The heat is on!

Hello

An early morning ringing session before the heat of the day was upon us took place at Pitsford Reservoir today with over fifty captures of common birds with Great Tits and Blue Tits predominating. Other birds included a couple of Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler and a Chiffchaff already bearing a ring. It transpires that the Chiffchaff was first ringed at Stanford Reservoir on 14th April 2022 - the evidence suggests that this male bird now holds a territory at Pitsford Reservoir! Also caught and ringed was a smart young male Green Woodpecker.

Birds noted north of the causeway at the reservoir included three drake Red-crested Pochard (Walgrave Bay), three Great White Egrets, six Little Egrets, a Wigeon, two Kingfishers and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

At Stanford Reservoir today an Osprey was seen plus three Little Egrets, a Common Sandpiper, a Wigeon and a Kingfisher.

At Lilbourne Meadows reserve there was a Common Redstart, eight Green Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover and Harrington Airfield this evening had a Common Redstart in bushes at Bunker Two, a family of Grey Partridges, a Hobby, a couple of Ravens and nine Marbled White butterflies. A small number of Marbled White butterflies persist at Lamport Hall too.

A female Sparrowhawk took no notice of Eleanor in the garden with the dogs when it swept straight past to take a juvenile Starling feeding on the ground just a few metres away (Hanging Houghton).

More clearwing moths were keeping some of the moth enthusiasts happy with Red-tipped and Red-belted Clearwings being attracted to the pheromone lures. Fineshade Wood today was good for a Purple Emperor, Purple Hairstreaks and Dark Green and Silver-washed Fritillaries and White-letter Hairstreaks were found at the junction of the A5199 with the Naseby and Guilsborough road. Purple Emperors and the usual entourage of other butterflies were still on show at Lady Wood today.

Regards

Neil M

Young male
Green Woodpecker.

Common Buzzard.

White-letter Hairstreak.

Interesting insects

Hello

Phew that was a hot one - and more to come it seems! The temperature levels were about thirty degrees Centigrade at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon. Birds noted at Pitsford today included an Osprey over the Scaldwell Bay this afternoon, a first summer Yellow-legged Gull and at least two Great White Egrets (two seen initially in The Walgrave Bay and two seen subsequently in the Scaldwell Bay). Dragonflies were out in large numbers and the warm weather and low wind speeds saw Blue Emperors and Black-tailed Skimmers hunting right out in the middle of the bays. Pheromone traps were used to attract both Hornet Clearwing and Lunar Hornet Clearwing moths.

Barn Owls were active in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included two Black-tailed Godwits, ten Little Egrets, a Common Sandpiper, a Hobby, two Ravens and two Cetti's Warblers.

The Lilbourne reserve and DIRFT area provided views of a Common Redstart, four Curlews, two Green Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover.

A Purple Emperor was at Salcey Forest - again along the track beyond the Horsebox car park and other butterflies included four White Admirals and three Silver-washed Fritillaries. Marbled White butterflies were active at Heyford Fields today.

Regards

Neil M

Common Swift acting as
a host to the Swift Lousefly
 or Flatfly Crataerina pallida.

Close-up of the remarkable
Crataerina pallida.

Images courtesy of
Sue Hetherington.

Black Arches moth courtesy
of Michelle Spinks.

Elephant Hawk-moth courtesy
of Michelle Spinks.

Ringing at Lamport Hall.

Hello

A late blog as just in from an evening ringing session at Lamport Hall where we caught eight Swifts, twenty House Martins, three Swallows and a Wren. A pair of Hobbies were causing a great deal of anxiety at the colony with repeated attacks whilst we were there, catching at least one House Martin and terrorising the remainder. Three of the Swifts were re-traps from previous years with one of them being caught and ringed way back on 3rd July 2017. One of the House Martins was first ringed there as a juvenile last year and is now a breeding adult. Other birds noted included Ravens, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Grey Wagtail.

