A wet Tuesday

Hello

A mostly wet day creating more local flooding but hopefully more settled weather is on the horizon.

The Glossy Ibis popped up at Summer Leys LNR again today and the adult White-fronted Goose was again in the Cogenhoe Mill/Whiston Pits area with the Greylag flock.

At Stanford Reservoir a Jack Snipe was seen and other birds were a Common Snipe, a Great White Egret and three Goosanders.

Single Ravens were at Hanging Houghton and between Rushton and Pipewell and a Barn Owl was between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell villages early this morning.

A Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl and two Woodcock were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon with a vocal Oystercatcher and twenty-five Golden Plovers flying over.

Regards

Neil M

Herring and Black-headed Gulls.

Cormorant courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Tawny Owl courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Otter in the rain today
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

More ringing recoveries

Hello

Nothing new reported in the county today but the now very long-staying Glossy Ibis was spotted again at Summer Leys LNR. Just over the border at Eyebrook Reservoir the five drake Smew and the Scaup were still present and two Egyptian Geese were in the Welland Valley below Cottingham.

The two Cattle Egrets were again at Stanwick Pits, in a sheep field near North Lake this morning.

Two Great White Egrets were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and a Great White Egret was at Stanford Reservoir where there were also four Goosanders and a Water Rail.

Three Woodcock were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon, a Raven and a Grey Wagtail were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and four Ravens were near Rushton.

A few more ringing recoveries from the activities of Northants Ringing Group are as follows:-

1. A Goldfinch was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 3rd March 2024 and unfortunately collided with a window at Haversham, Milton Keynes and died on or about 1st August 2024 151 days later;

2. An adult male Starling was ringed at Brixworth Treatment Works on 20th June 2023 and found recently dead in Brixworth village 406 days later on 30th July 2024;

3. A second year Mute Swan was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 27th August 2022 and seen with the ring read in the field at Furzton Lake, Milton Keynes on 13th December 2024, 839 days later and only a few kilometres away;

4. A first year Black-headed Gull was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 12th October 2024 and the bird and ring was photographed at Furzton Lake, Milton Keynes on 18th December 2024, 67 days later;

5. A first year male Sparrowhawk was ringed at Brixworth Treatment Works on 8th September 2024 but was found dead after flying into a wooden fence in Brixworth village on 18th December 2024, 101 days later;

6. A first year Mallard was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 8th June 2021 and was seen there again on 28th December 2024 when the ring details were photographed and the gender was confirmed as a female, 1299 days later;

7. An adult male Mallard was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 18th November 2020 and was seen there again on 30th December 2024 when the ring details were photographed, 1503 days later;

8. A first year female Blackcap was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on the rather late date of 2nd November 2024 and taken by a cat in Banbury 59 days later on 31st December 2024, 59 days later with the bird having moved 43km in a south westerly direction and presumably trying to overwinter;

9. A second year Blue Tit was ringed at Stortons Pits on 12th January 2022 but died on 7th January this year when it hit a window in Dallington, Northampton, 1091 days later.

Regards

Neil M

Roe Deer courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Cetti's Warbler courtesy
of Stuart Munday.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Robin courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Wet end to a dry month

Hello

A cool breezy morning turning to rain by lunchtime which then finished at dusk. The birds in the garden seemed particularly hungry today and it was a job to keep up!

The Glossy Ibis again put in an appearance at Summer Leys LNR and at Stanwick Pits the two Cattle Egrets were again in a sheep field near to North Lake and three Great White Egrets were on the complex. A Short-eared Owl flew over the A45 at the Wilby roundabout at 9.20am this morning.

Four Chiffchaffs at Ecton SF included a colder-coloured bird with some similarity to Siberian Chiffchaff.

The Great Northern Diver was seen again at Pitsford Reservoir, between The Narrows and Catwalk Bay late morning.

A Cattle Egret was a good local find near to Blatherwycke Lake next to Home Farm and the Scaup was still present on the lake.

