Spring bonanza!

Hello

Summer Leys LNR remained very much in the local spotlight today when it became clear that the male Kentish Plover and the White Stork from yesterday had remained overnight and were on the reserve first thing this morning (thanks to Jonathan Cook for putting the early news out). The heavy rain and wind overnight had conspired to keep these birds localised but as the sun shone and the rain stayed away this morning both birds became fidgety with the stork leaving the scrape just after 9.30am and seemingly flying off. The Kentish Plover remained flighty but was still present this evening, still spending much of it's time on Gull Island. That in itself was impressive enough but early this afternoon two Common Cranes circled Summer Leys LNR and after some deliberation descended to rest and forage on the scrape - to see Common Cranes on the ground in Northants is still a rare sight! These birds hung around and delighted many observers before flying off west but low at about 5.10pm.

Other birds noted included a Great White Egret, an Arctic Tern, three Common Terns, a Ringed Plover, four Little Ringed Plovers, eight Redshanks, two Oystercatchers, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and a Raven.

Elsewhere an Arctic Tern was with twenty-three Common Terns at Thrapston Pits, a Wheatear, several Yellow Wagtails and a White Wagtail were around the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and a Common Whitethroat was at Grange Lane, Pitsford.

A male Common Redstart was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and Carrion Crows were chasing a Short-eared Owl over in a northerly direction. A Barn Owl flew over the A361 near Newnham this morning and a female Brambling has spent the last couple of days in a garden near Overstone Park, Northampton. A Caspian Gull was reported from Hollowell Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

Common Cranes courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Common Cranes courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Quality migrants!

Hello

Plenty of excitement in the county today as quality migrants arrived at a variety of locations and with Summer Leys LNR buzzing with birding activity!

Matt Hazleton found the bird of the day after picking out a male Kentish Plover on Gull Island at Summer Leys LNR. This species is now regarded as a British Rarity as the numbers in the UK have dropped away during the last two decades, and it is a particularly rare bird inland. A White Stork was spotted flying west along the Nene Valley at Ditchford Pits and it lingered over Summer Leys LNR and finally landed in a field between the old railway line and Great Doddington village showing nicely this afternoon.

Other birds on the reserve included four Common Terns, a Sedge Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler with a Green Sandpiper at the nearby Quarry North workings.

Five Oystercatchers, seven Sedge Warblers and twelve Common Terns were at Thrapston Pits today and Clifford Hill Pits yielded a Greenshank and three Wheatears.

Out to the west two Ring Ouzels were found in horse paddocks on the north side of Borough Hill Country Park and two adult Kittiwakes were at Daventry Country Park. Stanford Reservoir attracted all three hirundines and an increasing number of early season warblers plus seven Yellow Wagtails.

A male Common Redstart was subsinging in hedgerows leading down to the flooded fields from Hillmorton Lane at Lilbourne Meadows reserve and other birds on the reserve included two Oystercatchers, two Little Ringed Plovers and song-flighting Meadow Pipits with up to two more pairs of Little Ringed Plover and a pair of Shelduck on the adjacent DIRFT/A5 pools.

A male Common Redstart was showing nicely at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this morning in hedging on the sloping sheep fields on the right hand side when entering along the Jurassic Way footpath from the Cold Ashby road. Later in the day a Ring Ouzel was located a little further off the footpath on the left hand side rummaging around the edges of a bean field, hedging and sloping grass area. A Raven was heard here too.

Two Common Redstarts (a male and a female) were in the traditional field hedge paralleling the Scaldwell Bay boundary fence at Pitsford Reservoir between the Maytrees and Bird Club hides at 7.15am this morning, with a number of Yellow Wagtails off the dam. The Black-necked Grebe and Red-breasted Mergansers of yesterday could not be found. A calling Cuckoo and over a hundred Fieldfares were at Lamport Hall this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Kentish Plover courtesy
of Matt Hazleton.

White Stork courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Some of the grazing stock
at Lilbourne Meadows reserve!

Birds of Easter Monday

Hello

Some really rather aggressive weather out there today with rain for much of the morning and some very strong gusts and hefty showers in the afternoon, but also some fabulous sunshine too.

