Cloudy, grey Thursday

Hello

The grey, cool weather continues with a seemingly never-ending amount of cloud overhead, but a dry day.

A meander at Harrington Airfield this morning provided views of a male Peregrine, two Ravens and a hunting Barn Owl. Later a Raven and a Grey Wagtail were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and a Redpoll was on garden feeders in Brixworth village.

Today the drake Ring-necked Duck fooled everyone and turned up at Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits, found again by that man Nick Parker! A drake Smew remained on the Nene Barrage at Clifford Hill Pits and four Great White Egrets and an Oystercatcher remain at Summer Leys LNR.

Two Great White Egrets were at Stanford Reservoir today and Eyebrook Reservoir hosted four drake Smew and a Scaup still.

Regards

Neil M

Robin courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Coot.

Barn Owl.

Oystercatcher and Wigeon
Summer Leys LNR courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Pitsford WeBS Count.

Hello

A grey day with some rain and even an attempt at some milky sunshine this afternoon! Out of the cold easterly breeze it was actually not too bad (honest)!

Perhaps not surprisingly the drake Ring-necked Duck turned back up on the Heronry Lake on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits as found by the original finder Nick Parker. Wildfowl look at their best at this time of the year just ahead of the breeding season.

The drake Smew clearly finds Clifford Hill Pits to it's liking and was still present on the main barrage lake today. At least two other Smew and the drake Scaup were also still at Eyebrook Reservoir and the handsome drake Red-breasted Merganser was seen again at Blatherwycke Lake.

At least seven Great White Egrets and over two hundred Golden Plovers were noted at Summer Leys LNR today, three Woodcock were at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh estate, a Short-eared Owl was again on private land near Maidwell and a Barn Owl and two Green Sandpipers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Four Ravens were seen yesterday in Scaldwell village.

The Pitsford Reservoir WeBS count was completed today with the Great Northern Diver, a Redshank and four Egyptian Geese between the causeway and the dam. North of the causeway there were seven active Grey Heron nests on the reserve section, ahead of the Cormorants it seems this year. Four Great White Egrets were also present, the pair of breeding Ravens were noisy and other birds were an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Peregrine, two or three Jack Snipe and a minimum of seventy Common Snipe. Three Tree Sparrows were at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station and a pair of Sparrowhawks were displaying over the reserve.

Back in November 2024 a colour-ringed adult Black-headed Gull was found dead at Pitsford Reservoir and it transpires that this bird was first ringed in Poland in June 2015 with 3439 days having passed between the two records with the sites being 1213km apart. This is part of an established pattern of breeding Black-headed Gulls from Poland wintering in the UK and locally to us.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Ring-necked Duck
today at Titchmarsh Reserve
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Cormorant in breeding plumage
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Goosander courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Another cool February day

Hello

This morning the Great Northern Diver and a Great White Egret were again at Pitsford Reservoir, between the causeway and the dam, the diver close to the Brixworth bank near Pintail Bay and towards The Narrows.

Stanford Reservoir attracted a Caspian Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, two Great White Egrets, three Pintail, eleven Goosanders, a Kingfisher and a Cetti's Warbler. Hollowell Reservoir provided two Caspian Gulls, four Jack Snipe, thirteen Common Snipe and a pair of Stonechats.

A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth, a Peregrine was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and a single Short-eared Owl was on private land nearby this afternoon.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR and the supporting cast was three Great White Egrets, an Oystercatcher and two hundred and fifty Golden Plovers. A Smew was again at Clifford Hill Pits this morning on the Nene Barrage Lake.

Regards

Neil M

Two new Tawny Owl
boxes were erected at
Pitsford Reservoir
 yesterday.

Goosanders courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Second calendar year Herring Gull.

Cormorant courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Cold, grey and wet!

Hello

Another raw and wet day out there but with a few birds on offer.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR and Blatherwycke Lake was still a hotspot today with the drake Red-breasted Merganser present plus the Cattle Egret and wintering Scaup.

Not too far away at Eyebrook Reservoir there was still another wintering Scaup and five drake Smew.

Another Cattle Egret was at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow LNR this morning and a Kingfisher was at Market Harborough.

An adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the gull roost at Pitsford Reservoir where there was also a colour-ringed Common Gull from the Norwegian scheme (exact details awaited).