An adult male Peregrine and a Woodcock were at Harrington Airfield today and a Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh.

Four drake Smew and the Scaup were at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Mute Swans courtesy
of John Tilly.

Reed Buntings courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

A Perch with a Water Rail as Stuart
calls it! This is the Water Rail photographed
catching fish at Summer Leys LNR yesterday
courtesy of Stuart Munday. Water Rails are
known for their diverse diet including small
fish but this seems a little large!

Ringing at Scotland Wood

Hello

A ringing session at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate took place this morning with the majority of the catch being common tits, with the Blue Tits dominating the proceedings, the azure adult males looking particularly stunning now! Two Nuthatches included one new bird, six Robins included four birds from previous years including one from August 2021 and six Coal Tits provided some variety. Other birds noted in the wood included at least eight Siskins, a Redpoll and a Woodcock.

A Barn Owl was seen on the outskirts of Maidwell village this morning and at Harrington Airfield this afternoon there was a Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl and three Woodcock.

The two White-fronted Geese were in fields adjacent to Ravensthorpe Reservoir this afternoon, in a field near to the Fishing Lodge and two Grey Wagtails were present too.

The Glossy Ibis was at Summer Leys LNR again today, plus three Pintail and a Water Rail was photographed proving it's adeptness at catching fish! A Pink-footed Goose, a Great White Egret, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Stonechat were present at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and two Cattle Egrets were again in a field just north of North Lake at Stanwick Pits.

A single Hawfinch was again at Blatherwycke Churchyard this morning and at least two drake Smew were present at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Stanford Reservoir today hosted two Great White Egrets, two Goosanders, two Water Rails, a Cetti's Warbler and a Chiffchaff.

Regards

Neil M

Water Rail courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Male Nuthatch at
Scotland Wood today.

Quiet winter lull

Hello

A breezy day but mild and mostly bright but again a day with few reports.

The Glossy Ibis continues to show at Summer Leys LNR and other birds there included a Water Rail (in front of Rotary Hide), two Great White Egrets, a female Pintail and a fly-over flock of Golden Plovers.

A Great White Egret and a Woodcock were in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon, a Grey Wagtail was noted at Kelmarsh and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton continued to attract two Green Sandpipers, two Grey Wagtails and a Barn Owl.

Five Smew and a Scaup were still at Eyebrook Reservoir and Stanford Reservoir could only muster a Great White Egret, a Goosander, two Ravens and a Cetti's Warbler.

Regards

Neil M

Woodpigeon.

Shoveler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wren courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Stoat courtesy of
David Arden.

Blackcap courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Scant reports today

Hello

The first rain for quite a while didn't amount to much today and it appears that the imminent violent Storm Eowyn is liable to be more disruptive to the north of the UK.

Just two Smew were reported at Eyebrook Reservoir today and at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell today the only bird of note was a Peregrine. Yesterday a female Sparrowhawk was disturbed from a half-eaten Fieldfare kill near there and today it was just feathers left.

Two Barn Owls and two Green Sandpipers linger in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and at least one Raven was in the village, with a Grey Wagtail at the sewer works.

Two Great White Egrets were in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon where the local corvid roost numbering in the thousands was beginning to take shape, and Tree Sparrows could be heard in the bushes at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station.

A Marsh Harrier was noted at Summer Leys LNR at lunchtime today and a Raven was over Kings Wood, Corby.

Regards

Neil M

Robin courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Stonechat on reedmace
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Magpie.

Brown Hares are capable
of producing youngsters as early
as February when the fields are
mostly bare.

Local waterbirds

Hello

Birding at Stanford Reservoir today yielded about 1200 Common Gulls coming into roost, a Great White Egret, a Pintail, ten Goosanders and four Ravens. Just across the border, Eyebrook Reservoir continues to hang on to six Smew and a Scaup.

