SP54 Long Day Count

Male Cuckoo.

Juvenile Greenfinch.

Images courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Hello

Today was mostly taken up with a Banbury Ornithological Society Long Day Count in SP54 in the south of the county. It was warm and often sunny but also a pleasant breeze too and it remained dry. Birding highlights were six species of raptor with the best being a male Peregrine at Edgcote and a Hobby at Trafford Bridge. Grey Wagtails were also at Edgecote, Yellow Wagtails at two sites, a Reed Warbler (scarce in this 10km square) and Spotted Flycatchers at Thenford, Trafford Bridge and Marston St Lawrence. Ravens were at two sites but Tree Sparrow, Marsh Tit and Kingfisher eluded us, albeit that the first species may no longer be in this part of the county.

When the birds went quiet in the heat we looked at insects and odonata were showing nicely at Farthinghoe LNR with Beautiful Demoiselles, Azure Blue Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly the most showy. Beautiful Demoiselle was also noted at Edgecote and Broad-bodied Chaser near Greatworth. Plenty of common butterflies were also on the wing today.

Yesterday and a small band of bird ringers led by Kenny Cramer were again active at Linford Pits close to the county border at Milton Keynes. The undoubted highlights were two Cuckoos captured, one a new male bird and another a re-trap male from 2022. Kenny's efforts has resulted in 37 individual Cuckoos being ringed at this site since 2017!

Warblers were made up of five Blackcaps, three Chiffchaffs, four Garden Warblers and a Reed Warbler. One of the Garden Warblers was a re-trap female ringed about the same time last year. Juvenile birds on the wing and landing in the mist nets included Greenfinch, Robin and Long-tailed Tits and a Great Spotted Woodpecker capture related to a bird initially ringed as an adult male in 2018.

Today and birds in the Nene Valley included a Marsh Harrier, an Osprey, two Greenshanks, a Turnstone and two Cuckoos at Summer Leys LNR, two Black Terns at Stanwick Pits and a Sanderling at Clifford Hill Pits. Thrapston Pits recorded an Osprey, a Greenshank, a Ringed Plover and five Common Sandpipers and three Cuckoos were at Stortons Pits.

Eyebrook Reservoir hosted a Little Gull and up to six Black Terns today.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite - sometimes they
come so close you just can't
fit them in!

Orange-tip butterfly.

Comma butterfly.

Large Red Damselfly.

Beautiful Demoiselle.

Late spring passage.

Hello

An early morning jaunt in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning provided a Whinchat at shrike hedge, two pairs of Grey Partridges and a Barn Owl.

Summer Leys LNR attracted a Marsh Harrier, seven Black Terns, the drake Garganey, a drake Red-crested Pochard, a Grey Plover and two Greenshanks.

Clifford Hill Pits pulled in two Turnstones and two Ringed Plovers this morning.

Just over the border and Eyebrook Reservoir hosted two Black Terns, two Little Gulls and a Sanderling.

With a good aurora borealis showing last night in the county it looks to be on the cards for a repeat performance tonight!

Regards

Neil M

Ballooning Spider

Blue Tit.

Collared Dove.

All images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Barn Owls, Willow Warblers and Black Terns

Hello

Some ringing took place at Harrington Airfield this morning around the scrubby areas close to the bunkers and yielded forty-nine captures. The most common bird was Willow Warbler with eleven new birds and four re-traps (two from 2022 and one from 2023). Other warblers included two Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, five Common Whitethroats and two Lesser Whitethroats. Seed-eaters included two Linnets, three Reed Buntings and two Yellowhammers. Unusual birds for the site included a fly-over Little Egret, a House Sparrow and two Mistle Thrushes. A Barn Owl and a Short-eared Owl were seen during the early hours.

A Turnstone remained at Eyebrook Reservoir early this morning and three Black Terns appeared later whilst birds at Stanford Reservoir included eight Black Terns, an Osprey this afternoon, a Hobby, three Cuckoos and three Common Sandpipers.

