Birds of autumn into winter

Hello

The Great Northern Diver was present off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning but it had some competition with one hundred and ten Cormorants fishing near it. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was there too.

An 'asio' owl seen distantly at Harrington Airfield was unidentified but probably a dark Short-eared Owl, and a Woodcock was flushed too.

The Glossy Ibis was reported again at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows below St Peters church and the Common Scoter was again at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits. At Summer Leys LNR eight Whooper Swans flew over east early this afternoon and other birds included a Great White Egret, four Golden Plovers and several Siskins.

At Hollowell Reservoir there was an adult Caspian Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Green Sandpiper, a Goosander and four Stonechats.

A Red-throated Diver and a Black-necked Grebe were present at Eyebrook Reservoir and sightings at Stanford Reservoir included a Great White Egret and two Water Rails.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Great Northern Diver 
courtesy of Neil Hasdell. It has
been a great autumn for inland
records of this species and this
bird was photographed at a lake
at Peterborough.

Pied Wagtail.

Grey Heron.

Bullfinch.

Above three images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

An early morning check of the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided a Barn Owl, a Common Snipe and calling Grey Partridges. 

At Stanford Reservoir a Woodcock was caught and ringed today and other birds recorded included four Water Rails and two Chiffchaffs.

A WeBS count at Ditchford Pits today located three Egyptian Geese west of Ditchford Lane plus as many as seven Cetti's Warblers and a couple of Chiffchaffs. East of Ditchford Lane and the complex yielded a Great White Egret, a Woodcock, a Jack Snipe, twenty-six Common Snipe, a Water Rail, a pair of Stonechats, another five or so Cetti's Warblers and five Chiffchaffs. Worryingly and following a couple of years of very low numbers there were no Kingfishers recorded. The Glossy Ibis was on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows section of the complex on grassland next to Otter Lake.

The Great Northern Diver showed very well off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today and was taking and swallowing crayfish. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was there too.

Nick located a female/immature Common Scoter at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits this afternoon where there were also three Goosanders.

Regards

Neil M

Carrion Crow.

Yellow-legged Gull.

Great Northern Diver, gulls and Crossbills

Hello

Another mild and breezy day with only light rain made it a pleasant day out.

A Great Northern Diver was discovered at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and fishing the waters between the Catwalk Bay and the causeway - and spending far too long underwater to provide good views! An adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the same area and a Woodcock was seen in the Walgrave Bay.

Stanford Reservoir was the venue for two Great White Egrets, two Chiffchaffs, a Peregrine hunting Starlings at dusk and gulls in the afternoon roost included fifty-three Great Black-backed Gulls, an adult Mediterranean Gull and an adult Caspian Gull.

A male Marsh Harrier and two Stonechats and two Kingfishers were showing well from the hides at Summer Leys LNR this morning and twelve Goosanders were at Hardingstone Pits. Seven Little Egrets were in their traditional wet fields site near Greens Norton this morning. 

At least six Crossbills were feeding in spruce trees at Fineshade Wood this afternoon, about three hundred metres north-east of Top Lodge.

Regards

Neil M

Great Black-backed Gull.

Blackbird.

Redwing.

Another wet night

Hello

A very wet night continued with rain post dawn but then the rest of the day was mild, dull and dry.

My efforts continue to slowly re-establish the dedicated bird winter feeding stations coupled with habitat management, cutting back net rides and keeping the all-year feeding stations going too. I see and hear a few birds during my efforts and at this time of the year I'm out most of the day to ensure there is some sort of progress! Cleaning suspended feeders and buying and collecting foodstuffs is a way of life for me at this time of the year as we prepare for the colder months and the spring hunger gaps when birds perish if there is insufficient food. Because I am away a great deal then I am very appreciative of the small band of volunteers who carry on in my absence. With a bumper berry crop, relative mild conditions, still active insects and the lack of severe frosts my efforts at the dedicated winter feed stations are a little later this year. We still have at least five Hedgehogs coming to our garden every night as the conditions are not yet suitable for hibernation so this at least helps the smaller of the animals put on some weight prior to their winter sleep. They seem to ignore the hedgehog food and prefer peanuts, sunflower hearts, dried calci-worms and suet insect pellets!