The Glossy Ibis put in a series of appearances at Summer Leys LNR and the White-fronted Goose remained at Whiston Pits. At Stanwick Pits there were two Cattle Egrets in a sheep field at North Lake and a Water Rail was espied. A Pink-footed Goose and a Great White Egret were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and nearby there was a Jack Snipe and a Woodcock at Barnes Meadow LNR.

The Great Northern Diver may have eaten most of the crayfish at Pitsford Reservoir but was still in situ in The Narrows late this morning.

An afternoon wander at Harrington Airfield was good for a Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl, twelve Grey Partridges, two Woodcock and two Ravens. Another Barn Owl was seen at Newton Bromswold and another was picked up dead alongside the busy A508 between Brixworth and Hanging Houghton, this road claiming multiple such victims each year.

A male Merlin, a Stonechat and later a Brambling were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and two Green Sandpipers were on ponds near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

The Pitsford Great Northern Diver
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Great Crested Grebe.

Drake Mallard.

Tufted Duck.

Drake Wigeon.

Above four images courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

Much of the day was spent completing a waterbird census at part of the Ditchford Pits complex. Although initially murky the weather came good with some weak sunshine and dry conditions.

Birds east of Ditchford Lane included three Great White Egrets, ten Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, a Goosander, six Common Snipe, a Water Rail, two Chiffchaffs, four Redpolls and at least three Grey Wagtails. West of Ditchford Lane there were three more Great White Egrets, two Little Egrets, two Egyptian Geese, a drake Pintail, two Goosanders, a Water Rail, a Jack Snipe, thirteen Common Snipe, an Oystercatcher, four Cetti's Warblers and a Stonechat. A Cattle Egret flew west towards Wellingborough at 12.40pm.

At Earls Barton Pits today the Glossy Ibis was on the Summer Leys LNR and a Whooper Swan was initially on the reserve and moved to Hardwater Lake. Other birds included three Great White Egrets, two Goosanders, ten Golden Plovers, a Cetti's Warbler and a mixed flock of Siskin and Redpoll.

At Cogenhoe Mill Alan found six Ring-necked Parakeets, a Green Sandpiper, a Grey Wagtail and several Chiffchaffs and the adult White-fronted Goose was still at Whiston Pits.

Two more Goosanders were at Harlestone Lake this afternoon and birds at Stanford Reservoir were two Great White Egrets, two Water Rails and two Ravens and another Raven was noted at Kelmarsh. 

Six Smew and a Scaup remained at Eyebrook Reservoir today.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebe.

Female Chaffinch.

Redpolls.

Common Buzzard.

Images courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

The monthly waterbird census was completed at Pitsford Reservoir today and a continuing trend is relatively low numbers of wildfowl and other birds using the water. The Great Northern Diver was again present in The Narrows south of the causeway and two pairs of Stonechat were present too. North of the causeway where the water is still brown with sediment from the early winter rains it was quiet with the only birds of note being two Great White Egrets which appear to be new arrivals, a drake Pintail, about a hundred Common Snipe and two Jack Snipe with three Tree Sparrows at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station.

At Stanford Reservoir there was a Caspian Gull, two Goosanders, three Egyptian Geese, two Great White Egrets, a Water Rail and a Chiffchaff.

The White-fronted Goose was again reported at Whiston Pits with other geese and the Scaup was also reported at Blatherwycke Lake.

A Short-eared Owl and two Common Snipe were again on private land near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon and two Green Sandpipers and two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Long-tailed Tits and
Blue Tits.

Magpie.

Goldfinch eating Vibena seeds
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Grandpa of the Woods!

Hello

Another cloudy, cold and dull day but with very little wind and little in the way of precipitation.

Stanwick Lakes hosted an event today associated with next week-end's RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. In addition to wildlife walks, making bird food and feeders, lots of static displays, leaflets etc there was also a bird ringing demonstration which yielded over forty common birds, with perhaps a Redwing being the star bird.

The event attracted a great deal of attention particularly with children and their respective parents which included people who attended knowing of the event and also people using the Stanwick Lakes facilities popping in to see what was going on. Other birds noted on-site included three Goosanders, a Grey Wagtail and three hundred Lapwings.

