More Crossbills, Redstarts and Yellow-legged Gulls.

Hello

At Eyebrook Reservoir today the Caspian Tern was again seen for most of the day and at Stanford Reservoir seventy-nine new birds were ringed which included a Common Redstart.

A rather odd ringing event involves an adult Sedge Warbler ringed at Stanford Reservoir on 18th July 2025 with the bird being caught again at Stanwick Pits on 27th July, a very gentle ESE passage of no more than 37km in nine days! It's likely that this adult bird was attempting to breed elsewhere and is using Northamptonshire to fatten up before the next leg to the continent on it's way to Africa.

Birds noted at Stanwick Pits today included a Caspian Gull, at least eleven Yellow-legged Gulls and a Black-tailed Godwit.

Clifford Hill hosted two Black-necked Grebes on the main lake from early this morning when for a time a Turnstone was present too.

The Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits yielded sightings of Bittern, Osprey, Cattle Egret, Peregrine, Yellow-legged Gull and Common Sandpiper this morning.

A Marsh Harrier was at Summer Leys LNR this evening. Details of a colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit seen and photographed at Summer Leys on 31st March 2025 have now been forwarded - it's a 'head-started' bird from the project with the bird being released from captivity in June 2022 at the Welney Wildfowl and Wetlands reserve on the Ouse Washes. Since then it has been sighted mostly on the Nene and Ouse Washes but has also explored Spain.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were three Great White Egrets, four Common Sandpipers and a Yellow-legged Gull in the Scaldwell Bay with two Yellow-legged Gulls and three Common Sandpipers by the dam this evening. A family party of Spotted Flycatchers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and a Wheatear showed briefly in the valley not far from shrike hedge.

A flock of about eighteen Crossbills were at Hollowell Reservoir this morning in trees south of the dam plus two Common Sandpipers with a Common Redstart in a hedge at the north end of the reservoir on the west side.

Thirteen Crossbills flew south at Boddington Reservoir this afternoon and five Little Ringed Plovers were present.

Regards

Neil M

Sunrise at Hanging Houghton.

Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Reed Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Willow Emerald Damselfly.

End of July birding

Hello

Just over the border and a Caspian Tern has been present at Eyebrook Reservoir on and off during the day and luring Northants birders into Leicestershire to see it! The Wood Sandpiper was there this morning too. Stanford Reservoir had a quieter day with a fly-through Redshank being the only noteworthy bird.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were a couple of sightings of a mobile Osprey both this morning and this evening and other birds present included a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, four Yellow-legged Gulls and four Common Sandpipers off the dam this evening.

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was on the Guilsborough Point at Hollowell Reservoir this morning.

A Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher were at Whiston Wetlands today and Summer Leys LNR hosted two Great White Egrets, two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper and an Otter.

At Stanwick Pits today there were eight Yellow-legged Gulls and a Black-tailed Godwit on the main pit and trail cameras have picked up on a family of Otters there recently.

Regards

Neil M

This male Sparrowhawk was
perched next to House Martin
nests and refused to budge! On
this occasion he was out of luck
as they were either cruising the
airspace above him or hidden
in their nests.

Green Sandpipers courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Otter courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Harvest-time birding

Hello

The ringers were busy at Stanford Reservoir again today with a further 216 new birds ringed and other birds noted on-site were a juvenile Cuckoo, a Common Gull and a Hobby.

Birds at Eyebrook Reservoir amounted to the Wood Sandpiper still plus three Green Sandpipers, three Common Sandpipers and a Redshank.

An Osprey was north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir again this morning and three Common Redstarts were still in scant hedging next to Woodford Halse LNR.

In the Nene Valley a Bittern was seen to fly over the A45 at Ditchford Pits late this morning and sixteen or more Cattle Egrets were reported from the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits before moving off south-west.

A Marsh Harrier was at Summer Leys LNR plus a Common Snipe, a Common Sandpiper and a family party of Egyptian Geese. Spotted Flycatchers and a Little Owl were audible in Hanging Houghton village today and two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Dark Bush-cricket.

Chiffchaff courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Whitethroat
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Ruddy Darter.

Pitsford Reservoir.

Warblers on the move

Hello

The Wood Sandpiper remained at Eyebrook Reservoir today and at Stanford Reservoir there was a Hobby, three family parties of Great Crested Grebes and a Cetti's Warbler. Yesterday at Stanford Reservoir a staggering 316 new birds were caught and ringed which included seventy-seven Reed Warblers, one hundred and seventeen Sedge Warblers and two Grasshopper Warblers. Birds on-site included an Osprey, a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper. A Bedstraw Hawkmoth was also found, a rare moth inland.

