Tawny Owls

Hello

For some of us the day was dominated by one species - the Tawny Owl!

Chris and John were down at Greens Norton and checked an owl box to find an attendant female Tawny Owl and her two well-grown chicks, all of which were ringed and left as a family unit. At Pitsford Reservoir Pete and I checked several boxes. In one box there were two small young and the female was at home too. She was already ringed and it transpires that she is 17 years old after being initially ringed as a chick in May 2004! Since then she has been encountered on three occasions over the years. In another box there were two well-grown youngsters and they were duly ringed.

The longevity record for Tawny Owl is apparently 23 years, 5 months and 27 days but the average life-span is thought to be four years so the re-trap female at Pitsford is doing rather well!

Also today the floating rafts at Pitsford Reservoir were checked and held a record 43 Black-headed Gull nests with eggs so hopefully they are going to have a bumper year!

The Cattle Egret remained at Pitsford Reservoir today, still in the meadow between Maytrees Hide and the causeway and butterflies on the wing included plenty of Orange-tips.

Thrapston Pits again hosted an Osprey today plus two Hobbies, a day hunting Barn Owl, a Great White Egret and a singing Nightingale plus the two pairs of Oystercatchers and three Cuckoos.

The Spotted Redshank put in an appearance on the scrape again at Summer Leys LNR and a male Ruff was there too. Three Whimbrel remained at Clifford Hill Pits. A small unidentified egret was seen distantly in flight over fields near Arthingworth this evening.

On the insect front there were Dingy Skippers and a Small Heath on the wing at Twywell Hills and Dales Country Park and Large Red Damselflies and Banded Demoiselles were spotted at Whitemills Marina, Earls Barton.

Regards

Neil M

The female Tawny Owl and her two youngsters
at Greens Norton courtesy of Chris Payne.

The 17 year old Tawny Owl and
a chick from Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Pete Gilbert.

Orange-tip butterfly
courtesy of Pete Gilbert.

The Pitsford Cattle Egret
courtesy of Pete Gilbert.

Spring migration is slowing down

Hello 

A wander around Harrington Airfield this morning provided views of a silent Cuckoo, a male Wheatear and three Red Fox cubs playing!

Below Hanging Houghton, two Wheatears were in the Brampton Valley near to the straw stack this morning and our garden continues to attract up to six Yellowhammers at a time, Reed Buntings and plenty of food-collecting Starlings and Jackdaws.

The Cattle Egret remained at Pitsford Reservoir today, again in the waterside meadow between the causeway and the Maytrees Hide both this morning and this evening. Two Oystercatchers remain in situ.

A Wood Warbler was an early morning find at Stanwick Pits but wasn't seen after the initial discovery and an Osprey spent some minutes at Hollowell Reservoir before moving on.

The only birds reported at Summer Leys LNR today were a Chiloe Wigeon, a Ruff and a Common Sandpiper.

Some more local ringing recoveries/sightings are as follows:-

1.  A Nuthatch ringed as a young female at Astcote (near Towcester) on 3rd August 2019 was caught again by a ringer at Grange Farm, Geddington on 7th April this year. The distance between the two sites is about 36km with a period of 613 days elapsed between the two encounters;

2.  An adult Blue Tit was ringed at Astcote on 25th February this year and was unfortunately found drowned in a water container at Heyford Mills, Nether Heyford on 4th May. This bird had only travelled about 5 km with 68 days between encounters;

3.  A young Reed Warbler was ringed at Cottam, Nottinghamshire on 14th August 2018 and caught again by ringers at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 1st May this year. This bird will have already visited the continent of Africa on three occasions, with a total of 991 days elapsed between both records;

4.  An adult Mute Swan was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 1st January this year and the bird was seen and the large ring read in the field at Bicester, Oxfordshire on 28th April. This swan had travelled 52km in a SSW direction;

5.  A juvenile Jackdaw was ringed at Hanging Houghton on 8th July 2020 and was shot at nearby Lamport on or about 24th April this year, 290 days later;

