Dull and then very wet!

Hello

A rather dull morning gave way to heavy rain this afternoon and evening - all quite different to the forecast proffered only yesterday!

The initial conditions were perfect for ringing today and the team at Stortons Pits did well to catch and process sixty birds which included a new Water Rail, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, eighteen Reed Buntings, two Greenfinches, a Chaffinch and a Goldfinch. A flock of eight Garganey (seven drakes) were also there, on the west pit near to the island at lunchtime. This may be the largest number recorded in Northants and reflects the large influx of this species in the UK both today and yesterday with flocks seen at a variety of locations and with up to fourteen at Dungeness in Kent.

A Peregrine passed low over Hanging Houghton early this morning and there were about six Bramblings and a Grey Partridge at Harrington Airfield.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the Great Northern Diver and the Common Sandpiper still plus about a dozen Snipe and a Brambling in the Scaldwell Bay.

A Little Ringed Plover was seen on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR today and the Glossy Ibis maintained it's presence around the North Lake area of Stanwick Pits this morning. Birds at Stanford Reservoir included a Great White Egret, two Goosanders, an Oystercatcher and a Kingfisher.

The map for Pitsford Reservoir has been updated to include the recent features such as the viewing screens at Christies Copse and the Kingfisher screens in the Scaldwell Bay (courtesy of Neil Hasdell). Please see the Birdwatching Site Maps tab or page. An additional page has also been created for photographs taken during the second five day Naturetrek tour of Iceland (8th - 12th March 2022).

Regards

Neil M

Drake Garganey.

Little Ringed Plover
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Male Reed Bunting. March through to May
probably provides the best opportunity to
witness Reed Buntings coming to food in gardens.

Birds of spring

Hello

Two Avocets were a great spring find at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and they seemed to have lasted most of the day. A Little Ringed Plover was also present and a Dunlin was there first thing. A Black-tailed Godwit was briefly on Dragonfly Lake at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve this morning.

Chiffchaffs seem to be fairly widespread now with further singles at Hanging Houghton and three north of the Lamport Station along the Brampton Valley Way today by way of example.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the Great Northern Diver again in it's usual bit of water between the Pintail Bay and the Narrows this afternoon with a Little Egret and an adult Yellow-legged Gull in the same area. North of the causeway a drake Garganey was located in the Scaldwell Bay at about 4pm this afternoon and a Brambling was present too. Another Brambling was nearby in a Scaldwell village garden this afternoon. Four more Bramblings were at Station Cottages, Brixworth this morning (where there was also a roadkill Polecat).

Three White-fronted Geese were on the main lake at Stanwick Pits first thing this morning and just across the border there were at least two Ospreys at Eyebrook Reservoir plus the female Ring-necked Duck again, a Slavonian Grebe and two Scaup.

A little ringing in a garden on the outskirts of Northampton yesterday provided singles of Siskin, Reed Bunting, Robin and twos of Goldfinch and Lesser Redpoll.

Regards

Neil M

Avocet.

Firecrest. An under-recorded
species in Northants - now is a 
great time to find one!

Curlew. Many waders are
in the process of moving back
to potential breeding sites.

Pitsford WeBs Count

Hello

Today was the waterbird count at Pitsford Reservoir and the spring-like conditions were just wonderful. Plenty of bumblebees and smaller flying insects were on the wing and butterflies included Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Red Admiral and Brimstone.

There was no sign of the Great Northern Diver today but these big birds can be elusive so we are not sure if it has actually gone. Birds seen between the causeway and dam included the Common Sandpiper on the dam, ten singing Chiffchaffs, two Sand Martins, in excess of fifty Siskins, eight Bramblings, two Grey Wagtails, two Ravens and a Kingfisher.

Birds to the north of the causeway included two Goosanders in the Walgrave Bay, about ten Siskins, a Redpoll, four Kingfishers, another ten singing Chiffchaffs, two more Ravens and twenty-nine Common Snipe. Redwing flocks were feeding on the ground in the woodland compartments and a couple of nomadic Fieldfare flocks flew in to do much the same thing. A grand total of seventy-two Goldeneye were counted at the reservoir today and the most obvious visible migration was associated with gulls, finches and Meadow Pipits. A pair of Long-tailed Tits were busy making their nest in the Scaldwell Bay.

