Harrier on the loose

Hello

An Osprey was again seen fishing in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and this evening a Green Sandpiper was visible from the Bird Club hide in the same bay. Good numbers of Marbled White butterflies were on the wing south of the causeway this morning.

An unidentified male harrier, perhaps a third calendar year Hen Harrier, was seen hunting at Harrington Airfield this evening. It was initially visible from Bunker One but headed west and was last seen disappearing over the Shooting Wall.

Two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and at Clifford Hill Pits there were two Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover. Ten Avocets were together at Earls Barton New Workings/Whiston Wetlands this morning.

A pair of Peregrines nesting on the church of Saints Peter and Paul in Kettering have successfully fledged a brood, with nestlings taking their maiden flight today.

At least two Black Hairstreaks were still at Old Poor's Gorse, Mawsley this afternoon and butterflies on the wing at Bradlaugh Fields included Marbled White, Essex Skipper and Ringlet.

Regards

Neil M

House Sparrows courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Great Mullein at
Harrington Airfield.

Small Copper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Osprey with trout.

Morning sky near Cottesbrooke.

Bird ringing at Harrington Airfield

Hello

A bird ringing session took place at Harrington Airfield this morning and seventy-four captures were made of twelve species, the majority of them being birds newly-ringed. The scrubby area around the bunkers supports a colony of Willow Warblers which these days are relatively scarce and localised in the county. Fourteen Willow Warblers were captured, all but one being adults and included two birds first encountered in 2024 and one ringed in 2022 and it is very likely they were breeding on-site. Five Common Whitethroats included two returning birds from last year and two Blackcaps were juvenile birds as was a Treecreeper. Juvenile Blue Tits and a large flock of Long-tailed Tits made up the majority of the catch but juvenile Dunnocks and Robins were processed too.

Interesting insects on-site included Beautiful Demoiselle, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, Marbled White, Ringlet and Cinnabar moth.

Two Crossbills flew over Hanging Houghton this afternoon and Crossbill was heard at Bucknell Wood this morning. The Wood Sandpiper was again at Lilbourne Meadows reserve as was a Redshank, a Little Ringed Plover and four Oystercatchers.

Black Hairstreak butterflies were again at Old Poor's Gorse, Mawsley, a White Admiral was at Fermyn Woods and Red-belted Clearwing moths came to a pheromone lure in a Pitsford village garden. We have a few Scarlet Tiger moths in our Hanging Houghton garden and with others scattered in the village.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Treecreeper.

Adult male Common Whitethroat.

Adult Willow Warbler.

Images taken at Harrington Airfield
today courtesy of Peter Walmsley.

Wildlife of mid-June

Hello

Another bright and breezy June day provided a Wood Sandpiper at Lilbourne Meadows reserve plus three Oystercatchers, a Redshank and two Little Ringed Plovers.

A Crossbill was over the Holcot Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and a Hobby and a Barn Owl were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

A bird ringing session at Harrington Airfield tomorrow (Sunday) will restrict access to the areas around the bunkers between the chipping compound and the main concrete track. Access along the concrete track itself will remain unaffected.

Insect news today was that further Black Hairstreaks have been discovered at Courteenhall and Old Poor's Gorse near Mawsley. There were still four Green-eyed Hawkers at Wicksteed Park, Kettering and Marbled White butterflies were noted at Summer Leys LNR and Harrington Airfield also today.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gull breeding
success at Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Four-spotted Chaser
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Broad-bodied Chaser
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Red Kite.

Osprey, Avocets and orchids

Hello

A very warm day tempered with a lively breeze still and most of the birds reported have been present for a while.

An Osprey made several visits to Pitsford Reservoir today and successfully fished three times north of the causeway with the Scaldwell Bay seemingly being it's favoured fishing area, even if it does become the centre of attention from the gulls and terns whilst doing so! Two or three Hobbies were present this morning.

Stanford Reservoir continues to host a Cuckoo, two Spotted Flycatchers, a Cetti's Warbler and a Marsh Tit - the first recorded there since 2021

The Avocets at the Earls Barton/Whiston complex remain and it seems possible that the six adults still in situ are trying to breed again. A surviving youngster from the first breeding efforts is still there. Several Redshank and a Green Sandpiper were also present.

Clifford Hill Pits provided views of a drake Red-crested Pochard, an Avocet, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Yellow-legged Gull.

Regards

Neil M

Southern Marsh Orchid
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Bee Orchids courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wren courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Harlequin Ladybirds
courtesy of John Tilly.

Repeats and a Bittern

Hello

Most of the bird news is repeats of previous days as we enjoy a warm spell of weather.

At Stanford Reservoir today the two Cuckoos were still present plus a Hobby and a Cetti's Warbler.

At Pitsford Reservoir an Osprey put in an appearance again north of the causeway this morning, as viewed from the Bird Club hide.

A Bittern at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this evening was an excellent record and it is debatable as to whether this might be a wandering non-breeding bird or an individual dispersing after breeding.

The Earls Barton New Workings/Whiston Wetlands was still productive with a Great White Egret, two Shelducks, about thirty Lapwings and at least five Avocets. This has easily been the best spring ever in the county for Avocet records.

Regards

Neil M

Lapwing chicks.

Painted Lady butterfly.

Little Egret.

This Grass Snake had eaten
something rather substantial!
Images courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Naturetrek tours at Pitsford Reservoir.

