Ditchford WeBs count

Hello

A week late but time to complete the WeBs count at Ditchford Pits today and as usual I started with the area to the west of Ditchford Lane which these days is rather quiet but in the past has produced some good birds. A calling Corn Bunting which then flew into the ash tree in front of me was not at all predicted! A Tree Sparrow was a little further along, both these species being uncommon in this part of the county. Also west of Ditchford Lane were three Egyptian Geese, an adult Peregrine and several Kingfishers and a couple of Grey Wagtails.

Riverside Park off Wharf Road, Higham Ferrers is generally quiet and it was today so then to the Wilsons Pits complex which had three broods of Tufted Ducks, a monster brood of five Great Crested Grebe youngsters and a smaller brood of Little Grebes. Plenty of dragonflies on the wing (with Migrant Hawkers dominating) but a sad lack of Hobbies. Four Great White Egrets standing together on Delta Pit was good but a keep net positioned in some sedge to trap an Otter wasn't - a ploy by fishermen to trap and kill Otters is to place live fish in a keep net and leave it strategically positioned so the Otter goes in but seemingly can't then clamber out and eventually drowns.

More Kingfishers and a couple more Grey Wagtails were encountered but the only wader on my wanderings was a single Common Sandpiper.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included two juvenile Black Terns, a Whinchat, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Shelduck, two Hobbies, a Spotted Flycatcher and five Swifts. The ringers captured one hundred and ninety-seven new birds which included four Grasshopper Warblers.

The three Black Terns were still at Pitsford Reservoir today, as were four Great White Egrets, six Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers and four Common Snipe.

A Whinchat was noted at Hollowell Reservoir today and two Common Redstarts were still at Harrington Airfield. The Ferruginous Duck wasn't seen at Daventry Country Park this morning but birds there included a Curlew over, a Black-tailed Godwit, at least three Green Sandpipers and at least two Common Sandpipers.

A Wryneck was a great garden find at Plumpton Road, Woodend in South Northants this afternoon and evening! A Cuckoo was between Ecton and Earls Barton today and birds at Summer Leys LNR included a Greenshank, three Black-tailed Godwits, two Green Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover.

A Black Tern was still at Stanwick Pits this morning and a Cattle Egret was noted too.

Two Common Redstarts and two Spotted Flycatchers were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and two Common Redstarts and eight Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall.

Regards

Neil M

Coot.

Migrant Hawker.

Wildlife Trust Highland Cow.

Pitsford WeBs count

Hello

Most of the day was spent completing the Pitsford Reservoir WeBs count in rather pleasant weather conditions!

An Osprey was fishing near the dam at about 9am this morning and it or another was fishing in the Walgrave Bay this afternoon. Four or five Great White Egrets were north of the causeway and ducks included five Red-crested Pochards and four Pintail with waders comprising of five Green Sandpipers, four Common Sandpipers and nine Common Snipe. Three Yellow-legged Gulls and forty Common Terns later attracted three Black Terns. Five Kingfishers were busy around the margins as were four Grey Wagtails and two Ravens were foraging along the shoreline. Other birds noted included a Hobby or two and the adult male Common Redstart was still in the hedgeline opposite the Paul Britten bench in the Scaldwell Bay.

The Ferruginous Duck was again seen at Daventry Country Park today as was a Black-tailed Godwit and a Pink-footed Goose. Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Great White Egret, a Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, a Peregrine and a Hobby and the ringing there provided over two hundred new captures which included a Spotted Flycatcher and three Common Redstarts.

Three Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank were at Summer Leys LNR this morning and a male Stonechat was seen at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits.

This morning a Common Redstart, four Whinchats, a Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier were all in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A male Common Redstart remains at Harrington Airfield - present between Bunker One and the Chipping Compound.

Brown Argus butterflies were on the wing at Salcey Forest today and Hummingbird Hawk-moths still seem to be widespread.

Regards

Neil M

Female Southern Hawker
which today was watched laying eggs
 in soil, moss and reed stems (in the
second image she is ovipositing
into a reed stem).