Seven Bar-tailed Godwits were seen at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and twenty Black-tailed Godwits dropped in to Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon in the Scaldwell Bay but may not have stayed. Seven Black-tailed Godwits were also seen at Stanford Reservoir today plus three Common Sandpipers, two Little Egrets, a Kingfisher and three Cetti's Warblers.

Insect news included a White-letter Hairstreak briefly in a Duston garden, a Willow Emerald Damselfly in a Blisworth garden and Sallow Clearwing moths to two gardens with the use of pheromone attracters.

Regards

Neil M

Common Swift.

House Martin courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Swallow courtesy
of Chris Payne.

The start of the heatwave

Hello

Yesterday evening at Pitsford Reservoir there were two Yellow-legged Gulls and a Little Egret in the vicinity of the dam. Today birds noticed on the reserve north of the causeway included two Great White Egrets, three Little Egrets, an eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard (Scaldwell Bay), a couple of Grey Wagtails, a Hobby and a brood of five Tufted Ducks. Seventeen Common Tern chicks were ringed on the new tern raft in the Walgrave Bay. The meadows are full of insects and there were still plenty of Marbled Whites there and also Small Coppers are out and about along the track down to the Scaldwell Bay.

My visit to Harrington Airfield was uneventful although there were still quite a few Marbled Whites on the wing there too plus common butterflies and a variety of day-flying moths.

Two Hobbies were pursuing birds in Lamport village this morning and then subsequently mobbing a Common Buzzard at Hanging Houghton. A Barn Owl and a small group of Purple Hairstreaks were present at Lamport Hall this morning and Spotted Flycatchers persist in Hanging Houghton village.

Butterfly news and at least four White-letter Hairstreaks were found around an elm at the far-flung Easton-on-the-Hill at the top end of the county and Purple Emperors were on show at Salcey Forest where Andrew had three in the canopy by the Horsebox car park and two more on a track just to the south. Silver-washed Fritillaries were present too.

Stanford Reservoir birds today included an Osprey briefly this evening, a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler this morning, two Common Sandpipers and two Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

John Tilly enjoyed
watching these Common
Dolphins whilst on holiday
in Devon!

Muntjac at Scotland
Wood today.

This WW1 replica biplane,
possibly a Se5, was 'beating up'
Harrington Airfield today.

Black-tailed Skimmer.

Sunshine produces the insects

Hello

It was my turn to be guided as I joined company with Fiona Barclay for an extended wander around the Fermyn Wood complex today including Lady and Souther Wood. Initially it was very dull and cloudy and the first couple of hours didn't produce much in the way of interesting sightings. We did come across a family party of Spotted Flycatchers in Fermyn Wood but for a long while the only butterflies on offer were slow-moving Ringlets! Swifts and Red Kites were patrolling the skies and Skylarks and a Yellow Wagtail sang from the large pea field between the woods. Marsh Tit 'sneezed' from the woodland and Nuthatches were vocally active and it was possible to hear Blackcap and Garden Warbler youngsters begging for food. A couple of Hummingbird Hawk-moths were pleasant distractions.

Fiona skillfully found a single Black Hairstreak being a little wind-blown on some Blackthorn in Lady Wood and we began to find other aspects of wildlife including a Southern Hawker and Fallow Deer. By mid-morning there was warmth in the air and we saw a Purple Emperor briefly in the canopy of some ash trees, noting a single Pyramidal Orchid in the verge below. Shortly after this the sunshine dappled through and the butterflies emerged and we saw a variety of common species and good numbers of male Purple Emperors, many of them on the tracks. Purple Hairstreaks became visible and odonata included Blue Emperor, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer and a posing Broad-bodied Chaser.

Marbled Whites were visible today at Fermyn Wood, Blueberry Farm (Maidwell), Hanging Houghton and Lamport Hall.

A Birdguides report indicates a possible Quail was seen in flight at Harrington Airfield this morning over an oat field near to the road.

