Birds, insects and warm weather

Hello

A Cattle Egret was at Lilbourne Meadows reserve yesterday evening and again this evening and there was a Birdguides report of a Red-backed Shrike there today but not reported subsequently.

At Stanford Reservoir there was an Osprey and a Hobby yesterday evening and today again an Osprey was present plus a Mandarin Duck, a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and a Grasshopper Warbler was caught and ringed.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was at Harrington Airfield this evening, a Common Sandpiper was at Daventry Country Park and an Osprey was by the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir.

In the Nene Valley there was a Marsh Harrier and a Green Sandpiper again at Summer Leys LNR and Elinor Lake at Thrapston Pits hosted an Osprey and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

The two male Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning.

Lesser Emperor dragonflies were today discovered at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Billing Pits.

Regards

Neil M

Great Pied Hoverfly.

Robin.

Small Red-eyed Damselflies.

Poplar Hawk-moth.

Common Sandpiper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Sunshine and morning and evening showers

Hello 

This morning Summer Leys LNR paid host to a single Cattle Egret on Gull Island and a Marsh Harrier hunting around the reserve.

Another Cattle Egret was at Eyebrook Reservoir this morning as they begin to disperse following breeding.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were four Great White Egrets in the Scaldwell Bay, two Common Sandpipers on the causeway, a Yellow-legged Gull, a fly-through juvenile Peregrine, a Hobby and best of all an Osprey. The Osprey was perched in a dead willow between the Bird Club and James Fisher hides and made a couple of dives in the bay, on the second occasion successfully catching a small fish.

There were lots of odonata whizzing around Pitsford today with Brown Hawkers, Blue Emperors and Black-tailed Skimmers being the most obvious. A Four-spotted Chaser was seen and there were hordes of damselflies which appeared mostly to be Common Blue and Large Red-eyed. A single Lesser Emperor was holding territory off the causeway car park, skirmishing regularly with an ovipositing female Blue Emperor.

Other birds noted today included a male Common Redstart at Woodford Halse LNR and a Common Redstart and two Spotted Flycatchers at Harrington Airfield.

Harrington Airfield will be the venue for ringing this coming week-end with sessions on both the Saturday and Sunday. Access will be restricted during these times along the scrubby area between the chippings compound and the main track including the bunkers. Public footpath access along the concrete track is unaffected. Should anyone want to watch proceedings please email me beforehand.

Regards

Neil M

Chiffchaff courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Chiffchaff.

With both adults and juveniles
adopting different moult strategies
at this time of the year, not many
look at their best!

Willow Emerald damselfly.

Pine Hawk-moth.

Hoverfly - possibly
Helophilus pendulus.

Common Blue butterfly
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Ospreys

Hello

Three Ospreys together at Pitsford Reservoir this morning was a treat, one of the birds caught a fish in the Scaldwell Bay and the birds moved off west. A single bird in the Holcot Bay seen by a different observer may have been one of these three birds. Roosting egrets on the reserve there included five Great Whites and at least sixteen Littles. A Common Sandpiper was also present.

Three Ospreys also made it to Stanford Reservoir today and the Mandarin Duck was still there as was a Common Sandpiper.

In the Nene Valley there were two Black-tailed Godwits at Stanwick Pits on the main lake plus three Common Sandpipers and two Green Sandpipers. At least one Marsh Harrier and a Greenshank were noted at Summer Leys LNR.

A slim but unidentified 'ringtail' harrier was seen over fields between Brixworth and Scaldwell villages late morning but despite some searching wasn't found again. Every year these individuals are glimpsed by someone in the county but they rarely seem to linger or provide prolonged views with an opportunity of photographs and we are left speculating as to what species they might be!

Harrington Airfield hosted two Whinchats and two Common Redstarts today and the family of Spotted Flycatchers and the single Common Redstart were still at Lamport Hall.

Two male Common Redstarts were at Woodford Halse LNR today.

Regards

Neil M

Speckled Wood butterfly.

Marbled White courtesy
of David Arden.

Osprey at Pitsford Reservoir
today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

The Drinker moth.

Another warm one

Hello

More high temperatures today and in these conditions it's best to be out birding early before it really is too warm!

Four Cattle Egrets were again at Stanwick Pits this morning, no doubt this species is going to be a regular fixture there this autumn!

Stanford Reservoir was graced with two Ospreys this morning, the Mandarin Duck was still present as was a Common Sandpiper. Two Grasshopper Warblers were caught and ringed there this morning.

Birds at Summer Leys LNR included a Great White Egret, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, three Green Sandpipers and a Spotted Flycatcher. Butterflies on the wing there included Essex Skipper.

A Painted Lady on the buddleia in our Hanging Houghton garden today joined the Red Admirals, Peacocks, Comma, Meadow Browns and whites.

Two Spotted Flycatchers were recorded in Bucknell Wood today, the two Common Redstarts were still at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and two Whinchats and at least two Spotted Flycatchers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Harrington Airfield continued to host a hunting juvenile Marsh Harrier this morning plus two or three Common Redstarts, a male Stonechat, two Whinchats and a Spotted Flycatcher plus a growing flock of post-breeding Linnets.

