A quiet day for wildlife

Hello

Seemingly a quiet day in the county today with few reported sightings.

I completed my last survey of the season this morning, so less 4am starts from this point onwards! A pair of agitated Spotted Flycatchers due to a Grey Squirrel clambering around was a good sign of established breeding but a bad sign if the squirrel had predatory considerations! There was a major hatch of Ruddy Darters with the fields covered in them and there was sufficient warmth and sunshine to bring forth a couple of Purple Hairstreak butterflies. A Red Fox, some Brown Hares, a pair of Kestrels on territory and a couple of Yellow Wagtails were the best of the rest!

One male Common Redstart persisted at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and the ponds there have provided breeding opportunities for Little Grebes with two broods of young today.

A Caspian Gull was at the north end of the new workings at Earls Barton Pits today and birds visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir included a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper (two yesterday).

An Osprey again showed several times today at Stanford Reservoir and there was a female Mandarin Duck there too.

A Marsh Harrier flew high NE over Stanwick Pits this afternoon and a Yellow-legged Gull was also present.

Regards

Neil M

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle
courtesy of John Tilly.

Great White Egrets courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Grey Heron courtesy 
of Tony Stanford.

Female Tufted Duck and ducklings.

Ruddy Darter.

Common Darter.

Here come the Redstarts!

Hello

As we tumble towards autumn there was a flurry of Common Redstarts today, all at traditional local stop-over sites.

First thing this morning there were at least two Great White Egrets in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and a Common Redshank was looking forlornly for some mud! A female Tufted Duck was seen with eight ducklings.

Two male Common Redstarts were still at the Blueberry Farm complex near Maidwell and nearby there were one or two others near 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A Cuckoo and a Whinchat were also near 'shrike hedge'.

A female Common Redstart was near the chippings compound at Harrington Airfield this morning with a singing Sedge Warbler near Bunker One. The footpath from Bridle Road in Old village passes through fields and around the back of the houses behind Cherry Hill towards the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir where it peters out. This is a traditional stop-over site for Common Redstart and this morning there were at least two elusive birds in the field hedges visible from the footpath, plus a Raven.

At Lamport Hall this afternoon there was another female-type Common Redstart and five or six Spotted Flycatchers in hedging and bushes visible from the footpath that runs from the A508 to Scaldwell village.

Stanford Reservoir today attracted two Oystercatchers, a Cetti's Warbler and a couple of Yellow Wagtails and a Whinchat and a Common Snipe were at Hollowell Reservoir. An Osprey was again at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

This evening there were two Cattle Egrets NE over the Main Pit at Stanwick Pits plus two Green Sandpipers, three Common Sandpipers and four Little Ringed Plovers. Birds at Summer Leys LNR today included four Great White Egrets, a Green Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover. A Great White Egret was at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows.

An Egyptian Goose was noted at the Embankment, Wellingborough today and a Raven was at Cogenhoe.

Regards

Neil M

A sunbathing Wren courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

A sunbathing Robin courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford
Reservoir from the Northants
Bird Club hide.

Red Admiral - there appears to
be quite a number around at the
moment.

Common Emerald Damselfly.

Migrants on the move

Hello

A short term ringing session at Harrington Airfield this morning yielded forty-seven captures of thirteen species before the blustery conditions became too much. The highlights were probably ten Willow Warblers (adults and juveniles), eight Common Whitethroats (again adults and juveniles), a Bullfinch and a Linnet. A few Yellow Wagtails have been present since spring and were still there today but there was no sign of any youngsters. Two Ravens and a Grey Partridge were probably the best of the rest!

At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning there was a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a vocal male Common Redstart and two Crossbills flew over. A juvenile Raven was at Hanging Houghton.

At Stanford Reservoir this morning there was a brief visitation from a Marsh Harrier plus the female Ruddy Shelduck, six Common Sandpipers and a Hobby.

Two Garganey were at Daventry Country Park this morning, two Ospreys were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir late morning and a Whinchat was still at Hollowell Reservoir this evening.

In the Nene Valley there were two Hobbies at Summer Leys LNR first thing and an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the Elinor Trout Lake at Thrapston Pits.

Regards

Neil M

Sunset at Harrington Airfield.

Southern Hawker and exuvia
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Spider mangora acalypha
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Meadow Brown.

Common Buzzard.

Starling courtesy of
Michelle Spinks.

Moorhen courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Common Pheasant
courtesy of Tony Stanford

Wildlife in the warmth

Hello

An early morning survey provided an opportunity to see some wildlife before it all hid away as it became warmer. A pair of Roe Deer posed beautifully, some insects warmed up on fence panels and the like and a family party of Spotted Flycatchers is always a treat! However much of the bird song has dwindled now and the Robins in particular have gone quiet - about the only time of the year when they are not singing energetically!