Hello

Pitsford Reservoir today was the venue for two Naturetrek Day Tours, one a general wildlife romp around the reserve and the other, led by Dave Jackson, concentrated on how to get the most out of macro photography. It was a warm, breezy day but not as hot as forecast with quite a significant cloud cover which may have been a blessing! Insects probably dominated proceedings with most birds of the woodland hidden in foliage. 

Bird-wise a flock of fifteen Crossbills flew south-east at about 11.50am, an Osprey was seen in the Scaldwell Bay where there were also two Great White Egrets and a Hobby was over the Walgrave Bay. Butterflies were limited to a single Marbled White (not seen by us), Common Blue, Large Skipper, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Large White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Painted Lady. The contents of the moth traps provided Privet Hawk-moth, Elephant Haw-moth and Lackey with Chimney Sweepers in the meadows. Odonata were better with Blue Emperor, Hairy Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, Common Blue Damselfly, Large Red-eyed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly and both Banded and Beautiful Demoiselles.

At Stanford Reservoir today the best birds on show were a Little Ringed Plover, two Spotted Flycatchers, a Hobby, a Cuckoo and two Cetti's Warblers.

Clifford Hill Pits this morning yielded an Avocet, three Ringed Plovers, one Little Ringed Plover, two Shelduck and a Hobby at nearby Barnes Meadow. Earls Barton New Workings/Whiston Wetlands provided six Avocets, four Ringed Plovers and a Green Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

Osprey courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Red Kite.

Privet Hawk-moth.

Beautiful Demoiselle.

Four-spotted Chaser.

All images from Pitsford
Reservoir today.

More birds of the blustery wind and sunshine

Hello

Birding at Stanford Reservoir today provided the 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler again, two Spotted Flycatchers, the two Cuckoos still, two Hobbies, a Kingfisher and two Cetti's Warblers.

Two Grey Wagtails and a Kingfisher were in the Welland Valley below Cottingham this morning.

A Naturetrek Day Tour around Rectory Farm, Great Easton and Eyebrook Reservoir provided two sightings of an Osprey, a Raven, at least three Great White Egrets and several Brown Hares and a  significant hatch of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies.

An Osprey showed a couple of times at Pitsford Reservoir today both over the causeway and in the Scaldwell Bay.

A Spotted Flycatcher was at Towcester Water Meadows today, a Hobby and a Cuckoo were at Sixfields Lake and a Barnacle Goose was at Clifford Hill Pits.

This evening and a Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Banded Demoiselles.

White-legged Damselfly.

Kestrel.

Spotted Longhorn Beetle
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Local breeders and some still on their journey north

Hello

Still evidence of high arctic spring passage with a Turnstone and ten Ringed Plovers on the New Workings/Whiston Wetlands this morning. Other birds included six Avocets, a pair of Shelduck, a Common Snipe and a Barn Owl.

Lilbourne Meadows reserve hosted up to nine Little Ringed Plovers which included three flying juveniles, three Redshank, two Oystercatchers and good numbers of singing Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings. Two Ravens were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby. Two Cuckoos including the rufous morph and a Cetti's Warbler were noted at Stanford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Carrion Crow tucking into some nice trout!
The summering large gulls at Pitsford Reservoir
and other birds enjoy the bounty of moribund trout
which have been caught and released by anglers, with a
proportion subsequently dying from the rigours
 of being line-caught.

Just-fledged Carrion Crow.
The local Ravens and Rooks
fledged in May with some Ravens
in April, now it's the turn of the
remainder of the corvids.

Large Skipper.

Comma courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

More post-breeding dispersal

Hello

A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was seen at Stanford Reservoir today where there were also three hundred Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three Oystercatchers, two Cuckoos including a rufous morph female and a Kingfisher.

A Little Owl was showing nicely at Hanging Houghton this afternoon with a Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below the village this morning.

More post-breeding dispersal today with a Curlew and two Redshanks at Clifford Hill Pits and the two summer plumage Mediterranean Gulls were again at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon - they may have left it a bit late to breed locally this year. Four Hobbies and six Egyptian Geese were at Earls Barton Pits at the older end of the complex.

A Great White Egret, two Egyptian Geese and a Grey Wagtail were in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir today; the best of the odonata on show being Four-spotted Chasers and Beautiful Demoiselles.

Regards

Neil M

Efforts at opening up
the old oak woodland in the
 Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir
 have provided an opportunity for
dormant seed banks to germinate - 
resulting in an impressive display 
of Foxgloves.

This first year male
Sparrowhawk was photographed
by Tony Stanford and exhibits a
curious elongated toe on it's
left foot.

Small Tortoiseshell butterfly.

Autumn birds already!

Hello

Two Spoonbills dropped into Eyebrook Reservoir today before going again in between showers and Stanford Reservoir again provided the 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler, an Oystercatcher, two Cuckoos, two Kingfishers and two Cetti's Warblers.

In the Nene Valley the Summer Leys LNR provided two adult Mediterranean Gulls, a Caspian Gull briefly and a Ringed Plover. At the Whiston Wetlands/Earls Barton New Workings there were six Avocets and a Green Sandpiper.

A Spotted Flycatcher was at Beck Dairy, Cottesbrooke this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Green Sandpiper.

Lapwing.

Juvenile Grey Wagtail.

Reed Warbler.

All images courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Returning Lapwings and
Green Sandpipers are already
post-breeding migrants and 
summer hasn't arrived yet!