Another cold spring day

Hello

A ringing session at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes today utilised a newly-designed net and rigging system to try and catch birds towards the treetops and was a resounding success by catching two Cuckoos, a Green Woodpecker and a Jackdaw! Other birds processed included two Bullfinches, two Goldfinches, two Greenfinches, a Reed Bunting, a juvenile Robin and warblers included three Cetti's Warblers, two Blackcaps, four Garden Warblers, two Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler, eight Reed Warblers and two Chiffchaffs.

Other birds seen on-site included three Hobbies and Muntjac and Badger were seen early morning.

Four Hobbies were hawking insects at Summer Leys this morning and a drake Garganey was asleep on Gull Island late morning with a Common Sandpiper on Hardwater Lake. An Otter put in an appearance last week. Two Hobbies were at Titchmarsh LNR (Thrapston Pits) this morning.

Five Wood Sandpipers were on the almost permanent flood water at Lilbourne Meadows reserve this afternoon and a Short-eared Owl was seen at Stanwick Pits this evening before being chased off by a Carrion Crow. A Barn Owl was near Preston Capes early this morning and a Peregrine was at a favoured site nearby. A drake Garganey was at Fawsley Park this morning but couldn't be found later.

The cold day temperatures ensures our garden is still busy with adult birds collecting food for their young and feeding up themselves - dried calciworms, sunflower hearts and suet pellets and suet blocks are the super foods that help both growing nestlings and hard-working parents.

A ringing session is planned for Harrington Airfield tomorrow and as such there will be limited access to the bunkers and the scrub between the gritting compound and the main concrete track. The bridle track and footpaths are unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Robin.

Common Whitethroat.

Both images courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

May north-easterlies

Hello

North-easterly winds at this time of the year traditionally produce migrant sea-birds, particularly gulls and terns, but with the exception of a solitary Kittiwake at Stanwick Pits this morning, little was reported that suggested a significant movement.

Two Yellow-legged Gulls (an adult and a first summer), a Cuckoo and three or four singing Sedge Warblers were the best to be found at Pitsford Reservoir between the causeway and dam this morning.

Three Ringed Plovers and two Hobbies were at Summer Leys LNR late this morning and a Dunlin was at Clifford Hill Pits. A hunting Barn Owl was understandably struggling in the strong wind in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included four Hobbies, two Cuckoos, a Kingfisher, two Common Sandpipers and eighty Swifts.

Regards

Neil M

Tawny Owlets - it's that
time of the year!

Pitsford CBC

Hello 

A Common Bird Census was completed on the Wildlife Trust reserve at Pitsford Reservoir today with the majority of the summer migrants in now and joining the resident birds to produce the next generation. A Cuckoo was calling intermittently, a single Oystercatcher was present and a drake Red-crested Pochard was an unseasonal addition. Raven was confirmed as breeding on the reserve for the first time, a nest containing at least two youngsters was discovered in the Walgrave Bay.

The usual clamour of Black-headed Gulls around the rafts was much quieter than usual and it looks as if bird flu has struck the colony, as with other colonies in the county, and a number of dead birds were strewn about. A Kingfisher and a Redpoll were also noted and butterflies included Brimstone, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Orange-tip.

A Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and birds at Earls Barton Pits included three Hobbies, four Common Sandpipers (Hardwater Lake) and Lapwing chicks on the Summer Leys LNR.

A Pink-footed Goose remains with Greylag Geese at Wicksteed Park and birds at Stanford Reservoir included five Hobbies, a Cuckoo and a Yellow Wagtail.

Regards

Neil M

Raven nestling.

Muntjac.

This male has a damaged
antler and ragged ear and has probably
engaged in fighting with another male.
A dead male was found with an injury to
hindquarters which may also have been 
caused in a fight with a rival. At
least fifteen live Muntjacs were seen
 around the reserve this morning

Great Crested Grebe.

Adult and young Coot.

All images taken at Pitsford
Reservoir today.