A report on Birdguides of the Red-necked Grebe at Summer Leys LNR initiated a search for it by several observers but it drew a blank!

An Osprey was seen with a fish at Ravensthorpe Reservoir late this morning and new Common Redstarts included a female-type at Honey Hill near Cold Ashby and a male at Clifford Hill Pits in a hedgerow on the west side of the main pit near to the office blocks. Three Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper were at Clifford Hill too.

An adult and juvenile Peregrine were seen over Northampton today with a Hobby overhead too and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there was a Whinchat and a Barn Owl near to 'shrike hedge' early morning. Both here and at Pitsford Reservoir, new singing Sedge Warblers have announced their presence in the last week and clearly intend to breed - presumably these are birds that have only just arrived after attempting to breed elsewhere and now trying to breed at a new location? The two male Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this evening.

Yesterday (Saturday) evening and three Garganey were found at Daventry Country Park.

Please note that tomorrow (Monday) there will be a ringing session at Harrington Airfield with restricted access to the bunkers and scrubby area between the chippings compound and the main concrete track. Public access along the concrete track is unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Buck Roe Deer.

Kestrel courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Black-tailed Skimmer.

Long-legged or Semaphore Fly
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Garden Tiger moth courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Early autumn birding

Hello

Some more survey work locally this morning was good for finding a few Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Sparrow, a Grey Partridge, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Raven, two pairs of Bullfinch and another successful brood of Barn Owls. Another Spotted Flycatcher was still holding territory in New Covert, Kelmarsh.

The find of the day was Stuart's Red-necked Grebe at Summer Leys LNR this morning...it wasn't seen subsequently but can't be far away as this species rarely moves any distance during the daytime unless over the sea. Other birds there were a Wood Sandpiper and three Green Sandpipers which subsequently flew off east and a Common Redstart in a hedge behind one of the hides.

Down the road at Stanwick Pits sightings included a Black-tailed Godwit, three Cattle Egrets at North Lake, a female Pintail and a Green Sandpiper. A Curlew was at Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits.

A Wood Sandpiper was still at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Stanford Reservoir hosted a fishing Osprey several times during the day, a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and a Hobby.

Pitsford Reservoir still retained four Great White Egrets north of the causeway where there was also a Common Sandpiper and Hollowell Reservoir was good for an Osprey this evening and a Whinchat too. In excess of eighty Swifts at Woodford Halse was bolstered by fledged birds, an impressive modern-time count at a colony.

A Marsh Harrier was seen low over fields near Barnwell this afternoon - we would expect to see wandering fledged juveniles from about now.

Regards

Neil M

Another early morning start!

Field Scabious.

Willow Emerald damselfly
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Stonechat courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Gatekeeper butterfly.

Swifts, House Martins and Swallows.

Hello

Yesterday (Thursday) and an evening ringing session at Lamport Hall netted twenty-five birds comprising of ten Swifts, fourteen House Martins and a House Sparrow. Seven of the Swifts were re-trap birds from previous years with two of them first ringed in 2018. Two of the House Martins were re-trapped birds from 2021 and 2022. About thirty Swifts together screaming around was the most we saw and at least thirteen pairs of House Martins had nests but this year there were seemingly no Swallows breeding.

Also yesterday evening thirty Swifts were screaming around the village of Spratton with a party of at least sixteen in Brixworth the same afternoon so there are still some places with vibrant if small colonies. Many people are reporting low numbers of breeding Swallows and House Martins locally and there are examples of both species being completely absent from once-favoured areas.

Birds reported for yesterday included the Ruddy Shelduck at Winwick Pools again, a Wood Sandpiper at Eyebrook Reservoir and an early morning Osprey at Stanford Reservoir plus a couple of colour-ringed Common Terns originating from a project in the West Midlands.

Two Great White Egrets were in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and a Peregrine was seen; the two male Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell in the morning and three Ravens flew over Hanging Houghton.

Today (Friday) and a particularly warm day again saw the temperatures soar to the high twenties Centigrade. An Osprey flew south at Pitsford Reservoir at 7.20am and five Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper were at Daventry Country Park. In a good year for this species in the county an Osprey flew high east over Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Green Sandpipers at Daventry
Country Park today courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Brimstone butterfly courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Hornet Plume-horn hoverfly
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Common Swift at Lamport Hall
courtesy of Michelle Spinks.

A warm summer's day

Hello

A proper warm and sunny summer's day! And maybe a few more around the corner!