Pitsford Reservoir finally woke up this spring with some interesting passage birds, some of which probably only stayed for short periods before moving on. Passerines around the dam area included a Wheatear, twenty-five Yellow Wagtails, three hundred Sand Martins, twenty Swallows and up to four House Martins. This evening two male Red-breasted Mergansers put in a brief appearance between Pintail Bay and The Pines and a little later there was an excellent find of a summer plumage Black-necked Grebe south of the causeway near the Gorse Bushes.

Clifford Hill Pits also attracted the birds today with a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, two Dunlin, a Little Ringed Plover, two Common Terns, a Goosander, a Common Whitethroat, seventy Swallows and fifty Sand Martins. Two Wheatears were located in the Nene Valley 500m downriver from Wollaston Lock.

An early morning adult Kittiwake at Stanford Reservoir was found at 7.30am and disappeared just after 8am. Other birds noted included two Common Terns, four House Martins, five Yellow Wagtails, a Sedge Warbler, a hundred Sand Martins, forty Swallows, four Blackcaps, four Willow Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers and two Shelducks.

Two Shelducks, a Water Rail and a Sedge Warbler were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this morning, a Barn Owl was at Lamport Hall this evening and Harrington Airfield hosted a Wheatear, a pair of Grey Partridge, a Swallow and two or three Willow Warblers. Over at Barnwell Country Park there were three Mandarin Ducks, a Grey Wagtail and singing Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler.

Regards

Neil M

Female Mallard on a nest, and this excellent mother-to-be
refused to move despite a fisherman being just feet from her
and a dog sniffing her out!

Drake Mandarin Duck.

Another example of a Pied Wagtail without a
foot. This family of birds suffers from hair
 tangling around their toes and feet and
cutting off the circulation and thus losing
 toes and in extreme cases the whole foot.

Female Blackbird in today's
lovely periods of sunshine.

Easter Sunday

Hello

Birds at Stanford Reservoir on Easter Sunday included a Brambling, a Sedge Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, eleven Common Snipe and an Oystercatcher. At Pitsford Reservoir birds north of the causeway included a Common Tern, an Oystercatcher, approximately fifteen Common Snipe and one or two Jack Snipe (one caught and ringed). A good number of Common Toads were calling in the shallows this morning. An Osprey was fishing unsuccessfully at Hollowell Reservoir this evening and a Brambling was seen in the morning.

A male Bearded Tit was again seen at Stanwick Pits today and is presumably the long-staying bird from the winter remaining unobtrusive for the main part. Grass Snakes were sun bathing at Summer Leys LNR providing good photographic opportunities and a Great White Egret was seen. At Clifford Hill Pits a Greenshank was probably the first in the county this spring and other birds included a Ruff and nine Yellow Wagtails. An Avocet was a good find at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows on Dragonfly Lake and a Cattle Egret flew over.

A Marsh Harrier was seen in flight high over Sixfields Lake, Northampton late this morning, a Common Tern was seen at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston and a Raven and two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley at Brixworth with two more Ravens at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. Two Redpolls were in Scotland Wood, Kelmarsh and yesterday saw a record count of eighteen Yellowhammers in our small rural garden coming in for seed.

Regards

Neil M

Red Devils Parachute Team
in action today at Kelmarsh.

Ladysmock.

Jack Snipe.

Another Black Redstart and Common Scoter

Hello

A ringing session took place at Kelmarsh Hall today which yielded some eighty-three captures of fourteen species, about half of which were birds trapped on previous occasions. A handsome Tawny Owl was undoubtedly the best and first bird of the morning which found a mist net! Other birds included singles of Chiffchaff and Blackcap, two Nuthatches, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, plenty of common tits and small numbers of Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Chaffinches.

The local Ravens were noisy as they challenged any raptors that took to the air and an Osprey was present again early afternoon.

A female Common Scoter was found at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and the female Ring-necked Duck was also present. A stunning adult male Black Redstart was at Bunker Two at Harrington Airfield this morning but was displaced by dog walkers and seemed to fly towards the B576 (Rothwell to Lamport Road). There were also two Willow Warblers, a Yellow Wagtail and a Wheatear plus good numbers of soaring Common Buzzards and Red Kites.

An Osprey flew north over Hollowell village today and three Yellow Wagtails and a Little Ringed Plover were at Clifford Hill Pits. A Jack Snipe and approximately forty Common Snipe were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this evening and three or four Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Goldfinch today at
Kelmarsh Hall courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

The Tawny Owl at
Kelmarsh Hall today, 
images courtesy of
Michelle Spinks and Steve
Wilson.