Evening sky at Harrington Airfield.

Birds of valley, gravel pit and reservoir.

Hello

Rather pleasant weather and temperatures out there today but rather limited reported sightings.

At Stanford Reservoir a flock of seventeen Black-tailed Godwits flew through this morning and other birds noted included a Whinchat, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Peregrine, a Hobby, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers, four Snipe, a Swift and a Kingfisher.

At Pitsford Reservoir the birds in the Scaldwell Bay amounted to a Garganey, four Great White Egrets and the male Common Redstart in the field hedge in line with the Paul Britten bench. At Harrington Airfield Paul detected two Common Redstarts in the scrubby areas between the Chippings Compound and Bunker Three. Just five Spotted Flycatchers were on show at Lamport Hall early this afternoon with a Hobby earlier.

A Tree Pipit, a Barn Owl and two Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning (the Whinchats still present this evening) with a Raven in the village and birds at Fleetland Farm between Harlestone and Duston also included a Tree Pipit flying over and a Little Owl.

Between six and eight Common Sandpipers were on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits today and at Earls Barton Pits there was a Wood Sandpiper on the new workings north of the river and four Black-tailed Godwits, six Common Snipe and a Great White Egret were at Summer Leys LNR.

At Stanwick Pits early this morning the Black Tern was still present plus a Cattle Egret, two Great White Egrets, seven Common Sandpipers and good numbers of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Common Redstart.

Speckled Wood butterfly.

Brown Hawker dragonfly.

Corizus hyoscanyami
courtesy of Robin Gossage

Long stayers and new birds in

Hello 

Some extra birds for yesterday (Wednesday) included the now long-staying Ferruginous Duck at Daventry Country Park and in the evening Hollowell Reservoir was good for a Black-tailed Godwit, two Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin. At about 7pm a juvenile Marsh Harrier was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton before flying towards the village and two Whinchats were in an oat crop in the valley.

With only a moderate amount of rain it is quite amazing to see how vegetation, particularly grass, has responded after such a prolonged period of heat and no precipitation, with some grass verges looking quite green again. During the initial drizzle and light rain two evenings ago, Hummingbird Hawk-moths became particularly active and were reported in several places in the county busy nectaring.

Today (Thursday) and the Ferruginous Duck was still at Daventry Country Park, this time in the north-east bay and showing well and an excellent find was a Pied Flycatcher at Hollowell Reservoir at the inlet end off the Guilsborough Road sharing the hedgerow and trees with a Spotted Flycatcher. Other birds noted there this morning were two Dunlin, two Common Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers and Meadow Pipit.

In the Nene Valley there was a Black Tern at Stanwick Pits plus a Cattle Egret, two Great White Egrets, a Ruff and two Common Sandpipers and Mary's Lake at Earls Barton hosted a juvenile Wood Sandpiper with adjacent Summer Leys LNR attracting four Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff and a Great White Egret. Two Ringed Plovers, a Great White Egret and two Water Rails were at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve.

Birds of interest on the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir this morning were four Great White Egrets, two Red-crested Pochard, eight Common Snipe, two Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper and the male Common Redstart in the field hedge parallel to the Scaldwell Bay boundary fence opposite the Paul Britten seat.

Two Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning with three Whinchats nearby and a Marsh Harrier, a Wheatear. two Whinchats and a couple of Clouded Yellow butterflies in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

At least four vocal Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield today with two in bushes near Bunker Two and two more between Bunker One and the Chippings Compound. A Common Redstart was caught and ringed there this morning but it is not known if it was one of these birds or a fifth bird. Six different Common Redstarts have been ringed at Harrington Airfield this month. A pair of Hobby made a couple of sorties over the old disused airfield today, catching prey and excitedly passing the prey between them. A large flock of Linnets seems to be attracting much of their attention.

Regards

Neil M

Some things had to wait a 
long time before being able
to move in the heatwaves - this
brightly coloured Common Toad
was active in the rain.


Courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Rhagium mordax Longhorn Beetle
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Phasia hemiptera courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

The first year male Common
Redstart caught and ringed at
Harrington Airfield today.

Autumnal birding

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway today were made up of four Great White Egrets, two Red-crested Pochard, a Ruff, three Green Sandpipers, nine Common Snipe, a Hobby, a Yellow-legged Gull and the long-staying Common Redstart. Yesterday at one stage there were nine Ruff present (six in flight and three feeding on the mud).

Some ringing at Pitsford Reservoir today provided just a small number of birds but a couple of stars were a young Tawny Owl and a Common Buzzard both captured in mist nets.

Summer Leys LNR continued to attract up to four Black-tailed Godwits and a Wheatear today plus two Common Snipe and a Great White Egret with a Common Sandpiper on Mary's Lake. The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits today played host to a Black Tern, a Sanderling and singles of Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and Common Snipe with up to four Ringed Plovers.

Birds at Stanwick Pits today included a Cattle Egret, two Great White Egrets, a Ruff and two Common Sandpipers.

Two Hobbies were at Hanging Houghton today, one with prey and birds at Harrington Airfield this afternoon included at least three Common Redstarts, two Wheatears and four Whinchats.

Regards

Neil M

A young Tawny Owl
ringed at Pitsford 
Reservoir today.

A Common Buzzard, probably a
 second year female, was also ringed
 at Pitsford Reservoir today.

Here comes the rain!

Hello

So far the weather change has meant cooler conditions and greyer skies but little in the way of rain...hopefully there is more of the wet stuff to come!

Scarcer birds noted at Stanford Reservoir today were made up of three Common Sandpipers, a Hobby, four Spotted Flycatchers, two Ravens, three Lesser Whitethroats and gatherings of Swallows and Goldfinches. Two Ospreys were noted at Hollowell Reservoir this evening.

Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir were mostly long-stayers such as two Red-crested Pochards, four Great White Egrets, a Common Sandpiper, three Green Sandpipers, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and the male Common Redstart still. New birds in were three Ruff and five Snipe and a Nuthatch at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station which is rather unusual. A Common Sandpiper, a couple of migrant Sedge Warblers and two more Yellow-legged Gulls were at the dam end of the reservoir this afternoon.

At Harrington Airfield three Common Redstarts were heard calling with one at Bunker Two being seen and the other two calling from cover between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One.

A Peregrine was seen over Earls Barton village today and a Hobby and a couple of Spotted Flycatchers were in Hanging Houghton village. Clifford Hill Pits hosted a single Goldeneye and two Common Sandpipers and there was a Great White Egret on Higham Lakes (part of the Ditchford Pits complex).

A Wheatear is not often encountered on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits so was a welcome sighting - there were also eight species of warbler on show on the reserve and a single Common Sandpiper too. A Hobby was at Summer Leys LNR prior to the onset of rain this evening and there were three Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank earlier in the day. A single Cattle Egret flew north over the Roadside Pit at Stanwick Pits this morning - a site that the local birders have been visiting daily and surely is now overdue a rarity or two (yesterday's Bittern aside)?

The young drake Ferruginous Duck was still at Daventry Country Park today plus the Pink-footed Goose and a Caspian Gull.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Green Woodpecker.

Gadwall with ducklings.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls - yep
all of them!

A change in the weather?

Hello

With hints of changes in the weather we await with bated breath for tomorrow! Cooler, greyer periods today but also with some very strong sunshine and breeze - possibly some rain and thunderstorms tomorrow...

The ringers were active at Stanford Reservoir today processing some one hundred and seventy birds which included two of four Spotted Flycatchers present. Other birds seen included a Whinchat this evening, a Common Redstart, three Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers, three Snipe, two Ravens, a Hobby and a Kingfisher.

