Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was the wetland bird count at Pitsford Reservoir with most birds of interest north of the causeway.

An Osprey was an early morning visitor and waders in the Scaldwell Bay amounted to six Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, three Common Snipe and a Dunlin. At least seven Great White Egrets were present as was Grey Wagtail and Raven. Three Crossbills flew south and low over the Walgrave Bay and a Pied Flycatcher was found in the same bay in waterside vegetation about 200m north of the Walgrave Hide. A Spotted Flycatcher and a Kingfisher were in the Holcot Bay and three Yellow-legged Gulls were generally loafing north of the causeway.

Eyebrook Reservoir hosted two Wood Sandpipers and saw the return of the two Sandwich Terns from Rutland Water. The German-ringed Caspian Gull was again at Naseby Reservoir.

Stanford Reservoir was again the venue for a Marsh Harrier plus three Common Sandpipers, a Hobby and two Ravens. The Stanford Ringing Group ringed two hundred and forty-two new birds which included a Spotted Flycatcher (of three present), a male Common Redstart, a Grasshopper Warbler, forty-six Reed Warblers, thirty-one Sedge Warblers, forty-four Common Whitethroats, six Lesser Whitethroats, thirty-three Garden Warblers, twenty-six Blackcaps and twenty-nine Willow Warblers.

At Summer Leys LNR today there were five Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Snipe, two Egyptian Geese, a Great White Egret and a Marsh Harrier. Two Cattle Egrets flew south-west over Stanwick Pits early in the morning.

A Greenshank was briefly at Hollowell Reservoir this morning and Harrington Airfield was good for two Common Redstarts, two Spotted Flycatchers and a Marsh Harrier. Five Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall, another visited a Corby Old Village garden and two Ravens were again at Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Mute Swan cygnets at Pitsford
Reservoir. A late brood of five
cygnets includes two white birds
which are generally known as 'Polish'
swans. As youngsters they are white
rather than grey and when mature their
bare parts will be a brighter colour than
their compatriots. They are a scarce
sight locally, I see most of mine on 
the continent.

Common Darter courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Brimstone courtesy of
Neil Hasdell.

Ruddy Darter courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Wasp Spider courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Heat Wave number four?

Hello

With calm conditions first thing a decision was made to try a short ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir this morning before it became too warm. Some fifty-seven birds were caught and processed which included a Tree Pipit (of two present), a Grasshopper Warbler, fourteen Sedge Warblers, four Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Birds seen at Pitsford Reservoir today included seven Great White Egrets, six Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin, a Common Snipe and five Yellow-legged Gulls. A Clouded Yellow and a Purple Hairstreak were noted in the Holcot Bay. Nearby two Marsh Harriers were seen circling over Pitsford village this afternoon.

Fifteen Ravens heading west high over Hollowell Reservoir early this morning was the best sighting there. Two more Ravens were at Hanging Houghton and at least four Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth. The Ruddy Shelduck was again reported from Ravensthorpe Reservoir today.

Stanford Reservoir retained one if it's Marsh Harriers today and other birds included a Common Sandpiper, five Spotted Flycatchers and two Cetti's Warblers.

Two Great White Egrets, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, two Green Sandpipers and three Common Sandpipers were at Summer Leys LNR today and a Spotted Flycatcher was at Stortons Pits.

A Greenshank, five or six Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper were at the Earls Barton New Workings/Whiston Wetlands on the east side this morning.

A female Common Redstart was noted in the wild flower meadow hedge at Woodford Halse LNR this afternoon and a juvenile Little Gull was at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Tree Pipit courtesy
of Sean Gower.

Grasshopper Warbler courtesy
of Sean Gower.

Brown Hawker courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Northants Ringing Group activities

Hello

Northants Ringing Group members were operating at three sites this morning with small teams at Linford Lakes, Stortons Pits and the Brampton Valley below Brixworth. The team at Linford concentrated their efforts at the water margins and reed bed and produced just over fifty birds which included eighteen Reed Warblers, seven Sedge Warblers, two Reed Buntings, a Kingfisher, two Common Whitethroats, seven Willow Warblers and three Moorhens.

The team at Stortons Pits processed seventy-one birds which were mostly new warblers and included a Lesser Whitethroat. Nineteen species were handled at Brixworth totalling eighty-two birds which included two Tree Pipits of four present, a Grey Wagtail, a Pied Wagtail, a Collared Dove, a Kingfisher, sixteen Chiffchaffs, twelve Blackcaps and a Magpie. Two Ravens flew over first thing.

