A good year for Barn Owls?

Hello

A cool but bright, sunny morning provided a good opportunity to complete another local survey which provided two pairs of Spotted Flycatcher but sadly both were without young - there's still time for a second attempt.

There were two Green Sandpipers at the Brampton Valley pools below Brixworth early this morning and two Barn Owls in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

The three male Common Redstarts were still at Lilbourne Water Meadows reserve this morning and two more males were discovered at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning, another traditional stop-over site.

A Black Redstart at Harrington Airfield was a good find today, spending much of the day at Bunker One and seen briefly there still at 7.45pm.

Single Barn Owls were seen near Thornby and at Lamport Hall and there was another Barn Owl at Hollowell Reservoir as well as a Hobby, a Common Sandpiper and a Great White Egret. An Oystercatcher paid Pitsford Reservoir a visit this afternoon.

At Clifford Hill Pits this morning there were nine Little Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, a Redshank and a Barnacle Goose. A single Black-tailed Godwit was on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits and a juvenile Cattle Egret was at Stanwick Pits on the Main Pit this afternoon.

A Common Sandpiper was at Stanford Reservoir today where over a hundred new birds were caught and ringed and ninety-nine birds were caught and ringed there yesterday.

Regards

Neil M

Cuckoo Wasp sp
courtesy of John Tilly.

Male Blackbird courtesy
of John Tilly.

Juvenile Green Woodpecker
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Red Fox courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Starling courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Ringing at Brixworth

Hello

Some bird ringing at the water treatment works at Brixworth today provided eighty birds of sixteen species and which included a Sparrowhawk, a Kingfisher, eight Chiffchaffs, a juvenile Sedge Warbler, five Common Whitethroats, ten Blackcaps, twelve Pied Wagtails and ten Grey Wagtails. The Sparrowhawk was an interesting bird as it was a male hatched last year and was almost entirely still in juvenile plumage. The Kingfisher was a young bird hatched this year (please see video clip below courtesy of Lewis Aaron) and one of the Chiffchaffs was first ringed there in August last year.

At least one other Grey Wagtail remained at large and other birds included a couple of Ravens passing over and a Hobby racing through.

At Summer Leys LNR today Black-tailed Godwits were lingering and passing through again with three early this morning and then a flock of seven this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Red Admiral courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Whitethroat courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Godwits on the move

Hello

A wet 24 hours but some nice weather too and a spectacular rainbow this evening.

Black-tailed Godwits were on the move with up to ten at Summer Leys LNR during the day with two at Stanwick Pits first thing. A Wood Sandpiper paid Summer Leys LNR a brief visit mid-morning.

Five Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth today and a singing Spotted Flycatcher was in New Covert on the  Kelmarsh Estate.

Two Barn Owls remain in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Beautiful Demoiselle.

Comma.

Preening Long-tailed Tits.

Osprey.

Warm and then wet!

Hello

A Common Redstart in a Wootton Fields, Northampton garden was a great record this morning.

Three Cuckoos and a Hobby were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve this morning.

A Black-tailed Godwit (briefly) and a Great White Egret were in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and later perhaps the same Black-tailed Godwit was present at Summer Leys LNR.

A couple of Grey Wagtails and two Ravens were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this morning.

A stunning Purple Emperor butterfly showed very well between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton today.

Regards

Neil M

Pyramidal Orchid.

Reed Warbler.

Skylark.

Above three images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Buzzard.

This sick individual permitted a close
approach. Whatever it was suffering
 from has adversely affected both eyes.

Purple Emperor between
Hanging Houghton and
 Cottesbrooke courtesy
 of Kerry Massey.

A Spoonbill and more Common Redstarts

Hello

Yesterday (3rd) Stanford Reservoir provided another Common Scoter and an Osprey, three Oystercatchers and about a hundred Swifts again.

Also yesterday and Summer Leys LNR hosted an Oystercatcher, two Redshanks, a Great White Egret and four Wigeon with a Common Sandpiper at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR.

A little ringing in our garden at Hanging Houghton yesterday provided a surprise when an adult Red Kite somehow ended up being caught in a mist net designed for small passerines!

Today (4th) and a Spoonbill was briefly at Summer Leys LNR this morning and Lilbourne Water Meadow reserve hosted three male Common Redstarts. This afternoon another male Common Redstart was at Harrington Airfield between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One and a Cuckoo was there too.

At Pitsford Reservoir this evening a Common Redstart was along the Old Walgrave Road and birds in the Walgrave Bay included a Barn Owl and a Raven. A Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and further Ravens were noted at Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke.

Regards

Neil M

Scarlet Tiger moth.

Great White Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Red Kite.

Still cool for July!

Hello

An Osprey was again fishing north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and a Great White Egret was there too.

No waders were noted on the pools in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth this morning but there were seven Little Egrets including at least one juvenile plus a Kingfisher and a couple of Grey Wagtails.

The Quail was again heard calling from fields off Broughton Road, Walgrave this afternoon, opposite a haybale stack. Summer Leys LNR attracted a Great White Egret, two Black-tailed Godwits and two Little Ringed Plovers today.

