Sunny Tuesday.

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included the pair of Garganey again - initially by the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station and then deeper into the Scaldwell Bay. An Osprey cruised over before heading south and other birds included an Egyptian Goose, three Shelducks, a Green Sandpiper, about ten Common Snipe, a Great White Egret, two Little Egrets and a pair of Oystercatchers.

Harrington Airfield was the location for a male Ring Ouzel which was initially between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One and then being seen briefly by the shooting wall. There were two male Common Redstarts, a Wheatear, a Peregrine, about one hundred and fifty Golden Plovers, at least twenty Bramblings plus Ravens and Grey Partridges.

Earls Barton Pits attracted another male Ring Ouzel in a field off Mary's Lane with probably two Blue-headed Wagtails in the neighbouring field for a time, and an interesting bright yellow Yellow Wagtail which resembles the rarely encountered 'lutea' race. Two pairs of Garganey were on the Summer Leys scrape and other birds on the overall Earls Barton complex included a Mediterranean Gull, a White Wagtail, a Common Sandpiper, four Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Tern. Stanwick Pits provided a White Wagtail and a Reed Warbler and the Glossy Ibis was on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston this afternoon.

Clifford Hill Pits again hosted the drake Ring-necked Duck, a Channel Wagtail, a White Wagtail, a Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, four Ringed Plovers, two Little Ringed Plovers and an Egyptian Goose.

At Hinton Airfield today there was a Curlew, one or two Common Redstart(s), a Whitethroat and a Wheatear and a Black Redstart was seen at Long Buckby this morning in a sheep paddock at the bottom of The Banks. An Osprey was seen flying north over Manton Road, Corby at about 2pm with a couple of gulls in pursuit!

Regards

Neil M

Osprey courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Sand Martins courtesy
of John Gamble.

Great Crested Grebe 
with a Perch courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Quackers!

Hello

The usual morning foray to Harrington Airfield to feed the birds was bright and sunny in cool temperatures. The flock of Golden Plovers was about two hundred and fifty strong and they were quite confiding, a fair proportion of them now moulted into summer plumage denoting them to be of the northern form with the extensive black undersides and face. A male Common Redstart was on the concrete track near to the trackside bunker and shooting wall and feeding finches included about a dozen Bramblings.

More feeding station maintenance at the Old Scaldwell Road at Pitsford Reservoir and the distinctive dry creaking call of a drake Garganey could be heard from the margins - a pair subsequently appeared and made their way into the Scaldwell Bay. A Yellow-legged Gull was the only other bird of note seen from there.

There was plenty of birding action at Earls Barton Pits and adjacent areas today with three pairs of Garganey, two Mediterranean Gulls, a Great White Egret, a Ring Ouzel discovered this afternoon, a Blue-headed Wagtail, a 'Channel' Wagtail, a White Wagtail. a Peregrine chasing a Redshank, a Whimbrel briefly, a Common Sandpiper and eighteen Snipe.

Clifford Hill Pits hung on to the drake Ring-necked Duck plus four Ringed Plovers and three White Wagtails, fifty-four Meadow Pipits, a flock of sixty-two Carrion Crows and a Wheatear. A male Common Redstart and two Wheatears were good finds at Hinton Airfield and a Green Sandpiper was seen at Kislingbury Pits/Upton Mill CP.

A/the drake Smew was on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning and sightings at Hollowell Reservoir included an Osprey, a Jack Snipe, a Common Sandpiper and a flock of thirty-two Common Gulls moving north.

Regards

Neil M

Yesterday's snow on 
the Kelmarsh Estate
courtesy of Lynne Barnett.

Teal courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Gadwall courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Garganey courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Garganey courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Drake Ring-necked Duck
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Tufted Duck courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Interesting weather and birds

Hello

Another day of erratic weather, with perhaps the orange/red sunrise warning us of wintry weather later in the day!

More ringing today, this time at Kelmarsh Hall where one hundred and eleven common birds were processed, perhaps the most noteworthy being a Chiffchaff, six Blackcaps, ten Goldfinches and three Nuthatches. A Grey Wagtail, a Siskin and a couple of Ravens were noted.

Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir included a pair of Garganey and both Great White and Little Egrets, plenty of hirundines plus an Otter!

The Glossy Ibis flew over Stanwick Pits early this morning and other birds included two Little Ringed Plovers, and this evening a Nightingale was near the underpass on North Lake.

The Earls Barton Pits complex provided views of two or three pairs of Garganey, plenty of Yellow Wagtails, four White Wagtails, a Marsh Harrier, an Egyptian Goose, a male Common Redstart, two Ringed Plovers, a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper and two Common Terns.

Three Great White Egrets were seen on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits today and birds at Harrington Airfield included an early Garden Warbler with a Common Whitethroat along the Brampton Valley Way by the Great Oxendon tunnels.

The juvenile Glaucous Gull was seen again off the A5 DIRFT 3 complex near Lilbourne late morning and an Osprey was seen flying over Ditchford Pits at about 12 noon. The drake Ring-necked Duck was showing nicely at Clifford Hill Pits again today.

Regards

Neil M

Otter at Pitsford Reservoir
today courtesy of David Arden.

Sunrise at Kelmarsh Hall.

Blackcap courtesy
of Bethan Clyne.

Goldfinch courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Cold start...Redstart!

Hello

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield today provided only thirty-five birds - the adverse weather conditions in stark contrast to the given forecast! A Hawfinch was heard calling from bushes just after dawn but wasn't subsequently seen and numbers of Bramblings present were estimated at about twenty-five birds, seven of which were caught and ringed. Linnets are there in good numbers and fourteen were caught and processed and an adult male Common Redstart also found a mist net and was duly ringed. A re-trap Willow Warbler was first ringed there in 2019.

Other birds on-site included two hundred and fifty Golden Plovers, a Common Whitethroat, a few Siskins and seventy-two Meadow Pipits headed north.

Over at Stanford Reservoir another Common Redstart was caught and ringed and a Common Whitethroat and Tree Pipit were seen and at Linford Lake ringers there processed forty-two birds which included a male Fieldfare, eleven Blackcaps (including three re-traps from 2019 and 2020), seven Reed Buntings (including one ringed as a fledgling in 2018), three Chiffchaffs and a pair of Bullfinches.

There was no sign of the Ring Ouzel at Blueberry Farm this afternoon but Fieldfares and Redwings were still present. A Wheatear was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and this afternoon a female-type Marsh Harrier flew south there towards Brixworth.

Hollowell Reservoir attracted an Osprey today plus a Common Sandpiper and a Crossbill and an Osprey was perched in a roadside tree alongside the A5199 near Chapel Brampton at 11.50am. Another Osprey with a fish was seen at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and the Ring-necked Duck was still present as was a Common Sandpiper, five Ringed and two Little Ringed Plovers, eighteen Yellow Wagtails, two White Wagtails and a Wheatear.

The day list for Stanwick Pits included the Glossy Ibis, four Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret and a male Blue-headed Wagtail and birds in the Earls Barton Pits complex included a Blue-headed Wagtail with twenty-five Yellows and ten White Wagtails, a Mediterranean Gull, two Common Terns, Green and Common Sandpiper and at least one pair of Garganey.

Birds at Thrapston Pits included a drake Smew on Town Lake, a Goosander, three Great White Egrets and two Kingfishers.

Other sightings included an adult Mediterranean Gull in a sheep field at Chelveston Airfield plus four Wheatears and forty-two Yellowhammers coming to a snow-affected feed station at Woodford Halse.

Regards

Neil M

Linnet courtesy of
Lewis Aaron.

Male Brambling courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Male Brambling
courtesy of Jacob Spinks.

Adult male Common Redstart
courtesy of Lewis Aaron.

The Spoonbills again and a Ring Ouzel at last!