Bird sightings at Stanford Reservoir today included two Cattle Egrets flying SW, an adult Caspian Gull in the roost, two Great White Egrets, fifty-five Great Black-backed Gulls roosting, four Water Rails, two Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler and three Siskins.

Two Ravens were near Kelmarsh and the combination of soggy fields (with easy access to worms) and masses of hawthorn berries means the county is brim full of Redwings and Fieldfares almost everywhere you go. 

At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon there was an adult Caspian Gull off the dam that seemingly did not stay to roost and it was otherwise quiet with just a Grey Wagtail, a Siskin and a Redpoll around the dam area.

Over at the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits there was a Pink-footed Goose and the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows Glossy Ibis remains. The long-staying Red-throated Diver is still at Eyebrook Reservoir and a Short-eared Owl showed briefly in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Sparrowhawk.

Stonechat.

All images courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Sunny November day

Hello

With calmer and brighter conditions a couple of small ringing sessions were held by Northants Ringing Group members today. One was near Greens Norton which was a specific training period for Trainees and provided captures of seven Redwings, five Lesser Redpolls and a few tits to manage and learn from. Two Ravens and several Siskins were present there too.

At Harrington Airfield it was a modest period of ringing, the bright sunshine lights up the mist nets and sharp-eyed thrushes avoid them! Forty-three birds were processed made up of two Fieldfares, two Blackbirds, fourteen Redwings, singles of Dunnock, Robin, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Goldcrest, three Wrens, three Great Tits, five Blue Tits, four Chaffinches and five Meadow Pipits.

One of the Meadow Pipits was first ringed there on 2nd October and so has remained in situ it seems for six weeks. One of the first year Redwings was bearing a Dutch ring so we await the initial ringing details.

Other birds on-site included a Common Snipe, a Woodcock, about one hundred and fifty Fieldfares, singles of Redpoll and Siskin and Raven with visible migration counts of 535 Starlings veering west and 360 Woodpigeons heading south.

At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon the Cormorant roost totaled 185 birds north of the causeway and two Woodcock were in Christie's Copse in the Walgrave Bay.

Over at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows the Glossy Ibis showed itself again and a male Marsh Harrier provided views at Summer Leys LNR. Hollowell Reservoir hosted an adult Caspian Gull, a Goosander, a Green Sandpiper and two Stonechats and the Blackcap was still in a village garden. Nearby at Ravensthorpe Reservoir an Otter showed north of the road causeway and birds included a Pink-footed Goose and a Chiffchaff.

Sightings at Stanford Reservoir today included a fly-through Grey Plover, three Water Rails, a Great White Egret, a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler. Eyebrook Reservoir birds included a 'redhead' Smew and a Black-necked Grebe.

Sywell Country Park hosted two pairs of Stonechats, two Grey Wagtails, a Water Rail, a Cetti's Warbler and about a dozen Siskins. Birds at Desborough Airfield amounted to forty Golden Plovers, two hundred and fifty Lapwings over SW, nineteen Common Snipe and a female Stonechat.

The warm sunshine in the county brough forth quite a number of insects including Red Admiral and Peacock butterflies.

Regards

Neil M

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Steve Wilson and Jane Neill.

Fieldfare courtesy of
Jane Neill and Steve Wilson.

A well-marked Redwing courtesy
of Toby Solesbury.

Winter thrushes, finches and Blackcaps

Hello

A dull and at times murky day, quite cold first thing but then milder and a little rain late afternoon with a brighter outlook for tomorrow.