Birds of Good Friday

Hello

After a cool start today was virtually wall to wall sunshine which provided plenty of insects and soaring common raptors.

A drake Common Scoter was a good find at Stanford Reservoir and other birds included a Curlew, two Shelducks, two Oystercatchers and a Yellow Wagtail.

A Black Redstart at a private site in Daventry and a male Common Redstart at Burton Latimer next to the River Ise off Station Road early this afternoon were further quality sightings.

The two adult Mediterranean Gulls were again at Stanwick Pits plus two Great White Egrets and four Goosanders. Ten Egyptian Geese and a Great White Egret were at Titchmarsh LNR at Thrapston Pits and five Goosanders were lingering at Clifford Hill Pits where there was also a Yellow Wagtail. Another Goosander was at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows. A Sedge Warbler was the best of the warblers at Sixfields Lake

Two Great White Egrets, a Little Ringed Plover, in excess of ten Common Snipe and a Yellow Wagtail were at Summer Leys LNR and an early Cuckoo was heard calling briefly. A Marsh Harrier flew through this morning. Swallows seemed to be quite widespread and Ravens were very overt with sightings at Harrington Airfield, Brixworth, Hanging Houghton and Kelmarsh. Four Grey Partridge were also at Harrington Airfield.

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

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owl courtesy
of Nathan Jones.

Raven.

Swallow.

Great White Egret.

Birds of the April showers

Hello

Considering the time of the year it has been a fairly quiet couple of days in the county as we are now used to the songs of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap all over again and Sand Martins and Swallows have now been seen hawking over most of our gravel pits and reservoirs.

On Sunday a ringing session at Linford Lakes (the first this year) yielded twenty-three birds of twelve species, fifteen of which were newly-ringed. Quality rather than quantity always makes for an interesting session which provided three Song Thrushes, a Redwing, two Wrens, two Dunnocks, two Blue Tits, a Great Tit, five Chiffchaffs, a Treecreeper, a new Kingfisher, two Greenfinches, two Reed Buntings and a rather rare mist net capture of a female Kestrel.

Other birds on-site included a Barn Owl, a Great White Egret, six Common Snipe, three Oystercatchers and non avian highlights included Brown Hare, Bank Vole, a Common Shrew and eight Common Newts.

Yesterday (Tuesday 5th April) and birds at Stanford Reservoir amounted to a Goosander, two Swallows, Sand Martins, two Yellow Wagtails, a Willow Warbler, two Cetti's Warblers and a Lesser Redpoll.

Three Ravens were at Hanging Houghton and a Barn Owl was seen in the evening at the Holcot-end of the Pitsford Reservoir causeway where it has been seen regularly during the last few weeks.

The female Ring-necked Duck was still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir where there was also a first year Caspian Gull present in the morning. A Jack Snipe, six Common Snipe, two Yellow Wagtails and two Oystercatchers persisted at Hollowell Reservoir. Seven Little Ringed Plovers and a Great White Egret were noted at Summer Leys LNR and seven of the Yellow Wagtails remained at the dam-end of Pitsford Reservoir.

Harrington Airfield was quiet with a calling Grey Partridge and singing singles of Willow Warbler and Blackcap.

Today (Wednesday 6th April) and the west was best with a Caspian Gull on pools by the new Royal Mail Distribution Centre at the DIRFT complex near Lilbourne and a fly-over Osprey over Lilbourne Meadows Nature Reserve. An Osprey was also at Daventry Country Park early this afternoon and another was photographed at Hollowell Reservoir today.

Migrants at Stanford Reservoir today included thirty Swallows, two Shelducks, four Willow Warblers and three more residential Cetti's Warblers. A Yellow Wagtail overflew Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and at Wicksteed Park the long-staying Pink-footed Goose was still present. Nine Yellow Wagtails were below the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today and a pair of Mediterranean Gulls have spent time on the A45 layby pit at Stanwick Pits the last two days.

An Otter was a great sighting at Stortons Pits today and birds included a couple of Swallows and a Barn Owl and Clifford Hill Pits attracted three Goosanders, two Little Ringed Plovers, a House Martin and two Yellow Wagtails. A White Stork was reported flying east over Oundle cemetery at about 2.10pm this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Redwing courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Kestrel courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Chiffchaff courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Black-necked Grebe, Yellow Wagtails and butterflies!