Another Bank Holiday

 Well that's the second of the Bank Holidays over and apart from a flurry of excitement yesterday with the arrival of 4 Black Winged Stilts it has been rather quiet.    News broke early yesterday morning of the Stilts at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows.  Amazingly they stayed all day giving plenty of people the opportunity to catch up with them.  They are a scarce visitor and I couldn't get over until late afternoon but it was well worth the wait as they were showing well,  moving about and finding plenty of food to eat.  Today they had moved on.    There was also another wader present which proved challenging to identify.  Was it  a Greenshank,  Wood Sandpiper,  Marsh Sandpiper or Ruff ???? Who knows?  When I was there I saw the wader but I was looking directly into the light, it was a long way off and quite often obscured by vegetation,  so I can fully understand why identification was problematic.                  

Yesterday was the busiest day for bird sightings and also for the most interesting birds.  An extremely rare bird for Northamptonshire was reported,  a Black Kite flying north over Bearshank Wood. I  don't know any more details.    Other birds seen over the weekend include Grey Plover, Marsh Harrier,  Osprey,  Garganey,  Egyptian Geese and Nightingale at Summer Leys.  Three Avocet turned up at Clifford Hill GP.   There was a drake Garganey at Lilbourne Meadows and at DIRFT3 two Caspian Gulls,  Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers. 

I have seen absolutely nothing of note at Harrington Airfield despite daily visits and likewise daily visits to the scrapes along the BVW have only produced 2 Little Ringed Plovers.                                                                                                                                                       Fingers crossed for another movement of birds and some warmer weather. 

Regards Eleanor 

A Week of Waders

 Due to several reasons I have had a very quiet week for birding.  Infact my best birding happened on Wednesday afternoon whilst I was working in the front garden and Spotted Flycatcher started calling from the neighbours garden and quickly followed by a noisy Ring Necked Parakeet which perched on the TV ariel.    Several visits to Harrington Airfield only produced a Whinchat and several visits to the scrapes along the BVW below Brixworth only Little Ringed Plovers,  Lapwings,  Gadwall and Lesser Black Backed Gulls. 

However looking at the birds reported during the week the Waders top the list, particularly Wood Sandpipers which were recorded from Clifford Hill GP, Lilbourne Meadows and flood waters near Braunston and in an area between Aynho and Clifton.  There have been a couple of Grey Plovers at Summer Leys plus Ruffs, Common Sandpipers, Greenshanks,  Dunlin,  Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers.   At nearby Clifford Hill GP,  Ruff, Whimbrel,  Black Tailed Godwit,  Ringed Plovers and Dunlin.   Also at this site a scarce visitor in the form of a Little Tern.  It's been a while since I have seen one in the county.                                                                                                                                                 Other birds recorded during the week include a White Stork over Oundle, Mandarin Ducks at Fotheringhay, Greater Scaup , Marsh Harrier,  Osprey and Hobbies at Summer Leys,  Arctic Terns at Stanwick,  Osprey and Common Sandpipers at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and 2 Bramblings at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows.                                        A ringing session today at Stortons GP yielded 64 birds, predominantly Warblers including  Chiffchaff,  Willow Warbler,  Whitethroat,  Blackcap,  Lesser Whitethroat and Garden,  Reed and Sedge Warbler. 

Things are hotting up on the butterfly front.  First records of the year for  Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak both at Fermyn County Park.   Green Hairstreak was also on the wing at Collyweston Deeps.   Holly Blues at Barton Seagrave,  Watford locks and Wadenhoe.  Grizzled Skipper at quarry walk and  Painted Lady at Higham Ferrers.  Certainly a bit of sunshine and warmth have been welcomed by the butterflies and I have seen plenty of Orange Tips,  Brimstones,  Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. 

Hope that you have a good weekend 

Regards Eleanor 

Bank Holiday Weekend

 Well that's the first of the three Bank Holiday's this month almost over.  Weather wise it has been a touch warmer but bird wise disappointingly quiet. Personally I have seen very little,  Common Redstart,  Sedge Warbler,  Whinchat and Northern Wheatear at Harrington Airfield and Little Ringed Plovers and White Wagtail on the scrape area along the BVW below Brixworth. 