Yesterday (1st) and Stanford Reservoir provided sightings of a Barn Owl, two Oystercatchers, a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and about a hundred Common Swifts.

A Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

The video (below) depicts a just out-of-the-nest juvenile Cuckoo at one of our local reserves in the county courtesy of John Boland.

Regards

Neil M

Male Broad-bodied Chaser.

An athletic Roe Deer!

Monday 1st July

Hello

A rather grey and cloudy day but a super segment of sunshine this morning brought the insects to the fore whilst I was conducting a wildlife survey which included a Purple Emperor butterfly and odonata featuring  Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer and Southern Hawker.

Six Green Sandpipers were on an evaporating pool in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth early this morning, three Wigeon had returned to Hollowell Reservoir by this evening and Oystercatchers have produced chicks on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve at Ditchford Pits.

The Quail was heard calling off the Broughton Road, near Walgrave both early this morning and again early afternoon.

This year appears to be a good one for Barn Owls with plenty of adults on territory and with many pairs now feeding hungry nestlings!

Regards

Neil M

Barn Owlets!

Sedge Warbler.

Pied Wagtail.

Meadow Pipit.

Above three images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Half way through the year!

Hello

A cooler and fresher day today with less insects and more evidence of the autumn bird migration beginning to stir!

At Stanwick Pits today migrants included two Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper and other birds included two Oystercatchers and four Little Ringed Plovers. Nearby at Summer Leys LNR there were eight visiting Black-tailed Godwits this afternoon and a Cattle Egret was seen this morning.

Four Common Sandpipers were also at Stanford Reservoir today as were three Oystercatchers and about seventy Common Swifts.

The male Common Redstart was again in the flood meadow hedgerow at Lilbourne Water Meadows and a Quail was still audible this afternoon at Broughton Road, Walgrave opposite the hay bales.

A pair of Cattle Egrets are confirmed as breeding successfully in the county this year and birds seen from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon included a juvenile Kingfisher and a Yellow-legged Gull and approximately fifty Sand Martins.

Two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

One of several Hedgehogs
living in our small garden
currently!

Adult female 
Common Redstart.

Juvenile Common Redstart.

Juvenile Stonechat.

Adult Common Sandpiper.

All bird images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Birds of Friday and Saturday

Hello

I'm not long back from a Naturetrek tour to Norway, exploring the Lofoten and Vesteralen islands - I've created an additional page or tab devoted to this tour entitled 'Norway 2024'.

Yesterday (Friday) birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir in the evening included a fishing Osprey in the Scaldwell Bay, a sleeping Red-crested Pochard with Mallard off the Old Scaldwell Road, a Hobby and a Great White Egret.

Also yesterday an Osprey was seen at Hollowell Reservoir in the morning before heading off to Ravensthorpe Reservoir and the female Ruddy Shelduck was also there (Hollowell). A Cattle Egret was seen in flight over the New Workings at Earls Barton Pits and the two calling Quail were again reported near Walgrave village off the Broughton Road at 52.3584, -0.8229.

The best birds at Stanford Reservoir were three Oystercatchers, nine Pochard and about seventy Swifts.

Today (Saturday) and an Osprey was seen flying north over Irthlingborough just after 10am and two Black-tailed Godwits were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve before being flushed late morning.

A male Common Redstart in the traditional stop-over hedge at Lilbourne Water Meadows reserve between the two water meadows this morning was a further sign of 'autumn passage'. A singing Grasshopper Warbler was at Dallington Heath at Midday.

A Little Tern was at Eyebrook Reservoir this afternoon and at Pitsford Reservoir there was an adult Great White Egret and a ringing session there caught plenty of young birds including an unexpected juvenile male Stonechat which presumably is the result of successful breeding not too far away. The Scaldwell Meadows in the Scaldwell Bay was the venue for a good number of Marbled White and Meadow Brown butterflies and rather less Small Heaths. Odonata included Blue Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmer.

Three Oystercatchers remained at Stanford Reservoir as did nine Pochard and six Common Sandpipers were a good number plus two Great White Egrets over and a Hobby.

Regards

Neil M

Male Common Redstart.

Male Chaffinch.

Spotted Flycatcher.

Comma butterfly.

All images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Quails and Ospreys

It's mid week already and before we know it the weekend will be upon us.  We still seem to be in a quiet period for birds with very few being reported.  On Monday there was a Marsh Harrier,  4 Little Ringed Plovers and Common Sandpiper at Stanwick GP.  Yesterday there was a  Mediterranean Gull at Stanwick and Osprey at Pitsford.  However there was an interesting record of 2 singing Quail at 21.55hrs just north of the village Walgrave. Think that I was actually in bed at this time !!         Today there was an Osprey again at Pitsford Reservoir and the Quail was again singing near Walgrave this evening (19.10hrs).  I had checked the area near Walgrave twice earlier in the day as I was visiting family in the village,  but to no avail.         This evening I decided to walk the dogs at Harrington Airfield once it had cooled down.   Very quiet for birds but plenty of Marbled White Butterflies on the wing even at 20.50hrs. I decided that I might as well take the long way home and drive via Walgrave.  But I stopped off en route at the War Memorial on the road between Lamport and Harrington and heard a Quail calling from beyond the Memorial.   When I arrived at the Quail site near Walgrave I discovered that it hadn't been heard for a while.  I waited around for a while and then decided to check the fields as its an area that I'm very familiar with having spent my childhood in Walgrave.  Although a pleasant walk the only bird of note was a Barn Owl. 