Details of the original ringing details of a Blue Tit caught at Woodford Halse on Wednesday 5th February have now come through and this bird was originally ringed at Rainsbrook Valley, Rugby on 13th January 2024, some twenty kilometres away from where encountered 389 days later.

Regards

Neil M

Common Gull.

Black-headed Gull.

Little Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Red-breasted Merganser

Hello

Despite the less than salubrious weather conditions today some new birds were found in the county with the most enjoyed bird probably being a handsome drake Red-breasted Merganser that showed very well at Blatherwycke Lake. Other birds there included a Goosander, a Cattle Egret and a Scaup.

The Glossy Ibis again topped the bill at Summer Leys LNR plus five Great White Egrets and about a hundred Golden Plovers. A Great White Egret was at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits.

Three Common Scoters on the Nene Barrage at Clifford Hill Pits were the other new birds and a Yellow-legged Gull and four Goosanders were also present.

Just outside the county a drake Green-winged Teal was south of Ardley, in flooded fields just inside Oxfordshire.

A little more sedentary, the Ruddy Shelduck was at Winwick Pools today and Stanford Reservoir was the site for a Jack Snipe, two Great White Egrets, six Goosanders and a Kingfisher.

Eyebrook Reservoir continued to host a Scaup and five drake Smew and Hollowell Reservoir managed a Jack Snipe, three Common Snipe and a Pintail. Two Great White Egrets were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir and there were three Tree Sparrows in the bushes at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station.

One of the Short-eared Owls re-appeared on private land near Maidwell today and a Raven was near Kelmarsh.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Red-breasted Merganser
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Drake Red-breasted Merganser
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Grimy Saturday

Hello

Looks like the grimy and dull weather might be with us for a while yet looking at the forecast ahead!

The weather failed to inspire much in the way of new sightings locally today and we were to rely on long-stayers once again.

Five drake Smew were at Eyebrook Reservoir today, the adult White-fronted Goose was with Greylags east of Cogenhoe Mill in the Nene Valley late this morning and this afternoon a Hawfinch was again reported at Cottesbrooke village in a cedar just west of the churchyard.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was not reported at the Titchmarsh reserve today but the Marsh Harrier was still there early afternoon. The Glossy Ibis was photographed at Summer Leys LNR again today.

A Siskin and a Grey Wagtail were again at Kelmarsh Hall, three Woodcock were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell, a Chiffchaff was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, a Redpoll was again on feeders at Brixworth and twenty-five Golden Plovers were over Harrington Airfield.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Reed Bunting courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Common Buzzard courtesy
of Beth Clyne.

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Grey birds of a grey day

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today on a cold, breezy and dull day included a Great White Egret and a Shelduck north of the causeway with an adult Yellow-legged Gull in the roost off the dam.

Stanford Reservoir managed two Great White Egrets today plus two Goosanders and the Ruddy Shelduck was seen at Winwick Pools.

Five drake Smew were still at Eyebrook Reservoir where the Scaup remained and a Red-necked Grebe was reported. Other birds included a first year Caspian Gull at Daventry Country Park and two White-fronted Geese were still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir early this morning.

In the Nene valley the drake Ring-necked Duck drew admirers despite the muddy conditions walking to the Heronry Lake on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston. Other birds included a Marsh Harrier again, two Goosanders, somewhere between eight and twelve Great White Egrets, two Cetti's Warblers and a Chiffchaff. Another Marsh Harrier was at Earls Barton Pits this afternoon.

Two Jack Snipe were at Barnes Meadow LNR, a drake Smew was reported on the main barrage lake at Clifford Hill Pits this afternoon and a Chiffchaff and two Oystercatchers were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR.

A Redpoll and a Blackcap visited garden feeders in a Brixworth garden and a Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below the village. The Short-eared Owls were again absent from private land near Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

Second calendar year Common Gull.

Third calendar year Common Gull.

Adult Common Gull, this bird missing a foot.

Adult Common Gull, this a ringed bird.

All images taken at Pitsford Reservoir
in dull conditions this afternoon.
 Grey birds of a grey day!

