Short-eared Owls!!

Today there has been at least 3 Short-eared Owls in the county. Not a bird that you really expect to see at the end of May.  I came across one this morning whilst walking the dogs near Blueberry.  The corvids saw it before I did and gave it quite a bit of hassle which alerted me to the owl.        A Short-eared Owl which was discovered yesterday,  showed well again at Summer Leys.                                             This evening I visited Harrington Airfield a Short-eared Owl , presumably the same bird from a few days ago was still present.  Otherwise it was very quiet there. 

Very few birds reported over the last few days, probably due to the rainy weather.  Today there was a drake Garganey at Lilbourne Meadows,  a Pink-footed Goose at Stanford Reservoir and the Wood Warbler continues to sing at Harry's Park Wood.                                                                      A couple of new birds were found over the Bank Holiday weekend,  a Sandwich Tern at Hollowell and a Montagu's Harrier near Bozeat. 

Regards Eleanor 

Muntjac.

Barn Owl.

Bee swarm.

Images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wood Warbler

Sadly the Red Necked Phalarope was a "one day" wonder and it has been a bit like pulling teeth over the last few days where birding is concerned.  Just a handful of reports, Osprey at Welford, Cattle Egret at Summer Leys,  Red Crested Pochard at Earls Barton GP,  Garganey at Lilbourne Meadows and Egyptian Geese at Clifford Hill GP and Deenethorpe.                                                                                      I  suppose that we really shouldn't be too surprised at this . The bulk of the spring passage has happened and the birds are busy with their breeding duties. 

However a new bird was found today,  a male Wood Warbler at Harry's Park Wood which is an interesting piece of woodland between Corby and Oundle.  It's somewhere that I haven't been to for years and I  suspect not an area frequented by birders.    Interestingly at the time I was checking the area around Lamport Hall looking for this very same species, but all I could find was a Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Hobby.  Earlier I had been out running and came across a Sedge Warbler and Cuckoo near Drummer boy lake, Brixworth. 

As it was a lovely still evening I went to Harrington Airfield to listen and look for a specific bird. To my surprise I literally stumbled across a Short Eared Owl. I certainly wasn't expecting this as I have visited numerous times recently and have not seen anything of note. I'm not sure whether it is the original bird or a new one passing through.  It's plumage was pristine whereas the original bird had several missing feathers.       As I sat and watched the Owl a Grasshopper Warbler started reeling,  the first that I have seen/heard this year.    But no sign of the bird that I was hoping for.     I  did notice a couple of "white Common Buzzards " and wondered if they were the same ones which have been feeding and loafing around on the fields below Hanging Houghton/Cottesbrooke/Blueberry area.    Yesterday evening there were at least 40 birds on the fields and again a pretty even split between Red Kites and Common Buzzards.   As I approached the area where these birds were gathered I watched in amazement as a Common Buzzard caught a female Pheasant and struggled to fly off with her. I  have never witnessed this before. 

Other things that I have noticed whilst out and about are good numbers of Orange Tip Butterflies and Brimstones. Other species I have encountered are Red Admiral,  Peacock,  Painted Lady and Small Heath.   The Bee Orchids and Common Spotted Orchids are appearing at Harrington Airfield.  In the garden there has been a Rook visiting every day. A species that we rarely see in the garden but he seems very comfortable searching for food amongst the numerous Jackdaws.

Kenny Cramer and his team held a ringing session at Linford Reserve,  Milton Keynes today and notched up 53 birds of 18 species and 34 newly ringed birds.    Birds processed included 8 Reed Warblers, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs including first fledgling of the year and singles of Garden and Cettis Warbler.   Bluetit and Treecreeper fledgling were also ringed and another new Cuckoo, a handsome male.                                                      Other birds on the reserve included an additional male and female Cuckoo,  30 Swifts and a Raven.    Non avian species comprised of 3 Grass Snakes, Peacock,  Red Admiral and Speckled Wood Butterflies, Banded Demoiselle and Hairy Dragonfly. 

It is hard to believe that as I sat at Harrington Airfield this evening that the weather prediction for the next two days is more heavy rain. I just hope that they are wrong or else it will be a very soggy bank holiday with everything keeping it's head down. 

Regards Eleanor 

Juvenile Blue Tit.

Cetti's Warbler.

Male Cuckoo.

Juvenile Treecreeper.

Adult Common Whitethroat.

All images courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Red-necked Phalarope

Great excitement today when a female Red Necked Phalarope was discovered at Lilbourne Meadows and I believe showed well and was still being watched at 19.55 hrs. Maybe it will hang around for a few days and I can get over see it as I haven't seen one of these birds in the county for a while.  That's of course if I can find my way to Lilbourne Meadows as I still haven't managed to visit this reserve. 

