More owl stuff!

Hello

On-going efforts to improve the lot of local owls continues and today a small team of us managed to erect another Barn Owl box at Kelmarsh which had been expertly refurbished by Lynne Barnett. The last of the local Tawny Owl boxes were cleared out today in time for the potential early breeding efforts of this species and another individual was found roosting in one of them.

A garden ringing session at Maidwell provided a nice catch of regular garden birds but also included a Grey Wagtail. A Blackcap, a Pied Wagtail and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen but not captured.

The find of the day in the county was undoubtedly a female Ring-necked Duck located at Ravensthorpe Reservoir by patch worker Mark Piper who has methodically birded here and Hollowell Reservoirs for many years. The bird was off the eastern bank and diving regularly off the phragmites reed bed and later towards the causeway. The female Scaup was still at neighbouring Hollowell Reservoir.

A Pintail was on the Summer Leys LNR today and two Siberian Chiffchaffs, a Green Sandpiper, a Cetti's Warbler and ten Ring-necked Parakeets were near Bridge K121 below Cogenhoe at Billing Pits/Ecton SF and a Caspian Gull roosted at Stanford Reservoir. Eleven Smew (eight drakes) were at Eyebrook Reservoir today.

One or two Barn Owl(s) and four Golden Plovers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning with a Water Rail and a Grey Wagtail in the valley below Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Tawny Owl.

A Barn Owl box goes up!
Image courtesy of Lynne
Barnett.

The honeycomb of a bee
nest found in an owl box
earlier in the week. Image
courtesy of Jane Neill.

Grey Wagtail at Maidwell
courtesy of Lynne Barnett.

Mistle Thrush courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

January birds of the mist and murk

Hello

Yesterday there were Blackcaps in gardens at Duston and Moulton and this morning a Barn Owl was in flight between the villages of Scaldwell and Old.

A Brambling was at Harrington Airfield this morning and Golden Plovers could be heard calling in the mist there but were unseen. A Woodcock was flushed at Lamport Hall and fifteen Golden Plovers and forty Lapwings were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Redpoll, Siskin and Cetti's Warbler were all reported from Summer Leys LNR today and six Smew were at Eyebrook Reservoir including five drakes. Stanford Reservoir recorded two Caspian Gulls, ten Goosanders and seventeen Lesser Redpolls.

At Hollowell Reservoir today the female Scaup was still present as was the Ruddy Shelduck and fifteen Common Snipe and a Caspian Gull was noted on the ice at Daventry Country Park this morning.

Two Siberian Chiffchaffs were again seen by bridge K121 at Billing Pits/Ecton SF this afternoon and there was a report of a Common Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail at Frosty Hollow Park, East Hunsbury, Northampton. Five Stonechats were at Upton Country Park.

Regards

Neil M

The Otters at Market Harborough
have been proving hard to see in 
recent days but at least two Kingfishers
show well along the River Welland there.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

All images courtesy of
Jim Dunkley.

Tawny Owls

Hello

We finished off checking and clearing out the owl boxes on the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon, finding two singleton Tawny Owls in boxes. On both occasions the owl was with a large prey item, one a Blackbird and the other a Brown Rat. Both prey items were half eaten and it seems the boxes provided the perfect place to store and guard their respective prey. A bee nest from last year was found in one nest box and there was even combs of honey!

The ice at Pitsford on the reserve side was extensive and much of the wildfowl was absent. Birds noted on the reserve included a Woodcock, at least one Kingfisher, three Common Snipe and several Siskins.

Birds on the fields in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today included six Golden Plovers, one hundred and fifty Lapwings and two Common Snipe with a Brambling in the same area this morning. A pair of Grey Partridge were the only notable birds seen at Harrington Airfield this morning and the cold weather still kept the Fieldfares and ridiculous numbers of Blackbirds in our garden wolfing down the apples.

Some garden ringing on the north-east edge of Northampton provided some nice captures which included fourteen Goldfinches, a Siskin, nine Blue Tits, one Great Tit, a Long-tailed Tit, six Blackbirds, a Fieldfare, a Nuthatch, a Robin, a Starling, a Woodpigeon and a particularly feisty female Sparrowhawk!

At least five Smew were at Eyebrook Reservoir today and birds at Stanford Reservoir included a Caspian Gull in the roost, a Red-crested Pochard and ten Goosanders.

Regards

Neil M

Sunset and Lapwings
at Pitsford Reservoir
this afternoon.

Tawny Owl.

Images courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Displaced waterfowl, warblers and owl boxes.

