Arctic Terns

Yesterday was certainly a mixed bag of weather.  Initially it was dry and bright but this was soon replaced with showers and low cloud. I was competing with Jaeger and Rouzel at an agility competition near Daventry and it certainly made for challenging conditions at times due to the extremely slippery ground. No rosettes but thankfully no slips either.                                                                               But these weather conditions certainly brought an interesting selection of birds to the county, especially Arctic Terns.  There were 40 at Hollowell Reservoir,  25 at Summer Leys,  20 at Clifford Hill GP and a single at Daventry Reservoir.  No doubt there were many others passing through "unseen " by birders.                                            Summer Leys was certainly the place to be. 2 Spoonbills were reported flying over high NE and 2 stunning adult Mediterranean Gulls were around for most of the day. Other birds included a Marsh Harrier,  Bittern and 2 Cattle Egrets.      Both Bar Tailed and Black Tailed Godwit were reported at Stanwick GP and a Bar Tailed was also at Clifford Hill GP, probably the same bird moving along the valley.                                                                                                           The evening was the best part of the day as the rain had passed through so I visited Harrington Airfield where I found a male Common Redstart and at least 4 Northern Wheatears and noted that there was a steady passage of Swallows flying low over the fields. 

Today has been blue skies and sunshine and very few birds reported.  I visited Blueberry twice and found a male Common Redstart this afternoon, otherwise it was quiet.                                        16 Arctic Terns flew over the North Lake at Thrapston this afternoon,  a Whimbrel flew over the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and at Summer Leys there were 2 Hobbies, Osprey and Bittern.   Cuckoo's have been arriving and have been heard at Oundle,  Titchmarsh and Cogenhoe and no doubt at Other places too.    This evening a female Ring Ouzel was reported from Harrington Airfield. 

I'm sure that there are plenty more migrants heading our way. Always an interesting time of year as you don't know what might turn up and each day can be so very different.   Rain is is forecast again for tomorrow so this might bring another movement of Arctic Terns or something else!!

Regards Eleanor 

Common Scoters courtesy
of Nick Parker.

Reed Bunting courtesy
of John Tilly.

Willow Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Speckled Wood courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Easter Birding Roundup

Inevitably as its a long bank holiday weekend the weather has changed and has been quite variable at times which in turn affects the migrating birds.

Early on Thursday morning I visited Harrington Airfield and as I was scanning the fields a super Black Redstart hopped up onto a rock directly in my line of vision. I continued scanning the fields and bunkers but all appeared quiet. However shortly after I left, other birders notched up at least 9 Northern Wheatears . They must have dropped in after I left.          During the morning there were many other records of Northern Wheatears dotted around the county, 6 at Hinton Airfield,  4 at Clifford Hill GP,  Earls Barton GP and a single bird near Sywell.         Plenty of other birds around including Whimbrel, Common Sandpipers, White Wagtail and both Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers at Clifford Hill GP,  a Pink Footed Goose,  Red Crested Pochard at Earls Barton new workings.     At Lilbourne Meadows there was a Common Redstart and a Mediterranean Gull at Stanford Reservoir. 

Friday seemed a quieter day with fewer birds reported.  2 Garganey at the new workings at Earls Barton GP,  Bittern at Summer Leys,  Marsh Harrier at Stanwick GP and a Northern Wheatear at Borough Hill being "new sightings "

Saturday was a much busier day.  There were an amazing 6 Avocets at Clifford Hill GP along with Whimbrel, Dunlins,  White Wagtails,  and Little Ringed Plovers.  Nearby at Summer Leys Greenshanks, Dunlins, Bittern and the long staying Glossy Ibis.  Thrapston GP hosted both Common and Arctic Tern and there was an Arctic Tern at Boddington Reservoir.  Early morning there were 5 Greenshanks on the dam at Hollowell before they flew off. The first Swift record of the year came courtesy of Lilbourne Meadows. 

Today there was a Cuckoo at Summer Leys but very little else different reported.   There is a steady trickle of migrants arriving.  There are plenty of Yellow and White Wagtails about and a growing selection of Warblers including Common and Lesser Whitethroat,  Grasshopper Warblers, Blackcaps and Garden Warblers etc.                                                                                                            It is an exciting time of year as birds are now on the move and it is possible for anything to turn up..........we just have to find it !!

Regards Eleanor 

Lapwing courtesy of
John Tilly.

Redshank courtesy
of John Tilly.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Grasshopper Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Windy Wednesday

Hello

A cool, strong and blustery wind despite being from a southerly direction today.

Birds for Stanford Reservoir today included a Common Sandpiper, an influx of Yellow Wagtails, a Great White Egret and a Garden Warbler.