There haven't been many birds reported over the weekend.  A Wood Sandpiper and drake Garganey on the flooded fields at Barnwell.   An Avocet made a brief appearance at Summer Leys.  There seems to have been a small influx of Whinchat and birds were recorded at Clifford Hill GP , Stanford Reservoir, Stanwick GP and Ditchford GP.       Quite a few of our Common migrants have arrived with Swifts, Cuckoo's,  Hobby, Grasshopper Warbler,  Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler all making themselves known.      Hopefully there will be more to follow.                                                                                              Probably the most interesting record was that of a Stone Curlew being picked up injured in the Hackleton area and taken into care.  I don't know any further details or update on it's progress, fingers crossed that the outcome is good.

The Northamptonshire Bird Club will be meeting on Wednesday at 7.30pm at the Lodge, Pitsford Water.  The talk will be given by birdclub member Jeff Blincow who is always an entertaining speaker.  Everyone welcome to come along. 

Regards Eleanor 

Ringing at Linford today...

Hello 

Kenny Cramer and team were ringing at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes today where they enjoyed a bumper session with no less than twenty-two species of bird being processed. Kenny has perfected the art of catching Cuckoos and today a fine adult male hit the nets (there were two other flying around too). Glamour came in the form of three Kingfishers and the warblers hit town with twelve Blackcaps, six Garden Warblers, six Sedge Warblers, a Reed Warbler, a Chiffchaff, two Willow Warblers, a Common Whitethroat and two Cetti's Warblers also finding the mist nets.

Two Sand Martins were also caught and ringed (small numbers breed on-site) and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Woodpigeons, a Song Thrush and three Greenfinches further enhanced the session.

Other birds noted included a Raven, a Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers and two Common Terns whilst a Water Shrew and Grass Snake were top class items of wildlife.

The Naturetrek Provence in Spring tour has just concluded and images from this trip can be found on the Tab or Page 'Provence in Spring April 2023'.

Regards

Neil M

Cuckoo!

Garden Warbler.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Reed Warbler.

Woodpigeon.

All images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

That Friday Feeling!!

 Time to relax and look forward to an extended weekend thanks to the first of many Bank Holidays in  May.  Mind you I try to spend my time avoiding the increase in folk who are likely to visit the many birding sites.   To ensure that I have got my birding to I have managed to get out and about quite a bit over the last couple of days . Yesterday morning I had an amazing encounter.  I was mooching around in the valley below Hanging Houghton and noticed a bird perched in a bare tree.  It was a large accipiter and my heart literally missed a beat as I realised that I was looking at a female Goshawk!!!! Not a bird I expected to find on my walk. She was absolutely stunning and awesome when she flew off with ease towards Cottesbrooke.  I didn't see anything else of note on my walk but I didn't really care as I was on such a high after my Goshawk encounter.                                    Later on in the day I spent a very productive time at the new scrape/water area situated below Brixworth,  accessed via the Brampton Valley Way from Spratton crossing.  This area was dug out a few months ago as part of the flood management system for the valley.  Work has taken place all the way up to Lamport but these scrapes are the best looking area of the work.  It is an area where birds are likely to drop in and out during the day and there are quite a few hidden bits that you can't always see and then suddenly a bird will emerge from around the corner.  Yesterday a drake Garganey dropped in for a few minutes before heading off again. Waders included Redshank,  Green Sandpiper,  Lapwings,  Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers.  The surrounding bare earth was full of Pied and Yellow Wagtails plus 2 White Wagtails and the air full of a good mixture of hirundines which in turn attracted the attention of a Hobby. Also in the area were a Common Redstart,  Northern Wheatear and Water Rail.    This morning it was much quieter with a distinct lack of passerines,  but there was a Dunlin, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers.     Harrington Airfield was also quiet today,  just a  Common Redstart and 2 Wheatears. 