With the first Osprey back at Rutland Water on Saturday, another was seen over Market Harborough this morning heading towards Eyebrook Reservoir and lo and behold an Osprey was watched fishing there this afternoon.

A daytime roosting Tawny Owl and a Chiffchaff were seen at Chase Park Farm, Yardley Chase today and a Green Sandpiper was at Earls Barton Spinney Quarry. About a dozen Siskins were at Kelmarsh Hall this afternoon and a Curlew and two Redshanks were at Lower Barnwell Lock floods this morning.

A Black Redstart was a good find at Harrington Airfield this afternoon, initially on the main track by the straw bales and then it subsequently relocated to Bunker Two. However it wasn't seen later so may already have moved on. In recent years we don't seem to be able to attract the early Wheatears at this site. A good thirty-five Bramblings were there this afternoon, mostly mobile between the ringing rides and there was also over twenty Golden Plovers and two Grey Partridges.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Great White Egret, a Kingfisher, an Oystercatcher, two Goosanders, a Cetti's Warbler and four Chiffchaffs.

Just outside the county and a family of Otters have been showing well at Ferry Meadows Country Park, Peterborough recently and two Otters have been showing regularly on the River Welland just outside Market Harborough (precise location not known) and were photographed again today.

Regards

Neil M

Chiffchaff.

Coot.

Goldeneye.

All images from Pitsford
Reservoir today.

Iceland and back

Hello

I have been away for the last nine days to Iceland, leading two short tours for Naturetrek in an effort to see the Northern Lights and Winter Wildlife. I have created a page which includes some images from the first period and will create a second tab in due course for the last five days too - please click on the appropriate tab under the Homepage picture should you wish to have a look.

After the daytime temperatures and winter weather of Iceland is seems remarkably mild here and spring-like in comparison!

The Great Northern Diver was reported from Pitsford Reservoir again today with the Common Sandpiper on the dam still. The Glossy Ibis was seen at the north section of Stanwick Pits again today too. Birds at Summer Leys LNR included a Ruff, a Great White Egret, nine Redshanks, fifteen to twenty Common Snipe and a Brambling. Yesterday there were three Ravens to the south of Easton Maudit with recent sightings of three Grey Partridges in the Nene Valley between Whiston Lock and north of the active gravel works.

At this time of the year north-bound migrants will be visiting gardens to fuel up before moving on and it is likely that many gardens will briefly host Siskins, Redpolls and Bramblings which will eat as much as they can and then move on before the day's end. It is also when Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings will be visiting gardens for seed on the ground (Reed Buntings will also visit suspended feeders with the right food).

A Grey Wagtail was at Hanging Houghton today and there was a singing Chiffchaff and two Grey Wagtails near Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Male and female Wigeon
courtesy of John Tilly.

Pied Wagtail courtesy
of John Tilly.

Great Crested Grebes
courtesy of John Tilly.

Weekend Roundup

 Apologies for lack of blogs but I'v had lots of internet issues and for anyone who knows me will understand that "technology" is not my strong point !!

Quite a few good birds around over the weekend. A juv Glaucous Gull was found at DIRFT3 on the A5 pools and  the female Ring Necked Duck was still at Titchmarsh although it could be elusive . Over at Stanwick GP the Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egrets and White Fronted Geese remain whilst at the other side of the county at Stanford Reservoir a Mediterranean Gull, Goosanders and more White Fronted Geese.

Crossbills have been extremely scarce this winter with literally a hand full of birds and this weekend was no exception with only a single bird at Wakerley Wood.

I have visited Harrington Airfield a few times to feed the birds and at least 20+ Bramblings remain with some absolutely stunning males. A small flock [70 birds] of Golden Plovers are also present.  Yesterday whilst walking back to the car I heard a corvid make a funny little raspy call which usually means that it has found something of interest.  In my experience you never trust a group of corvids as they are always up to mischief, they simply cannot help themselves.  This particular group of corvids were taking great delight in annoying a Short Eared Owl which was flying over quite high.

I have still be finding Woodcock at Blueberry but little else.

A visit to Pitsford Reservoir yesterday produced 2 drake Mandarin duck, Red Crested Pochard, Oystercatcher and Stonechat in the Scaldwell arm and Great Northern Diver and 2 Goosander from the dam.