Over at Stanford Reservoir a Common Redstart was caught and ringed and birds on-site included a Marsh Harrier and a Common Sandpiper. The Ruddy Shelduck was at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and the two Sandwich Terns were at Eyebrook Reservoir.

At Pitsford Reservoir birds today were an Osprey mid afternoon and again this evening, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, five Great White Egrets, four Green Sandpipers, a Dunlin and a juvenile female Peregrine.

Harrington Airfield hosted a Hobby, three Ravens and a Clouded Yellow and a Common Redstart was in a hedge near the River Nene midway between Ringstead and Woodford early this afternoon.

A Curlew and two Common Sandpipers were at Summer Leys LNR this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Tree Pipit courtesy
of Jane Neill.

Kingfisher courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Lesser Whitethroat courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Raven on my shoulder, plenty of Red Kites too!

Hello 

A warm day and it's due to become warmer again it seems.

A wander at Harrington Airfield today provided views of a freshly moulted female Common Redstart between the Chipping Compound and Bunker One, three Ravens and the Grey Partridge family with about ten half-grown youngsters. A fresh emergence of Small Heath butterflies was apparent, Common Blues were in small numbers and I had a brief view of what appeared to be a Dingy Skipper.

A Common Redstart, two Whinchats and a juvenile Marsh Harrier were around shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and a Crossbill flew south-west over the village.

At Stanford Reservoir the ringers processed one hundred and ninety-nine birds, ninety-four of them being Sedge Warblers! A Kingfisher was also ringed and birds noted on-site included two Marsh Harriers again, a Hobby and at least twelve Spotted Flycatchers.

At Pitsford Reservoir waders in the Scaldwell Bay included four Green Sandpipers, one or two Common Sandpiper(s) and a Dunlin. Two Great White Egrets, a Hobby and an Osprey were also seen north of the causeway. Odonata around Christies Copse ponds included Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Blue Emperor, Common Darter, Common Emerald Damselfly and Willow Emerald Damselfly.

The two Sandwich Terns were again at Eyebrook Reservoir and the Ruddy Shelduck remained at Ravensthorpe Reservoir. A Grey Wagtail was at Brafield Pond with Siskins in the churchyard there. Two Curlews flew over Hollowell village this evening heading towards Hollowell Reservoir.

Wherever I've been today there have been Ravens with two at Hanging Houghton, the three at Harrington, three at Pitsford Reservoir and two in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Common Redstart at
Harrington Airfield today.

Common Blue.

Little Egret.

Green Sandpipers and Dunlin.

Red Fox.

Above four images all taken at
Pitsford Reservoir today courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Birds at wheat harvest time

Hello

A breezier and duller day which failed to provide anything much different in the county today.

The two Marsh Harriers were again at Stanford Reservoir today but it seems like the Black-necked Grebes have moved on. Other birds were a Hobby, two Common Sandpipers and two Spotted Flycatchers.

The White Stork was again seen in flight around the new Moulton housing estates off the A43 between Round Spinney and the Moulton A43 roundabout.

The two Sandwich Terns were still at Eyebrook Reservoir, the Ruddy Shelduck was at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and the Wood Sandpiper was still at Clifford Hill Pits.

Birds noted at Pitsford Reservoir today included a Whimbrel, a Dunlin, five Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, at least three Yellow-legged Gulls, two Hobbies and five Great White Egrets.

Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Greenshank, a Common Snipe and six Egyptian Geese, a Hobby was seen at Summer Leys LNR and this evening a Marsh Harrier was hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A male Common Redstart was still at Woodford Halse LNR today and the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits attracted an Osprey and a Cattle Egret.

Clouded Yellows were still showing in the alfalfa field just south-east of Cherry Hill.

Regards

Neil M

Roesel's Bush-cricket.

Lesser Emperor.

Swifts at their nest boxes
in Spratton last month. Seven
pairs used boxes in the village
courtesy of John Hunt.

A buck Roe Deer yesterday in the
alfalfa fields near Cherry Hill 
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Migration on-going

Hello

At Stanford Reservoir today the two Marsh Harriers were seen again and three Black-necked Grebes were discovered. Other birds noted included two Spotted Flycatchers, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Goosander and a Peregrine. Two hundred and eleven birds were newly ringed on-site by the Stanford Ringing Group which included seventy Sedge Warblers and forty-two Reed Warblers.