At Stanford Reservoir a Quail was heard calling for a short time this morning and a Black-tailed Godwit was there briefly before flying SW. Other birds included a Hobby, four Common Sandpipers, two Little Egrets, the Wigeon still and two Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Black Hairstreak.

Pyramidal Orchid.

Red Admiral.

Purple Emperor.

Broad-bodied Chaser.

Purple Hairstreak.

Breezy Wednesday

Hello

A rather breezy day and with much cloud which was a shame but still with underlying summer warmth out of the wind.

Yesterday afternoon and Bill Draper discovered a Silver-washed Fritillary in a spinney on the Lamport Estate, a site first for this fairly recent colonist in the county. Also yesterday and Angus saw and photographed a Black Hairstreak in Fermyn Wood as well as noting eighteen other species of butterfly.

This morning at Pitsford Reservoir there were two Great White Egrets in the Scaldwell Bay plus a Green Sandpiper and a Redshank. An Osprey was up by the dam, carrying a fish off towards Brixworth. Spotted Flycatchers were noted in villages in Scaldwell and Hanging Houghton. Birds at Thrapston Pits today included an eclipse drake Garganey on the Titchmarsh reserve plus a Redshank and nineteen Little Egrets.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Little Ringed Plover first thing, three Common Sandpipers, two Little Egrets, a Wigeon, a Cuckoo and a Cetti's Warbler.

Two Kingfishers were along the Brampton Brook below Hanging Houghton this morning and a Barn Owl was hunting there this evening.

Birds visible from the old railway line at Summer Leys LNR included a Black-tailed Godwit, a Common Sandpiper and a Dunlin. Access via the car park and Mary's lake was cordoned off due to a police incident.

Kelmarsh Hall this evening was good for two Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, a brood of Gadwall and a family of Spotted Flycatchers, with Scarlet Tiger moth and Purple Hairstreak butterflies being spotted too.

Regards

Neil M

Thick-headed Fly
Sicus ferrugineus.

Small Tortoiseshell.

Great White Egret.

Great Crested Grebe
shielding chicks.

Images all courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Staying local surveys

Hello

I spent a very enjoyable couple of hours this morning with local wildlife expert Bill Draper on the Lamport Estate. We assessed the numbers of active House Martin nests and Swift nests at the Hall, finding an adult Grey Wagtail, a pair of Pied Wagtails with a nest, an active Swallow nest, a late Great Tit nest with young and a family party of Spotted Flycatchers in the village rectory garden (subsequently seen in the grounds of the church). Nearby ponds have been dredged and landscaped and they attracted a Mandarin Duck, two juvenile Grey Wagtails, a couple of fly-through Siskins and Black-tailed Skimmers.

This afternoon I was with John Hunt at Spratton where we checked Swift nest boxes in the village. John has been trying very hard to attract Swifts to several houses and the church in the village over quite some time and his determined efforts, well-crafted nest boxes and other deployed devices is now paying dividends and we found four boxes containing Swift nestlings.

At Pitsford Reservoir this evening there was a flock of eleven adult Black-tailed Godwits in the Scaldwell Bay, initially between the Maytrees Hide and the Bird Club hide and later on the bund visible from the James Fisher hide. There was also a Tufted Duck brood of just one duckling, three Little Egrets, a Yellow-legged Gull and plenty of Black-tailed Skimmers. Single Ravens were at Brixworth and Barton Seagrave and twenty Marbled White butterflies were active at Harrington Airfield at lunchtime.

An Osprey was seen flying south-west over Little Irchester at lunchtime today and a belated report received of a single White Stork seen over Spratton village on Sunday afternoon heading SSE. At Stanford Reservoir there was a flock of twelve Redshanks again this evening plus a Green Sandpiper, four Common Sandpipers, a Hobby, a Great White Egret and two Little Egrets.