This evening an Osprey was at Hollowell Reservoir before drifting off.

Regards

Neil M

Male Stonechat courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Male Green Woodpecker
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Essex Skipper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Large Emerald moth.

Garden Tiger moth.

Egyptian Goose.

Heatwave birding

Hello

Warm weather birding today with the Ruddy Shelduck still at Stanford Reservoir and a morning Osprey plus a female Mandarin Duck, two Common Sandpipers, two Hobbies and with a Kingfisher caught and ringed.

A Common Redstart was still in situ at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this morning near to the Jurassic Way commemorative stone and the two male Common Redstarts were still working the hedgerows at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. Nearby at Shrike Hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton several migrants with a variety of warblers which included a confiding juvenile Grasshopper Warbler plus a Common Redstart. Two Whinchats and a Spotted Flycatcher were in the same valley nearer to the Brampton Valley Way.

At Lamport Hall the family party of Spotted Flycatchers were still visible from the footpath and the Common Redstart showed too.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was quartering the top fields at Harrington Airfeld this evening with a Common Redstart again between the Chippings Compound and Bunker One and a couple of Grey Partridges were vocal.

An adult Yellow-legged Gull was north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and two Ravens were in Hanging Houghton village.

Regards

Neil M

Small Skipper butterfly.

Common Buzzard courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Hobby courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Brown Hare courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Week-end summary

Hello

A very warm week-end and it looks like the beginning of the week may be the same.

No outstanding birds in the county during the last couple of days but with a Roseate Tern just over the county border at Eyebrook Reservoir today and a Paddyfield Warbler trapped and ringed in Staffordshire also today you never know what may be straying on to your local patch!

Yesterday (Saturday) saw the long-staying female Ruddy Shelduck and an Osprey at Stanford Reservoir plus a Mandarin Duck, three hawking Hobbies, two Common Sandpipers, a Kingfisher and a Cetti's Warbler. Reed Warblers were processed by the ringers on-site and three of the birds were bearing rings from elsewhere, one of them from Belgium. Over two hundred birds were newly-ringed during ringing operations during the day.

A Black-tailed Godwit was at Summer Leys LNR yesterday with a Greenshank and two Green Sandpipers on the nearby New Workings.

A family party of Spotted Flycatchers were at Beck Dairy, Cottesbrooke yesterday morning and four Green Sandpipers were on pools in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth with two Ravens there later. Lamport Hall hosted another family of Spotted Flycatchers plus a Hobby and two Ravens, and a Whinchat remained at Hollowell Reservoir. The two male Common Redstarts remained at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Lilbourne Water Meadows provided a Great White Egret, two Ravens, two Common Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper and a Marsh Harrier was lingering at Harrington Airfield in the evening.

Today (Sunday) and Stanford Reservoir yielded the Ruddy Shelduck again plus an Osprey and a Marsh Harrier plus a Hobby, two Common Sandpipers and a Kingfisher.

An Osprey was perched up at Pitsford Reservoir this morning for about half an a hour in the Scaldwell Bay and a fresh brood of Tufted Ducks was made up of nine ducklings. A Spotted Flycatcher was also seen.

Two or three Common Redstarts were at Lilbourne Water Meadows today and a Marsh Harrier was seen flying west there this evening. Two Spotted Flycatchers were at Woodford Halse LNR this morning.

A Common Redstart and a family of Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall again this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

A Barn Owl nestling
out of the nest box and
roaming around in a barn.

Greenfinch courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Migrant Hawker courtesy of
Robin Gossage. These small hawkers
 are now on the wing.

Gatekeeper.

A 'wonky' Southern Hawker.
Insects that undertake metamorphosis
as a natural process run the risk of not
always being able to to make the perfect
transition. This hawker was still able to
fly but whether it was capable of producing
the next generation I really don't know.

A bit thin on the ground!!

Birds, insects and wildlife in general seems to be a bit "thin on the ground " with very few observations being reported. I was out early this morning and felt more optimistic as the hedgerows around Blueberry were alive with Warblers and other passerines including 2 Lesser Whitethroats,  Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats. Plus the 2 male Common Redstarts were in their usual hedge.   However this noticeable movement of Warblers etc was short lived and as I continued my circuit the hedgerows became progressively quiet.  A visit to Harrington Airfield and Lamport Hall produced nothing of note.

Birds reported yesterday included an Arctic Tern,  8 Green Sandpipers and Yellow Legged Gull at Daventry CP,  an Osprey at Stanford Reservoir and Common Redstart, 2 Little Ringed Plovers and both Green and Common Sandpipers at Lilbourne Meadows.                                             Today there were 6 Cattle Egrets at Stanwick GP, Whinchat at Hollowell,  Osprey and Spotted Flycatcher at Pitsford Reservoir,  Bittern and Ruddy Shelduck at Stanford Reservoir and at DIRFT3 a Caspian and 18 Yellow Legged Gulls. 

Have a good weekend, enjoy the warm weather and watching the wildlife wherever you are.

Regards Eleanor 

Scarlet Tiger.

Large White butterflies in cop.

Meadow Brown.

Above three images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Song Thrush.

Water Rail.

Common Whitethroat.

Above three images
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

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.