A very muddy walk around Ravensthorpe Reservoir was well worth it to see the Black Redstart and Red Crested Pochard at the treatment works. The Red Crested Pochard looked very much at home on his very own personal filter bed pool.  Other birds seen were Great White Egret, Ravens and Grey Wagtails.

Then a visit to Sixfields, an area that I don't tend to visit, to catch up with a rather good looking male Common Scotor.

Hopefully as we head towards longer days and better weather the spring migration will soon be in full swing and who knows what might turn up.  Some migrants have already been seen and heard in various places around the country.  Yesterday whilst out running I came across a Chiffchaff in full song at 7am. I know that many birds over winter but I did wonder whether this bird was a migrant by the way in which it was acting. It was very active, was literally singing it's heart out and seemed genuinely pleased to be here.

Regards Eleanor

Common Scoter
courtesy of Robin
Gossage.

Spring birds

Hello

At last with the advent of some calm, dry conditions, county ringers were active today with a session at Stortons Pits providing 59 captures which included two Moorhens, two Water Rails, seven Long-tailed Tits, fourteen Blue Tits, seven Great Tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, three Dunnocks, a Chaffinch, two Greenfinches, a Goldfinch and a good catch of nineteen Reed Buntings.

Tom enjoyed the surprise of flushing a Woodcock from his Finedon garden today and more evidence of spring movement included a female Stonechat near Hartwell and another at Harrington Airfield where there were at least twenty Bramblings.

Nick relocated the female Ring-necked Duck at Thrapston Pits, this time still on the Titchmarsh Reserve and viewable from Eileen's bench at the south end of the reserve. However she was being elusive underneath some overhanging vegetation (the duck not Eileen)!

Forty Golden Plovers were noted at Summer Leys LNR and a Whooper Swan was in the Tove Valley near Yardley Gobion where there were also four Egyptian Geese and a hundred and fifty Lapwings.

A Caspian Gull was at Hollowell Reservoir today and the birds at Stanwick Pits included the Glossy Ibis at North Lake, three White-fronted Geese and two Cattle Egrets. The other three White-fronted Geese popped up at Stanford Reservoir near the settling pool and there was also a Curlew, three Great White Egrets, two Goosanders, about fifty Golden Plovers, three Cetti's Warbler and a Chiffchaff.

Regards

Neil M

Moorhen.

Water Rail.

Images courtesy of
Chris Payne.

Birds of a dank day

Hello

A very dank and wet day but at least it wasn't cold!

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the Great Northern Diver still between the Pintail Bay and The Narrows, a Barnacle Goose on the grass below the dam and a male Peregrine over the Old Scaldwell Road.

There was just a couple of Bramblings at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and a Barn Owl was picked up dead there at the side of the B576.

A Black Redstart was an excellent find on the works below the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir where the drake Red-crested Pochard also remained.

A Great White Egret was present on Dragonfly Lake on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve at Ditchford Pits and a male Blackcap is a lingering bird in Mark's garden at Higham Ferrers.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Mediterranean Gull and a thousand Common Gulls in the roost and a Great White Egret and three Goosanders were there too.

There were Birdguides reports of a Mealy Redpoll briefly in a Farthingstone garden and the Glossy Ibis was again reported at the north section of Stanwick Pits today.

Regards

Neil M

Egyptian Geese.

Bullfinch.

Cormorant.

Robin.

All images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Birds of St David's Day

Hello

A rather dull and dark day with some good sightings in the county again.

An immature White-tailed Eagle was seen over Upper Harlestone at about 9.30am but not subsequently - it is assumed that these sightings will increase as the re-introduction schemes gather pace and these young eagles continue on their wonderlust adventures.

The female Ring-necked Duck was relocated by Nick Parker on Aldwincle Lake, Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits today, showing in front of North Hide. With a female seen a couple of times at this complex in January it seems that this bird has managed to stay under the radar for some time!

The other bird of quality was the Glossy Ibis which again was seen at the north section of Stanwick Pits. It was seen to fly off but returned to the same area later. Three White-fronted Geese were in a field just north of the Main Lake this afternoon.

Years ago it was always thought that rare birds were most likely to be migrants during the spring and the autumn but these days it is the winter which now serves as the season when we enjoy most of the scarce and rare birds, probably another knock-on from global warming.

A Peregrine was seen a couple of times over Tesco, Wellingborough this afternoon and one (the same?) was hunting Starlings at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon where there were also four Shelducks.

