Avocet, Quail and damselflies.

Hello

An early morning visit to the Lilbourne Meadows reserve provided for three Green Sandpipers, at least one Oystercatcher, one plus Little Ringed Plovers and on territory Meadow Pipits and Yellow Wagtail. There were nine Little Egrets on the dwindling flood water meadows and breeding birds with young included Lapwing and Gadwall. Mammals included three Roe Deer. Five Little Ringed Plovers were on the adjacent DIRFT pools.

Eleanor ran around the southern section of Pitsford Reservoir this morning and was surprised to see an Avocet on the dam by the valve tower at 7am. This bird later flew past her on it's way towards the causeway but wasn't noted again. The drake Red-crested Pochard and a Cuckoo were by the Gorse Bushes.

The Purple Heron again didn't show at Summer Leys LNR but two Cuckoos included a rufous phase bird did. A Spotted Flycatcher was on the village Green at Creaton and a Quail was heard calling from a cover crop on the Cottesbrooke estate this evening (no public access).

A visit to the Welland valley this afternoon in the vicinity of Gretton Weir was good for a variety of odonata which included lots of White-legged Damselflies, many of them in cop. Another eight species of damselfly and dragonflies were present but the bad news was that there were large numbers of dead fish, particularly Chub, Dace and Perch. The Environment Agency were on-site and trying to determine the reasons behind the big die off. Two Cuckoos were very vocal around the riverside trees there.

Regards

Neil M

The Purple Heron
at Summer Leys LNR
(but not today) courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Buck Roe Deer.

Doe Roe Deer.

Male White-legged Damselfly.

Large Red Damselfly.

Female Banded Demoiselle.

Mid June birds

Hello

There were no reported sightings of the Purple Heron at Summer Leys LNR today but as a whole the Earls Barton Pits is a large complex and the bird could easily still be present. A Peregrine flew west there at 5.45am and other birds included a party of five Ravens over, two Cuckoos, two or three Common Snipe, eleven Redshanks (including two well-grown youngsters), at least six Oystercatchers (including three almost full-size youngsters) and good numbers of Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall. Three foxes were working the area early this morning and at least six Little Egrets were mobile. Amongst the Lapwings were a pair with three small chicks.

Spotted Flycatchers seem in short supply this year but there was one today in Towcester churchyard and single Ospreys were at Titchmarsh Reserve (Thrapston Pits) and Hollowell Reservoir where there was also a Red-veined Darter seen today. Birds for Stanford Reservoir today amounted to a Cuckoo, a Hobby, an Oystercatcher and a Shelduck and three Cetti's Warblers whilst at nearby Welford Reservoir there were two Grey Wagtails, three Common Terns and three Little Egrets.

Regards

Neil M

Pied Wagtail courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Male Reed Bunting
courtesy of John Tilly.

Adult and juvenile Oystercatchers
courtesy of John Tilly.

A celebration of Water Rails!

Hello

A couple of videos attached of Water Rail activity at a site in Northamptonshire where a study of Water Rail behaviour is being conducted by members of the Northants Ringing Group using camera trap opportunities.

The Purple Heron continues to delight at Summer Leys LNR, at times showing well in front of the scrape hides. A Cuckoo was also present.

Three more Cuckoos at Barnwell Country Park tends to support anecdotal evidence that this species is in better numbers this spring than in recent years.

Post-breeding dispersal was evident today with a Common Redstart noted in Kettering at Furnace Lane on the Telford Way Industrial Estate and also two or three Common Crossbills at Hanging Houghton this afternoon. The first returning Green Sandpiper will be reported any day now!

Two Peregrines were at Higham Ferrers and at Stanford Reservoir there were two Cuckoos, an Oystercatcher, a first summer Common Gull and three Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Stortons Pits wildlife

Hello

Some bird ringing took place at Stortons Pits today with just short of forty birds being processed which were mostly common breeding warblers on site, a few tits, Reed Buntings, a Blackbird and some juvenile Robins. Water Rails were audible and visible at times and at least three Cuckoos were noisy and excited. An adult Peregrine spent quite some time overhead and scarcer birds in the reeds and scrub included several Cetti's Warblers. Odonata on the wing included Blue Emperor, Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer and Banded Demoiselle.

The Purple Heron continues to lord it at Summer Leys LNR and there are now many excellent images of this stunning bird which seems to like the channels and vegetation around the scrape.

Two Sandwich Terns were a good find at the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits today, showing well before they flew off south. Two Peregrines were at Higham Ferrers today.