Despite a couple of visits to Pitsford Reservoir I didn't manage to see anything of note. However there were a couple of Little Gulls present yesterday. Little Gulls have been in short supply this spring but over the last couple of days there have been some recorded at Boddington Reservoir and Titchmarsh Reserve,  Thrapston.     The Nene Valley still holds quite a few species of waders.  Other birds reported include 2 Nightingales at Southwick Wood,  Black Tern at Stanford Reservoir,  Ring Ouzel at Borough Hill,  Garganey at Barnwell Lock flooded fields and a Caspian Gull at DIRFT3. 

So plenty to look at and looking at the predicted weather forecast for the weekend it should be warmer at last and hopefully a bit more migration movement, fingers crossed.  Have a good weekend however you spend it.

Regards Eleanor 

Wren.

Yellowhammer.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Mid Week Already!!

 It has been quite a busy few days with plenty of typical "spring " birds around,  not that I have managed to see many of them,  but I did catch up with the rather obliging Ring Ouzel at Harrington Airfield this afternoon.    There has also been a Ring Ouzel present for a couple of days at Borough Hill. Like Harrington this is a regular site for these birds in the spring. 

A Wood Sandpiper was located this afternoon at Summer Leys before being disturbed and as yet not relocated.  The  Tree Pipit was showing well again in the car park and other birds at this site include Marsh Harrier,  Hobby and Whimbrel.   At nearby Clifford Hill GP several Black Tailed Godwits remain plus a Whimbrel. Plenty of passerines too, 22 Northern Wheatear,  Whinchat and Common Redstart.       Not to be left out at Stanwick GP a drake Garganey, Whimbrel,  Jack Snipe, Pink Footed Goose,  Greenshank, Black Tailed Godwits, Marsh Harrier,  Green and Common Sandpiper. 

There does seem to be quite a movement of both Northern and the larger Greenland Wheatear throughout the county.  Clifford Hill,  Borough Hill,  Harrington Airfield,  Willowbrook Industrial Estate Corby,Honey Hill and Hemington ( 5 Greenland Wheatear) to name but a few sightings.                                                                                                                  On Monday there was a significant passage of Arctic Terns  with over 50 dropping into Pitsford Reservoir and 80  at Boddington Reservoir.                                                                       Plenty of Swallows about and it was lovely to hear their chattering from the  overhead wires today. Swifts are beginning to trickle through and more Cuckoo's are being heard. Today a Wood Warbler was reported singing in a private garden in Northampton whilst from a garden in Braunston a male Brambling.   So you never know what might turn up in your garden.  Still plenty of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers visiting our garden. 

Lots of colour everywhere due to the myriad of the spring flowers and also plenty of butterflies on the wing including Holly Blue, Orange Tip,Small Copper,  Green Veined White, Speckled Wood,  Brimstone,  Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.   

Regards Eleanor 

Ring Ouzel at
Harrington Airfield
courtesy of David Arden.

Blackcap courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Weekend Birds

From looking at the birds reported over the weekend it would seem that again the Nene Valley was the place to be.  A good variety of birds ranging from Warblers,  Waders and  Raptors plus a few other interesting passerines thrown in for good measure!!

A Tree Pipit was found in the car park at Summer Leys yesterday and rather surprisingly was still present today.  It even posed for the photographers as did a rather splendid male Bearded Tit which popped up outside the pioneer hide.  Other birds of note here include Marsh Harrier,  Hobby, Greenshank, Bar Tailed Godwit,  Cuckoo,  Arctic Tern and Grasshopper Warbler.  I think that this is just a taster of the birds that were there, obviously plenty to see, hear and enjoy. 

Just a little further along the valley at Clifford Hill GP plenty more birds, Black Terns,  Northern Wheatears, Common Sandpiper,  Little Ringed Plovers,  Dunlin, Shelduck, both Black and Bar Tailed Godwits,  Lesser Whitethroat and Common Redstart. Again in the Nene Valley at Stanwick GP,  Marsh Harrier and Jack Snipe. 

