoters flying over, plus three Moorhens, an Oystercatcher, a Black-headed Gull, five Rooks, a Fieldfare, twenty-nine Redwings and a Song Thrush. Audible recordings from static birds emanated from a Pheasant, a Barn Owl and two Tawny Owls.

Nearby and a Barn Owl was at Rectory Farm, Old and at Harrington Airfield this morning the Short-eared Owl again flushed up from Bunker Three, a Merlin was feeding on prey in one of the top fields, there were at least eighty Golden Plovers, four Bramblings, two Ravens and two Grey Wagtails. North-bound movers included a steady flow of Meadow Pipits here and at Pitsford and Hanging Houghton with small numbers of Starlings and Fieldfares on the move in the same direction too.

Birds on show at Pitsford Reservoir today were made up of the drake Scaup and female Scaup x Tufted Duck hybrid, a Great White Egret, a Little Egret, two Yellow-legged Gulls and two Oystercatchers.

First year Caspian Gulls were reported from Daventry Country Park and Rushton Landfill today.

Eric's efforts at Thrapston Pits today yielded five Great White Egrets, several Little Egrets, two Oystercatchers, a double figure count of Chiffchaffs and fourteen calling Cetti's Warblers. The Glossy Ibis was again seen today in the horse field between the A605 layby and Town Lake.

Over at Stanwick Pits, two adult Mediterranean Gulls were still present and there was an adult Kittiwake present for a short time this morning and a Dunlin too. The Summer Leys LNR hosted a Black-tailed Godwit, a Curlew, a Dunlin and a Great White Egret.

Regards

Neil M

Golden Plovers
Harrington Airfield.

Yellow-legged Gull
at Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

This is a brute of a bird
and it's power can be evidenced
by its ability to tug this dead but
large trout along with much of the
fish still immersed in water. This
particularly aggressive bird is given
a wide berth by everything else at
the reservoir - it even bullies the
Great Black-backed Gulls! The jury
is out on it's exact age but it is either 
an advanced second calendar year
or a third calendar year bird.

Drake Scaup at
Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of 
Robin Gossage.

Even Red Kites become
discombobulated in the
strong winds of recent times!

Pitsford WeBs Count

Hello

Fairly comprehensive coverage at Pitsford Reservoir today as three of us completed the WeBs count and we took note of anything else we encountered. The drake Scaup and it's hybrid companion were again off the dam and north of the causeway the two Barnacle Geese were in adjacent fields, there were two Great White Egrets, about thirty-five Snipe, two Jack Snipe, two Oystercatchers, a vocal Curlew that spent some time on-site, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail, at least seven Siskins, a Redpoll, a Crossbill and seven Chiffchaffs. A flock of two hundred and fifty Golden Plovers flew over and later a flock of about five hundred birds could be viewed distantly circling Sywell Airfield.

In some respects the mammals stole the show with a Weasel nipping across the causeway, lots of Muntjac and an Otter providing views in the Catwalk Bay. The first spawning Pike were active in the shallows.

A Barn Owl was showing nicely in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon where there were also three noisy Ravens.

Twenty Redpolls were at Harlestone Heath near to the railway line and three Crossbills were again at Hollowell Reservoir and a Mediterranean Gull was at Stanwick Pits this morning with a first year Kittiwake turning up in the gull roost at Stanford Reservoir this afternoon.

At Summer Leys LNR today there was a Black-tailed Godwit, a Curlew, a Dunlin, four Snipe and two Shelduck; the drake Ring-necked Duck was again on Big Lake at Ditchford Pits and the Thrapston Pits Glossy Ibis has taken to feeding in an adjacent horse field behind the A605 layby. A Redpoll and three Reed Buntings were in a Scaldwell village garden today.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Squirrel.

Female Muntjac.

Jack Snipe.

Otter courtesy
of Beth Clyne.