Regards

Neil M

This Garden Warbler was first
ringed as an adult female at
Stortons Pits in 2021. Close to
where she was captured today at
least one fledged youngster was
present so it seems that this is her
breeding site!

Water Rails courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Blue Emperor courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Peregrine courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Broad-bodied Chaser.

Cuckoo.

All images from Stortons Pits today.

June birds, dragons, damsels and butterflies

Hello

A ringing session at Christies Copse at Pitsford Reservoir this morning proved quiet with just a handful of birds finding the mist nets. Other birds on-site included a vocal Cuckoo and a fly-over Spotted Flycatcher. Odonata on show today included Broad-bodied Chasers, Blue Emperor and a single Willow Emerald Damselfly. Butterflies included Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Small Heath and there were still good numbers of Chimney Sweeper moths in the meadows.

At Stanford Reservoir there were two Cuckoos again, three Cetti's Warblers, a female Gadwall was spotted with a brood of ducklings and three Oystercatchers were present. Cuckoos were near Wicksteed Park and Mary's Lake, Earls Barton today.

A Little Ringed Plover and two Oystercatchers were at Upton Country Park.

The Purple Heron at Summer Leys LNR showed again today but with long periods of not being seen. The Bittern showed up again this afternoon too.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Nuthatch
courtesy of Jane Neil.

Adult Long-tailed Tit
already in post-breeding
moult courtesy of Jane Neil.

Oystercatcher and Little
Ringed Plover at Upton CP
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Birds of the heat and thunder

Hello

A warm and sunny day for most in the county today with darkened skies and sporadic thunderstorms and even some rain in some parts this afternoon.

For those that were patient, the Purple Heron was seen on several occasions at Summer Leys LNR today, a very good looking individual that finds the vegetation around the scrape to it's liking.

A Birdguides report of a Quail over Higham Ferrers at 11.10pm last night was presumably heard calling! 

An adult Yellow-legged Gull was north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and two Hobbies were hunting dragonflies in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening. Two Cuckoos were still at Stanford Reservoir today and a Black-tailed Godwit was at Stanwick Pits on the Main Lake early this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Broad-bodied Chaser.

A fledgling Carrion Crow
out of the nest too early!

Common Whitethroat.

All images courtesy of
Tony Stanford from Stortons
Pits and Hardingstone.

 

Summer Leys LNR has it!

Hello

A ringing session in sweaty conditions and with mosquitoes making conditions difficult was what Kenny Cramer and team suffered today to complete yet another high volume catch at Linford Lakes this morning. As expected newly fledged youngsters made up the majority with the tits out in force. Just over a hundred birds were processed today of twenty-three species which included eighteen Long-tailed Tits, thirteen Blue Tits and eleven Great Tits. Twelve Reed Warblers included a bird affixed with a ring from elsewhere and there were also six Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, two Common Whitethroats, singles of Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Cetti's Warbler and four Chiffchaffs.

Fledglings of Dunnock, Goldfinch and Treecreeper were nice and fluffy and nine Sand Martin chicks were ringed in the Sand Castle colony. A feisty Great Spotted Woodpecker was the first there for some time and a re-trap Kingfisher is always a treat.

A visit to Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon suggested that yesterday's Little Terns had gone. A summer plumage Common Redshank was not an anticipated sighting. A few Large Red-eyed Damselflies were amongst the swarms of Common Blue Damsels and the Scaldwell Meadow contained Small Heath, Common Blue and Meadow Brown butterflies and Chimney Sweeper moths. A Spotted Flycatcher was noted between Kelmarsh and Clipston and Ravens were at Kelmarsh and Hanging Houghton. An Orange-tip butterfly was briefly in our Hanging Houghton garden. Black Hairstreaks were noted at Glapthorn Cow Pastures today and Beautiful Demoiselles were plentiful on the Kelmarsh Estate.

Summer Leys LNR was the place to be this afternoon with the splendid re-appearance of the Purple Heron (well done Linda Summerfield for relocating your bird from two days ago), a brief view of a Bittern, a Bearded Tit, a Marsh Harrier and a Hobby.

Regards

Neil McMahon

Juvenile Dunnock.

Juvenile Goldfinch.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Sand Martin chick.

All images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

More interesting birds locally

Hello

More interesting birds reported today include a Purple Heron photographed at about 1pm yesterday at Summer Leys LNR (an image was uploaded today on the Summer Leys Facebook page).