At Summer Leys LNR the very long-staying Glossy Ibis was seen again as was a Marsh Harrier and a Bittern, birds we would have just dreamed of locally at this time of the year fifteen years ago! Other birds included a Common Sandpiper, a Peregrine and seven Common Terns and several species of warbler.

A Little Tern was a pleasing find at Clifford Hill Pits today and lingered long enough for local birders to catch up with it. Other birds there were a Common Tern, a Common Sandpiper and two Little Ringed Plovers.

Stanwick Pits recorded a Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover early this morning and Whiston Wetlands attracted a Pink-footed Goose, ten Egyptian Geese and two Ringed Plovers.

A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and at Pitsford Reservoir there was at least one Yellow-legged Gull plus a White Wagtail and eight Yellow Wagtails at the dam.

Regards

Neil M

Fulmar.

Black-headed Gull.

Reed Bunting courtesy
of David Arden.

Kingfisher courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Peregrine prey

Hello

This morning I had the opportunity to check out the rooftops of All Saints church in Northampton town centre as there had been reports of a Peregrine regularly being seen there. My visit confirmed that the rooftops had been used as a plucking and eating post and victims of the winter were littered in the gutters and lead flashes. Identified species included feral pigeon, Starling, Blackbird, Golden Plover, Woodcock, Common Snipe, Teal, Water Rail and Moorhen, many of these birds probably being intercepted at dusk and at night. There was no Peregrine present but one was perched up not far away on the metal tower between the Southern Approach Road and Carlsberg. Interestingly a Peregrine at Market Harborough town centre the other day was photographed with it's Jay prey. A Grey Wagtail was singing from the rooftops near All Saints and a Yellow Wagtail flew over calling.

An adult Yellow-legged Gull was off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning, a Raven was in the Welland Valley below Cottingham and another Grey Wagtail was singing at the Woodlands Hospital near Kettering.

Birds at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning included a Ring Ouzel, a male Common Redstart and two Wheatears and this afternoon the Redstart was still present and about two hundred Fieldfares had arrived.

Two Little Gulls and a Sanderling were at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Stanford Reservoir attracted two Black-tailed Godwits briefly, four Redshanks, a Greenshank flew through this evening, three Common Sandpipers, three Oystercatchers and two Great White Egrets.

At Summer Leys LNR the Glossy Ibis was still there today plus a Black-tailed Godwit, two Great White Egrets, two Little Ringed Plovers, three Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, five Common Snipe and three Common Terns and the Grasshopper Warbler was still in the car park meadow. Nearby there was a Wheatear 500m downriver from Wollaston Lock.

At Whiston Wetlands bird sightings included a Barn Owl, a Hobby and an Avocet with just a single Greenshank at Lower Barnwell Lock floods.

Clifford Hill Pits witnessed five Grey Plovers flying east early this morning and birds remaining on-site were three Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers, a Little Ringed Plover and a White Wagtail.

Yellow Wagtails and all three species of hirundines seem to be in the county in reasonable numbers now.

Regards

Neil M

Grey Wagtail courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Tufted Duck courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Great Crested Grebe courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Pond Turtle sp courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

A blend of summer and winter migrants

Hello

Despite the very dry conditions on-site Harrington Airfield attracted passage migrants this morning with a male Common Redstart which was unusually confiding, a male Ring Ouzel and three Wheatears.

A little later and another male Common Redstart was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and other birds were a Wheatear and twelve Fieldfares.

At Lilbourne Water Meadows nine Pink-footed Geese flew over moving east and birds on-site included a pair of Shelduck, two or four Redshanks, a pair of Oystercatchers, two Common Snipe, two Little Ringed Plovers, a singing Lesser Whitethroat and seven Fieldfares.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir were a Pink-footed Goose, a Common Sandpiper, two Oystercatchers, two Great White Egrets and a Barn Owl. At Hollowell Reservoir there was a Jack Snipe, a Common Snipe, three Common Sandpipers and a Redwing. Two Arctic Terns flew through Eyebrook Reservoir and a Caspian Gull remained there.

In the Nene Valley there were two Common Terns at Thrapston Pits, a Common Sandpiper and three Fieldfares were at Lower Barnwell Lock and Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows attracted a Mandarin Duck, a Garden Warbler and a Reed Warbler. Summer Leys LNR provided sightings of the Glossy Ibis, two Marsh Harriers, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, four Redshanks, five Common Snipe, a Little Ringed Plover, an Oystercatcher and a Great White Egret with a Grasshopper Warbler 'reeling' in the car park meadow.