Hello

Ditchford Pits was in vogue today with local birders expertly tracking down the two Spoonbills in trees on Delta Pit where the drake Smew was still swimming around - and earlier a Sandwich Tern was on the Watersport Pit just west of Ditchford Lane, with a Peregrine later. The Spoonbills flew off in due course but are likely to still be in the Nene Valley somewhere - and at times perhaps visiting the heron/egret/Cormorant breeding colonies at Ditchford, Earls Barton and Ringstead.

Pitsford Reservoir again attracted a fishing Osprey this morning where there was also a Great White Egret and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

At Summer Leys LNR the pair of Garganey shared the reserve with another pair of Garganey! It's tempting to think that these are the four birds that first appeared at Clifford Hill Pits some days ago but these nomadic ducks roam great distances so they might be different birds altogether! Other birds seen within the Earls Barton Pits complex included a Great White Egret, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, seven Little Ringed Plovers, a Ringed Plover, a White Wagtail and a Grey Wagtail. Yellow Wagtails have arrived in small numbers at many localities now.

Stanwick Pits has been good recently and this morning birds noted included the Glossy Ibis, a Pink-footed Goose, two Mediterranean Gulls and a Pintail.

Quality stretches right along the Nene Valley with the drake Ring-necked Duck again on the main barrage lake at Clifford Hill Pits plus twenty-nine Golden Plovers, five Ringed Plovers, a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper.

Further single Common Sandpipers were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and in a flooded field off the A605 at Barnwell. An Osprey visited Ravensthorpe Reservoir in the afternoon and a Hobby was seen at Stanford Reservoir this morning.

At last a Ring Ouzel has been found, a smart male was in a grass paddock close to Blueberry Farm (near Maidwell) this afternoon in company with about a hundred Fieldfares but it wasn't seen later in the afternoon (but very likely is still present as this is a regular spot). Also this afternoon some diurnal movement saw eight Wheatears drop in to fields in the Brampton Valley and on Blueberry Hill between Hanging Houghton and Haselbech and where only an hour or two earlier there had been none!

Possibly still up to twenty Bramblings were still present at Harrington Airfield this afternoon, but they were mostly audible rather than visual with wonderful wheezy song notes permeating from the leaf-bursting hawthorns. A pair of Grey Partridges and fourteen Golden Plovers and a mobile Siskin were  the only other birds of note. The areas around the bunkers and old airstrips will have restricted access tomorrow for ringing purposes but the official footpaths and access along the concrete track remain open for public use.

A Little Owl was spotted near Deenethorpe and three Siskins were at Kelmarsh Hall.

A map depicting Harlestone Heath and Harlestone Lake has been added to the Birdwatching Site Maps tab courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Regards

Neil M

Hobby courtesy of
Robin Gossage. There
have been several records
of early birds in the county
 this spring

Marsh Tit courtesy
of Nathan Jones.

Pied Wagtail. At this time of the year
migrant White Wagtails are passing through
and sometimes take some sorting out
from pale grey mantled Pied Wagtails!

Pitsford Naturetrek Tour

Hello

A Naturetrek Day Tour around the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir was blessed with sunshine during the morning into early afternoon which ensured a few insects in addition to the expected birds. The bird highlights included a Great White Egret, a Goosander, a Yellow-legged Gull, about eight Snipe, the pair of Oystercatchers, a Little Ringed Plover, four Kingfishers, a Grey Wagtail, three stunning male Yellow Wagtails, all three hirindines, two each of Siskin and Redpoll and Marsh Tits seemingly at every turn. The best of the insects were Ashy mining-Bee, Dark-edged Bee-fly and Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma butterflies. Before our walk Mischa kindly showed us the contents of the reserve moth traps which incuded Early Grey, Hebrew Character, Common Quaker, Small Quaker and Powdered Quaker. There were plenty of Muntjacs moving around in the undergrowth and very good numbers of Bumblebees!

An excursion to Harrington Airfield provided views of over twenty Bramblings, three singing Willow Warblers and two Wheatears with a flock of about a hundred Fieldfares moving over north.