February songsters

Hello

At Pitsford Reservoir today the Great Northern Diver was still between the causeway and Pintail Bay, crunching up crayfish near the Gorse Bushes off the Holcot bank. A Barn Owl and two Stonechats were nearby. North of the causeway and the Scaldwell Bay held a Great White Egret, fifty-one Common Snipe, two Ravens and at least one Tree Sparrow at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station.

Stanford Reservoir hosted an Egyptian Goose and nine Goosanders with four drake Smew at Eyebrook Reservoir.

The two White-fronted Geese were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, on the water near the Fishing Lodge late morning with two Jack Snipe found at nearby Hollowell Reservoir.

In the Nene Valley the drake Ring-necked Duck was again on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits, spending much of its time on Heronry Lake. A hunting Marsh Harrier there was seen to catch a Moorhen. Three Pintail were seen at Clifford Hill Pits and four Egyptian Geese were in a field near Cogenhoe Lock. A Marsh Harrier and an Oystercatcher were at Summer Leys LNR this morning.

A pair of Stonechat were at Towcester, a Grey Wagtail and a Siskin were at Kelmarsh Hall and the bright cool weather brought forth a chorus of songsters with Mistle and Song Thrushes perhaps being the loudest. Catkins, aconites and tits checking out nest boxes are all indicators that spring isn't too far away but I think we have plenty of wintry weather to endure yet!

A Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl, two Woodcock, a Brambling and at least two Siskins were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon but interestingly there was no sign of the Short-eared Owls near Maidwell - this and the fact that one of the birds has a distinctive wing marking confirms that (as suspected) at least one of the birds moves freely between the two sites.

The Summer Leys LNR map on the Birdwatching Site Maps page has kindly been updated by Neil Hasdell (the last map as you scroll down).

Regards

Neil M

Little Grebe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

British White Cattle, one of the oldest
 cattle breeds, at Kelmarsh courtesy of
 Jane Neill.

Male Nuthatch courtesy
 of Jane Neill.

Ringing at Woodford Halse.

Hello

A ringing session at Woodford Halse today yielded over sixty birds including a dozen Greenfinches, four Chaffinches, a Nuthatch, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two House Sparrows, a Goldcrest, five Long-tailed Tits and three Blackbirds. One of the Blue Tits processed appears to be a 'control' - a bird ringed elsewhere - and we await the initial ringing details. The oldest bird encountered was probably a Great Tit originally ringed as an adult at the same site in August 2021. Other birds noted included five Ravens, a Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail.

Elsewhere and five drake Smew were again at Eyebrook Reservoir with the best birds at Stanford Reservoir being a Great White Egret, two Goosanders and a Cetti's Warbler. A single White-fronted Goose was reported from Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

At Summer Leys LNR the Glossy Ibis was on show again from the old railway track late morning and a Chiffchaff noted too. The drake Ring-necked Duck was seen again on Heronry Lake on the Titchmarsh reserve (Thrapston Pits) this afternoon. A White-fronted Goose and a Pink-footed Goose were in the sizeable goose flock in the Nene Valley below Cogenhoe today, on the edge of an area sometimes referred to as Whiston Pits or Whiston Wetlands. 'Many' Chiffchaffs and a Water Rail were noted there too.

A Hawfinch was again seen at Cottesbrooke village early this afternoon in treetops off Station Road. Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, a Barn Owl and a Grey Wagtail were visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon.

The two Short-eared Owls remain on private land near Maidwell and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton again offered up two Green Sandpipers, a Barn Owl and two Grey Wagtails.

Regards

Neil M

Male House Sparrow
courtesy of Chris Payne.

Goldeneye courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Greylag Goose courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Birds of early February

Hello 

Yesterday's Ring-necked Duck wasn't located on the Titchmash Reserve, Thrapston Pits today but a Marsh Harrier was there before heading off south.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR where there were also two Great White Egrets and two hundred and twenty Golden Plovers. Three Cattle Egrets were near North Lake, Stanwick Pits this morning.

Eyebrook Reservoir hosted a Slavonian Grebe and three drake Smew today with two Goosanders and a Great White Egret at Stanford Reservoir.

An adult Caspian Gull was at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning before flying off north but the goose flock usually containing the White-fronted Geese wasn't located.

A Barn Owl and two Woodcock were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and two noisy Ravens were at Mawsley and Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Blue Tit.