A little ringing at Sunderland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate provided typical woodland birds which included two Marsh Tits and no less than three Great Spotted Woodpeckers. One of these woodpeckers was a male first ringed in the same wood in 2014 and is at least ten years old and undoubtedly close to the longevity record for this species - affectionately called 'Grandpa of the Woods'!

Pitsford Reservoir continues to host the juvenile Great Northern Diver south of the causeway plus a pair of Stonechats and a Yellow-legged Gull and scarce birds north of the causeway included two Tree Sparrows at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the trees down the lane to the feeding station.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir amounted to a Great White Egret and four Smew remained at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Nene Valley birds included the Summer Leys LNR Glossy Ibis, the White-fronted Goose still at Whiston Pits (see video below courtesy of Neil Hasdell), two Great White Egrets at Ditchford Pits, two Caspian Gulls at Clifford Hill Pits and a Jack Snipe at nearby Barnes Meadow LNR. 

On the A605 floods at Oundle there were a pair of Pintail, over forty Shovelers and a Great White Egret whilst at Blatherwycke Lake the Scaup was still present plus nine Mandarin Ducks.

Blackcaps visited gardens at Corby and Kettering and Harrington Airfield hosted a pair of Stonechats, fifty Golden Plovers, a Woodcock and a Barn Owl being pursued by a Common Buzzard.

Regards

Neil M

Marsh Tit.

Coal Tit.

Great Spotted Woodpecker -
the 'Grandpa of the Woods'.

Above three images courtesy
of Lewis Aaron.

Birds of a cold, steely day

Hello 

A modest ringing session at Brixworth today provided only a small number of captures but included ten Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, a Redwing, two Blackbirds and two Chiffchaffs. At least one other Grey Wagtail was also present, two Ravens flew over and a Siskin was mobile.

Birds seen at Stanford Reservoir were a Caspian Gull, a Water Rail, two Common Snipe, a Great White Egret and a Stonechat and five Smew were still at Eyebrook Reservoir.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon yielded two Barn Owls and two or three Green Sandpipers. At least one Siskin was at Scotland Wood, a Barn Owl was hunting at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and two Woodcock were flushed by beaters at Short Wood, Lamport.

A female Scaup remained at Blatherwycke Lake today, two Whooper Swans flew over Greens Norton this morning and Summer Leys LNR attracted an early Oystercatcher, a Goosander, two Great White Egrets, fifty Golden Plovers and a Chiffchaff. A female Merlin was between Abthorpe and Wappenham.

Regards

Neil M

Green Sandpiper courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Grey Wagtail.

Barn Owl courtesy of
Nathan Jones.

Local birding mid-winter

Hello

A cool, settled and rather grey day but thank-fully without the fog.

The Great Northern Diver was again between the causeway and the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and a couple of Tree Sparrows were joined by a House Sparrow at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station north of the causeway.

Eyebrook Reservoir was still the venue for five Smew (four drakes) and two fly-over Bewick's Swans. Two Egyptian Geese were in the Welland Valley below Cottingham where there was also a Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was an adult Caspian Gull in the gull roost, a Great White Egret, eight Goosanders, a Water Rail and a Stonechat. Forty-eight Golden Plovers and a Raven were the only note-worthy birds seen at Harrington Airfield today.

A couple of Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley at Brixworth and the valley below Hanging Houghton attracted a Barn Owl, a Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail. There were two Ravens in the village. A Barn Owl was a roadside bird between Arthingworth and Kelmarsh this afternoon.

An adult White-fronted Goose was again sighted at Whiston Pits with the large Greylag flock and the Glossy Ibis was reported again from Summer Leys LNR where also a Redpoll. A pair of Egyptian Geese were in a field off the Embankment at Wellingborough this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Drake Shoveler courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Kestrel courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Grey Heron courtesy
of Robin Gossage.