Also yesterday there was some ringing at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes which yielded seventy-two birds which included twenty Reed Warblers, twenty Garden Warblers, twelve Chiffchaffs, nine Blackcaps, three Sedge Warblers and three Reed Buntings. Two Great White Egrets and a Green Sandpiper were also there. Six Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and several Sand Martins were similarly processed at Pitsford Reservoir.

Two Common Sandpipers were at Boddington Reservoir today, a male Common Redstart was in a hedgerow just north of Woodford Halse LNR, another Common Redstart was between the gates at Everdon Stubbs and two Common Redstarts were at the traditional stop-over at Fawsley Granary with an audible Little Owl nearby.

A male Common Redstart was between Guilsborough and Cold Ashby this afternoon and a Crossbill flew over East Hunsbury, Northampton.

At Summer Leys LNR a Bittern was seen in flight briefly and a juvenile Marsh Harrier showed well there. Clifford Hill Pits attracted a Barnacle Goose, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover.

Regards

Neil M

Garden Warbler courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Poplar Hawk-moth.

Harlequin Ladybird
courtesy of John Tilly.

During the past few days I have visited my usual hedgerows and bushes at Harrington Airfield,  Blueberry Farm area and around Hanging Houghton and it has been disappointingly quiet.  These areas have turned into "birdless zones" !! My best birds today were 2 Common Sandpipers and a family of Grey Wagtails on the dam at Pitsford Reservoir.                                    It seems to have been quiet everywhere today. A Marsh Harrier was again at Summer Leys,  Crossbills at Hollowell Reservoir and Yardley Chase, 2 Common Redstarts at Woodford Halse nature reserve  and another bird at Everdon. 

Yesterday following a successful day competing with Jaeger and Rouzel I came home via Boddington Reservoir.  Its somewhere that I haven't been for a while and it looks really interesting with plenty of mud and low water levels.  During my short visit I notched up an adult Mediterranean Gull but didn't find the 2 juveniles which have been present,  5+ Common Sandpipers, 4 Ringed Plovers and a Common Redstart.   3 Black Tailed Godwits and Green Sandpipers had been seen earlier.                                   My next stop off was Borough Hill and another short visit produced 2 Common Redstarts,  Whinchat and Northern Wheatear,  plus a Clouded Yellow Butterfly.     A very short stop at Ravensthorpe Reservoir to catch up with the 2 Black Terns which had been found earlier rounded off my day.                                          Other birds reported yesterday include a Marsh Harrier at both Hollowell and Pitsford Reservoirs,  Ospreys at Pitsford Reservoir and Titchmarsh LNR , Arctic Tern and Crossbills at Stanford Reservoir,  9 Cattle Egrets at Titchmarsh LNR and 3 at Kinewell Lake and 2 Curlews at Lilbourne Meadows. 

Regards Eleanor 

Remnant Tree Sparrows and a Honey Buzzard

Hello

Eyebrook Reservoir today hosted the Wood Sandpiper still plus a Common Gull, a Dunlin and two Redshanks.

Stanford Reservoir today attracted three Common Sandpipers, three Ravens and a Kingfisher and further proof of significant warbler passage already comes in the fact that ringers on-site ringed 109 new birds.

The Ruddy Shelduck was today sighted at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and birds at Pitsford Reservoir included four Yellow-legged Gulls and three Common Sandpipers in the vicinity of the dam and at least four Great White Egrets north of the causeway. Nine Tree Sparrows were at Rectory Farm, Old this afternoon.

The Brampton Valley was productive again with a Honey Buzzard (probably a female) relatively low over the valley below Brixworth heading west this afternoon, plus a Grey Wagtail and at least two Crossbills flying north. In the valley below Hanging Houghton there was a Common Redstart and two Whinchats near to shrike hedge and nearby two Common Redstarts at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Birds in Hanging Houghton village today included Little Owl, Spotted Flycatcher and Raven.

Harrington Airfield this afternoon hosted a Common Redstart, a Whinchat, a juvenile Marsh Harrier and a pair of Grey Partridges with ten young. A male Common Redstart remained at Woodford Halse LNR.

A Eurasian Bittern was at Summer Leys LNR at lunch-time, flushing up in front of Pioneer Hide.

Regards

Neil M

Tree Sparrow courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Five-spot Burnett.