Birds at Thrapston Pits included two Green Sandpipers and two Oystercatchers with a Common Sandpiper by the Sailing Club and birds at Stortons Pits included an Osprey over at 9.50am, two Water Rails and warblers including three Cetti's, two Sedge and Willow, Chiffchaff and Blackcap. The Glossy Ibis was at Stanwick Pits first thing but flew off east and wasn't seen anywhere in the Nene Valley afterwards.

The pair of Garganey were again at Summer Leys LNR today and the Common Sandpiper was at Earls Barton new workings. Two Spoonbills overflew the complex today and were then seen twice in flight over Stanwick Pits - I wonder where they are now?

The Ring-necked Duck was again at Clifford Hill Pits together with four Little Ringed Plovers, three Ringed Plovers, a Yellow Wagtail, a White Wagtail, a Sedge Warbler and two singing Willow Warblers.

An excellent larid session over at Lilbourne on the pool off the A5 by DIRFT3 initiated by Gary Pullan included a juvenile Glaucous Gull, a juvenile Iceland Gull, a Caspian Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

Other birds seen in the county today included an Osprey over Harlestone Lake towards Althorp this evening and two White Wagtails on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Ashy-mining Bee.

Song Thrush.

...and the nest of a
Song Thrush courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

The first of the Bluebells
courtesy of Lynne Barnett.

Fledged juvenile
Blackbird courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Fledgling Robin
courtesy of Chris
Payne.

A cold Wednesday!

Hello

Patchwork birder Eric was very pleased to find two Avocets at Thrapston Pits on the Titchmarsh Reserve this morning, other birds there being a very early Garden Warbler, three Great White Egrets, three Oystercatchers and plenty of hirundines.

The Glossy Ibis was seen on the Main Lake at Stanwick Pits this morning and an adult Kittiwake flew north-east from the Layby Pit at about 8.20am.

The pair of Garganey were still at Summer Leys LNR today and three Mediterranean Gulls were seen there too.

Ian found a male Common Redstart at the traditional autumn stop-over site along the track past Fawsley Granary at Fawsley Park and John found a Common Sandpiper on one of the new workings sites at Earls Barton Pits.

About twenty Bramblings were feeding on seed at Harrington Airfield this morning and other birds included three Grey Partridges and about a hundred Golden Plovers. There is likely to be some ringing at this site on Saturday when access will be restricted but this doesn't affect the concrete track and other footpaths.

Despite the temperatures I found Scarlet Tiger caterpillars feeding on our garden Green Alkanet so hopefully we will see the stunning adults later in the year! We are fortunate to have at least three Hedgehogs coming to the garden most nights now (they love dried mealworms).

Regards

Neil M

Colour-ringed Black-headed
Gull 2BAA courtesy of Dave Jackson.

 This gull was ringed as a nestling at Rutland
 Water on 20th June 2019 and seen again on 9th
July 2019. This bird has been seen and reported
at Pitsford Reservoir five times between 13th
December 2020 and 17th March 2021.

Bee-flies, Garganey and snow!

Hello 

For many today the birding highlight was a close pair of Garganey at Summer Leys LNR, a scarce duck which are perhaps more frequent in the late summer and autumn but they definitely look at their best in the spring.

Today's somewhat extreme weather conditions provided me with the view of a flock of Swallows and Sand Martins feeding low over the water at Welford Reservoir in driving snow, and then a flock of Fieldfares and Redwings flying over them!

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the drake Scaup and the hybrid female, a pair of Oystercatchers, a Yellow-legged Gull, all three species of hirundines, two Grey Wagtails, thirteen Golden Plovers, two Siskins and a Brambling. Harrington Airfield played host to a pair of Grey Partridge and sixteen Golden Plovers this morning.

In a good spring for Sand Martins there were about a hundred at Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits today plus fifteen singing Blackcaps (I think it's going to be a bumper year for them too)!

At Thrapston Pits today three Great White Egrets were seen plus three Little Egrets, a drake Goosander plus hundreds of hirundines.

At least two Crossbills were with Siskins and a Redpoll at Hollowell Reservoir today and also where Jim Dunkley found a Dotted Bee-fly, a species currently colonising Northamptonshire. Three Little Ringed Plovers and two Yellow Wagtails were on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve.