The Whiston Wetlands area provided two Garganey, two Egyptian Geese, a Pink-footed Goose, one Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers, eight Little Ringed Plovers, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, a Grey Wagtail, two Wheatears and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Regards

Neil M

Male Common Redstart
at Harrington Airfield today
courtesy of David Arden.

Cowslips - not looking at their
best due to a cold night, a ground
frost and lack of rain!

Lapwing courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Redshank courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Hen Pheasant courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Hoopoe

Hello

A garden-visiting Hoopoe in Hanging Houghton village sadly wasn't relocated this afternoon, the photo taken with the bird just outside the window. With unprecedented numbers arriving in the south west, south and west of the UK it seems logical that a few permeate further inland. A Raven, two Swallows and a Little Owl were noted in the village whilst looking for the Hoopoe.

The Whiston Wetlands area was again the place to be with a White Stork moving over west late morning...presumably the same bird turned up at Napton, Warwickshire in the afternoon. Other birds in the Nene Valley in this area were the two Garganey, a singing Lesser Whitethroat, a Pink-footed Goose, eleven Egyptian Geese and two Little Ringed Plovers.

The Glossy Ibis was in a field opposite the Sand Martin bank at Summer Leys LNR late this morning and a Common Sandpiper and two Little Ringed Plovers were at Stanwick Pits. A Common Sandpiper and two Little Ringed Plovers were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning. Titchmarsh NR also attracted a Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin and in excess of eighty-five Sand Martins.

Away from the Nene Valley and there was a Ring-necked Parakeet visiting an Abington garden feeder in Northampton, a male Common Redstart was at Harrington Airfield in vicinity of Bunker Two and a Common Sandpiper and two Yellow-legged Gulls were at the dam at Pitsford Reservoir with a Green Sandpiper in the Scaldwell Bay. Four Golden Plovers were at Hinton Airfield and a Grey Wagtail, a Green Sandpiper and two Little Ringed Plovers were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Pink-footed Goose, a Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers and two Cetti's Warblers and a Caspian Gull was again at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Hoopoe courtesy
of Percy May.

A different kind
of Rouzel in flight!

Jaeger also in action.

Nuthatch courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Herring Gull courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

More passage waders

Hello

The Whiston Wetlands seemed to be the place this morning with a Common Crane flying over calling and going south, the two Garganey still, three Little Gulls, a Whimbrel, twenty Common Snipe, a Common Tern, five Little Ringed Plovers, one Ringed Plover, three Egyptian Geese, a Pink-footed Goose and a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler.

Nearby and at Summer Leys LNR the Glossy Ibis was still present plus a Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, four Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Tern, a Hobby and Peregrine. At Stanwick Pits there was a Marsh Harrier again.

The flooded area at Lower Barnwell Lock attracted a Greenshank, a Redshank, four Green Sandpipers, a Little Ringed Plover, an Oystercatcher and a White Wagtail. Seventy Fieldfares and a Little Ringed Plover were at Clifford Hill Pits.

Two Wheatears and thirty Fieldfare and two Redwing were at Heathencote and birds for Stanford Reservoir included a Common Sandpiper, four Shelducks, two Great White Egrets and two Barn Owls.

A Barn Owl was between Lamport and Scaldwell this evening and at Pitsford Reservoir there were three Great White Egrets north of the causeway; two Little Gulls were at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Speckled Wood courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Water Rail courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Common Buzzard courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Sunny Northamptonshire

Hello

Another warm and sunny day after a cool start.

A Marsh Harrier flew north-east over Stanwick Pits and was presumably the same once seen later flying over the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits. A Cattle Egret was also seen around North Lake at Stanwick this morning.

A pair of Garganey were found at the Whiston Wetlands today and lingered to provide views, in many respects they were somewhat overdue with good numbers in the country since last month.

At Summer Leys LNR today the Bar-tailed Godwit remained and other birds included two Little Ringed Plovers, six Common Snipe and a Great White Egret.

Six Golden Plovers were at Harrington Airfield today and the Priors Hall Quarry Lake at Corby attracted a Caspian Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull. A Caspian Gull was also reported from Eyebrook Reservoir again.

An Osprey was seen at Pitsford Reservoir and Hollowell Reservoir featured a Cattle Egret which is believed to be the first ever there, two Jack Snipe and three Common Snipe. Ravensthorpe Reservoir recorded a fly-through Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper.

A Barn Owl was on the outskirts of Scaldwell village this evening.

With all this sunshine some of the county's scarcer butterflies have emerged and includes Dingy Skipper at Stonepit Close, Old Sulehay, Green Hairstreak at Collyweston Quarry and Grizzled Skipper at Twywell Hills and Dales.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Garganey.