About ten Bramblings were at Harrington Airfield this morning, and a couple were at Rectory Farm, Old today. This afternoon there were hundreds of Fieldfares around Blueberry Farm, Maidwell plus an adult male Peregrine and two Woodcock.

Regards

Neil M

White-tailed Eagle.

Peregrine courtesy of
Dave Thomas.

Redwing courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Long-tailed Tit courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Birds of valley, reservoir and woodland

Hello

At Ravensthorpe Reservoir today the Red-crested Pochard was still on the settling pools below the dam with the Pink-footed Goose again in a field west of the causeway, and other birds included three Great White Egrets and ten Siskins. Nearby at Hollowell Reservoir the best of the birds included a Jack Snipe, an adult Caspian Gull, two Stonechats and a Siskin.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Great Northern Diver was still at large and lurking between the Pintail Bay and the Narrows. Birds at Stanford Reservoir included an adult Mediterranean Gull in the roost, a Curlew over, two Oystercatchers, a Great White Egret, two Goosanders, a hundred Fieldfares and six Bramblings. A Pink-footed Goose, a Great White Egret and a Shelduck were at nearby Stanford Hall.

At Stanwick Pits the Glossy Ibis was still near North Lake late this afternoon and five Cattle Egrets were still present too but unfortunately the female Ring-necked Duck was seemingly absent from Heronry Lake at Thrapston Pits this afternoon.

A few each of Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Reed Bunting plus a female Blackcap were in a garden on the outskirts of Northampton today and birds in the Harlestone Heath area included two Crossbills and twenty Siskins around the Garden Centre. Two Grey Wagtails were on the stream by the railway line, two Ravens flew over and small flocks of Siskins were mobile throughout the complex with a flock of over sixty by the railway line.

Currently we have about four each of Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting coming to the garden and a pair of Grey Partridge were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

The Thrapston Pits
Ring-necked Duck
courtesy of Bob Bullock.

Yellowhammer
courtesy of Robin
Gossage.

Great Black-backed Gull
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Warm February sunshine

Hello

A stunning day of sunshine today made it a treat to be out!

Hundreds of Fieldfares were in the grass paddocks at Dale Farm, Maidwell this morning and half a dozen Bramblings and a pair of Grey Partridges were at Harrington Airfield with a Barn Owl hunting there yesterday afternoon.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included a Great White Egret and two Ravens. Overnight the reserve suffered at the hands of criminals when the main metal gate above the Old Scaldwell Road was angle grinded off and stolen. This makes the reserve vulnerable to potential incursions and further abuse and would-be visitors are asked to remain vigilant and inform the Police and the wardening team if potential criminal action appears imminent.

Elsewhere and the female Ring-necked Duck was still on the Heronry Lake on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning plus a Great White Egret and a Kingfisher. At Stanwick Pits the Glossy Ibis was seen again late morning at the north end of the complex and other birds on-site included five Cattle Egrets and three White-fronted Geese. At Earls Barton Pits there was a Chiffchaff along the railway line near Mary's Lake with the drake Red-crested Pochard on a small pit just to the east.

Another Red-crested Pochard was on the settling pools below the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and this afternoon birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton next to shrike hedge attracted to the bird food crop included at least sixty Yellowhammers, forty Linnets, twenty Reed Buntings and small numbers of Chaffinches and Skylarks.

The three White-fronted Geese were again at Stanford Park today and Stanford Reservoir attracted a Great White Egret, eight Goosanders, a Peregrine, a Cetti's Warbler, two Grey Wagtails, eleven Siskins and six Lesser Redpolls.

The sunshine brought forth several butterfly sightings in the county which included Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone and yesterday Comma and Red Admiral were seen too - not bad for February!

Regards

Neil M

Fieldfare courtesy of
Laurence Arnold.

Barn Owl courtesy
of John Tilly.

Greenfinch courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Peacock butterfly courtesy
of John Tilly.

Quality birds on the loose

Hello

A bright, cool and sunny morning saw me at Pitsford Reservoir at the dam end and the Great Northern Diver was finally swimming in calm water! The Common Sandpiper was on the dam, the adult and fourth year Yellow-legged Gulls were present and a couple of Redpolls and Siskins were mobile.

At Lings Wood, Northampton this morning a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was again on show and drumming.