An early morning foray to Harrington Airfield this morning confirmed the presence of some three hundred winter thrushes in the hawthorn bushes around the bunkers. A Redpoll was also present, a couple of Skylarks were singing and overhead passage birds included small flocks of Woodpigeons and Starlings. A Grey Partridge provided some rather stifled calls and Common Buzzards and Red Kites were arguing over an unknown prey item. Tomorrow (Friday) there will be a ringing session there in an effort to catalogue some of the thrushes and access will be restricted in the scrubby areas between the chippings compound and the bunkers, access along the concrete track which is also an official footpath is unaffected.

At Daventry Country Park the Great Northern Diver flew off in a westerly direction over the town this morning and a female-type Common Scoter was also reported.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, visible at floods below St Peter's church and three Cattle Egrets and two Stonechats were at nearby Stanwick Pits at lunchtime.

A male Blackcap turned up in a Hollowell village garden today and coincidentally a pair visited our garden at Hanging Houghton too where they are far from regular. A male Brambling was in Hanging Houghton village this morning and the Brampton Valley below the village yielded a pair of Stonechats, a Barn Owl and a Woodcock.

A Siskin was the only bird of note around the dam at Pitsford Reservoir, there were three Grey Wagtails in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and a Redpoll and twelve Siskins at Kelmarsh Hall. Two pairs of Stonechats graced Sywell Country Park yesterday.

Regards

Neil M

Glossy Ibis.

Magpie.

Blackcap courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Waxwings, Stonechats and Great Northern Diver.

Hello

A breezy but sunny day made it a good day to be out and about.

The current influx of Waxwings in to the UK is mostly in Scotland but also north and east England with some birds even making it to the Isles of Scilly. Intriguing then that there was a report of thirty-forty Waxwings seen in flight at Earls Barton village today - several would-be observers subsequently checked the most obvious places in the village but were unable to find any. Subsequently Ian saw twelve possibles flying west over Castle Ashby early this afternoon. Hopefully we will catch up with these thrilling 'trillers' locally soon!

A Great Northern Diver was an excellent find at Daventry Country Park today and was seen by several observers during the day...hopefully it will stay longer than the recent Pitsford bird!

A Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff were the best birds at Stanford Reservoir today and birds at Hollowell Reservoir amounted to an adult Caspian Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Green Sandpiper, two Goosanders and four Stonechats. Birds at Pitsford Reservoir included two drake Pintail in the Scaldwell Bay, a couple of Siskins and a pair of Stonechats were between the causeway and the Maytrees Hide. At least one hundred and twenty-five Cormorants roosted in the Walgrave Bay this afternoon.

Although proving more difficult to locate today the Glossy Ibis was still at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR today in trees overhanging Otter Lake early this afternoon. A Raven was recorded flying over there and another was over Brixworth village early this afternoon.

At least two hundred and fifty Golden Plovers were mobile around the DIRFT site near Lilbourne with two Stonechats and a Peregrine at Clifford Hill Pits all this morning. A male Merlin again visited the shrike hedge area of the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a pair of Stonechats were on the rough grass area next to the brook.

A Woodcock and a couple of Siskins were at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate and another Woodcock was seen at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

Stonechats courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Goldeneye.

Cormorant.

Above two images courtesy
of Tony Stanford taken at
Pitsford Reservoir today.

Mid November birding

Hello

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Great White Egret, three Water Rails, a Cetti's Warbler and two Chiffchaffs. Pitsford Reservoir seemed quiet but there was a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, a Grey Wagtail and a Redpoll in the dam area this afternoon.

At Hollowell Reservoir Mark found a sick-looking first winter Kittiwake, perhaps a victim of the autumn storms. There was also a Caspian Gull and four Stonechats and nearby at Ravensthorpe Reservoir a/the Pink-footed Goose and a female Mandarin Duck were present.

It's still visible migration season and at Harrington Airfield there was a male Merlin this morning plus a Woodcock, six Redpolls, at least two Bramblings, a few Siskins and hundreds of winter thrushes in the bushes. Overflying flocks of Starlings and Woodpigeons had already slowed by 9am. Several Siskins were in Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate.