An Osprey was fishing north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir late this afternoon and more Black Tern action included two at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits.

Summer Leys LNR attracted a Grey Plover,  two Greenshanks and two Little Ringed Plovers and a summer plumage Spotted Redshank was a fly-through bird at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits just after 9am this morning.

A Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl were again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owls and a Jackdaw
discovered in nest boxes by 
licensed bird ringers operating
in the north of the county today.

Images courtesy of Lewis Aaron.

More warmth and sunshine

Hello

Plenty of warmth and sunshine today brought forth the insects, good news for the birds trying to find invertebrates for their chicks!

Just over the border at Eyebrook Reservoir a gaggle of nice waders included six Avocets, a Spotted Redshank and a Turnstone. Stanford Reservoir paid host to a late Fieldfare that should really be somewhere else by now and three Cuckoos including a rufous morph female, a Hobby and three Cetti's Warblers.

Some exploratory ringing on the Althorp Estate this morning provided thirty small bird captures which included a Blackcap first ringed as a juvenile at Pitsford Reservoir on 11th September 2022.

Late news for yesterday was of a Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton in the evening and a Hobby near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. 

A pair of Grey Partridge were at Harrington Airfield this evening - a reminder that there will be ringing on-site tomorrow (Friday) and general access is restricted.

Also today and a Grasshopper Warbler singing in the Summer Leys LNR car park is a convenient location for this now scarce warbler and six Black Terns at Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits was a good record. The working quarry at Earls Barton attracted a Great White Egret, three Shelduck, a Cuckoo and a Little Ringed Plover.

A Little Ringed Plover was seen on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and several Swift sightings indicates that they are beginning to arrive in some numbers now. Three Cuckoos at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve were in addition to a Common Sandpiper and Egyptian Goose.

Regards

Neil M

Brown Hares courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Great Crested Grebe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Toad courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Banded Demoiselle
courtesy of John Tilly.

Comma butterfly
courtesy of John Tilly.

Decent weather at last!

Hello

A very pleasant day's weather following a foggy start was very welcome!

A small ringing team operating at Stortons Pits processed thirty-four birds with warblers dominating amounting to five Garden Warblers, six Blackcaps, three Reed Warblers, three Sedge Warblers, a single Common Whitethroat and four re-trap Cetti's Warblers. Other species turning up in the mist nets were Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Blue Tit and Reed Bunting.

Another ringing session was undertaken at Linford Pits, Milton Keynes on Sunday which accounted for sixty-nine birds, thirty-nine of which were newly-ringed. Warblers here were made up of seven Blackcaps, two Garden Warblers, a single Common Whitethroat, seven Reed Warblers, one Sedge Warbler and a single Chiffchaff. Seven Greenfinches and three Goldfinches furthered the finch totals for the site this spring and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers included a bird ringed as a youngster in 2016. A Jackdaw was an unexpected capture and it was good to see juvenile Long-tailed Tits and Robins. Six Reed Buntings was a good number for this time of the year. Three Cuckoos and a Raven were seen on-site.

Back today and three Cattle Egrets were noted as singles at Summer Leys LNR, in a sheep field between Cogenhoe and the River Nene and in a field between Nether Heyford and Upper Heyford.

An Osprey and three Hobbies were noted over Summer Leys today and Clifford Hill Pits also attracted a Hobby and a Common Sandpiper. A Hobby and a Cuckoo were noted at Stanwick Pits and Spotted Flycatchers were seen in Towcester and Braunston. A Redpoll has been around the garden here at Hanging Houghton all day.

A Hobby and a pair of Grey Partridges were about the only things of note at Harrington Airfield this afternoon. There will be a ringing session there on Friday which will restrict access to the bunker and scrubby area between the Chippings Compound and the concrete track.

A remarkable litter of nine Fox cubs (or maybe two litters combined?) were watched playing out near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this evening. Fifty-five birds of prey in a nearby field were more or less an even split between Common Buzzard and Red Kite!