Hello

Efforts were made today to visit the Pitsford Reservoir reserve owl boxes with a view to clearing them of debris and making them appropriate for breeding owl occupants. The usual detritus included squirrel drays, long dead Stock Doves and remnants of wasp and hornet nests! We visited about two thirds of them with the remainder to finish another day. Only one Tawny Owl was found in a box but as yet there is no evidence of breeding for the 2023 season. Plenty of ice on the reserve has displaced the usual wildfowl.

Birds noted around the reserve during our meanderings included a Great White Egret, a Woodcock, three Chiffchaffs, half a dozen Siskins and a Redpoll.

At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning two Pink-footed Geese flew over calling and other sightings included a Barn Owl, two Woodcocks, four Golden Plovers and nine Grey Partridges.

At Hollowell Reservoir a female Scaup was still present plus a Ruddy Shelduck, a Jack Snipe, five Common Snipe and a count of 159 Gadwall - and an adult Caspian Gull was at nearby Ravensthorpe Reservoir. The WeBS count at Clifford Hill Pits included 272 Gadwall, 370 Wigeon, 504 Tufted Ducks, 86 Pochard and 1335 Mallard and also a Caspian Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, seventeen Golden Plovers, twelve Common Snipe and a Stonechat.

A male Blackcap was in a Nether Heyford garden again today and birds at Ecton SF/Billing Pits today included at least one Siberian Chiffchaff, many Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler, several Grey Wagtails, several Green Sandpipers and a Water Rail.

Nine Smew and a drake Common Scoter were at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Stanford Reservoir hosted the Red-crested Pochard again, an adult Caspian Gull, twelve Goosanders and sixty-five Pochard.

Large numbers of birds on the fields in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon during a temporary thaw included a hundred Lapwings, twenty-five Golden Plovers, a couple of hundred Fieldfares and eighty Skylarks.

Regards

Neil M

Views at Pitsford Reservoir
in stunning weather today courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Stanwick Bird Event

Hello

In preparation of the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch 2023 penciled in for next week-end, members of the Mid-Nene RSPB group, the Stanwick Lakes Rangers and members of the Northants Ringing Group combined resources to run events at Stanwick Lakes this morning which included displays, the provision of resources, escorted birdwatching and a bird ringing demonstration. It was cold but the sunshine and frosty conditions brought many people out including plenty of children who hopefully will be inspired to be tomorrow's wildlife gurus and conservationists.

About sixty birds were caught and processed with Great Tits and Blue Tits dominating but also several other species including a Treecreeper, two Reed Buntings and three Redwings. Birds to be seen around the frozen pits included four Great White Egrets, two Egyptian Geese, a Woodcock, 6-7 Goosanders and a Redpoll.

Birds at Harrington Airfield today included two Ravens, fifty Golden Plovers, ten Grey Partridges, two Bramblings and a Barn Owl. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was off the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon.

A Whitehills (Northampton) garden has been attracting up to three Blackcaps recently and other Blackcaps included a pair in a Woodford Halse garden this morning. Other warblers attracting some attention was up to four Siberian Chiffchaffs at Ecton SF/Billing Pits with numerous Common Chiffchaffs (seventy estimated) today and other birds there included a Green Sandpiper, a Water Rail, two Stonechats and a Grey Wagtail. A Redpoll was in a Grange Park (Northampton) garden today.

The Scaup remained at Hollowell Reservoir and Stanford Reservoir attracted an excellent four adult Caspian Gulls, the Red-crested Pochard still, twenty Goosanders, a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper and six Common Snipe. At least four Smew remain at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Siberian Chiffchaff.

Reed Bunting courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Teal courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Ringing at Brixworth

Hello

A ringing session in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth today provided over forty captures which included as many as sixteen Dunnocks and a variety of common birds which included a Magpie, a Fieldfare, two Redwings, a Song Thrush and two each of Grey Wagtail and Pied Wagtail. Other birds present included a Jack Snipe, four Water Rails, another four Grey Wagtails, a Chiffchaff, at least two Ravens, a Redpoll and nine Siskins.

Sadly there were two dead Tawny Owls and a Barn Owl alongside the A605 between Warmington and Elton this morning.

This afternoon there were two very much alive Barn Owls hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton plus eight Golden Plovers on the fields.

The stream and bushes adjacent to Billing Pits and Ecton SF were home to about thirty-five Chiffchaffs plus two Siberian Chiffchaffs. Other birds there included a Jack Snipe, three Common Snipe, four Green Sandpipers, a Water Rail, four Ring-necked Parakeets and a male Stonechat.

The female Scaup was still at Hollowell Reservoir and over at Naseby Reservoir there were two Caspian Gulls and two Goosanders. One of these Caspian Gulls is a German-ringed bird that was ringed in the spring of 2021.

Two Great White Egrets and a Raven were seen at Summer Leys LNR with two Cattle Egrets seen flying over there at about 11am.