Hello

A Black-necked Grebe at Daventry Country Park was the find of the day in the county and birds at Stanford Reservoir included a fly-over Curlew, two Barn Owls, two Willow Warblers, two Blackcaps and a Lesser Redpoll. 

With a big hatch of flies at Pitsford Reservoir the dam area today attracted twelve male Yellow Wagtails, a White Wagtail, three Meadow Pipits and extra Pied Wagtails. The adult Yellow-legged Gull was still present and other birds included a Raven, twenty Sand Martins, a Swallow and a singing Blackcap. South of the causeway there was a singing Willow Warbler and still reasonable numbers of Common Snipe with numbers somewhere between twenty-five and forty mostly hidden in the margins.

Welford Reservoir this evening hosted four Yellow Wagtails, a pair of Grey Wagtails, two Swallows and a Willow Warbler. A Barn Owl was hunting in fields between Tiffield and Pattishall and a Great White Egret remains in the vicinity of Barton Seagrave/Wicksteed Park.

Summer Leys LNR provided views of two Great White Egrets, two Black-tailed Godwits, six Redshank, a Little Ringed Plover, an Oystercatcher, a Common Snipe, about fifteen Sand Martins, a Sedge Warbler, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers and a Grass Snake. An Otter showed well at Stanwick Pits yesterday and today birds noted at Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston included a pair of Oystercatchers, two Great White Egrets, a Kingfisher, Blackcaps and Cetti's Warblers.

Three Yellow Wagtails and a White Wagtail were at Chelveston Airfield this evening and large numbers of butterflies were busy in the warm sunshine and included multiple records in the county of Holly Blue, Small Whites and slightly later emerging butterflies.

Clifford Hill Pits provided views of a Raven, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Yellow Wagtail and a Blackcap fed on apples in a Duston garden. Three Curlews were noted at Lilbourne Meadows Nature Reserve. At least one Osprey was fishing on the lake at Kelmarsh Hall this afternoon with two or three Siskins on the estate near the Brampton Valley Way.

Thirty Jackdaws joined a Carrion Crow, seven Stock Doves and twenty-five Woodpigeons feeding on our small back lawn this afternoon with smaller birds still including visiting Pied Wagtails, Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers.

Regards

Neil M

Sand Martin at Summer Leys
LNR today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Common Buzzard courtesy
of John Tilly.

Yellow Wagtail at Pitsford Reservoir
today courtesy of Martin Swannell.

Black-tailed Godwits at Summer Leys
LNR today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Spring Ringing

Hello

Some spring bird ringing at Woodford Halse today yielded thirty-six birds of thirteen species which included a Chiffchaff, a Treecreeper, a Goldcrest and six Yellowhammers. One of ten Blue Tits was a bird first ringed as a first year in 2018 and will be five years old this year. Other birds in the immediate vicinity included at least one more Chiffchaff, a Raven and up to four Redpolls with small numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares.

Barn Owls seen today included singles at Fosters Booth, Stanford Reservoir, Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) with two at Hanging Houghton.

Other birds at Stanford Reservoir included three Yellow Wagtails, two White Wagtails, six Little Egrets, two Shelducks, two Goosanders, two Swallows, two Willow Warblers and two Cetti's Warblers.

A Blackcap was again singing at Hanging Houghton and birds noted at Harrington Airfield included a Yellow Wagtail, a Willow Warbler and a pair of Grey Partridge. The female Ring-necked Duck was reported from Ravensthorpe Reservoir again today and birds at nearby Hollowell Reservoir included an Osprey, two Jack Snipe and six Common Snipe. A singing Blackcap was near the dam at Pitsford Reservoir.

Summer Leys LNR hosted singing Blackcaps and Willow Warblers, a Common Tern, Siskins, four Dunlin and two Little Ringed Plovers with a Marsh Harrier, an Egyptian Goose, a Water Rail, Common Terns, a Kingfisher, a Sedge Warbler and Swallows at Thrapston Pits this morning. A Marsh Harrier was also seen at Irthlingborough this evening and Clifford Hill Pits attracted a Peregrine, two Oystercatchers and a Little Ringed Plover.

Regards

Neil M

Male Yellowhammers at
Woodford Halse today.

Dunlin courtesy of
Robin Gossage.