6.  A Black-headed Gull bearing a colour ring inscribed '20H3' was seen at Pitsford Reservoir on 5th May and again today and may be trying to breed on-site. This bird was initially ringed as a nestling at Cotswold Water Park on 10th June 2013 and has been sighted in 2014 and twice in 2020 at the Atlantic coastal location of La Bree-les-Bains in the Bay of Biscay, France. It was also seen at nearby Rutland Water on 16th June 2017.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebe swallowing
a Tench, courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Common Tern courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Cattle Egret at Pitsford Reservoir
today courtesy of John Moon.

Black-headed Gull '20H3'
at Pitsford Reservoir today
courtesy of John Moon.

SP55 Long Day count

Hello

A much quieter day in the county today but Summer Leys LNR attracted a Black Tern, a Spotted Redshank, a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper, two Black-tailed Godwits, a Great White Egret and Hobbies and Clifford Hill Pits hung on to the eight Whimbrel and a Wheatear.

An Osprey fished successfully north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning but it was harrassed for a long time by a Great Black-backed Gull. The Cattle Egret hunted for insects in the meadow between the causeway and Maytrees Hide and was still present this evening. A Hobby was also north of the causeway and two Common Sandpipers were on the causeway.

A Hobby was playing in the wind in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and a Hobby and a Wheatear were at Harrington Airfield.

Helen Franklin completed the BOS Long Day Count in SP55 today in less than ideal conditions, dodging short, sharp showers over lunch time and later wind speeds which were certainly more than the “moderate breezes” forecast. The largest proportion of time in this square is always devoted to the Fawsley Estate and this lovely area did not disappoint with the count commencing as very often happens with a pair of Little Owl making their appearance in their customary tree and the Tawny Owl signalling the start of a new day.  The water was quiet, with no exciting waders and migrants experienced in other parts of the county over the last few days. Swallows, House Martin and Swift were all hawking around the Hall and Grey Wagtails are breeding near the sluice from the upper lake.

Travelling round the square for the remainder of the day added a steady tally of birds in one’s and twos, many of them now thought of as bankers, they are so site-faithful. It is always puzzling to see the common birds missing from the final tally - where have the Bullfinches gone?  The wind obscured the calls of Goldcrest, Lesser Whitethroat and Yellow Wagtail - that’s her excuse anyway.

The total at the end of an enjoyable 12-hour day was only 60 birds, well short of the par score for the square. Must try harder next year!!

Some ringing recoveries associated with Northants Ringing Group activities are as follows:-

1. A Great Tit nestling was ringed at Stanford Reservoir on 23rd May 2020 and was then caught and processed by ringers at Pitsford Reservoir on 3rd March 2021 when it's gender was established as a female. This bird had travelled 20km in an ESE direction;

2.  A young female Sparrowhawk was caught and ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 17th October 2019 and was reported as a road casualty near Lamport on 3rd April 2021, 534 days later and only 4km from where first ringed;

3.  A male Tawny Owl was ringed at Linford Lakes on 24th November 2019 when aged as a second year bird and was taken to a vets on or about 7th April 2021 where it died, apparently another road casualty victim. Five hundred days elapsed between these two encounters with the owl being found about 10km from where ringed;

4.  A first year male Blackbird was ringed at Hanging Houghton on 28th December 2020 and found dead after being predated by an unknown creature at nearby Brixworth on 6th April 2021, 99 days later.

Regards

Neil M

Great Tit.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy
of Nathan Jones.

Wheatear courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

SP54 Long Day Count

Hello 

I undertook a BOS twelve hour Long Day Count in SP54 today, deep in the south of the county, recording about seventy species of bird within the ten x ten kilometre square. The HS2 (High Speed rail) project is affecting many of the areas within this square. The highlights for me were watching two Red Foxes playing in straw bales at dawn, a hunting Mink devouring two Crayfishes (invasive species eating invasive species) and running off with a fish, and a brood of just-fledged Long-tailed Tits all lined up together on a branch (sadly obscured due to vegetation).