A ringing session in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth today processed one hundred and eighty new birds of twenty-two species which included five Grey Wagtails, four Pied Wagtails, good numbers of warblers, forty-six Blue Tits, a Treecreeper and small numbers of finches. A Hobby was seen harassing the local Swallows.

A White Stork was spotted in Northampton yesterday, apparently on the grass verge next to the A43 between Round Spinney and Moulton.

Two Sandwich Terns were at Eyebrook Reservoir today and the female Ruddy Shelduck was still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir. Birds for Hollowell Reservoir were an Osprey, a Hobby, a Greenshank and a Common Snipe.

At Clifford Hill Pits the Wood Sandpiper was still present this morning plus the Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin and a Hobby.

At least three Common Redstarts and a Spotted Flycatcher were discovered in a small copse by a red brick barn along the track leading from Brington to Brockhall. Two more Common Redstarts were still at Firetail Covert, Cold Ashby. Four Spotted Flycatchers were found at Old Quarry Pond, Priors Hall, Corby.

Regards

Neil M

Gadwall.

Starling.

Holly Blue butterfly.

Wood Sandpipers, Clouded Yellows and more August treats

Hello

Another blustery day but decent temperatures and essentially dry.

A Wood Sandpiper was reported at Cransley Reservoir and like next door Thorpe Malsor Reservoir, an under-watched site that probably requires more attention.

Another Wood Sandpiper was at Clifford Hill Pits this morning where also a Common Sandpiper and four Oystercatchers.

Sixteen Black-tailed Godwits were in Wader Bay at Summer Leys LNR plus a Common Sandpiper and a Hobby.

At Pitsford Reservoir birds south of the causeway amounted to an Osprey, a Great White Egret, a Greenshank, six Common Sandpipers and a Common Redstart (in hedgerow by The Pigs). Birds north of the causeway included a Marsh Harrier, four Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper.

At Hollowell Reservoir there were singles of Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and Common Snipe. A returning colour-ringed Caspian Gull was noted at Naseby Reservoir.

Two Marsh Harriers were at Stanford Reservoir today plus a Common Sandpiper and the butterflies included Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady and Small Copper.

Additions to the Common Redstart tally included one at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and two or three again along the footpath in field hedges from Bridle Road, Old village heading south east.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier and an adult Grey Partridge with ten half-grown young were at Harrington Airfield. Several Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

More Clouded Yellows included at least eight in the Alfalfa field south east of Cherry Hill off the footpath from Bridle Road, Old with at least six in a similar field just north of Collyweston Bridge in the north of the county.

Regards

Neil M

Common Tern.

Gatekeeper.

Dunnock courtesy
of John Tilly.

Female Broad-bodied Chaser
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Birding a little subdued

Hello

Some strong gusts and sudden squalls today associated with Storm Floris which hit the UK to the north of us. The birding was rather subdued today.

At Stanford Reservoir a Marsh Harrier paid a brief visit and other birds were a Hobby, three Ravens and a Kingfisher.

At Pitsford Reservoir there were three Yellow-legged Gulls off the dam and six Great White Egrets, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Common Sandpiper and three Green Sandpipers to the north of the causeway.

A Greenshank and six Egyptian Geese were at Hollowell Reservoir this morning, a Common Redstart was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and a Common Redstart and a juvenile Marsh Harrier were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and near to shrike hedge.

Two Common Redstarts were at Woodford Halse LNR.

Regards

Neil M

Heavily cropped images
of a flying juvenile
Cormorant at Pitsford Reservoir
hopelessly hooked and tangled in
fishing equipment - and
why course fishing should
never be permitted at a SSSI.
This bird will suffer before dying
of starvation/exhaustion.

Juvenile Stonechat
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Goldfinch courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Carrion Crow courtesy
of Peter Walmsley.

Redstarts and others

Hello 

A day of mixed weather but seemingly some new migrants on the ground.

A Wood Sandpiper was at Eyebrook Reservoir today and the Ruddy Shelduck was again at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

At Hollowell Reservoir there was an Osprey and a Greenshank and this afternoon a small flock of Crossbills were noted at Bucknell Wood.