Birds away from the Nene Valley included Common Redstart at Honey Hill and at Stanford Reservoir Black Tern,  Arctic Tern and a pair of Common Scoter.

Yesterday Kenny Cramer and his team had a good ringing session at Milton Keynes.  44 birds processed of 18 species,  27 of which were newly ringed.  Warblers included 6 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, a Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler,  Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat.  A Green Woodpecker was a re-trap  having been originally ringed as an adult in 2015, making it at least 9 years old. It was re-trapped last April and at the time it was noted to have an odd anomaly with its eye colour. One iris was deep red, while the other was a more normal silvery grey, but with flecks of red starting to appear. When comparing today's images with last April's it showed that the red flecks had spread as the bird aged. The bird was otherwise healthy.  The longevity record for Green Woodpecker  is just over 15 years so this bird is doing well. 

Regards Eleanor 

Green Woodpecker courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Magpie courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Reed Bunting courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Green Woodpecker showing
the eye colouration courtesy
of Kenny Cramer,

A bit of movement

 Over the last couple of days there has been a bit of movement of birds particularly along the Nene Valley which always comes into its own at this time of year.  Summer Leys has produced waders , Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers,  Dunlin,  Common and Green Sandpiper.  Other birds of note Little Gulls and Marsh Harrier.   A bit further down towards Northampton at Clifford Hill GP , Little Gull,  both Bar and Black Tailed Godwits,  Whimbrel,  Little Ringed Plovers and Swift.      But heading northwards at Stanwick GP, Marsh Harrier,  Little Gull,  Bar Tailed Godwit and Swift.    

All in all a good variety of birds stretched out along the Nene Valley. But other sites have been turning up birds too. At Blueberry a couple of Northern Wheatears and Common Redstart. At Pitsford Reservoir Little Gull and Arctic Tern.  Daventry CP attracted Little Gulls and Common Sandpiper and not far away at Boddington Reservoir Arctic Tern. An area which I still haven't visited DIRFT3 produced  Greenland Wheatear, Ringed Plover,  Dunlin and Green Sandpiper. Barn Owl has been reported at Stortons GP and Lamport. 

The weekend could potentially be interesting with a couple of changes of wind direction and temperatures changes forecast. Have a good birding weekend. 

Regards Eleanor 

Little Gulls, godwits and Black-necked Grebes.

Hello

Similar weather to yesterday but the migrants refuse to stop coming through despite the blocking north-easterlies.

At Stanwick Pits first thing there were two adult Mediterranean Gulls, a Pink-footed Goose and a Green Sandpiper. During the early afternoon there was a passage of Little Gulls and Bar-tailed Godwits through the site and this evening there was a Whimbrel taking a nap and two Little Ringed Plovers.

A little later and things began to improve with visible migration in the Nene Valley - Summer Leys experiencing some movement with a flock of three Little Gulls lingering and eleven more straight through. Two Bar-tailed Godwits were on Gull Island and they were joined by eleven others and then all of them flew east. Eleven Bar-tailed Godwits arrived on-site over an hour later (different birds?) late morning and then flew off by 11.45am. Other birds there included a Common Sandpiper, four Ringed Plovers and two Little Ringed Plovers and a Cuckoo was heard calling at nearby Quarry Walk.

Just down the road at Clifford Hill Pits there were seventeen Little Gulls at 11.35am and twenty-four by 12.40pm. By 1.50pm there were just three Little Gulls present plus three Black-tailed Godwits and at 3.50pm there were two Bar-tailed Godwits, four Little Ringed Plovers and three Yellow Wagtails.

A Tree Pipit flew north at Harrington Airfield just before 8am and there was a Grasshopper Warbler 'reeling' intermittently between Bunkers Two and Three, with a mobile Raven flying around the complex.

Just after midday two summer plumage Black-necked Grebes were discovered at Pitsford Reservoir between Moulton Grange Bay and the dam and later in the afternoon they enjoyed the relative calmness of Moulton Grange Bay itself. A rather tired-looking Arctic Tern was in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford early afternoon, spending long periods resting on a buoy. A Cuckoo was calling between Lamport and Scaldwell this morning.