Scarcer birds included a Peregrine on a church, three singing Spotted Flycatchers (two at Marston St Lawrence and one at Edgcote) and two Wheatears near Halse Copse. Ravens were at three locations, a drake Mandarin Duck was at Edgcote and a first year Yellow-legged Gull flew over at Farthinghoe LNR. A Grey Wagtail was at Thenford, Yellow Wagtails were at three locations and Kingfisher at Trafford Marsh.  Although present in small numbers in this square I failed to find both Marsh Tit and Nuthatch.

Clifford Hill Pits was good again for waders today and passerines too with eight Whimbrel, three Dunlin, a Turnstone, a Black Tern, two Hobbies, ten Wheatears, a Whinchat and a Spotted Flycatcher. Stanwick Pits was good for between four to six Cattle Egrets and a Hobby and a Wheatear were at Stortons Pits.

An Osprey was at Thrapston Pits today plus two pairs of Oystercatchers and a Kingfisher.

The south-facing slope of Borough Hill Country Park was good for four Whinchats, six Wheatears, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher and over at the A5 pools near Lilbourne there were two Sanderlings.

At Harrington Airfield this afternoon birds included a male Common Redstart, two Whinchats, at least four Wheatears and a singing Sedge Warbler. The Cattle Egret was again at Pitsford Reservoir by the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station with a Yellow-legged Gull, a Common Sandpiper and two Oystercatchers at the dam end.

Regards

Neil M

A just-fledged brood
of Long-tailed Tits.

Black-tailed Godwit at
Summer Leys LNR courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Common Redshank and Spotted
Redshank at Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Wet wader-fest

Hello

A day of rain, strong south-westerly winds but much warmer temperatures provided a wader-fest in Northamptonshire. 

Flocks of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers arrived in the county today, some of the flocks touching down for a short time, others staying for longer. Smaller numbers of Sanderling and Turnstones were with them and other waders included a couple of Grey Plovers (A5 pools near Lilbourne), two Wood Sandpipers (Stanwick Pits and Summer Leys LNR), Common Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plovers. A Ruff and a Spotted Redshank remained at Summer Leys LNR, seven Whimbrel were again at Clifford Hill Pits and two Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank were at Summer Leys.

A Black Tern at Pitsford Reservoir, a Little Gull at Daventry Country Park and two Arctic Terns at Stanford Reservoir were also the results of these weather conditions plus big numbers of hirundines and increasing numbers of Swifts.

The Cattle Egret remained at Pitsford Reservoir where there was also a Redshank on the dam for a while, a drake Garganey was at Summer Leys where at least six Hobbies put on a super performance and a Peregrine showed up.

Passerines were more difficult to appreciate but a possible Common Redstart was at Cliffird Hill Pits as was thirty Yellow Wagtails and three Greenland Wheatear types. A Great White Egret was seen there too.

I saw my first fledged Starlings today and the Otter at Abington Park, Northampton has been showing well in the week including yesterday.

Regards

Neil M

Sanderling.

Turnstone.

Hobby at Summer Leys LNR
today courtesy of Nathan Jones.

Birding before the big soak!

Hello

I spent much of the day in the west of the county in the Daventry area, with a brief look at Ravensthorpe Reservoir on the way through. Three hours at Borough Hill Country Park and there was no sign of the Wryneck or many other passage migrants. I went over to Lilbourne Meadows and the A5 pools between the reserve and the edge of the DIRFT complex and saw the Temminck's Stint at range. It was being bullied by the Common Sandpipers on the A5 pools but had a quieter time of it on the reserve flooded meadows. Other birds there included two Dunlin, a Little Ringed Plover and a Shelduck and a Caspian Gull was noted there earlier.