Some more survey work on a private estate this morning provided juvenile Tawny and Barn Owls, just fledged Common Buzzards and two family parties of Spotted Flycatcher.

A few late nests of Common Terns were confirmed on the rafts at Pitsford Reservoir today and the Scaldwell Bay contained four Great White Egrets this morning with two Ravens and an adult Yellow-legged Gull again by the dam.

The two male Common Redstarts were again at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon and a female Common Redstart was seen at Ramsden Corner Plantation, Church Stowe.

A Wood Sandpiper was again at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Stanford Reservoir hosted a heard only Sandwich Tern and an Osprey which fished successfully.

A Little Tern was a good record for Mary's Lake at Earls Barton Pits this morning and two Black-tailed Godwits were at Stanwick Pits early this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Common Tern chicks
at Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Michelle Spinks.

Mother of Pearl moth.

Southern Hawker.

Common Buzzard.

Above four images all
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Summer to Autumn

Hello

As summer stretches out to autumn there are still birds in song, Song Thrushes in particular first thing in the morning and often last thing at night are perhaps the most obvious. Robin song has dwindled and many are already in moult, many Wrens are still in full song, many Skylarks have finished singing but there are still Blackbirds and Dunnocks proclaiming territories with a view to having another brood.

A couple of Grey Wagtails and two Ravens were in the Brampton Valley at Brixworth this morning and birds at Pitsford Reservoir included a Common Sandpiper in the Scaldwell Bay and birds visible from the dam this afternoon were an Osprey, two Ravens, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, presumably a different Common Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail. A pair of Grey Partridges and two family parties of Green Woodpecker were at Harrington Airfield and there was a reasonable number of butterflies of five species with Marbled White being the best.

Stanwick Pits today attracted a Wood Sandpiper, five Common Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers and eight Black-tailed Godwits.

A Common Scoter was found on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits and birds at Summer Leys LNR included a Cattle Egret, a Great White Egret, two Little Ringed Plovers and two Oystercatchers. Birds further along the valley at Clifford Hill Pits were two Little Ringed Plovers, an Oystercatcher and four Wigeon.

A Barn Owl was at Woodford Halse and two male Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning.

Eyebrook Reservoir attracted a Wood Sandpiper today plus a Turnstone and two Black Terns.

Yesterday (Monday) there was an Osprey at Stanford Reservoir and the ringers on-site ringed 92 new birds including a Spotted Flycatcher.

Regards

Neil M

'Golden' Hedgehog.

Juvenile Reed Bunting.

Carrion Crow courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Adult Tree Sparrow courtesy
of Michelle Spinks.

Juvenile Magpie courtesy
of Michelle Spinks.

Another wet July day!

Hello

A wet back-end to the day but mild and dry for most of the morning.

A Whinchat was found in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning, in waterside vegetation just beyond Maytrees Hide and this afternoon an Osprey was perched up near Lagoon Hide which is situated between the Walgrave and Holcot Bays.

A male Common Redstart was still at Woodford Halse LNR and Lilbourne Meadows attracted at least twelve Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper.

A Ruddy Shelduck was at Stanford Reservoir this morning before flying off and a Wood Sandpiper was at Eyebrook Reservoir.

The Ravens were again vocal at Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Collared Dove
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Common Sandpiper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Marbled Whites in cop at
Pitsford Reservoir courtesy
of David Arden. One of the
butterflies that will still fly in
dark, dank conditions providing
there is some warmth.

Summer ringing

Hello

A ringing session around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir today provided seventy-five captures of eighteen species. Warblers included Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler and both Common and Lesser Whitethroat and finches were Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch. Four Yellowhammers, five Reed Buntings and a Tree Sparrow added more variety.

Birds noted included two Ospreys in the Scaldwell Bay in the morning for a short time and then a single showed up again this evening. Four Ravens flew over and at least one Great White Egret was present as was an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail. A Lesser Emperor dragonfly was on show from Maytrees Hide briefly amongst several Blue Emperors.

An Osprey was seen to successfully catch a trout at Ravensthorpe Reservoir early in the afternoon and head off east. A Hobby was at Lamport Hall.

One or two Common Redstart(s) were at Woodford Halse LNR today and a Cattle Egret was at Summer Leys LNR. A Peregrine was near Stortons Pits.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a female Common Redstart and two Oystercatchers and yesterday (Saturday) 161 new birds were ringed on-site plus there were Reed Warblers encountered bearing French and Belgian rings.

Regards

Neil M

Wren courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Blue Emperor courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Kingfishers at Pitsford
Reservoir courtesy of
Dave Jackson.