Two Sedge Warblers and two Oystercatchers were at Upton Country Park today with a Barn Owl at nearby Stortons Pits.

Regards

Neil M

Wren at Upton Country Park today.

Sedge Warbler at Upton Country Park today.

Willow Warbler at Stortons Pits today.

All images courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Birds of the cool north-east breeze

Hello

A couple more ringing recoveries have been received originating from Northants Ringing Group activity:-

1.  A juvenile Starling caught and ringed at Hanging Houghton on 12th June 2022 was found dead in a chimney in the village of Crick on 26th March 2023, some 287 days later and 16km from where originally ringed. Like other cavity-nesting species Starlings have a tendency to fall down chimneys or become stuck in man-made structures and it sounds like this happened to this young bird;

2.  An adult male Blue Tit that was ringed at Greens Norton on 24th November 2021 was captured again by a ringer operating at Brewery Farm, Stonham in Suffolk on 25th March 2023. This bird had moved 144km east over a period of 486 days and is unusual in that adult birds rarely wander and so far - good for the gene pool but what was the stimulus?

Much slimmer pickings on the migrant front today in a cool north-easterly breeze but birders out early at Stanwick Pits were rewarded with eleven Bar-tailed Godwits which lingered for a bit and four fly-over Whimbrel. An Arctic Tern was seen a little later.

At Summer Leys LNR today there were two Great White Egrets, two Arctic Terns, two adult Mediterranean Gulls this evening, five Black-tailed Godwits and two Little Ringed Plovers.

Eyebrook Reservoir hung on to the first year Kittiwake and two Bar-tailed Godwits were there this morning. One or two Green Sandpiper(s) remained in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and Ravens were noted there and at Kelmarsh.

A Common Bird Census at Pitsford Reservoir around the nature reserve provided lots of Blackcaps, a singing Garden Warbler, two Common Redstarts, a Siskin, a Grey Wagtail and a Little Owl.

Regards

Neil M

Map depicting movement
of the Starling from Hanging
Houghton to Crick.

Map depicting the movement
of the Blue Tit from Greens
Norton to Stonham, Suffolk.

Both maps courtesy of Nick Wood.

Singing Blackcap at
Daventry Country Park
today courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Kestrel courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Migrant day again

Hello 

The weather conditions promised much for migration enthusiasts and in general the county did well today with another arrival of migrants from the south. On the south coast of the UK there were very large numbers of migrants reported and these birds will probably permeate through the county during the next couple of days.

Probably the best birds were two summer plumage Black-necked Grebes found at the south end of Daventry Country Park this morning and they were reported during the day. At Hollowell Reservoir there was a fishing Osprey, a first year Caspian Gull and a Common Snipe and at Pitsford Reservoir an Osprey flew south at 2.30pm and a Marsh Harrier flew east at 2.40pm. Two or three Common Terns were there too. A Peregrine was hunting between Scaldwell and Brixworth villages this afternoon.

Harrington Airfield today hosted a male Common Redstart by the shooting wall off the concrete track, three Wheatears, a Raven, a Redpoll and a pair of Grey Partridge. At Lamport Hall there was a male Common Redstart in the traditional stop-over hedge paralleling the footpath off the A508 plus a Barn Owl this evening. In the Brampton Valley below Brixworth a productive forty minutes yielded two Green Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover, a Raven, a Water Rail, a Wheatear, three Yellow Wagtails and two Grey Wagtails. There were two Wheatears in the same valley below Hanging Houghton and the Blueberry Farm area near Maidwell could only provide twenty-five Fieldfares and two Redwings.

In the Nene Valley there were three Yellow Wagtails at Broadholme Treatment Works, an excellent four adult Mediterranean Gulls at Stanwick Pits plus an early morning Marsh Harrier, a Pink-footed Goose  and two Pintail. The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston provided for two Common Sandpipers, eight species of warbler including Common Whitethroat and Garden Warbler, three pairs of Oystercatchers and a very lively Sand Martin colony! Birds at Clifford Hill Pits included seven Common Terns, a Whimbrel through, fifteen Yellow Wagtails, a Cuckoo and three Ring-necked Parakeets. A Wheatear was in a field between Wappenham and Syresham.