Regards

Neil M

Redwing courtesy
of Liam Andrews.

Coal Tit.

Long-tailed Tit.

Blue Tit.

Ravens, Otters and Chiffchaffs

Hello

Two Ravens at Hanging Houghton at dawn started the day off nicely and the birds in the garden included eight Fieldfares and six Pied Wagtails amongst the throng of other hungry birds.

Birding at Stanford Reservoir included a drake Red-crested Pochard, a Caspian Gull, a Great White Egret, three Shelduck and a Pintail.

An apparent Siberian Chiffchaff was photographed at Stortons Pits yesterday and today Alan found a Siberian Chiffchaff among plenty of Common Chiffchaffs along the stream at Ecton Sewage Farm next to bridge K121.

Harrington Airfield today provided sightings of a male Peregrine, fifty Golden Plovers and two Bramblings and at Clifford Hill Pits there were about twenty Golden Plovers, a Great White Egret, a Raven and two Goosanders.

A Stonechat, a Grey Wagtail and three Pintail were in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and this afternoon three Otters were again showing exceptionally well in the town centre at Market Harborough. A female Blackcap was in a Nether Heyford garden today and a Water Rail, a Siskin and a Grey Wagtail were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

Birds noted at Hollowell Reservoir today included the female Scaup, a Pink-footed Goose, a Jack Snipe, eleven Common Snipe and a female Stonechat.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Wagtail.

Little Egret.

Woodpigeon and Stock Dove.

Otter footprints.

All images courtesy of
Jim Dunkley.

Sunny days, cold nights

Hello

A continuation of the cold weather ensured that our garden and the feeding stations were again busy with birds.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir included a Grey Wagtail, a Woodcock and a Stonechat all in the Scaldwell Bay with a Barn Owl hunting in a nearby field. A Water Rail was seen in front of Grey Heron hide at Sywell Country Park and three different Barn Owls were hunting between Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

At Hollowell Reservoir the Scaup was still present together with a Great White Egret and four Ravens.

Eight Smew were recorded at Eyebrook Reservoir today and birds at Stanford Reservoir included a first winter Mediterranean Gull, an adult Caspian Gull, a drake Red-crested Pochard, five Goosanders, as many as thirty-six Lesser Redpolls and four Common Snipe.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Heron courtesy
of John Tilly.

Blue Tit courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Starling courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Robin courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Cold weather birds

Hello

The cold weather has changed the dynamics of garden feeding here at Hanging Houghton and new arrivals included seven Fieldfares coming for apples and our first singletons of Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer of the season.

Birds at Harrington Airfield were again limited today but it was great to see Linnets taking advantage of broadcast seed on the ringing rides there. Eight Golden Plovers were mobile and a Raven flew over.

Two Ravens were at Hanging Houghton this morning with another noted at Kelmarsh and the adult Yellow-legged Gull returned to Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon.

Two Otters were showing exceptionally well at Market Harborough today with many crazy images taken on mobile phones as they really performed next to the River Welland in the town centre.

The female Scaup, with perhaps a few feature anomalies, was still at Hollowell Reservoir today and other birds included a Great White Egret, an adult Caspian Gull, three Common Snipe and a female Stonechat and at Ravensthorpe Reservoir the Pink-footed Goose and a drake Mandarin Duck were present.

Two Goosanders were at Abington Park, Northampton today and ten Smew were at Eyebrook Reservoir this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Little Owls courtesy of
John Tilly.

Mute Swan courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Drake Goldeneye courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford WeBS Count.

Hello

A cold night last night and much the same tonight set the scene for a lovely winter's day - hard and crunchy underfoot, light winds, bright skies, warm sunshine and a pleasant sunset - so much better then wind and rain!

The change in the weather brought lots of birds to the garden including seven Pied Wagtails and a first year male Sparrowhawk is currently making daily visits.

The WeBS count was completed at Pitsford Reservoir today, the numbers of birds has reduced a great deal lately as has the diversity of species. A drake Smew was initially in the Walgrave Bay but then not seen again, three or four Little Egrets were south of the causeway, at least seven Pintail were mostly in the Scaldwell Bay as was a male Stonechat. At least forty Common Snipe were on-site and a Barn Owl was found dead in Scaldwell Meadows.

A Jack Snipe, two Water Rails and two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and a Barn Owl and two Woodcock were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell with another Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

At Summer Leys LNR there was a Jack Snipe visible from the Paul Britten Hide and a roadside Barn Owl was seen between there and Wollaston (a regular spot apparently).

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Red-crested Pochard, a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper and two Kingfishers. Three Long-tailed Tits captured at Kelmarsh Hall yesterday were all ringed together at Stanford Reservoir on 12th October 2021 - further proof that these flocks stick together no matter where they go!