Regards

Neil M

Dark-edged Bee-fly
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Spotted Bee-fly
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Egyptian Geese courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

The Summer Leys
pair of Garganey
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Where are the Ring Ouzels?

Hello

Overnight sound recordings confirmed migrating Common Scoters over the villages of Scaldwell and Islip last night, with also a Curlew, two Moorhens, a Coot and two Redwings passing over Scaldwell.

The spring at Pitsford Reservoir has so far been about as uneventful as the winter preceeding it but birds seen today included the drake Scaup and hybrid female, two Great White Egrets, a Yellow-legged Gull, a House Martin among Swallows and Sand Martins but also a Hobby seen over the Scaldwell Bay.

The drake Smew was at Stanwick Pits again first thing before flying off and there were two Black-tailed Godwits on Main Lake. Thrapston Pits birds included the Glossy Ibis for a time in the horse field off the A605 layby, an adult Kittiwake was a morning only bird on the Titchmarsh reserve and there were three Bramblings between North Hide and the River Nene.

The Ring-necked Duck was still at Clifford Hill Pits today, as were singles of Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover. A Mediterranean Gull was again seen at Summer Leys LNR.

Another Hobby was seen flying over the A43 between Brackley and Silverstone early this morning and three Wheatears were at Chelveston Airfield.

Yet another Black Redstart, or possibly an elusive one from two days ago, was again at Borough Hill Country Park, this time the bird sheltering around the summit buildings.

An Osprey and a Wheatear were seen at Hollowell Reservoir today and birds at Harrington Airfield included ninety-five Golden Plovers and at least two Bramblings.

Nationally it seems that there have been plenty of Ring Ouzels found at a variety of sites both inland and coastal and it seems strange that none have so far been located in Northamptonshire.

Regards

Neil M

Garden Reed Bunting
courtesy of Bethan Clyne.

Birds of Easter Sunday

Hello

A good frost and cold temperatures last night soon gave way to a westerly breeze and sunshine.

And it was another fine spring day for seeing migration in action including plenty of 'redstarts'!

Desborough Airfield this morning provided for one hundred and forty-two Golden Plovers and fourteen Common Snipe. Chelveston Airfield was another venue for a Black Redstart on the county border with Beds plus four Wheatears and a Yellow Wagtail. Harrington Airfield continues to host plenty of finches of buntings which included at least four Bramblings - one of which was virtually a summer plumage male. Five Golden Plovers and a Grey Partridge were also present.

Birds at Stanwick Pits this morning included the Glossy Ibis and the drake Smew but interestingly the Glossy Ibis was back on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits at 10am this morning, where there were also four Great White Egrets and a further influx of warblers.

The Ring-necked Duck was seen again at Clifford Hill Pits together with a Ringed Plover and a Little Ringed Plover. Three Black-tailed Godwits and a Mediterranean Gull were on the Summer Leys LNR this evening.

A Black Redstart was again seen in a Wellingborough garden today and the Black Redstart and a male Common Redstart were again between Shutlanger and Alderton alongside the River Tove. This afternoon another Black Redstart was found in a field half a mile west of Kentle Wood, Daventry at SP5463. This is from a footpath that leads from Kentle Wood and a Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail were in the same field. An Osprey overflew the wood towards Daventry town centre and at least ten Ravens were present with warblers in the wood including Willow Warbler.

Whitethroats turned up at Hardingstone Lake, Lamport and Harrington Airfield today and probably represent the first spring records for the county. An Osprey flew north through Hollowell Reservoir this morning and a Jack Snipe remained. A Hobby was seen east of Brockhall at midday and a Peregrine was again at Higham Ferrers. A Hen Harrier was reported in flight at Kettering over the A14/A43 junction at lunchtime.

The drake Scaup was off the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir early this morning and a Brambling was noted in the trees there later. Late this afternoon two adult Little Gulls flew through at Daventry Country Park and there were at least one hundred and fifty Lesser Black-backed Gulls present.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owl.

Lesser Redpoll.