A period of ringing at Harrington Airfield this morning provided just over fifty birds which included two Lesser Whitethroats, Linnets, Common Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and three Common Redstarts which were all first year males. One of these Redstarts was a re-trap bird from just a few days ago but the other two were fresh birds. It seems that there were another two birds on-site which were not captured. A Wheatear was also around Bunkers One and Two and a cracking male Marsh Harrier hunted the top fields on and off for over two hours.

A Bittern was seen at Stanwick Pits today along the grass causeway on the north end of the Layby Pits and four Black-tailed Godwits were at Summer Leys LNR plus a Great White Egret, a Dunlin and a Ringed Plover. Two Great White Egrets were in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir early this afternoon.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning where there were still several Clouded Yellow butterflies, a Common Redstart and two Whinchats. There were still two Common Redstarts and at least four Spotted Flycatchers at Blueberry Farm and this evening fifteen Spotted Flycatchers and one or two Common Redstart(s), two Hobbies and a Barn Owl were all at Lamport Hall. A large falcon was glimpsed twice at Hanging Houghton today - possibly a Peregrine but insufficient views obtained.

Two Common Sandpipers were noted at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and the first year drake Ferruginous Duck was again at Daventry Country Park.

Regards

Neil M

Sunset at Harrington
Airfield yesterday evening.

One of the first year male
Common Redstarts caught
and processed at Harrington
Airfield this morning.

Quiet and hot Sunday.

Hello

There were seemingly few birds reported in the county today, the hot conditions making birding uncomfortable outside the early mornings and evenings.

Stanford Reservoir hosted a Garganey today plus two Spotted Flycatchers, two Ravens, a Hobby and a  Grasshopper Warbler.

Two Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and a Common Redstart and a Whinchat were at 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton. A Stonechat was an early find at Wollaston Weir this morning and a Raven was noted over Barnwell Country Park.

A Common Redstart was at Harrington Airfield this evening between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One and four Whinchats were just south-west of Bunker One. Ringing there tomorrow morning restricts access to the bunkers and the scrubby area between the chippings compound and the concrete track.

Insects regionally included Striped Hawk-moths not far from us in Leicestershire and Nigel captured a superb Bedstraw Hawk-moth in Duston last night.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Whinchat.

 Stonechat courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Wheatear.

The time of the year when
we often experience passage
birds of all three species
 of these chats.

Hot, breezy and still no rain.

Hello

Yesterday evening (Friday) there were some fifteen Spotted Flycatchers together at Lamport Hall as viewed from the footpath running off the A508 at the southern end of the park and a Hobby was active at Harlestone Lake. Nocturnal migration at Harrington Airfield recorded a Common Sandpiper over at 11.35pm and what may have been Common Scoter some ten minutes later.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning a male Common Redstart was still in the field hedge between the Old Scaldwell Road and the Bird Club Hide adjacent to the Scaldwell Bay and birds in the bay included two Red-crested Pochard, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper and a Ringed Plover. There was a Great White Egret and a Kingfisher in the Walgrave Bay early this afternoon.

At Stanford Reservoir there were seven Spotted Fycatchers (one caught and ringed) this morning plus a Green Sandpiper and four Ravens and the first year drake Ferruginous Duck was still at Daventry Country Park late morning.

Morning sightings along the bridlepath that permits views of the new gravel workings off the Whiston Road provided two pairs of Grey Partridge, one with three young , a Cuckoo, a Green Sandpiper and over forty Linnets.

This morning there were two Common Redstarts, a Tree Pipit and two Crossbills over Blueberry Farm, Maidwell with a Common Redstart, a Wheatear and Clouded Yellows in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Nearby there were just eight Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart at Lamport Hall.

Ten Yellow Wagtails, a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper were on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits and a Marsh Harrier and three Black-tailed Godwits were on the Summer Leys LNR this morning.

A small number of birds were caught and ringed at Harrington Airfield this morning before it became too warm. The highlights were twelve Common Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, a couple of Willow Warblers, a young Green Woodpecker and an adult female Common Redstart. At least one other Common Redstart was around Bunker Two, there was a Wheatear at Bunker One and other birds included Grey Partridges and a hunting Hobby. Butterflies included Common Blue, Small Heath and Small Copper.