An afternoon/evening passage of Arctic Terns included five at Stanford Reservoir, two at Clifford Hill Pits and eight at Summer Leys LNR.

A Garganey and a Kittiwake were at Eyebrook Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

Arctic Tern.

Northern Wheatear courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Mediterranean Gull.

Fieldfare courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Mid April birding

Hello 

Checking through the re-trap records for our Harrington Airfield ringing captures indicates that one of the Blackbirds was first ringed as a first year bird in November 2016 and hasn't been encountered since 2020 -  which will make it seven years old this year. The three re-trap Willow Warblers were previously ringed as an adult in June 2020, an adult in 2021 and a juvenile in 2022 - these small warblers often only weighing 9-10g winter deep down in Africa and undertake a very long migration for the size of the bird.

Kenny and his team were also ringing yesterday at the Milton Keynes venue of Linford Lakes and birds caught here included a fine Green Woodpecker, eight Blackcaps, two Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler, a Bullfinch and a Treecreeper. Sedge and Reed Warbler were noted on-site as was a singing Water Rail, a Redshank, two Great White Egrets and a Cuckoo.

Some garden ringing by Dave Francis on the outskirts of Northampton provided a first year female Brambling, eleven Goldfinches, two Greenfinches, three Reed Buntings, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Woodpigeon. Two of the Reed Buntings were re-traps - originally ringed locally at Stortons Pits and Pitsford Reservoir!

A Blue Tit that turned up in a Scaldwell village garden on 18th March 2023 had first been ringed as a nestling in a nest box at Chase Park Farm, Yardley Chase on 22nd May 2022. What possesses a Blue Tit to move a minimum of 18 km from one side of Northampton to the other and seemingly abandon it's natal area is not known. What we do know is that with the relatively high number of Blue Tits that are ringed in the county, such recorded movements are unusual.

Today and nine Yellow Wagtails were resplendent along the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and a Common Whitethroat was north of the causeway in Christies Copse. A Wheatear and a Common Whitethroat were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this morning. Eleanor's morning run along the Brampton Valley Way was the means to locate a White Stork on the new wetlands below Brixworth, with this bird flying off at about 8.30am. About an hour later and the bird was thermaling over Cottesbrooke and appeared to head south. It was just visible from Hanging Houghton at 9.40am until lost to view due to the great distance. A Water Rail remains in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

A Kittiwake and a Common Scoter were seen at Eyebrook Reservoir today and a drake Garganey made a brief appearance at Daventry Country Park before swimming off into cover. Single Ospreys were noted at Hollowell and Ravensthorpe Reservoirs today, a Wheatear was in a sheep field between Upper Benefield and Deenethorpe, a Marsh Harrier was seen at Polebrook Airfield this afternoon and Barn Owls were at Hanging Houghton in the Brampton Valley and at Lamport Hall. Two Lesser Redpolls visited out garden feeders at midday today.

Regards

Neil M

Green Woodpecker courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Great Tit.

Blue Tit.

Marsh Harrier courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Ringing at Harrington Airfield

Hello

Much of the day ringing at Harrington Airfield provided 131 birds of eleven species with the humble but beautifully-marked Linnet dominating proceedings. Eighty-four of these small finches were processed, all of them being newly-ringed birds apart from one individual ringed a few years ago. The males are just obtaining their scarlet breast and head - next month they'll look pretty stunning! Four Willow Warblers included three birds known from Harrington in previous years and we also managed a single Chiffchaff, six Goldfinches, three Chaffinches, six Reed Buntings and twelve Yellowhammers. This afternoon's sunshine brought out the butterflies locally and at Harrington Airfield it included Orange-tip. Hummingbird Hawk-moths were noted at New Duston and Hanging Houghton gardens today.