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Robin courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Juvenile Long-tailed Tit
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Singing Robin courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Nene Valley birding

Hello

Dave Jackson and I are just in from a Naturetrek trip to the Camargue in France and a page has been devoted for images from this trip - Camargue in Spring 2024.

A Honey Buzzard passing over in flight today was yet another Birdguides report from Islip. At Thrapston Pits a female Common Scoter was found by Nick on Town Lake this morning.

The bird list for Summer Leys LNR included a Black Tern, an Arctic Tern, a drake Garganey, a Cuckoo, three Hobbies, seven Ringed Plovers, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers and two Dunlin.

An Osprey was at Stanwick Pits this evening and six Swifts were over Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, Ditchford this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Grasshopper Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Willow Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Great White Egret
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

A Very Quiet Weekend

As I left home early yesterday morning for an agility competition I was beginning to regret being out of the county just as things appeared to be hotting up. However my fears were unfounded as it has been a very quiet weekend. Just the odd Arctic and Black Tern at Ditchford GP and Summer Leys, Cattle Egrets at Cogenhoe, Stanwick and Summer Leys,  Red Crested Pochard at Earls Barton GP, female Ring Necked Duck at Clifford Hill GP and Ospreys at Summer Leys and Stanford Reservoir. 

It's that time of year when Butterflies,  Dragonflies and Damselflies begin to emerge. Small Heath, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper have been recorded as well as Hairy Dragonfly, Banded Demoiselles and Common Blue Damselfly. 

On my return from a very successful competition where they notched up five 1st places between them we went for a wander around Blueberry area.  On one of the recently scuffled fields was an incredible 68 blobs, or more precisely a mixed flock of Common Buzzards and Red Kites!!!. I have certainly never seen this amount loafing about on the fields around here. When I looked through the birds there were so many variations in the plumage ranging from nearly white to almost black in the Buzzards and some very silvery washed Red Kites.  The Buzzards were quite comical to watch as they were seemingly running and hoping across the field whilst the Red Kites looked on.  It really was amazing to see this and as a consequence I didn't get very far on my walk. 

Regards Eleanor 

Jaeger and Rouzel on top form!

Cuckoo courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Nene Valley Birds

Today you could be forgiven for thinking that it was Autumn rather than Spring.  Not the most inspiring starts to the day, dull, grey, misty and mirky with heavy drizzle.  One of those days when you wonder whether it is worth going out. However this is exactly the sort of weather which brings us interesting birds during migration,  it is just a matter of finding them !!!                                                     The Nene Valley came into it's own today with a significant movement of Terns and Waders.  At Clifford Hill GP there were Sanderling, Dunlin,  adult Little Gull and Arctic Terns.  The female Ring Necked Duck seems to have moved here from Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows.                                Summer Leys also had plenty of birds, Little,  Arctic, Black and Common Terns ,Turnstones,  Dunlin, Common Sandpiper,  Little Ringed Plovers and Bar Tailed Godwit.       Further along the valley at Ditchford GP there were 2 Little Terns and at Thrapston GP 12 Arctic Terns.                               Other birds seen in the county today include Arctic Terns and 3 Whimbrel at Stanford Reservoir,  3 Arctic Terns at Hollowell Reservoir and Osprey at both Ravensthorpe and Hollowell Reservoir. 

Somehow I have managed to miss out on all these birds. When I realised that there was a movement of Terns etc along the Nene Valley I went to  Pitsford Reservoir to see what was happening there. Absolutely nothing,  no sign of anything.  Just a vast expanse of empty water.  I was so convinced that something was going to turn up that I visited Pitsford three times, but to no avail.    Harrington Airfield was equally as quiet and has been all week, as has Blueberry. 

The weather is looking mixed for the weekend but there should be more sunshine and hopefully more birds.  Have a good weekend. 