Regards

Neil M

Migrant Hawker.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Common Whitethroat.

Ant Mimic Beetle courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Apple Weevil courtesy 
of Robin Gossage.

Drought birds

Hello

Yesterday evening (Thursday) and there were ten Spotted Flycatchers in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

This morning (Friday) I took a drive over to Borough Hill Country Park at Daventry arriving there at about dawn. The orangey almost full harvest moon lit the way as I progressed west. Although there was quite a variety of common warblers in the bushes I didn't encounter very much other than the norm despite well over two hours checking the bushes and open hillsides, five Spotted Flycatchers perhaps being the best. Small numbers of post-breeding Skylarks and Meadow Pipits flew up from the top ridge but apart from a few Yellow Wagtails flying over visible migration was minimal.

I popped down to Daventry Country Park afterwards and located the first year drake Ferruginous Duck expertly picked out by Gary Pullan earlier this month. A Pink-footed Goose was with the Greylags and seven Green Sandpipers fed along the muddy shoreline. Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were quite numerous in the waterside trees and at least one Grey Wagtail was in the area of the dam.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir this morning included a summer Corn Bunting, a Common Redstart, still ten Ravens, a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and two Hobbies.

At Pitsford Reservoir at lunchtime there were two Great White Egrets in the Walgrave Bay and the Scaldwell Bay hosted two Red-crested Pochard, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a male Common Redstart, a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper.

There were three Black-tailed Godwits at Summer Leys LNR this morning and a Common Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows. Birds at Stanwick Pits this morning included a Cattle Egret, a Great White Egret, four Common Sandpipers and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

A Honey Buzzard was reported via Birdguides as flying south at Islip this morning, one of many bird sightings from this location over the last couple of years from an unknown observer. One of Ian's Common Redstarts was still on the reserve at Woodford Halse again today.

Yesterday evening (Thursday) and Hummingbird Hawk-moths and Painted Ladies were attracted to buddleias and other flowers at The Fishing Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir and this afternoon there were still Clouded Yellows in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Other insects of note reported during the last few days include some fresh Brown Argus butterflies and Willow Emerald damselflies.

A ringing session will be taking place at Harrington Airfield in the morning (Saturday) when there will be access restrictions to the scrubby areas around the bunkers.

Regards

Neil M

A bolt from the blue - Kingfisher!

Moulting male Kestrel
perched on the Maytrees Hide
at Pitsford Reservoir today. The
bird bears a ring which is interesting
as there hasn't been a bird ringed
locally for some years.

Ruddy Darter.

A hot harvest

Hello

The warmth of the last two days has resulted in less reported bird sightings - I think the birders have wilted rather than the birds!

Both yesterday and today a Wood Sandpiper has been at the Earls Barton Pits complex, mostly on Mary's Lake but occasionally on the Summer Leys scrape where two Black-tailed Godwits remain. Yesterday there was a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper and a Yellow-legged Gull. Today a Common Buzzard was seen to catch a Grass Snake there (per Bob Bullock).

Also yesterday a Tree Pipit slipped over Pitsford Reservoir at 6.35am heading south-west and a Common Redstart and a Hobby were noted at Woodford Halse.

This morning yielded two or three Common Redstarts at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell still and at least fifteen Spotted Flycatchers and one or two Common Redstart(s) were still at Lamport Hall and visible from the footpath at the south end of the complex.

Nigel found a Wheatear this morning at Fleetland Farm, Duston and the Ferruginous Duck was reportedly still present at Daventry Country Park today.