The Glossy Ibis was eventually re-located at Stanwick Pits, still at the north end of the complex. Also present were five Cattle Egrets this morning.

Another excellent sighting were two Common Cranes that flew over Ravensthorpe Reservoir, coming from the north and departing south-east at about 9.45am. The Pink-footed Goose was in a field just west of the causeway and the reservoir also hosted a Great White Egret and five Siskins. A pair of Goosanders were on the River Nene at Lilford plus about thirty Siskins.

Eleanor's trek around the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this afternoon was also productive with a female Ring-necked Duck being located on the Heronry Pit at about 5pm (visible from the hide there but a fallen tree makes access difficult). Other birds included three Great White Egrets, a pair of Goosanders, a pair of Egyptian Geese, two Oystercatchers, two Kingfishers, a Water Rail, at least three Cetti's Warblers and a Chiffchaff. The highlight was an Otter showing well and audible in Harper's Brook (the stream that runs through the reserve).

The three White-fronted Geese were still in the parkland area of Stanford Hall this afternoon and Stanford Reservoir was the venue for five Goosanders and a Brambling.

Regards

Neil M

Female Ring-necked Duck.

Common Crane.

Otter courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Birds of a cool, sunny Friday

Hello

Yesterday's new arrival in the shape of a Glossy Ibis was still at Stanwick Pits today, favouring the north section of the complex. The supporting cast included at least three Cattle Egrets, two Great White Egrets and two Stonechats.

The Great Northern Diver was seen again at Pitsford Reservoir today, again off Pintail Bay at lunchtime and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was visual and audible at Lings Wood this morning, showing in trees in front of Lings House at 8.15am.

Harrington Airfield this morning provided thirty Bramblings, an adult male Peregrine, two Woodcock and about a hundred Golden Plovers.

This afternoon there were five Caspian Gulls at Rushton Landfill, showing in the field at the track entrance to Storefield Farm.

Regards

Neil M

Glossy Ibis.

Bathing Song Thrush.

Goldfinch.

Golden Plovers.

Cool and breezy but plenty of sunshine

Hello

The Great Northern Diver was seen again at Pitsford Reservoir today, again near to the Pintail Bay. North of the causeway there were three Goosanders, two Ravens and with a Woodcock in Christies Copse. Two Woodcock were again at Blueberry Farm this afternoon and four Roe Deer were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. 

A Glossy Ibis was found at the north section of Stanwick Pits today, one of many in the UK currently. The drake Red-crested Pochard was again at Earls Barton Pits today and eight Siskins and four Redpolls were at New Sandy Lane attenuation area at Duston, Northampton.

Stanford Reservoir attracted a Yellow-legged Gull, a Dunlin, about a hundred and thirty Golden Plovers and a Chiffchaff.

A little ringing on the outskirts of Northampton yesterday provided four Lesser Redpolls, eleven Goldfinches, four Reed Buntings and a few Blue and Great Tits.

Regards

Neil M

Muntjac.

Coot.

Cormorant.

All images taken at
Pitsford Reservoir today.

Shelducks and Oystercatchers back in the valley

Hello

Little opportunity for birding today but I noticed two Siskins and a couple of Ravens in the village at Hanging Houghton today and there was a small party of Golden Plovers and about twenty Bramblings at Harrington Airfield this morning.

At Thrapston Pits there was a Shelduck, two Oystercatchers, five Great White Egrets and eight Little Egrets and at Stanwick Pits there were four Cattle Egrets this afternoon. A dozen Siskins were on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve at Ditchford Pits and Earls Barton Pits hosted a Water Rail, a Shelduck, two Oystercatchers, a Great White Egret and a drake Red-crested Pochard on a small fenced-off lake behind and to the right of Mary's Lake. Two Oystercatchers were also at Clifford Hill Pits so it seems they are back at all their normal Nene Valley haunts!

The drake Red-crested Pochard was still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today, south of the causeway and two Woodcock were at Blueberry Farm. Maidwell this afternoon.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Yellow-legged Gull in the roost and about one hundred and thirty Golden Plovers.

Regards

Neil M

Cormorant and Oystercatcher
courtesy of John Tilly.

Oystercatcher.

Golden Plovers.

Mute Swan.

Mallard.
Over two hundred Mallard
have been caught and ringed
at Pitsford Reservoir over the 
last couple of decades with one 
recovery the other side of Moscow.