The male Common Redstart was at Lilbourne reserve along the eastern fence line with two Green Sandpipers and two Little Ringed Plovers also present.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Cardinal Beetle
with pseudo scorpion.

Marbled White on
Pyramidal Orchid.

Purple Emperor.

Purple Hairstreak.

All images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Me, my camera and a few butterflies

Hello

I visited the Fermyn Wood complex today, spending just over four hours around Fermyn, Lady and Souther Woods admiring the butterflies and other creatures, particularly during the first couple of hours with strong sunshine. The Silver-washed Fritillaries were probably the stars of the show, flying around at super speeds but also feeding on bramble flowers and allowing close approaches. There was at least one of the 'valezina' form in Fermyn. Several White Admirals were also whizzing around and also have a fondness for bramble flowers and although Purple Emperors were seen I failed to confirm one. Purple Hairstreaks were particularly numerous, particularly in Fermyn and a long list of common butterflies put in fine performances. Hummingbird Hawk-moths were busy and there were several other day-flying moths about. Three Common Lizards were showing on a log pile and birds included a Spotted Flycatcher. Odonata included Blue Emperor, Southern Hawker and Brown Hawker.

I subsequently visited Fineshade and spent about an hour on the southern outskirts of the wood near to the old railway line and Top Lodge. Here also there were Silver-washed Fritillaries and a couple of White Admirals and other butterflies included at least ten Marbled Whites. A Slow worm was a nice find.

A visit to nearby Blatherwycke Lake coincided with an Otter fishing in the southern section and birds noted included three broods of Gadwall, four Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, two Mandarin Ducks, a first summer Hobby and a Black Swan. Odonata included Blue Emperor and Banded Demoiselle. Deene Lake attracted four Green Sandpipers, a Little Egret and a Black Swan plus Brown Hawker and Banded Demoiselle.

A quick return to Fermyn later yielded a couple of fast-flying canopy butterflies that were either White Admiral or Purple Emperor but they were quickly away before I identified them.

Dave James did well to find a late Black Hairstreak butterfly at Stonepit Close, Old Sulehay today.

Eleanor took a walk around Harlestone Heath today and saw two Spotted Flycatchers just inside the A428 entrance and two Siskins within the complex. A female/immature Common Redstart was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. A Barn Owl was between Scaldwell village and Hanging Houghton this evening.

Adrian saw a warbler briefly early this morning at Weekley Wood Avenue, Kettering which could have been a Dartford Warbler but unfortunately the bird wasn't seen again. There was negative news from Lilbourne with respect to the Pectoral Sandpiper of the last two days.

Nine Black-tailed Godwits and two Common Sandpipers were at the Summer Leys LNR this evening and birds at Stanford Reservoir included a Curlew, seven Common Sandpipers, a Great White Egret, four Little Egrets, a Hobby and three Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Silver-washed Fritillary.

Silver-washed Fritillary
of the 'valezina' form.

Comma.

Common Lizards.

White Admiral.

Banded Demoiselle.

Migrants and breeders

Hello

A pair of Spotted Flycatchers and a pair of mobile Hobbies have both been active around the village at Hanging Houghton today. It seems likely that the flycatchers have probably failed at their first breeding effort and are eyeing up another spot to have a second attempt. It could be that the same thing has happened to the Hobbies as they have been vocal and very much together on and off during the day. Yesterday evening it was possible to hear vocal Kestrel, Hobby, Little and Tawny Owl around the village.

It would seem that yesterday's Pectoral Sandpiper at Lilbourne was the wader first thought to be a Temminck's Stint - in any event the Pectoral Sandpiper was still in the Lilbourne reserve area early this afternoon before being lost in flight.

At Hollowell Reservoir today Adrian spotted the very long-staying female Ruddy Shelduck and an Osprey and discovered a huge colony of over a hundred Marbled White butterflies mostly at the east end of the dam and nearby copse.