I also visited Drayton Reservoir, Daventry Country Park, Kentle Wood and Badby Wood without bumping into anything much out of the ordinary (a few Redpolls and Ravens in Badby Woods).

An immature Cattle Egret at Pitsford Reservoir today was a nice surprise, spending much of its time in the sloping grass field between the Old Scalwell Road and the causeway but also venturing in the sheep field on the other side of the causeway and the meadow between the causeway and Maytrees Hide.

A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the small oak copse along the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton and fresh birds in at Harrington Airfield were a pair of Common Redstarts, a male Whinchat, a male Wheatear, a Cuckoo and a Hobby.

Thrapston Pits provided views of an adult Little Gull on Town Lake, four Hobbies, a Great White Egret, a Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, three Cuckoos (one female), two Kingfishers and a singing Nightingale.

Summer Leys LNR continued to be attractive for a Ruff, two Black-tailed Godwits, two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Dunlin, at least ten Hobbies and a Grass Snake was on show near to Pioneer Hide.

Clifford Hill Pits today corralled eight Whimbrel, two Dunlin, two Hobbies, two White Wagtails and a Wheatear and an Osprey was seen over the A45 between Earls Barton and Ecton with another at Hollowell Reservoir. A Black Tern was noted at Stanford Reservoir today.

A ringing session at Stortons Pits this morning processed two Wrens, two Chiffchaffs, four Sedge Warblers, three Reed Warblers, two Garden Warblers, three Blackcaps and a Blackbird. However the main prize was a Cuckoo (see pics below)!

Regards

Neil M

The Bluebells of
Badby Wood.

The Cuckoo at Stortons
Pits this morning, courtesy
of Chris Payne.

More good waders

Hello

Lively northerly winds switching from the east to the west and rain didn't provide huge numbers of new migrants but there were at least three hundred Swallows at Pitsford Reservoir today plus plenty of House and Sand Martins and a few Swifts. A single Greenshank dropped in this morning and began feeding just south of the Bird Club hide in the Scaldwell Bay.

The best new find today was down to the sharp eyes of Gary Pullan in locating a Temminck's Stint on pools off the A5 near Lilbourne. The bird was seen during the day moving between the original pools and a nearby wet meadow off Hillmorton Lane and birders did well to hang on to this dimunitive wader! Other waders there included Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover and Dunlin.

At Clifford Hill Pits today a Turnstone turned up on the main Nene Barrage and there were still seven Whimbrel there and two Dunlin.

Both Spotted Redshanks were at Summer Leys LNR today with the Greenshank on nearby Hardwater Lake. Efforts at locating the Dotterel at Piddington this morning drew a blank and there was no news either way as to whether the Wryneck was still present at Borough Hill CP.

With the mainstay of summer migrants in now we await the remainder and hopefully a couple of overshooting migrants from the south or vagrants from further east!

Regards

Neil M

Temminck's Stint courtesy
 of Robin Gossage
(not the Lilbourne bird).

Spotted Redshank at
Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Wryneck in the frame.

Hello

I spent the day on the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir today conducting a Naturetrek Day Tour. It was rather cool and with showers and hail and even some thunder at times which meant that insects were at a minimum! Mischa had some moths for us to examine comprised of Powdered Quaker, Hebrew Character, Muslin Moth and the aptly named Brindled Beauty. During the periods of sunshine we managed to find butterflies in the forms of Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Peacock and Speckled Wood and other insects included Dark-edged Bee-fly and Ashy Mining-Bee. Plenty of newly-arrived Garden Warblers were on-site with a couple of them showing and we enjoyed good views of Marsh Tit, Willow Warbler and Goldcrests.

Muntjacs showed regularly including a very young fawn just in front of us and the best of the birds were two Little Egrets, three or four Great White Egrets, the pair of Oystercatchers, four Common Sandpipers and plenty of Swallows, martins and a few Swifts.

The Borough Hill Wryneck showed well at times today as reflected in the images kindly provided; other birds there included a Tree Pipit and two Whinchats and a Wheatear.