Siskin.

All images courtesy of
Nathan Jones.

More Redstarts!

Hello

One of the spring bird celebrities moved site today - the Glossy Ibis was at Stanwick Pits showing well on and off on the Main Lake. Other birds there included the drake Smew first thing, a Marsh Harrier, three Black-tailed Godwits in flight this evening and two Cattle Egrets.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was seen again at Clifford Hill Pits today with a supporting cast of three Ringed Plovers, three Little Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin. The Ditchford Pits complex held the Dark-bellied Brent Goose on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve still plus hundreds of Sand Martins and a Yellow Wagtail.

Earls Barton Pits including Summer Leys attracted three Black-tailed Godwits, a Redshank, a Dunlin, a Curlew and a Yellow Wagtail. Two Great White Egrets were on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning.

Belated news was received today of a Black Redstart at Broadholme Treatment Works on Thursday and today another was found in a Wellingborough garden. Two male Common Redstarts were found alongside the River Tove between Alderton and Shutlanger this morning, and later a Black Redstart was there too! It's already been a good spring for both species and no doubt there will be more to come.

Borough Hill Country Park was quiet for birds today but Jon found one or two Water Pipit(s) on the dam at Hollowell Reservoir but sadly it/they flew off south - none of them are lingering long it seems! A Yellow Wagtail was there later. The drake Scaup and hybrid female were in the Moulton Grange Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning. An Osprey flew east over Stanford Reservoir this afternoon.

Birds at Harrington Airfield today included a female Peregrine, a hundred Yellowhammers, two Bramblings, a Wheatear, two Ravens, a Grey Partridge and a Willow Warbler. Fifty Redwings and a Raven were near Lamport and several Redwings were at Kelmarsh Hall. Our garden at Hanging Houghton was visited by ten Reed Buntings, three Yellowhammers and a male Brambling today.

A Mealy Redpoll was reported at Wakerley Woods yesterday but seemingly not seen today, the feeders still attracting at least one Brambling, a Redpoll, a Siskin and with a Crossbill heard.

An Osprey was at Thorpe Malsor Reservoir this afternoon plus a Grey Wagtail and at least four Lesser Redpolls.

This evening a Barn Owl was visible in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and one hundred and forty Fieldfares flew to roost.

A ringing session at Linford Lakes this morning provided captures of a Common Snipe, a Sedge Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Cetti's Warbler and a Blackcap.

Wicksteed Park has been added to the Birdwatching Site Maps tab courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Drake Smew courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Male Common Redstart.

Black Redstart.

A cool Good Friday

Black Redstart.

Hello

Sadly there was no sign of the Black Redstart at Hanging Houghton this morning, which I found remarkable considering how late it was still active yesterday evening. A Yellow Wagtail was in a grass field next to the village and a male Brambling was a brief visitor to one of our sunflower feeders.

A visit to Desborough Airfield provided sightings of sixty Golden Plovers and seventeen Common Snipe and Harrington Airfield late this afternoon hosted a Wheatear, a Redpoll and about six Bramblings plus twelve Fieldfares flew east.

The Earls Barton section of the River Nene valley was busy with birds today which included three Black-tailed Godwits, a Yellow Wagtail and plenty of Swallows on the Summer Leys LNR, two Egyptian Geese, Willow Warbler and Sedge Warbler around Mary's Lake and Little Ringed Plover, two Green Sandpipers, two White Wagtails and two Yellow Wagtails near to Whiston Lock. The new workings next to the A45 below Earls Barton was the location of two reported Water Pipits, a Yellow Wagtail, a White Wagtail, three Little Ringed Plovers and a Shelduck.

At Stanwick Pits today single Marsh Harriers flew east at 7.10am and 7.20am and there was a drake Smew and two Curlew and a Common Tern on the Main Lake. Clifford Hill Pits was again the venue for a drake Ring-necked Duck, a Ringed Plover, two Little Ringed Plovers and Swallows and Sand Martins. The Dark-bellied Brent Goose was still at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve today and there was a Little Ringed Plover and three Green Sandpipers at Lower Barnwell Lock floods.