A male Common Redstart and a Barn Owl were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and a family of Spotted Flycatchers were in Cottesbrooke village. At Harrington Airfield it was possible to see over a dozen Marbled White butterflies, a good mix of common butterflies including three species of skipper, Common Blue and Gatekeeper and birds included adult and juvenile Lesser Whitethroats and a pair of Grey Partridge. Mullein and Cinnabar Moth caterpillars were quite easy to locate.

Elsewhere and a 'valezina' form of Silver-washed Fritillary was seen at Southwick Wood and one lucky person had a Dark Green Fritillary visit them in their Barton Seagrave garden! Up to five Purple Emperors were at Salcey Forest accessible from the Horsebox car park and four more were seen in Bucknell Wood. The nectar strips and headlands at Lamport Hall is supporting large numbers of common butterflies including Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, Commas and Marbled Whites and a couple of foxes and Brown Hares were active there too.

An amazing total of thirteen Redshanks at Stanford Reservoir was significant evidence of post-breeding migration today and there was also a Green Sandpiper present plus three Little Egrets, a Cuckoo, a brood of Tufted Duck ducklings, two Hobbies and four Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Bee Orchid courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Mediterranean Gull courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Rooftop Sparrowhawk
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Summer nature events

Hello

Members of the Northants Ringing Group provided a Ringing Demonstration today at Howe Park Wood in Milton Keynes, as part of the Parks Trust Nature Day It seems like the weather was much more summery and dryer than the weather experienced further north in Northamptonshire. The event was very well attended with a variety of displays and events celebrating the nature to be found on land and reserves managed by the Parks Trust. The ringing team processed a variety of species including six Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Nuthatch, tits and other common birds. Perhaps the most unusual capture was that of a Hornet Clearwing moth in one of the mist nets and this was carefully and skillfully extracted by Laura and apparently a new species for the site.

This morning a Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and there was a Spotted Flycatcher again in the village plus a Hobby both this evening.

Perhaps as a result of the heavy spells of rain in the county today, Lilbourne Meadows and the A5 pools adjacent to the reserve was the place to be this afternoon with records of a male Common Redstart, a Temminck's Stint and a Pectoral Sandpiper - a proper mid summer purple patch!

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a juvenile Kingfisher caught and ringed, two Hobbies, two Oystercatchers and a Wigeon.

Regards

Neil M

Today's Hornet Clearwing Moth.

Small Skipper.

Painted Lady.

Elephant Hawk-moth.

A little passage

Hello

A little bit of bird passage evident today with a few transient individuals as part of post-breeding migration and relocation.

A probable Purple Emperor and multiple Hummingbird Hawk-moths were around the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Reservoir today and birds in the Scaldwell Bay included a Great White Egret and a Yellow-legged Gull. A Gatekeeper was noted amongst the many Meadow Browns and Ringlets.

Purple Emperors were also on show at the traditional spot in the Fermyn Wood complex and birds on show in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning included two Crossbills in flight towards Cottesbrooke, a Hobby, two Grey Wagtails and a pair of Grey Partridges. A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was in the village at Hanging Houghton and nearby there were six Marbled White and four Painted Lady butterflies at Lamport Hall.

At Sywell Country Park this afternoon there were a pair of Spotted Flycatchers in the usual spot behind the dam, two Grey Wagtails, a Cetti's Warbler and a brood of Tufted Ducks plus a few Marbled Whites, Commas, Red Admirals and Painted Lady butterflies.

Yesterday evening and six Green Sandpipers and a possible Wood Sandpiper were noted at Lilbourne Meadows and today waders included a Common Sandpiper at Summer Leys LNR and a Green Sandpiper and a Dunlin at Hollowell Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Purple Emperor at Fermyn
today courtesy of David Arden.

Blackbird courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Carder Bee courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Baby Coot courtesy
of Robin Gossage. Any
similarity with the photographer
is simply coincidental!