Clifford Hill Pits and particularly the Nene Barrage basin provided seven Whimbrel today plus three Dunlin, two Common Sandpipers, two Hobbies and a Wheatear. Summer Leys LNR was still seeing some action in the form of a Sandwich Tern, both Spotted Redshanks, a Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Dunlin, two Hobbies, a Cuckoo and a White Wagtail with a Greenshank and a Dunlin on nearby Hardwater Lake.

Welford Reservoir provided for three Common Sandpipers and a White Wagtail and Hollowell Reservoir first thing had a Duinlin and an over-flying Osprey. Another Dunlin was seen in flooded fields near the A605 near Lower Barnwell Lock and the two Dotterel were still in a bean field near Piddington. A Whinchat was a good find in a field at Kingsthorpe off Studland Road between the allotments and Spencer Football Club and a Wheatear was in a sheep field at Oundle at the east end of the Deenethorpe Road. Three Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin and a family of Oystercatchers were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR. A Whimbrel was seen at Stanford Reservoir early this morning.

John Hunt was delighted to see a returning Swift to his nestbox at Spratton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Images courtesy of
Ken Prouse.

Image courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Image courtesy of
Nathan Jones.

All images of the Borough Hill
Country Park Wryneck.

Still more waders and terns

Hello

A very windy day with sporadic showers didn't feel very May-like and still cool too!

Thrapston Pits today provided viewings of a Sanderling, three Dunlin, a Whimbrel, two Common Sandpipers and a Cuckoo. The weather ensured there were plenty of hirundines and Swifts over the water there and probably all significant waters in the county.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted forty-two Dunlin, six Whimbrel and an Arctic Tern and the haul at Summer Leys included two Spotted Redshanks now, a Ruff, twenty-two Dunlin, four Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, two Ringed Plovers, a Garganey and a photogenic Hobby. In the evening one hundred and fifty plus Common Terns were joined by about twenty Arctic Terns.

Stanwick Pits also enjoyed the Dunlin/Arctic Tern fest with twenty five Arctic Terns and at least twenty-three Dunlin

Hollowell Reservoir still had two Whimbrel today and Pitsford Reservoir hosted two Arctic Terns, two Little Egrets and a Great White Egret and birds at Boddington Reservoir included a successfully hunting Barn Owl, a Cuckoo and four Arctic Terns. Two Wheatears were in a bean field near Maidwell this morning and two Arctic Terns were seen briefly at Stanford Reservoir.

The two Dotterel were apparently seen again south-west of Piddington and the Wryneck sometimes showed well at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry and no doubt the appropriate pictures will be in circulation soon!

Regards

Neil M

Swallow courtesy
of Nathan Jones.

Black-tailed Godwit at
Summer Leys LNR today
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Hobby at Summer Leys LNR
today courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Here comes the rain!

Hello

With such a dry and cold spring, we welcome the rain if not the gusty winds!

The Wryneck at Borough Hill Country Park at Daventry continued to delight visitors today and it showed well at times. The two Dotterel, which appear to be a male and female, were still in a bean field south west of Piddington today, albeit that they had changed fields this afternoon. A Wheatear was there too and nine Fieldfares flew over.

Sadly yesterday's Black-necked Grebes at Ravensthorpe Reservoir had moved on overnight and although not the rarest birds seen in the county this spring for me they are probably my favourite. Swimming and diving at point blank range with one of the birds depicting stunning colours with the other two not far behind made them real show-stoppers.

A Common Sandpiper was on the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir and there was a Spotted Flycatcher at Kelmarsh Hall but it was down to the Nene Valley to produce something different today with a Sanderling at Clifford Hill Pits which also hosted six Whimbrel, five Common Sandpipers, seven Dunlin and four Ringed Plovers.