Greenfinch.

Gadwall.

Coot.

All images courtesy
of John Tilly.

Stunning Ring-necked Duck

Bird of the day and indeed "Bird of the Year" so far must be the stunning drake Ring-necked Duck found at Titchmarsh LNR by Nick Parker today.  Although I haven't seen the bird in person myself I have seen plenty of pictures and he really is a very striking individual and obviously very showy.  Well worth a trip over there if you can,  but don't forget your wellies as it is extremely muddy under foot. The bird seems to favour the Heronry Lake but has also been seen on the Barclaycard Pit and was seen heading towards Aldwincle Lake late afternoon.         Interestingly this species has turned up annually at this site since 2021.

A few other birds reported today from around the county. At Whiston Lock area 2 Green Sandpipers,  3 Stonechats,  Shelduck and Oystercatcher.  A female Goosander on Harlestone Lake,  2 Brambling at Greens Norton, 2 Jack Snipe and 2 Stonechats at Hollowell Reservoir and nearby at Ravensthorpe Reservoir a Cetti's Warbler and 178 Gadwall. 

Most of the long staying birds were seen today. Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys,  Red-crested Pochard at Daventry CP,  2 White-fronted Geese at Ravensthorpe Reservoir,  2 Short-eared Owls near Maidwell and the Great Northern Diver, a Great White Egret, a Yellow-legged Gull and a few Tree Sparrows at Pitsford Reservoir. 

Regards Eleanor 

Birds of a bright, sunny winter's day.

Hello

A cold but bright and beautiful winter's day certainly brought lots of people out and about in the countryside.

It was Clifford Hill Pit's opportunity to host a drake Smew today as these wandering sawbills check out local waters leaving at least four at Eyebrook Reservoir.

The two White-fronted Geese remain with the local goose flock at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Stanford Reservoir was good for a Jack Snipe, a Woodcock, two Common Snipe, two Great White Egrets and an Egyptian Goose.

Four Stonechats were near Whiston Lock this morning, two Cattle Egrets flew north-east over the layby pit at Stanwick Pits also this morning and another Cattle Egret was at Blatherwycke Lake where there were also a dozen Egyptian Geese.

At least two Bramblings were still in a weedy field between Wakerley and Fineshade near the A43 cross-roads with two hundred Linnets and over a hundred Chaffinches.

In the Brampton Valley below Brixworth there were three Ravens, up to fifty Yellowhammers and two Grey Wagtails and below Hanging Houghton the tally came to two Barn Owls and two Green Sandpipers. Two Ravens were at Walgrave with one in Hanging Houghton village and two Short-eared Owls were still on private land near Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Wigeon courtesy of John Tilly.

Robin courtesy of John Tilly.

Respect the Parakeet!

Hello

Rather grey and raw but in reality a typical winter's day weather.

A full on ringing session today at Woughton Orchard, Milton Keynes run by Kenny Cramer amassed ninety-eight birds with Blue Tits dominating with sixty-nine individuals plus five Long-tailed Tits, twelve Great Tits and two Robins. Variety came in the form of a Goldfinch, three Greenfinches and two Magpies. However the highlight of the session were four Ring-necked Parakeets, not a species encountered by this ringing group before and a species with a formidable bill which demands respect and possibly may have produced a few expletives from the ardent ringers with their sore fingers! Another four individuals evaded the nets and watched proceedings from atop trees!

Away from ringing a few of the regular bird stars popped up again in the county with the Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys LNR, a drake Smew visited Ravensthorpe Reservoir again where the two White-fronted Geese remain with the local goose flock and two Short-eared Owls were again on private land near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Five drake Smew remained at Eyebrook Reservoir today and a Great White Egret, a Water Rail and two Redpolls were at Stanford Reservoir. A Great White Egret and a Raven were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today.

In the Brampton Valley there was a Chiffchaff and two Grey Wagtails below Brixworth with a Barn Owl and two Green Sandpipers below Hanging Houghton. A Barn Owl was at Harrington Airfield and a Peregrine at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

A Curlew flew over Deenethorpe Airfield today and two  Bramblings were in a weedy field between Fineshade and Wakerley Woods.

Regards

Neil M

Ring-necked Parakeets courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

A Herald moth found today.