The female Scaup was still at Hollowell Reservoir today near the eastern shore and a Black Swan was there too.

Regards

Neil M

Common Buzzards.

Drake Teal.

Pied Wagtail.

Moorhen.

All images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Ringing at Kelmarsh Hall.

Hello

The first hints today of some colder, wintry weather ahead of us with hail, sleet and snow and even a peal of thunder being recorded locally today!

Some bird ringing at Kelmarsh Hall provided captures of a Blackbird, four Dunnocks, three Robins, a Wren, fifteen Great Tits, twenty-two Blue Tits, two Coal Tits, two Marsh Tits, five Long-tailed Tits (including birds bearing rings not associated with the site), thirteen Goldfinches, a Chaffinch and four Greenfinches. Other birds on-site included two Ravens, a Kingfisher and up to twenty-five Siskins.

At Hollowell Reservoir today a female Scaup was a good find (off the eastern end of the dam) and other birds there included two Caspian Gulls, four Common Snipe and a female Stonechat. Three drake Pintail and a Stonechat were in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and a Red-crested Pochard remains at Stanford Reservoir.

Five Great White Egrets, thirteen Goosanders and a Redshank were noted at Stanwick Pits this morning and a Stonechat was again at Upton Country Park.

An Otter and a Peregrine were again seen in Market Harborough town centre.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite.

Muntjac.

Carrion Crow.

Ringing at Scotland Wood

Hello

A ringing session was held at the sheltered site of Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today which resulted in eighty-five birds being processed in this mixed woodland. The birds amounted to a Great Spotted Woodpecker, four Dunnocks, seventeen Great Tits, forty-three Blue Tits, nine Coal Tits, two Marsh Tits, six Long-tailed Tits and three Chaffinches. Birds seen whilst we were there included about four Woodcock, a male Peregrine, two Ravens first thing and a couple of Siskins.

Four more Woodcock were seen at Glapthorn Cow Pasture first thing this morning, a male Blackcap was in a New Duston garden and a female Blackcap was in a Woodford Halse garden again with six Redpolls nearby.

A drake Smew was mobile north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning where there was also a Pintail and a Stonechat in the Scaldwell Bay.

Two Otters were seen again on the River Welland in Market Harborough today and a concentration of good birds at Eyebrook Reservoir included two Scaup, thirteen Smew (nine drakes) and seven Great White Egrets.

Regards

Neil M

Adult male Great Spotted Woodpecker
at Scotland Wood, Kelmarsh Estate today
courtesy of Lewis Aaron.

Winter wildfowl.

Hello

These blustery, wet and mild conditions seem to be our typical winter weather these days but it's not very inspirational and more difficult to find interesting birds and for completing bird ringing with mist nets.

Yesterday afternoon five Caspian Gulls appeared in the gull roost at Stanford Reservoir and this afternoon two or three individuals were present. This species seems to be numerous in the UK this winter with a few double-figure flocks being reported at east coast localities and singles and twos reported throughout much of England.

Eyebrook Reservoir recorded a Kittiwake, thirteen Smew and a Scaup today and the swollen River Welland at Market Harborough provided views of an Otter near to the Lidl supermarket both yesterday and today.

A Marsh Harrier at Pitsford Reservoir today was a rare mid-winter sighting away from the Nene Valley and at Stanwick Pits this afternoon a Barn Owl was a treat. About two hundred Golden Plovers and three Great White Egrets were at Summer Leys LNR this morning.

Birds on the Kelmarsh Estate today included at least one Brambling, a couple of Siskins and at least two Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

Mallard.

Shoveler.

Teal.

Wigeon.

Winter wildfowl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

First the wind...and shortly the rain!

Hello

A very blustery if mild day but we now hold our breath for something of a deluge tomorrow it seems!

At least four Ravens were swirling around in the wind this morning at Hanging Houghton but it didn't stop the Marsh Tits and Nuthatches coming for their morning treats below the village at the Brampton Valley Way!

An adult Yellow-legged Gull was again off the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and a drake Smew was reported in the Scaldwell Bay. At least two Siskins were in Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate and two Lesser Redpolls were noted at Stanford Reservoir.

The Pink-footed Goose was spotted again at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and an adult Caspian Gull and a Great White Egret were at Hollowell Reservoir.

An Otter was showing well from the Rotary Hide at Summer Leys LNR this lunchtime after not being reported for a while, and a male Merlin put in an appearance there this morning. Birds at Eyebrook Reservoir included six Smew and a drake Scaup.

The Pintail was still on floods at Bozenham together with eighty Wigeon, several Gadwall, a Shoveler and a hundred Teal - at least there are some winners when our valleys flood!

Regards

Neil M

Winter waterfowl.

Raven.

Jackdaw.

Rook.