On the Summer Leys LNR a drake Garganey, seven Dunlin and a Ruff put in an appearance this morning and birds at Thrapston Pits included three Cuckoos, a Great White Egret, a Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher with seven Hobbies reported early morning.

Regards

Neil M

Marsh Marigolds on the
lake at Kelmarsh Hall.

Whimbrel courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

A Wryneck , two Dotterel still and those Black-necked Grebes!

Hello

The excellent spring in the county continues - it's not every day where it is possible to spin around the county and savour two Dotterel, three summer plumage Black-necked Grebes and a Wryneck!

The two Dotterel were still present near Piddington today in a bean field and were on show all day. Three Wheatears were also near there.

Stuart found three stunning Black-necked Grebes at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and visible from the causeway, often showing very closely. Three drake Mandarin Ducks were also present.

Eleanor in the meantime bumped into a Wryneck in a south sloping field at Borough Hill Country Park and after spending a period out of view the bird began to show intermittently into the evening and then for a lengthy period before dusk. A male Common Redstart showed there briefly.

Summer Leys LNR provided a drake Garganey, a Ruff, the Spotted Redshank, a Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers and five Hobbies.

The three Whimbrel were still at Hollowell Reservoir as was the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year. A Wheatear was near Deenethorpe and Clifford Hill Pits provided five Whimbrels and an Oystercatcher.

Cuckoos were noted today at Stortons Pits, Wakerley Wood and the Titchmarsh Reserve. A Siskin was on feeders at Nether Heyford and nine Fieldfares flew north at Hanging Houghton this evening. A Hobby and a Common Sandpiper were at Fawsley Park today, three Common Sandpipers were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows and a Barn Owl was seen again at the Titchmarsh Reserve.

Regards

Neil M

Black-necked Grebes at
Ravensthorpe Reservoir today.

Dotterel and more summer visitors

Hello

A couple of local ringing operations took place today and at Linford Lakes the star bird was definitely a Cuckoo that was first caught in May 2017 when it was at least two years old (so it will be at least six years old this summer). The longevity record for Cuckoo is not much older than this so hopefully he will make it through another British summer and African winter to perhaps break a few records next year!

Warblers dominated proceedings with fourteen Reed Warblers representing quite a new arrival of birds. Included within these birds was an individual with a ring from elsewhere and a re-trap bird that was ringed as an adult on-site in 2016 making it at least six years old. Four Blackcaps, two Sedge Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and two Song Thrushes were very welcome too and free-flying birds included a Hobby.

At the same time some ringing was undertaken at Harrington Airfield where fifty-eight birds of seventeen species were handled and included a female Common Redstart, eight Willow Warblers (with three re-traps from previous years), a returning Garden Warbler from last year, five Blackcaps, two Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat (one of at least three on-site). Two new Song Thrushes were encountered too and small numbers of finches included Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Linnet. Other birds noted included two Ravens, two Grey Partridges and six fly-through Redpolls.

A super find today was of two Dotterel found in a field just south west of Piddington and they were much-admired by a procession of observers today. Bonus birds also there included ten Wheatears and a male Whinchat.

Birds reported at Summer Leys LNR today included two Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Ruff, the now long-staying Spotted Redshank, three Hobbies and two drake Garganey with Earls Barton new workings producing a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a White Wagtail with a Cuckoo at Mary's Lake.

Debbie and Eric's visit to Titchmarsh Reserve provided a succession of views of a daylight-hunting Barn Owl ending with a successful catch of a vole. Three Nightingales was a great development and other birds included a Cuckoo, Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper and two Kingfishers.

Boddington Reservoir provided a Wheatear, a Common Sandpiper and a Grasshopper Warbler and a Whinchat was a good find at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this morning. A Ring Ouzel was observed yesterday evening in the Pury End area and today there were three Wheatears on the summit plateau at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry.

Regards

Neil M

Cuckoo courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Lynne Barnett.

Garden Warbler courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Female Common Redstart
courtesy of Lewis Aaron.

Common Whitethroat courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.