Other birds reported today,  Little and Arctic Terns at Daventry CP,  Grey Plover at Stanwick GP and Black Tailed Godwit,  Common Sandpiper and Black Tern at Summer Leys.                    Yesterday there was a Sanderling briefly at Stanford Reservoir,  Garganey at Stanwick GP and Red Crested Pochard at Earls Barton GP and Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows. 

I have visited Harrington Airfield but it was extremely quiet and two visits to the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today proved equally as quiet.   Even the large mixed flock of Red Kites and Common Buzzards below Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke are dispersing.  There were only 15 birds in the fields this evening.                                                                    The birds in the garden have been keeping me busy.  I can't believe how much food they are consuming and it is a full time job keeping the feeders etc topped up.  Sadly we have lost all our young Blackbirds to the regular Sparrowhawk and several young Starlings to our neighbours cat, the Sparrowhawk and window strikes!! It's a very stressful time trying to keep all these young birds safe and give them a  chance in life.

Regards Eleanor 

Brimstone butterfly.

Scorpion Fly sp.

Little Egret.

Chimney Sweeper moths.

All images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

That's the Weekend over !!

Well that's the weekend over. Very little birding for me as out with the young collies at an agility competition where they enjoyed themselves and even managed some placings. This meant that my birding was restricted to the evening and I spent both Saturday and Sunday evening watching the large mixed flock of Common Buzzards and Red Kites feeding on the fields between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke. This is quite a remarkable sight as at times over sixty birds are present and they exhibit a wide range of plumage variations.  Yesterday there were three very striking "white" Buzzards as well as a couple of almost black individuals. 

It certainly doesn't look like I missed much in the county with very few birds reported.  Osprey at Summer Leys,  Oundle and Hollowell,  Marsh Harrier at Earls Barton GP,  Red Crested Pochard at Earls Barton GP and Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows,  Whinchat at Clifford Hill and over at Stanwick GP a Garganey and 2 Black Tailed Godwits. 

There have been a couple of ringing sessions held locally. On Thursday 16th a ringing session at Stortons GP produced 13 species, 23 new birds and 13 re-traps. Two notable re-traps, a Cetti's Warbler ringed as an adult February 2019 and a Sedge Warbler, also an adult ringed June 2019.  

                                                                                         A ringing session at Milton Keynes (Kenny Cramer) today also turned up 2 interesting re-traps. A female Great Spotted Woodpecker who was originally ringed as an adult in 2017 which makes her at least 8 years old!! This bird has been caught 11 times, most recently in January, however, the next previous encounter was 2019, so goodness knows where she has been hiding. The second re-trap bird was a "control" as it wasn't previously ringed at this site and was a Reed Warbler ringed as an adult in 2022. The BTO records will confirm where this bird was originally ringed.                 

Other birds processed in this session included13 Reed Warblers, 7 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Garden Warblers, a Whitethroat, 2 Jays, 2 Jackdaws, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and an immature Cuckoo. 

Have a good week 

Regards Eleanor 

Cuckoo courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Jackdaw courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Reed Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Drake Garganey courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

End of the week.

 The end of another week which has been disappointingly quiet for me. I have bumped into plenty of warblers and common passerines.  The large mixed flock of Red Kites and Common Buzzards remain on the fields between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke.  This evening I counted 50 birds together.  There was a rather striking pale Common Buzzard which looked a ghostly white colour and nearby at the other end of the colour spectrum a "black " looking Buzzard plus plenty more exhibiting various shades of brown.  The Red Kites too are showing a variety of plumage.  I don't recall seeing this number of these raptors in such a small area. They are quite comical to watch as they suddenly see something of interest and either run or hop fast in their quest to catch it.

A quiet end to the week in the county. Yesterday it rained heavily all day and the only birds of note reported were an Osprey at Hollowell Reservoir and an Avocet briefly at Boddington Reservoir.                                                                     Today there were Ospreys at Earls Barton,  Stanford and Boddington Reservoirs,  a Whinchat at Clifford Hill GP, Red Crested Pochard at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows and Garganey at Summer Leys. 

We seem to have plenty of birds visiting our garden.  The young Starlings seem to have erupted and they are providing plenty of entertainment as they negotiate the meal worm feeders and the big wide world.  We did have a family of 3 young Blackbirds but we only have one youngster left, the other two succumbing to a Sparrowhawk. Sadly the female Blackbird doesn't seem to have much idea and keeps putting her offspring right out in the open where they are just a sitting target. I'm not expecting her remaining youngster to survive. 

Have a good weekend 

Regards Eleanor 

Turtle Dove courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

 Will this species make it
 to Northamptonshire
this year?

Lesser Black-backed Gull
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Waders, raptors and a Eider!

Hello

A mild, sometimes damp and humid day with just a few spells of sunlight was the weather for mid month.

At Harrington Airfield today a Short-eared Owl still lingers and other birds included a Hobby and a pair of Grey Partridge.