Over at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows the Glossy Ibis was still present and viewable from the churchyard at St Peter's in Irthlingborough and a Cattle Egret was seen there too. A first winter Caspian Gull was seen at Daventry Country Park today, a pair of Stonechats were visible from the footpath between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell villages and another pair were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton near the large barn, with a Woodcock flushed up nearby.

A Marsh Harrier was photographed at Summer Leys LNR today and other birds there included a Great White Egret and in excess of two hundred Golden Plovers.

Regards

Neil M

Goldfinch.

Lesser Black-backed Gull
and Black-headed Gulls.

Golden Plovers and Lapwings.

All images courtesy of Tony Stanford
from Summer Leys LNR today.

Another blustery day

Hello

A blustery day with rain first thing and showers later sounds a familiar theme for this autumn! I'm just back in from another tour to Scotland taking in the delights of Islay and Jura - a separate Tab or Page has been created for a few images from this tour (Islay's Wintering Wildfowl).

In Northants today the Glossy Ibis was again at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows at Ditchford Pits and best viewed from the churchyard at Irthlingborough. Nearby six Cattle Egrets arrived to roost at Stanwick Pits this afternoon. The long-staying juvenile Red-throated Diver remains at Eyebrook Reservoir just across the county border.

A Stonechat was at Upton Country Park today and a Caspian Gull and a Great White Egret were at Stanford Reservoir. A Woodcock and a couple of Bramblings were slim pickings in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning. Sixteen Ring-necked Parakeets mobbing a Red Kite over Great Billing, Northampton early this afternoon was no doubt a noisy affair!

Regards

Neil M

Chaffinch.

Kestrel.

Starling.

Stonechat.

All images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Canon lens and converter for sale

Hello

Robin has the following photographic equipment for sale if you are interested?

Canon 500mm F4 mk 2,

Lens-coat camo-cover and hood cover.

Original Canon covers and lockable metal box etc.

Camera bag, Lowpro Lens Trekker 600 AW 111, tailored fit for 500/600mm.

Canon 1.4x teleconverter mk 3.

Both Lens and converter are in superb condition and are very sharp.

£5000.00.

If interested please contact Robin @….   robin.gossage@sky.com

Regards

Neil M

Sunny Saturday

It was hard to believe that it was the middle of November today.  Blue skies ,warm sunshine, butterflies and people everywhere,  especially at Pitsford Reservoir!! News broke of 4 large Divers seen in the Scaldwell bay at Pitsford.  Quite an unusual and intriguing record prompted quite a few folk to get out and have a look,  but despite many pairs of eyes these birds were not relocated.  The only birds of note found on my search were the two fem/imm Red Breasted Mergansers who were pretty mobile due to the amount of activity on the water.                                                   I have three rather tired dogs here tonight as we made the most of this glorious weather and enjoyed walking around Blueberry,  Shrike hedge area and Harrington Airfield.  However all these areas were very quiet for birds today.  I covered the same areas yesterday and again it was very quiet for birds. The only interesting bird I saw was a male Merlin as I sat at the highest point of Blueberry watching the world go by.

The Bittern at Summer Leys showed well today. I really must try and catch up with this bird, everytime I pop over it doesn't show! Today there was also a Goosander at Summer Leys.  At nearby Stanwick GP both Goosander and Merganser plus the usual Cattle Egrets.   At Hollowell Reservoir today Caspian Gull,  Stonechats and Green Sandpiper.  At Wakerley Wood at least 10 Crossbills along the main track,  another venue on my list to visit. 

The warm sunshine certainly encouraged a late flurry of insect activity,  lots of small midge/flies about plus Red Admirals at Pitsford Reservoir and Bozeat and a  Common Darter at Ravensthorpe Reservoir 

Regards Eleanor 

Catch Up !!