Single Barn Owls showed again at Hanging Houghton village and Lamport Hall and two visits from Eleanor to Blueberry Farm, Maidwell yielded two Common Redstarts, over two hundred Fieldfares and a Wheatear this morning and a/the male Ring Ouzel and just three Fieldfares and two Wheatears this afternoon.

A/the male Common Redstart and a Wheatear were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby again this morning and early afternoon, a Wheatear and several Yellow Wagtails were in the vicinity of the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today, six Wheatears were at the Nene Barrage/Clifford Hill Pits and a drake Common Scoter was located at Daventry Country Park.

Hollowell Reservoir attracted a Wheatear and a singing Garden Warbler, a drake Mandarin Duck was seen at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, thirty Common Terns and plenty of singing Willow Warblers were at Stanwick Pits this morning and an Egyptian Goose was at the Embankment, Wellingborough. Two Otters showed well along the River Welland at Market Harborough today.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gull.

Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Drake Mallard.

A rather wet affair

Hello

Dodging the showers became impossible from late afternoon when constant rain set in but hopefully the weekend will be much dryer.

The Kentish Plover was on show again at Summer Leys LNR but seemingly absented itself from about 2pm. Other birds present included two Great White Egrets, a Dunlin and a Wheatear.

A/the White Stork was seen flying south over the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston at about 10.55am but there were no further reports. Clifford Hill Pits hosted eight Yellow Wagtails and a Little Ringed Plover.

The Blueberry Farm complex provided some good morning birding with a male Ring Ouzel, a male and a female Common Redstart and over a hundred Fieldfares with a Wheatear there in the afternoon. A/the male Common Redstart showed itself at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this afternoon and five Wheatears were present in bean fields there in the morning.

Two Caspian Gulls were seen on pools between the Royal Mail distribution centre on the DIRFT complex and the M1 motorway near Lilbourne early this morning and this afternoon a male Common Redstart was found in bushes near to Bunker One at Harrington Airfield. This latter site will be subject of a ringing session there tomorrow when the bunker areas will have restricted access but the main footpath and concrete track are unaffected.

Otters today were along the River Nene between Earls Barton Pits and Wellingborough and at St Mary's Place on the River Welland at Market Harborough.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gull.

Grey Heron.

Yellow Wagtails.

All images courtesy of
John Tilly.

Kentish Plover, Ring Ouzels and Redstarts

Hello

A quieter day today in the county but the Kentish Plover remained at Summer Leys LNR and still attracted plenty of attention. Other birds seen included a Great White Egret, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin.

At Pitsford Reservoir today a male Common Redstart and later a female was in field hedging parallel to the Scaldwell Bay perimeter fence between Maytrees and Bird Club hides (a traditional stop-over site) and on the dam there were at least three Yellow Wagtails with a Wheatear on the grass below the dam.

A Ring Ouzel was seen again at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby, showing at lunchtime on a slope to the left along the Jurassic Way footpath from the Cold Ashby road. At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon a male Ring Ouzel dropped in just ahead of a vigorous hail storm which also caused two or three Yellow Wagtails and about seventy Fieldfares to similarly descend and take cover - fantastic visible migration! A male Common Redstart was also seen there briefly just before this.

An Osprey was seen in flight over Thornby village at just after 9am and a White Wagtail was noted on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir. Yesterday saw a Reed Warbler at Thrapston Pits and today others were noted near Barton Seagrave and at Stanwick Pits. A Common Sandpiper and an Oystercatcher were on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve.

A Barn Owl, a pair of Grey Partridge and three or four on-territory singing Willow Warblers were at Harrington Airfield this morning. Two Grey Wagtails and two Yellow Wagtails and a Fieldfare were along the Brampton Valley near Draughton. A Barn Owl was at Lamport Hall this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Sand Martins at Summer Leys
courtesy of John Tilly.

Little Egret courtesy of
John Tilly.

Great Crested Newt handled with the 
appropriate authority courtesy of
Lewis Aaron.