At Thrapston Pits the Glossy Ibis showed well at the north end of the Titchmarsh reserve, there were four singing Sedge Warblers, two or three Great White Egrets and three to five Oystercatchers and plenty of hirundines, with a Brambling in trees at Town Lake and a Yellow Wagtail at Islip Water Treatment Works.

At Pitsford Reservoir the drake Scaup and hybrid female were mobile due to disturbance from sailing activity but spent much of their time at the south end of the reservoir. A first year Kittiwake overflew the Scaldwell Bay this evening heading south but couldn't be found subsequently, albeit a single Yellow Wagtail was below the dam with a group of Pieds.

An Osprey and a Yellow Wagtail were at Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon but Ravensthorpe Reservoir seemed very quiet.

An afternoon venture to Borough Hill Country Park at Daventry provided several good passerines in the shape of a grey Black Redstart and three Wheatears by the main mast and a good-looking summer plumage Water Pipit was flushed twice and was watched feeding in the summit meadow - it's actions suggested it had just arrived.

Stuart visited Wakerley Wood car park this morning for a finch fest of four Crossbills, four Bramblings, ten Redpolls and six Siskins.

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford's overflying Kittiwake
today - images courtesy of Beth
Clyne.

Yellow Wagtail.

White Wagtail.

Water Pipit.

How cold the wind doth blow

Hello

Early morning birding ensured that Steve Fisher saw two Sandwich Terns head east through Stanwick Pits first thing! More early morning birding and vis-miging at Harrington Airfield by Jacob ensured a count of at least thirty Bramblings which came down into the bushes by the bunkers and then flew out again. This afternoon there were still several Bramblings present with other finches, Tree Sparrows and buntings plus a female Wheatear and eighteen Golden Plovers.

Birding at Pitsford Reservoir today coincided with the beginning of the fly-fishing season so many of the birds normally south of the causeway were later found in the relative calm of the reserve north of the causeway. The drake Scaup and hybrid female were initially off the dam and the Sailing Club in the morning but by late afternoon were with displaced Tufted Ducks near to Lagoon Hide north of the causeway. Two Yellow-legged Gulls were present, a single Great White Egret was seen and singles of Curlew and an unidentified 'Commic' Tern were seen heading north over the reservoir. Other birds included thirty Fieldfares, three Oystercatchers, two Snipe, sixteen Swallows and about a dozen Sand Martins.

Blackcaps seem to be arriving in numbers now - I heard singles singing at four different places today.

An Osprey was seen over Lower Barnwell Lock flood at 4.35pm heading towards Oundle and another Osprey showed this afternoon at Hollowell Reservoir.

Thrapston Pits yielded an adult Little Gull on Town Lake for much of the day with a supporting cast of two Common Terns, all three common hirundines, a fly-over Curlew and a Goosander. Summer Leys LNR recorded a Ringed Plover and a Common Tern and an evening patrol of Stanwick Pits provided four Little Ringed Plovers and two Yellow Wagtails. There were in excess of twenty Swallows at Wicksteed Park this afternoon.

Ravens included two on roadkill near Chipping Warden and a single at Moulton. Clifford Hill Pits was the place to see the first spring Garganey with two drakes and two ducks this morning - other birds included a Yellow Wagtail, a Swallow, a Ringed Plover, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Redshank.

A group of interesting big gulls on flood water alongside the A5 by DIRFT 3 near Lilbourne included a first winter Caspian Gull, a probable Caspian x Herring Gull hybrid and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

A Black Redstart chose late this evening to call and subsequently show itself in our cul-de-sac at The Croft in Hanging Houghton - perhaps just reward for popping outside after dinner in the cool wind to top up the garden feeders for the birds in the morning!

Regards

Neil M

Part of the Harrington
Brambling flock courtesy
of Jacob Spinks - you might
need a magnifying glass!

Reed Bunting at
Hanging Houghton
courtesy of Nathan Jones.

Buck Roe Deer at
Hanging Houghton
courtesy of Nathan Jones.