Regards Eleanor 

The recent Ring Ouzel
at Millers Meadow, Clifford
Hill Pits courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

Local and not so local ringing recoveries

Hello

Seemingly a quiet day in the county with few reports but plenty of sunshine as well as blustery conditions.

At Stanford Reservoir today there were two Cuckoos, a Common Sandpiper and two Cetti's Warblers with a Hobby and four Common Sandpipers there yesterday.

At Earls Barton a Cattle Egret was seen flying over Summer Leys LNR at 10am, a Hobby and a Little Ringed Plover were noted and the singing Nightingale remains at the back of Mary's Lake. Eight different species of warbler were vocal along the old railway track and the New Workings complex attracted a Peregrine, a Little Ringed Plover and two Shelduck.

Two Hobbies were over the Wilsons Pits complex at Ditchford Pits today and a Common Sandpiper was a meagre offering at Clifford Hill Pits. A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling at Sixfields, Northampton today (photographs indicate it is a ringed bird).

A single Common Sandpiper was in the Sailing Club grounds at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and a Osprey was off the dam this evening.

A few ringing recoveries associated with the work of Northants Ringing Group ringers are as follows:-

1. A first year male Blackcap was ringed at Stortons Pits on 10th August 2023 but killed itself on a glass window in nearby Duston on 25th April 2024. It is likely that this bird migrated away from the area and sadly died on it's return 259 days later;

2. A first year female Starling was ringed in Scaldwell village on 5th December 2023 and was found dead but intact on a wall in the same village on 21st April 2024, 138 days later;

3. A second year male Greenfinch was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 3rd February 2024 but died after hitting patio glass in Haversham, Milton Keynes 66 days later (just 2km away);

4. A juvenile Goldfinch was ringed at Knockalahara, Waterford, Ireland on 17th August 2023 and was caught again at Overstone Park, Northampton 226 days later on 30th March 2024, this small finch travelling 475km in an easterly direction to visit us.

Tomorrow evening (Wednesday) sees the monthly Northamptonshire Bird Club meeting at the Fishing Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir where we are fortunate to receive a presentation from Mark Tyrrell the county odonata recorder responsible for documenting the records of dragonflies and damselflies in Northamptonshire. Members and non members are welcome!

Regards

Neil M

Orange-tip butterfly
courtesy of John Tilly.

Peacock butterfly courtesy
of John Tilly.

Common Whitethroat courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Male Blackcap courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Goldfinch courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Map depicting the movement
of the Goldfinch between Waterford
and Overstone Park courtesy of
Nick Wood.

April birding coming to a close

Hello

A modest ringing session at Harrington Airfield today was discontinued late morning due to the increasing wind strength but there was time to process twenty-eight birds of fifteen species. With the appalling weather so far in 2024 this was pretty much the first opportunity to ring at the site and highlights included three Common Whitethroats, three Lesser Whitethroats, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, four Willow Warblers, five Linnets and two Yellowhammers. One of the Lesser Whitethroats was first ringed there as an adult in August 2021 making her at least four years old. A Barn Owl, a Redpoll and a Whinchat were all noted on-site.

Another Barn Owl was on the outskirts of Brixworth early this morning and birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning included a Whinchat and two Wheatears, although it seems they had moved on by this evening. A male Common Redstart, two Redwings and a Hobby were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and recently-worked fields attracted at least twenty-five Red Kites and eighteen Common Buzzards creating quite a spectacle both visually and audibly!

A Whimbrel and a Little Tern were noted at Eyebrook Reservoir today and it seems today was the day for the arrival of the Hobby with further birds at Summer Leys LNR (two), Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits and near Althorp.

Single Wheatears were at Kislingbury Pits and Clifford Hill Pits, the latter site also retaining the smart Ring Ouzel in Miller's Meadow and a Nightingale was at the back of Mary's Lake at Earls Barton Pits. Eight Cattle Egrets were seen at Stanwick Pits this evening and a Common Sandpiper was at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve today.