Four-spotted Chaser.

A moulting Robin
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Male Greenfinch courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Little Bittern?

Hello

The juvenile Cuckoo was still at Stanford Reservoir today and there were also two Common Sandpipers present.

At Summer Leys LNR today a Teal with ducklings was a great and rare sighting locally. Other birds there were a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers.

A Birdguides report is of a Little Bittern being seen in flight at Earls Barton Pits yesterday afternoon. Little else is known but the Birdguides report hints that the Hardwater Lake may have been the location of the observation with the bird disappearing into reeds.

Four Crossbills flew west over Stanwick Pits early this morning and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was noted at Pitsford Reservoir by the causeway car park and two Greenshanks were seen in the Scaldwell Bay.

A Whinchat was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today, close to 'shrike hedge'. At least one vocal Raven was around Hanging Houghton today.

Three Common Redstarts and a Whinchat were at Woodford Halse LNR today in the traditional stop-over hedge at the north end of the reserve.

Regards

Neil M

Southern Hawker courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Dunnock courtesy of
John Tilly.

Mother of Pearl moth
on Ragwort.

Chiffchaff courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Monday's birds

Hello

At Stanford Reservoir there were ten Common Sandpipers around the dam and a juvenile Cuckoo. Ringers there processed seventy-three new birds.

At Pitsford Reservoir there was a fishing Osprey north of the causeway, a Common Sandpiper, five Great White Egrets and a Crossbill flew south early on. Forty-seven new birds were ringed on-site.

A Wood Sandpiper was still at Eyebrook Reservoir this morning.

In what appears to be a good year for the species, a juvenile Cuckoo also appeared at Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits today where there was also three Oystercatchers, a Little Ringed Plover, three Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper.

Summer Leys LNR attracted a Greenshank, an Oystercatcher, a Great White Egret and broods of Tufted Duck and Gadwall.

This afternoon there was a still a Common Redstart at Bunker Two, Harrington Airfield plus a single adult Grey Partridge and four Ravens.

This evening the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided a juvenile Marsh Harrier and a Hobby with a Common Redstart and two Whinchats in the vicinity of shrike hedge.

Regards

Neil M

Red-veined Darter.

Wasp Spider.

Scarlet Darter.

Scarlet Darter.

Keeled Skimmer.

A little exotica (above) from Dorset courtesy
of Jim Dunkley

Great White Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Goldfinch courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Ringing recoveries

Copper Underwing.

Hello

Rain on and off today which no doubt affected observer interest!

At Stanford Reservoir today a juvenile Cuckoo was mobile but was still being fed by Reed Warblers.

A Wood Sandpiper was at Eyebrook Reservoir this afternoon, a Hobby was vocal near Kelmarsh.

A Bittern, five Egyptian Geese and a Great White Egret were all at Summer Leys LNR this morning.

At Harrington Airfield the two Common Redstarts were still present this afternoon plus an Osprey and four Crossbills flew over.

Four Great White Egrets were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this evening and a Green Sandpiper was in the Scaldwell Bay.

The most recent batch of recoveries associated with ringing activities of the Northants Ringing Group are as follows:-

1. A Kestrel ringed as a nestling at Tysoe, Warwickshire on 16th June 2024 was found long dead at Collingtree Park, Northants on 23rd May this year, some 41km away and 341 days after being ringed;

2. A juvenile Magpie ringed at Brixworth on 16th July 2024 was shot near Lamport on 22nd May 2025, 310 days later and having barely traveled 3km in a north-easterly direction;

3. A first year Chiffchaff was ringed at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes on 10th August 2024 and found dead after hitting a window at nearby Great Linford on 21st May 2025, 284 days later;

4. A first year Reed Warbler was ringed at Weatherless Hill, Ebbsfleet, Kent on 14th September 2024 and caught again at Stanwick Lakes on 21st June 2025 when assessed as an adult male. The distance between the two sites is 173km but of course this bird has been to Africa and back in between!

5. A first year Reed Warbler was ringed at Luffenham Airfield, Rutland on 23rd August 2023 and caught again at Linford Lakes on 21st June 2025 when assessed as an adult male, 668 days elapsing between the two dates and with the bird moving 60km between the two as well as two trips to Africa and back!

6. A first year male Fieldfare was ringed way back on 20th January 2015 at Heyford Mills, Nether Heyford and it's ring was found in Norway at Hageberg, Akershus on 7th June 2025, 3791 days later at a distance between the two of 1170km. It's likely that this bird has been dead some time but it's good to know it made it back to Norway at some stage!