This year there seems to have been a noticeable increase in the number of Ospreys being reported.  Sometimes it has felt as if every body of water had an Osprey.  Many of these birds have been photographed and their ring numbers noted. The team at the Rutland Osprey Project have been able to identify these birds and many of them are 2nd or 3rd year birds from the Rutland Project who are not breeding but simply loafing around and checking out the area . It is possible that they may return in the future and decide to breed.

Today has been a very exciting day for the team from the Rutland Osprey Project and for the county as an amazing six young Ospreys have been Ringed!!! This would have been unheard of years ago as Ospreys were incredibly rare in the county and I can still remember the excitement of seeing my first Osprey. It was such a thrill.  But none of these young Ospreys would have been possible but for the work of the Rutland Osprey Project.    I was very fortunate to be invited along today to one of the nests and witnessed 3 young Ospreys being ringed.  There was such a size difference between the birds, the smallest weighed 1.34kg and wing length 248mm and the largest weighed 1.69kg and wing length 345mm showing the difference between the chicken that hatched first and the one which hatched last with probably about a week's difference between their hatching.  It was quite remarkable to see. All birds seemed very healthy and there were 2 females who were large and fiesty and a much smaller placid male. Such incredible birds when seen close up and hopefully in a few weeks time they will be airborne and exploring the waterways before heading south.

Finally some of the more interesting Butterflies are emerging.  Purple Emperor has been seen at Fermyn Wood and Bucknell Wood,  Purple Hairstreaks at Hollowell Reservoir,  White Letter Hairstreak at Lady Wood, Marbled Whites at Pitsford Reservoir,  Harrington Airfield and near Paulerspury as well as White Admiral in the same area.

Regards Eleanor 

Blue Emperor Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Young Ospreys in the nest
courtesy of Tim Mackrill.

Young Ospreys and the 
ringing procedure before
being returned to the nest.

Red Sunday!!

Early this morning news broke of a Red Backed Shrike tantalisingly close at the Northamptonshire/Leicestershire border near Cottingham .  I had literally just arrived at an agility competition when I saw the message so there was very little I could do apart from watch the messages. I did breathe a sigh of relief when the messages indicated that the bird stubbornly remained in Leicestershire, at times only 80m from Northamptonshire.  It has been many years since I have seen a Red Backed Shrike in the county as they have become increasingly scarce. I believe that the bird did stray into Northamptonshire at times but I never managed to see it.

A successful day competing for Jaeger and Rouzel with both of them picking up First places and Red Rosettes.                     I arrived home just in time to watch a fantastic display by the Red Arrows at Sywell Air Show.  It was breathtaking to watch their precision acrobatics and hear their distinctive noise. Absolutely awesome when they were right over my head.

Hope that you have a good week enjoying the weather and wildlife.

Regards Eleanor 

Rouzel and Jaeger on top form!

Longest Day and the start of Summer!!

Yesterday was the longest day,the start of summer and some warm settled weather at last. This has made a huge difference to the natural world around us and also to the general mood of everyone.  It's surprising what a little bit of sunshine can do.                 There are definitely more butterflies on the wing although not in large numbers but I'm sure this will change in the next few days.  I  bumped into 2 Marbled Whites near Lamport where the field edges have been sown with a mixture of wild flowers.       Marbled Whites have also been recorded at Pitsford Reservoir,  Old Sulehay Wood and Barton Seagrave.      Other butterflies reported include Large Skippers, Ringlets and Meadow Browns.                                                                      There has been a good mixture of Dragonflies,  Damselflies and Demoiselles on the wing.  A rare Norfolk Hawker ( up to 4 individuals) caused quite a stir when it was discovered at Wicksteed Park on the fishing lake.        Azure, Common Blue, Blue Tailed and Red Eyed Damselflies,  4 Spot and Broad Bodied Chaser, Ruddy Darter, Black Tailed Skimmers, Common and Downy Emeralds and Emperor Dragonflies are all out and about. 

However there is hardly any bird news to report.  Yesterday there was an Osprey at Pitsford Reservoir and today a Little Tern at Hollowell Reservoir.   Even the birds in our garden have gone quiet.  We have lost our big numbers of Jackdaws. It appears that once their youngsters fledged they have moved out into the fields.  I just hope that they are able to find enough food to survive.  Yesterday I came across 2 young crows who looked as if they had died of starvation and I could have cut my finger on their sharp breastbone.  The young Starlings seem to have returned to our garden and are as noisy as ever and comical to watch.  They are literally eating anything and everything.  I chopped up an old apple and before I had got back into the house they had eaten it. !!

Regards Eleanor 

Variable Damselflies.

Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawker.

Variable Damselfly.

Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawker.

All images courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.