 Time for a "catch up " now that our internet connection has been restored.  On Monday I was at Harrington Airfield early morning.  As I started walking I was aware of waves upon waves of Wood Pigeons flying over. Quite incredible really as I suspect that most of us don't pay much attention to these birds. Interestingly someone else was experiencing the same scenario at Desborough Airfield and estimated a 1000 birds moving between 07.00 and 09.00.                   The bushes at Harrington Airfield were busy as usual with huge numbers of Fieldfares/Redwings.                                                 Yesterday I enjoyed a lovely walk around Harlestone Firs. The Autumn colours were absolutely stunning and well worth the visit.  Birds were somewhat disappointing with only a handful of Siskins at the main entrance.                         Pitsford Reservoir was a bit of a magnet for folk yesterday,  myself included as the two fem/imm Red Breasted Mergansers were showing very well in the Pintail Bay.           Despite being out and about today I hadn't really seen very much until it was virtually dark.  I spent some time lingering around shrike hedge area just incase anything interesting turned up.  I was just making my way back to the car when I stood still and deliberated which way to walk back when a Short Eared Owl flew over my head from shrike hedge area and proceeded to hunt the grassy strip/area.  I  followed it down the  grassy strip until the light gave up. 

There have been a few good birds seen since the weekend.  2 Red Breasted Mergansers and 2 Whooper Swans at Stanwick GP,  Slavonian Grebe at Titchmarsh LNR,  Glossy Ibis at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows,  Merlin at Desborough Airfield and Stanford Reservoir and Crossbills at Wakerley Wood. 

Regards Eleanor 

Pink-footed Goose.

Hello

Another wet day and a disappointing one if you happened to be at Pitsford Reservoir as there was no sign today of the Great Northern Diver from two days ago nor the Red-necked Grebe from yesterday afternoon. And most of us there became rather wet! At least the two Red-breasted Mergansers put in a show for the second day and despite lots of boat activity there were good numbers of birds between the dam and the causeway with a flock of eighty Cormorants completing synchronized fishing and at least seventy-five Great Crested Grebes between the causeway and the southern section of The Narrows. Goldeneye have arrived in numbers now and other birds included one or two adult Yellow-legged Gull(s), a drake Pintail, two Siskins and a Kingfisher.

Six probable Red-breasted Mergansers flew through Stanwick Pits at about 8am this morning and a pair of Stonechats were visible from Pioneer Hide at Summer Leys LNR and an Otter was showing well too!

An adult Little Gull was on pools at the DIRFT 3 development site near Lilbourne this afternoon.

Back in September 2020 whilst on the Isles of Scilly I came across a Pink-footed Goose in a field which couldn't fly. It had been a particularly stormy night and the goose appeared battered and bruised. It tried to hide in a ditch but I simply walked over and picked it up. Eleanor and I checked the goose over and couldn't see any significant injuries so decided that with a little recuperation it could be released. I ringed the bird and after it had rested I picked up the goose and walked about half a mile up from where we were to a field where a couple of Pink-footed Goose had been frequenting. Not surprisingly I received a couple of strange glances from people I encountered! At the field the Pink-footed Geese were still present and on release the battered goose went and joined them.

We visited the field over the next couple of days and the now ringed bird was still reluctant/unable to fly. However from about day four it was taking short flights and by the time we left the islands it was flying freely with it's new acquaintances.

Last month I received notification from the British Trust of Ornithology that this goose had been recovered in Scotland. Sadly the bird had been shot on or about 17th October 2023 as part of wildfowling operations at Allanfearn, near Inverness on the Moray Firth. This was 1112 days later with the goose meeting it's fate 857km north from where it was ringed on the Isles of Scilly. Very few Pink-footed Geese are ringed in the UK but at least this bird lived and had an opportunity to breed for another three years after our stormy night encounter in 2020.

News from the Stanford Reservoir Ringing Group confirms that the committed ringing at the reservoir successfully ringed record numbers of some warblers on-site this year including 782 Reed Warblers, 919 Sedge Warblers, 369 Garden Warblers, a massive 4463 Blackcaps, 1241 Common Whitethroats, 215 Lesser Whitethroats and 861 Willow Warblers. It's a little unsettling as a birder when you realise how many birds move through bushes in the county mostly unobserved!