Regards

Neil M

Yellowhammer.

Linnet.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Blackcap.

Above images courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Wheatear at Kislingbury Pits
today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Warblers, terns and waders

Hello

I'm just back in from an extended tour of Provence in France and a page/tab has been created to illustrate some of the images from the tour - Provence in Spring 2024.

Last Friday a ringing session took place at Stortons Pits which provided sixty-two captures of sixteen species and a welcome back to some of our warblers which included eight Chiffchaffs, a Lesser Whitethroat, eight Blackcaps, two Garden Warblers, a Common Whitethroat, two Reed Warblers and no less than five Cetti's Warblers.

Today (Sunday) and Arctic Terns were about in the county and nearby with four at Clifford Hill Pits, eighteen at Eyebrook Reservoir and a single at Summer Leys LNR. A Black Tern was at Ditchford Pits on Higham Lake and another was at Town Lake, Thrapston Pits.

Other birds at Summer Leys included a Greenshank, a Cattle Egret and a Ringed Plover and Clifford Hill Pits hung on to it's showy male Ring Ouzel, three Dunlin, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Ringed Plover. Additional birds at Ditchford Pits included a Pink-footed Goose and a Greenshank. Two Dunlin were at Barnwell lock floods, with a Cuckoo nearby at Barnwell Country Park and a Hobby was seen over East Hunsbury, Northampton this evening. Two Common Sandpipers and two Ringed-necked Parakeets were at Delapre Lake today.

The Cherwell Valley attracted an impressive thirty-two Yellow Wagtails between Clifton and Aynho plus a Shelduck and three Ringed Plovers.

Two Peregrines remain at Higham Ferrers and birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon included a calling Cuckoo, a Short-eared Owl and two Siskins. Two Redpolls visited a Brixworth garden.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Hobby, a Common Sandpiper, a fly-over Curlew, two Garden Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers, a Swift, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Cuckoo.

Some planned ringing at Harrington Airfield tomorrow (Monday) and possibly on Tuesday will restrict access around the bunkers and scrubby areas between the main concrete track and the chippings compound.

Regards

Neil M

Common Whitethroat
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Garden Warbler courtesy
of Chris Payne.

The Weekend Approaches

Well that's another week drawing to a close. Plenty of spring passage bringing further Warblers,  Wagtails,  Hirundines,  Wheatears and Waders and there will be more to come.

Today there were 2 singing Nightingales at Old Sulehay Wood in the north of the county.  This is a fabulous area of woodland and well worth a visit,  as is Bucknell Wood in the south of the county where a stunning male Hen Harrier was seen flying over this morning.                                               Other birds around in the county today include Channel Wagtail on a flooded area near Aynho, female Ring Necked Duck at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, Marsh Harrier at Stanford Reservoir,  Ospreys at Hollowell Reservoir, Whimbrel and Nightingale at Summer Leys,  Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper Pitsford Reservoir, and Whinchat at Borough Hill .

This afternoon I had a wander around Harrington Airfield.  If I'm honest when I arrived and saw the number of vehicles parked I nearly turned around and went home, but the birds needed feeding.  I headed down to the main track as it was the quietest option and came across a male Common Redstart in the bushes near the hay stacks.  I sauntered back via the bunkers and was surprised to hear the characteristic harsh chacking of a Ring Ouzel and found either the same or a new female in the bushes between bunkers 2 and 3.  The Short Eared Owl appeared out of nowhere and started hunting.  There were 2 Northern Wheatears beyond bunker 3.                                     This evening below Hanging Houghton there was both Short Eared and Barn Owl out hunting.   I  had seen the Short Eared Owl yesterday evening at a similar time when I walked the dogs and also had 2 Fieldfares over.

Have a good weekend 

Regards Eleanor 

Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

The Clifford Hill
Ring Ouzel.

And the Clifford Hill
Ring-necked Parakeets!

All images courtesy of
Jim Dunkley.