With the DIRFT3 pools just about gone now (the area is being prepared for a new giant 'shed') waders in that area were confined to the Wildlife Trust Lilbourne Water Meadows reserve which continued to hang on to a Wood Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, a Redshank, at least one Little Ringed Plover and successfully breeding Lapwings and Oystercatchers. The habitat there is also good for a good number of singing Sedge Warblers and Common Whitethroats plus three Meadow Pipit territories. It is hoped the reserve will be fully open next year.

A Black Tern, a Cuckoo and an Oystercatcher were all at Stanford Reservoir today but the most outrageous sighting was of a drake Eider found at Boddington Reservoir! This is a very occasional visitor to the county which seemingly can occur at any time of the year as birds presumably move across the width of the UK or potentially the length of the nation from one seaboard to another. Apparently this robust sea-duck flew east at about 6.30pm this evening.

A Birdguides report of a Honey Buzzard flying over Islip continues the run of scarce birds being reported in this manner from this location over the last few years.

A Little Tern at Town Lake, Thrapston Pits was a good record and there was a Dunlin on the Titchmarsh reserve. Two Grey Plovers were on the north shore of Clifford Hill Pits this morning and three Grey Plovers and an Avocet were at Eyebrook Reservoir.

A Hobby was near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this evening and fifty-two raptors on fields in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton were made up of gleaning Red Kites and Common Buzzards. A Barn Owl was hunting nearby.

An assessment was made of the Black-headed Gulls using the rafts at Pitsford Reservoir today and there could be as many as 65 pairs nesting, which would be a significant bounce back from the last couple of years of bird flu fatalities. Sadly Common Terns are very few in number so far this spring and were severely hit from the virus.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Mallard courtesy
of John Tilly.

A  'parcel' or 'stew' of Oystercatchers
 courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Kestrel courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Common Whitethroat courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Waders, raptors and Painted Lady butterflies

Hello

A wet morning giving way to dryer conditions this afternoon.

In the Nene Valley today a Grey Plover was a good find on the north shore of the main basin at Clifford Hill Pits and birds of interest at Summer Leys LNR were a Sanderling, a Turnstone, two Ringed Plovers, a Greenshank and two Dunlin.

At Lilbourne Water Meadows today there was a Wood Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers and two Little Ringed Plovers.

This evening an Osprey caught a trout just off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and other birds there included a Kingfisher and three Grey Wagtails (two adults and a juvenile).

In the rain there were just a few wet raptors on the fields between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke next to shrike hedge but this afternoon that number had risen to at least forty (Red Kites and Common Buzzards). Two Painted Lady butterflies were seen nearby.

Eyebrook Reservoir attracted an Avocet and three Sanderling today.

Regards

Neil M

Song Thrush courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Red Kite courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Grey Plover courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

White-legged Damselfly
courtesy of John Tilly.

Black and Red Froghopper
courtesy of John Tilly.

The new interpretative poster
board at Lamport Hall and an
example of a Swift nest box.

The box was one of ten made by
Chris Payne for installation and they
and the poster board were created with
support and funding from the Northants
Bird Club and West Northamptonshire
Council as co-ordinated by
 Helen Franklin. Images for the
board were kindly provided by Lewis
 Aaron and Dave Jackson.

Pitsford Reservoir CBC

Hello

A Common Bird Census was completed on the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir, an old survey method which we have maintained to ensure consistency and an opportunity for suitable comparisons year by year.

Little out of the ordinary was noticed but there was a Great White Egret and a Cuckoo in the Walgrave Bay and foraging Kingfishers in all three bays indicating three pairs along the brooks outside of the reservoir. The young from the breeding pair of Ravens have fledged and there were successful broods of early nesting water birds such as Coot, Mallard and Canada Goose. Fluctuating water levels has paid havoc with the Mute Swan nests but many pairs of Great Crested Grebes have floating nests which hopefully fare better. Grey Herons nest in all three bays these days and some of the young have already fledged.

Song-wise it was the Garden Warbler which dominated the warblers with birds singing from all suitable lush vegetation and a few pairs of Common Terns have arrived to squeeze a nesting place amongst the throng of Black-headed Gulls already on the rafts.

Common butterflies on the wing include Orange-tips and Holly Blue and Hairy Hawker and Four-spotted Chasers were the only dragonflies seen.

Birds noted at Stanford Reservoir today included two Mandarin Ducks, four Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper, a Cuckoo and two Hobbies.

Birding at Summer Leys LNR yielded an Osprey, a Sanderling, a Greenshank, two Ringed Plovers and two Common Sandpipers.

A Hobby was seen at Hartwell and this afternoon there were still sixty raptors occupying two fields in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton near to shrike hedge, about half each consisting of Red Kite and Common Buzzard. Worms seem to be the attraction and there were also twenty Lesser Black-backed Gulls attracted too.

Regards

Neil M

Hairy Hawker.

Cock Pheasant.

Four-spotted Chaser
with a deformed wing.

Fledged juvenile
Grey Heron.

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.