7. A nestling Sand Martin was ringed at Rutland Water on 29th June 2022 and captured again at Pitsford Reservoir on 29th June this year when assessed as an adult male - 1096 days later with a distance of 37km between the two sites and three winters spent in Africa;

8. A nestling Sand Martin ringed at Rutland Water on 13th June last year was caught and processed at Pitsford Reservoir also on 29th June this year when assessed as an adult female, 381 days elapsing between the two records;

9. A first year Common Whitethroat was ringed at Harrington Airfield on 1st September 2024 and caught again at Stanford Reservoir on 29th June this year when assessed as an adult male, 301 days later and 17km to the west with a visit to the Sahel, Africa in between;

10. A first year Reed Warbler was ringed at Pitsford Reservoir on 30th August 2024 and was caught again at Stanford Reservoir this month when assessed as an adult male, 314 days later.

Regards

Neil M

Large White and Essex Skipper.

Common Darter.

Cormorant.

Honey Buzzard, dragons, a Quail and rain!

Hello

A decent amount of rain today is much needed and it seems like we will experience showers over the next few days.

A Honey Buzzard flying west over Althorp was the star bird today, not a bird known to breed locally there have been multiple county records in July going back over the decades.

A Quail was heard calling from a wheat field between Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and the Brampton Valley this morning and migrants on the move included a Wheatear on the top of Blueberry Hill and a Common Redstart nearer the farm. A Common Redstart and two Whinchats were near to shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning but weren't located this afternoon. Two Crossbills flew over there this morning.

At Pitsford Reservoir an Osprey was fishing north of the causeway before the rain came and this afternoon a Greenshank and a Crossbill were audible in the Walgrave Bay. Dragonflies at the Christies Copse ponds this afternoon included Blue Emperor, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Four spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser and Common Darter. At least one Purple Hairstreak was in in the oaks there.

This evening there was an Oystercatcher, seven Common Sandpipers and five Yellow-legged Gulls at the dam-end of the reservoir.

Hollowell Reservoir also attracted an Osprey, six Common Sandpipers and a Dunlin and a female Red-crested Pochard was at nearby Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

A Ruddy Shelduck was at Stanford Reservoir today plus an Oystercatcher and three Common Sandpipers. Yesterday 130 new birds were ringed on-site which included three Grasshopper Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat.

At Summer Leys today the list of birds included two Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers, three Green Sandpipers, two Egyptian Geese, a Great White Egret and a female Goldeneye. A Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits and the two Barnacle Geese were still at Clifford Hill Pits.

Eyebrook Reservoir catered for an Osprey, two Black-tailed Godwits and four Green Sandpipers and this afternoon Harrington Airfield provided for two Common Redstarts (between Chippings Compound and Bunker Two), a juvenile Marsh Harrier and a brood of Grey Partridges.

Regards

Neil M

Common Darter.

Black-tailed Skimmer.

Female Southern Hawker
ovipositing into vegetation.

Broad-bodied Chaser.

All the dragonfly images
were taken at Christies's Copse
ponds, Pitsford Reservoir
 this afternoon.

Juvenile male Green Woodpecker
 courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Adult male Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Early autumn passerine migration

Hello

At Stanford Reservoir there was a Common Sandpiper today and yesterday (Thursday) a juvenile Stonechat was caught and ringed.

Today a very young juvenile Black Redstart was photographed in a garden situation at an undisclosed location 'ten minutes away from Summer Leys LNR'.

Further movement was detected at Harrington Airfield today with a ringing session there catching migrant warblers including three Sedge Warblers which don't breed on-site. A Meadow Pipit was also there and two single Crossbills flew west during the morning. At least one Raven was present.

In the Nene Valley eleven Cattle Egrets (seven adults, four juveniles) were at a breeding site which also attracted an Egyptian Goose family and three Mandarin Ducks.

Ten Crossbills were seen flying east over Weekley Wood Avenue, Kettering early this morning.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted two Barnacle Geese again plus a Dunlin and two Little Ringed Plovers.

A Common Redstart and a Hobby and several Meadow Pipits were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and another Common Redstart was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell where two Crossbills and a Siskin flew over.

Regards

Neil M

Purple Hairstreak courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Brimstone courtesy of
Neil Hasdell.

Male Broad-bodied Chaser.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Blue courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Juvenile Starling courtesy
of Tony Stanford.