A pair of Grey Partridge were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and a Lesser Whitethroat counts as an infrequent visitor to our Hanging Houghton garden this morning. A Hobby and two Cuckoos were at Stanford Reservoir today and an Osprey was over Biggin Lake, Oundle Golf Club this evening.

The lingering drake Red-crested Pochard remains in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and this evening three Little Terns appeared just before 6pm and lingered throughout the evening, spending their time between the Old Scaldwell Road and the Bird Club hide.

A Wood Sandpiper was reported from the inlet end of Eyebrook Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

Red-legged Partridge
at Upton Country Park
today courtesy of Tony
Stanford.

Black-headed Gulls courtesy
of John Tilly.

Adult and chick Lapwing
courtesy of John Tilly.

A Grosbeak, a Golden Oriole and a Black-necked Grebe.

Hello

Some interesting sightings in and close to the county during the last few days have sparked quite some interest!

On the 6th June a Rose-breasted Grosbeak was apparently photographed in a Corby garden. This species originates from North America so whether this was a bird of wild origin or an escapee from captivity we will perhaps never know. If it is/was a wild bird then this signifies the first North American passerine to be recorded in Northamptonshire.

At Stanford Reservoir yesterday evening a Golden Oriole was heard calling on the Leicestershire bank but not seen and it wasn't relocated this morning. The Marsh Warbler present yesterday hasn't been reported today but birds present today included two Hobbies, three Cuckoos (one rufous phase) and two Cetti's Warblers.

Today and a Black-necked Grebe was located on the Summer Leys LNR where it was seen during the day near Gull Island and a Marsh Harrier was there this afternoon.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning there was a Ringed Plover, a Dunlin and a Grey Wagtail on the dam, and two Grey Wagtails in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Kingfisher courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Orchids, hares and a Marsh Warbler

Hello

It seems like the day temperatures have changed as of today and we can expect warmer weather ahead.

Anecdotally the Brown Hares seem to have done well this year with plenty locally including Harrington Airfield where there is also a great display of Common Spotted and Bee Orchids and a good selection of grassland butterflies and day-flying moths when the sun shines.

The most note-worthy bird reported locally is an elusive Marsh Warbler at Stanford Reservoir, but apparently the bird is on the Leicestershire bank!

Regards

Neil M

Bee Orchid
Harrington Airfield.

Common Spotted Orchids
Harrington Airfield, above 
images Eleanor McMahon.

Brown Hare courtesy of
John Tilly.

Iceland and back

Hello

I returned home last night from two Naturetrek tours of Iceland, and the outside temperatures didn't seem much different!

Today and much of my time at home has been watching the very hungry Starlings, Jackdaws and Blackbirds in the garden. Interestingly there is a small but seemingly growing population of Starlings in Iceland and although there are no Jackdaws (yet) Blackbirds have colonised and are spreading around the country. With very few exceptions, all these passerines leave the country in the autumn and head south, returning in the spring to breed.

I have created two additional tabs or pages on the blog which are designed to exhibit some images from both tours - 'Undiscovered Iceland 2023' and 'Iceland in Spring 2023'.

It seems there has been some late passage of waders and terns through the county and country this spring and the remnants can still be found at our Nene Valley Pits such as Thrapston Pits (particularly the Titchmarsh reserve) and Earls Barton Pits (mostly on the Summer Leys LNR).

Regards

Neil M

Water Crowfoot.

Grass Snake.

Beautiful Demoiselle.

Common Buzzard.

All images from a
Spratton garden courtesy
of David Arden.

Ringing at Linford Lakes

Hello

Kenny Cramer and a small team enjoyed a quality ringing session yesterday (Saturday) at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes which included plenty of juvenile birds. However the first mist net round was the best when three large birds in one net proved to be two re-trapped Cuckoos and a Hobby! The Hobby was a new species ringed for the site which is no surprise as they rarely end up in mist nets! The Cuckoos were a female first ringed there last year and the second bird was a male that was originally ringed way back in 2017 and is at least eight years old - and old for a Cuckoo! He has been encountered at Linford in 2021 and 2022 which proves great site fidelity and if paths cross again next year is set to break the British longevity record. He was also the very first Cuckoo to be caught and ringed at Linford.

Other birds processed included a Song Thrush, Blackcaps, Garden Warblers, Common Whitethroats, Reed Warblers, six Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, a Starling, a Treecreeper and two Kingfishers.

Regards

Neil M

Blackcap.

Blue Tit.

Cuckoo.

Hobby.

Images courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.