Yesterday two Common Redstarts were caught and ringed at Stanford Reservoir on the Leicestershire bank plus a Grasshopper Warbler and other birds noted included ten Ravens, a Kingfisher, a Green Sandpiper and a Hobby

At Harrington Airfield this morning a short ringing session caught just a small number of birds before it became too warm but did include a Lesser Whitethroat and a Common Redstart. At least five single Tree Pipits moved south over the plateau calling as they went and didn't remain as did a few small flocks of Yellow Wagtails. A couple of Ravens and Grey Partridges maintain a presence there and butterflies included plenty of Common Blues and rather less Small Heaths. A small number of Clouded Yellow butterflies remain active in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was around fuchsias in the village.

Regards

Neil M

The dust of an evening
golden harvest.

Ruddy Darter.

darwin wasp sp
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

First year male
Common Redstart
at Harrington Airfield today.

Dispersing birds in the heat.

Hello

Another warm day and a few more to come yet!

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Scaldwell Bay hosted two Great White Egrets, four Red-crested Pochard, two Green Sandpipers, one Common Sandpiper and a male Common Redstart with a Kingfisher in the Walgrave Bay. There are two noisy broods of juvenile Sparrowhawks on the reserve which are just beginning to disperse and become independent.

At Stanford Reservoir a Black-tailed Godwit was present first thing and other birds included a Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Flycatcher and four Ravens. An Osprey was seen at Hollowell Reservoir this evening and this morning there was a Golden Plover, two Green Sandpipers and two Little Ringed Plovers.

The Ferruginous Duck remained elusive and mobile at Daventry Country Park where there were also three Green Sandpipers. The White-rumped Sandpiper remained at Eyebrook Reservoir and the Cape Gull was still at Grafham Water until late afternoon when it apparently flew off east.

Mary's Lake at Earls Barton Pits still hung on to a Wood Sandpiper today with a Green Sandpiper and with two Black-tailed Godwits still at adjacent Summer Leys LNR.

A Common Redstart remained at Woodford Halse today and at least one Common Redstart and about ten Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall. Two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm this evening and there were at least eight Spotted Flycatchers in the belt of trees next to Beck Dairy, Cottesbrooke this morning. A family party of Spotted Flycatchers and a Raven were in Hanging Houghton village with four Clouded Yellows in the Brampton Valley below the village.

A Common Redstart and a Wheatear were at Harrington Airfield this morning, both around Bunker Two and four Grey Wagtails were near Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Sparrowhawk.

Kingfisher

Grey Wagtail courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Post-breeding dispersals of the above three
species will ensure they can be encountered
almost anywhere until they settle to establish
a winter territory.

The second heat wave begins!

Hello

More ringing today at Stanford Reservoir produced another fresh haul of new birds and together with re-traps and a couple of controls, the total was over two hundred and fifty birds processed today including a Sparrowhawk. Other birds noted on-site included an Osprey and six Ravens.

A much more modest period of ringing at Pitsford Reservoir yielded over fifty common birds including many re-traps Great Tits and Blue Tits but also a new juvenile Marsh Tit. A Great White Egret, six Ravens and a Kingfisher were seen in the Walgrave Bay and the Scaldwell Bay hosted four Great White Egrets, three Red-crested Pochard, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Kingfisher, a Garganey, two Common Sandpipers, six Green Sandpipers, a Wheatear and a Mink.

At Earls Barton Pits there was a Wood Sandpiper on Mary's Lake, a Marsh Harrier hunting the Summer Leys reserve, two Black-tailed Godwits and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regional big-hitters included the Ferruginous Duck again at Daventry Country Park, the Cape Gull still at Grafham and the White-rumped Sandpiper at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Blueberry Farm, Maidwell retained three Common Redstarts this morning and a Marsh Harrier flew over heading for Brixworth. A Whinchat and a Wheater were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton where there were also Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady butterflies. A Short-eared Owl was again video'd on a camera trap during the early hours of this morning.

Nearby at Lamport Hall there was a Common Redstart, two Ravens and at least ten Spotted Flycatchers and over at Wicksteed Park Nick saw five Yellow-legged Gulls. Two Common Redstarts remain elusive at Harrington Airfield in bushes between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One.

Regards

Neil M

Male Blackbird courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Emerald Damselfly.