Woodpigeons.

Great Crested Grebes in dispute
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Peacock butterfly courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Comma butterfly courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

More spring waders

Hello

Spring migration continues at a pace despite the cool, cloudy conditions this morning (but then bright and sunny this afternoon).

A Spotted Redshank was at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Summer Leys LNR enjoyed another good day with an Arctic Tern, a Common Tern, a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Little Ringed Plovers and a booming Bittern, with the Glossy Ibis just off the reserve and in a field near to the Hardwater Crossing. Two Chinese Water Deer just off the reserve was an interesting local record.

Two Common Scoter were at Clifford Hill Pits this evening, a Cuckoo was at Barnwell Country Park and four Whimbrel showed well at Titchmarsh LNR, Thrapston Pits.

At Harrington Airfield there were at least five singing Willow Warblers on territory, hopefully with more to come, plus a Common Whitethroat, two Lapwings and two pairs of Grey Partridges. There were three Wheatears at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and two in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

At Pitsford Reservoir the usual adult Yellow-legged Gull and Raven were at the dam and a second calendar year Yellow-legged Gull, a Raven, seven Lapwings and a Great White Egret were north of the causeway.

Some bird ringing at Stortons Pits yielded nearly forty birds with ten Blackcaps, five Chiffchaffs, a Common Whitethroat, two Cetti's Warblers and a Song Thrush. Two of the Chiffchaffs had been ringed there in previous years (the springs of 2022 and 2023) and one of the Great Tits was initially ringed there in November 2018.

Regards

Neil M

Common Redshank courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Bar-tailed Godwits courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Whimbrel at Titchmarsh LNR today
courtesy of Nick Parker.

Black Redstart

Hello

It's always a busy time of the year trying to put finishing touches to projects ahead of the breeding season for our resident and migrant birds, but the weather has certainly helped! Most of the nest boxes we have been trying to erect, maintain and/or clear out has been achieved and today we finally finished work on trying to develop a new Swift colony. As a consequence this hasn't left much time for birding!

Sadly yesterday's Black Redstart at Old village wasn't seen today. Seemingly like most recent springs, a White Stork was seen in the Warmington area today, in flight and heading towards the Cambridgeshire border.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Common Tern, a Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, two Oystercatchers, a Kingfisher and about fifty Fieldfares whilst at Hollowell Reservoir there were two Jack Snipe and five Common Snipe.

In the Nene Valley about a hundred Fieldfares were noted heading over Clifford Hill Pits in an easterly direction and at Earls Barton Pits the Glossy Ibis was seen again plus a Black-tailed Godwit on Summer Leys and also a Common Tern, three Oystercatchers, four Redshanks, two Little Ringed Plovers and four Common Snipe.

A male Common Redstart was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Yesterday's male Black Redstart
in Old village, images courtesy of
Krysten Newby.

Dotterel

Hello 

It may be spring but the bird feeding continues to support those birds that require that little 'leg up' when natural food is spent and at Harrington Airfield the priority species is the Yellowhammer which readily comes to the mixed seed on offer. And that is exactly why Eleanor was at Harrington Airfield this morning, feeding the Yellowhammers and others before conducting some scanning across the fields. A smart male Wheatear was the centre of her attention until two birds appeared to land off in the distant fields behind. Unable to see them on the ground she walked further over and eventually found them again and they proved to be a pair of Dotterel, seemingly a bright female and a particularly dull male!

This duo remained in the field for a little over two hours before finally departing, by which time many local birders were able to see them. Despite the distance and heat haze, Bob Bullock and Nick Parker were successful at digitally recording their presence. This is the fourth record for Harrington Airfield, but all the others stayed for only minutes before moving on again. Other birds today included three Lapwings and a Barn Owl.

A cracking adult male Black Redstart in Old village today providing fabulous photographic opportunities vied with the Dotterel for being bird of the day!

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were two Ospreys north of the causeway plus two Great White Egrets, thirty Goldeneye, a few Common Snipe and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

At Summer Leys LNR the Glossy Ibis was present again plus also two Little Ringed Plovers, three Common Snipe and a Common Tern. A Green Sandpiper and twenty-five Fieldfares were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning.

At Stanford Reservoir today a female Common Redstart was caught and ringed and other birds on-site were a Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers and two Sedge Warblers.

A Barn Owl and a Green Sandpiper were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Swallow courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Male Wheatear courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Female Dotterel today at
Harrington Airfield courtesy
of Bob Bullock.

The video below was taken
by Nick Parker of today's
Dotterel at Harrington Airfield.

The heat haze and distances made
both photography and videoing
challenging!