Regards

Neil M

Pink-footed Goose.

The short bird days of November

Hello

Sadly the Great Northern Diver from yesterday at Pitsford Reservoir wasn't seen today but two Red-breasted Mergansers were a good find. At dusk this evening a Red-necked Grebe produced itself north of the dam, keeping company with Great Crested Grebes but seemingly not visible despite plenty of scanning beforehand. It was regularly flapping its wings and looking fidgety so I hope it stays for tomorrow! Other birds included three Yellow-legged Gulls (two adults and a juvenile), a Grey Wagtail and a Redpoll.

Birds at Harrington Airfield today included a Woodcock with plenty of winter thrushes in the bushes and in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were about half a dozen Bramblings - some by the large barn near the brook and some at 'shrike hedge'. A pair of Stonechats were also at 'shrike hedge' this afternoon and a large juvenile female Peregrine was terrorising the Fieldfares.

John saw a female Merlin at Hinton Airfield today where there was also a Brambling, about fifty Golden Plovers and four Grey Partridges. His efforts at the gull roost at Boddington Reservoir yielded an adult Mediterranean Gull, three Caspian Gulls and at least four Yellow-legged Gulls.

Stanwick Pits was productive today with a Bittern, six Cattle Egrets and a fly-over Glossy Ibis with a/the Ring-necked Duck at Thrapston Pits being seen on Town lake this morning. Elsewhere and a Short-eared Owl was seen just south of Naseby village and a Grey Wagtail was in our Hanging Houghton garden.

Over two hundred Golden Plovers were at Summer Leys LNR this morning and birds logged at Hollowell Reservoir were an adult Caspian Gull, a Dunlin and six Stonechats. The Red-throated Diver remains at Eyebrook Reservoir plus two Cattle Egrets and a Pink-footed Goose.

Regards

Neil M

Kestrel.

Meadow Pipit.

Stonechat.

Above images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The Pitsford Red-breasted Mergansers
today courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Stormy Thursday

Hello

Thankfully the storm to the south didn't have catastrophic consequences in Northamptonshire although there was rather more rain than I would have liked!

Two Bitterns at Stanwick Pits, seen in flight at the layby pit this morning, was an excellent record.

At Pitsford Reservoir a Great Northern Diver was located in The Narrows this afternoon and other birds north of the dam included an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Green Sandpiper, two Great White Egrets and four Stonechats. A Crossbill was briefly in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay this morning and a Woodcock was flushed from there.

At Hollowell Reservoir there was a Dunlin and a Caspian Gull and birds at Upton Country Park included a Short-eared Owl, two Stonechats and a Barnacle Goose.

Regards

Neil M

Stonechats.

Barnacle Goose.

Short-eared Owl.

All images taken by Tony Stanford
at Upton Country Park today, a stoic effort!

Birds for 1st of the month

Hello

Yesterday (Tuesday) and some ringing on the Courteenhall Estate provided forty-five captures with perhaps a Grey Wagtail being the choice bird. Other birds included three Robins, nine Dunnocks, two Blackbirds, singles of Song Thrush and Redwing and Chiffchaff, two Goldcrests, fifteen Goldfinches, a Chaffinch, eight Blue Tits and a Reed Bunting.

Today (Wednesday) there were two Cattle Egrets and a long-staying Red-throated Diver at Eyebrook Reservoir and at Stanford Reservoir there was a first winter Caspian Gull this morning.

A Woodcock was at Harrington Airfield this afternoon plus a pair of Stonechats and several Bramblings. The female Merlin was again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon in vicinity of 'shrike hedge' plus a pair of Stonechats and with hundreds of Fieldfares on the move.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Wagtail.

Reed Bunting.

Images courtesy of
Chris Payne.