Three Common Redstarts were at Firetail Covert, Cold Ashby, two were vocal in hedgerows off the footpath running south east from Bridle Road, Old village (fourth field along from beginning of the footpath) this afternoon, a first year bird was at Woodford Halse LNR, another was at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell, two more were at shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton plus another single was by the brook in the valley.

Other birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included two Whinchats and a juvenile Marsh Harrier near shrike hedge with the family of Spotted Flycatchers still by the brook.

A field full of flowers including Alfalfa off the footpath south east of Cherry Hill attracted huge numbers of butterflies including whites, Red Admirals, Small Coppers, Small Heaths, hundreds of Common Blues and at least six Clouded Yellows. Two more Clouded Yellows were seen near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Over at Stanford Reservoir 292 birds were ringed yesterday as the warblers continue to flow through.

Regards

Neil M

Small Copper.

Grey Partridge.

Greenfinch courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Blue Tit courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Bullfinch courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Saturday ringing

Hello

A remarkably cool 12/13 degrees Centigrade for most of the early morning was the working temperature for small groups of ringers from the Northants Ringing Group processing birds at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes and Harrington Airfield.

At Linford Lakes some experimental mist net erection and use of a whoosh net provided an excellent array of interesting birds of thirteen species, amounting to seventy-three birds. At this time of the year the warblers come to the fore as we assess breeding success with the numbers of juveniles raised locally or from elsewhere. Six Willow Warblers are likely to be passage birds from the north, a super twenty-five Reed Warblers will be a mixture and included a four year old bird and six Sedge Warblers are likely to include offspring from pairs to the north or west. Five Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, eight Garden Warblers, a Common Whitethroat and a Cetti's Warbler were also encountered.

Twelve Reed Buntings was an excellent total and presumably included many fledged juveniles and the whoosh net caught two Lapwings, a Moorhen and a Pied Wagtail. Fully grown Lapwings are a rare capture and the Pied Wagtail was the first ringed on-site. A pair of copulating Poplar Hawk-moths were something different but didn't get ringed!

At Harrington Airfield just over ninety birds were processed from this essentially 'dry site'. Linnet was again the most common bird encountered with fifty birds ringed during the last two days and Common Whitethroat was second with thirty birds processed. Rather more tits hit the mist nets today with new Blue Tits and re-trap Long-tailed Tits providing 'entertainment'! Other warblers were few and far between but included a few Willow Warblers, a couple of Blackcaps and a Sedge Warbler. Three Song Thrushes were newly-ringed and other finches included three Goldfinches, two juvenile Chaffinches and Bullfinch.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was seen hunting around the bunkers and at least one Raven was present.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today, sightings included two Ospreys, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, four Ravens, a Hobby and the family party of Spotted Flycatchers.

A Marsh Harrier was at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon and three Common Redstarts were at Firetail Covert, Cold Ashby.

Regards

Neil M

Lapwings and Moorhen ready for
release courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Juvenile Pied Wagtail courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Poplar Hawk-moths in cop
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

First day of August

Hello

A cooler day with some quite aggressive showers in the middle.

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield was a five hour affair before the rain hit with the intention of returning tomorrow and finishing off the session. Sixty birds were processed in that time with Linnet and Common Whitethroat being the most common species encountered. Some of the Common Whitethroats were adults in full moult and barely able to fly whereas the majority of the Linnets were fresh juveniles probably only having left the nest during the last two weeks.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning with the party of Spotted Flycatchers there still this evening.

Another Marsh Harrier paid Stanford Reservoir a brief visit today and there were four Ravens there.

The female Ruddy Shelduck was again at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and at Hollowell Reservoir there was a mobile Crossbill and two Dunlin. A Greenshank and two Common Sandpipers were in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir. Two Common Redstarts were at Firetail Covert, Cold Ashby.

A Bittern and an Osprey were photographed at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits yesterday and today a juvenile Mediterranean Gull took centre stage there with a Great White Egret and a Common Sandpiper too.

Two Barnacle Geese, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and at Summer Leys LNR there were two Great White Egrets, two Egyptian Geese, a Green Sandpiper and at least six Wasp Spiders on show.

Regards

Neil M

Harrington Airfield sunrise.

Juvenile Yellowhammer
courtesy of Peter Walmsley.

Juvenile male Linnet
courtesy of Peter Walmsley.

Wasp Spider courtesy
of Tony Stanford.