Hedgehog.

A rare gull and a mad Weasel!

Hello

A potential first for Britain was identified over at Grafham Water today in Cambridgeshire in the shape of the fairly newly-named Cape Gull (formerly Kelp Gull) which is a Southern Hemisphere gull taking the niche occupied in the Northern Hemisphere by the Great Black-backed Gull. This species has extended it's range over the decades, travelling up from Southern Africa and breeding along the Atlantic shores of North Africa followed by sightings in Iberia and France and those that study potential vagrancy to these shores have predicted one being spotted in the UK some day soon!

This bird posed for the crowds unaware of the excitement it had created, mixing in with a flock of Yellow-legged Gulls for company. It wasn't surprising that plenty of Northants birders took the relatively short journey to Grafham, particularly those interested in gulls, and it was good to catch up with quite a few faces rather than just reading about what they have seen on-line!

In Northamptonshire the heat of the day probably caused a certain paucity of records but birds at Pitsford Reservoir included five Red-crested Pochards, a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Wheatear, mostly in the Scaldwell Bay.

Over at Stanford Reservoir the Osprey appeared again, a Tree Pipit was seen and other birds included five Lesser Whitethroats, two Cetti's Warblers and five Ravens.

The White-rumped Sandpiper was still at Eyebrook Reservoir again today and a Great White Egret was at Daventry Country Park (no confirmed sightings of the Ferruginous Duck today). At Summer Leys an Osprey was seen over the Main Lake and there were two Great White Egrets, two Green Sandpipers and two broods of Tufted Ducks.

A Green Sandpiper on a pond at Boughton Pocket Park was a good find and a Hobby was hunting down dragonflies at Harlestone Lake this morning.

Two Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke at 'shrike hedge' and at Harrington Airfield there was a juvenile Whinchat at Bunker Three, several Grey Partridges and a Clouded Yellow butterfly. Stanwick Pits attracted two Redshanks, five Common Sandpipers and three Water Rails and an Osprey from the Rutland scheme was photographed at Hollowell Reservoir.

It would appear that low water levels over the southern half of Britain has created plenty of draw-down at reservoirs and gravel pits and as a result the wader passage we expect to be polarised at this time of the year is more scattered as the birds have plenty of venue choice.

The video below (of a madcap garden Weasel) is courtesy of Fiona Barclay 😁

Regards

Neil M

Reed Bunting courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Muntjac.

Grayling butterfly.

Brampton Valley birds

Hello

A simple river valley with just a small brook, fields, hedgerows and small areas of grass headlands and a nectar belt for insects nevertheless has been a magnet for birds over the last few days - the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today sported a Short-eared Owl (showing during daylight hours finally), a Marsh Harrier, more than ten Spotted Flycatchers, a Common Redstart and two Whinchats. At least four Clouded Yellows and Painted Lady butterflies were present too.

Three Common Redstarts and a Tree Pipit were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and birds at Lamport Hall were made up of a Common Redstart and at least ten Spotted Flycatchers.

Birds at Hollowell Reservoir included three Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and five Little Ringed Plovers and two Great White Egrets and a Kingfisher were in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir with four Red-crested Pochards, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Spotted Flycatcher in the Scaldwell Bay.

A Marsh Harrier was again at Summer Leys LNR and at Stanford Reservoir an astonishing 393 new birds were ringed and other birds included an Osprey, a Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin, a Grasshopper Warbler (caught and ringed), a Hobby and two Ravens.

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield today provided sixty-six birds which included twenty-three Linnets, five Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, two Blackcaps, five Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat. Two Hobbies were harrying the Linnet flock, a Common Redstart was heard calling and other birds included a Raven and a pair of Grey Partridge. A probable Short-eared Owl was flying high over Kettering this afternoon

Local rarities remain in situ - the Ferruginous Duck was still at Daventry Country Park today and the White-rumped Sandpiper still at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy
of Bethan Clyne.

Short-eared Owl.

Hobby.