A day out in Suffolk

Hello

On Tuesday I took a day out of the county and visited coastal Suffolk with birding friends. First stop was Walberswick, the location where a pair of Zitting Cisticolas (or Fan-tailed Warblers if you prefer) have bred in the UK for the first time. On our walk from the car park we encountered a Ruddy Shelduck on a small saltmarsh pool plus a migrant Wheatear with a few things passing by off-shore. Within a few minutes of arriving at the location where the cisticolas have been located we saw and heard the male performing his undulating and distinctive song-flight. During the next forty-five minutes or so and despite the keen breeze, he repeated this performance but keeping perhaps 50 metres from us. There were Reed Buntings flying around, a Hobby flew low over the marsh and off-shore birds included Sandwich Tern and Whimbrel.

We left the male cisticola to it and wondered whether he was hoping to attempt a late second brood - either way he was keen to confirm his territory.

A short distance away was the RSPB reserve at Minsmere. Like many of the reserves there was a lack of water on the scrape but we enjoyed a variety of insects in the sheltered, sandy area before completing a clock-wise wander around. Digger wasps, odonata, an assassin-bug and a Ruby-tailed Wasp or two were enjoyed and butterflies included Grayling and Clouded Yellow. Waders were limited but we saw Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Whimbrel and Avocet and Ringed Plover were flying around. Juvenile Shelducks, Egyptian Goose and Mediterranean Gull added a little more variety and Stonechats and Common Whitethroat flitted ahead of us along the coastal bushes. After some refreshments we checked out the Bittern Hide but there was little on show except a couple of Marsh Harriers, Little Grebe etc.

Leaving Minsmere we headed south and visited Boyton Marshes, part of a RSPB managed area with Havergate Island close by. An enjoyable walk saw us viewing another Marsh Harrier, Common and Sandwich Terns, Water Rail, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and fields containing Curlews. After perhaps two miles walking along the flood relief embankment we happened on our quarry, a juvenile Black Stork. I had heard it was often photogenic and permitting a close approach but it came ridiculously close! We clicked away and savoured some quality time with this bird as it probed and investigated the mud-lined dyke below us.

We began our walk back only to have a juvenile Kestrel continually feeding on the path in front of us, eating Grasshoppers we thought. Another bird that came towards us rather than the other way around! Little Egrets, Golden Plovers and Chinese Water Deer showed on the walk back and then it was time to motor back to sunny Northamptonshire! My thanks to Robin Gossage and Bob Gill for their company.

Regards

Neil M

Heath Assassin Bug courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Ruby-tailed Wasp courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Small Copper courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Ruddy Shelduck.

Migrant Hawker.

Common Darter.

Black Stork.

Kestrel.

Whimbrel and other waders on the move

Hello

A long day out at the Suffolk coast yesterday ensured there wasn't time for a blog last night!

Yesterday at Stanford Reservoir a total of fifteen Whimbrel flew through and other birds seen included a Marsh Harrier, two Common Sandpipers and two Spotted Flycatchers. Today there were three Common Sandpipers, a Hobby, a Wheatear and a Grasshopper Warbler was caught and ringed.

Also yesterday there was a Little Stint at Eyebrook Reservoir, two Black Terns were briefly at Hollowell Reservoir and a Marsh Harrier hunted there before departing plus a Little Ringed Plover, a Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper. Naseby also recorded a Whimbrel, a Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, a Common Snipe plus two Green Sandpipers and six Common Sandpipers.

Other birds for yesterday included three Black-tailed Godwits and a Little Ringed Plover on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits, a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Snipe, three Common Sandpipers, two fly-over Whimbrels, a Ruff and two Knot at Clifford Hill Pits and two Greenshanks and a Green Sandpiper on the New Workings/Whiston Wetlands. Summer Leys hosted a Wood Sandpiper, a Greenshank, two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper and two Great White Egrets.

Also yesterday there were six Whinchats, a Common Redstart and a Marsh Harrier in the vicinity of shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. There were two family parties of Hobby in the general area.

Today and a Garganey was found on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits and Summer Leys continued to hold on to a Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, four Common Sandpipers, a Ruff, a Ringed Plover, an Arctic Tern briefly, a Common Swift and with two Yellow-legged Gulls on Mary's Lake.

Five Cattle Egrets were on the main lake at Stanwick Pits this morning, the two Knot plus the Ruff, a Little Ringed Plover and two Common Sandpipers were again at Clifford Hill Pits.

This morning at Pitsford Reservoir action north of the causeway included ten Great White Egrets standing together in the Scaldwell Bay, two Yellow-legged Gulls, two Ospreys, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a Hobby, an Egyptian Goose, two Black Terns, at least three Ruff and six Greenshanks. Two more Yellow-legged Gulls were at the south end of the reservoir where later there were two Great White Egrets too.

At Naseby Reservoir today birds included the regular Caspian Gull, three Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers, four Common Sandpipers and the local female Ruddy Shelduck with an Osprey and a Ringed Plover at Hollowell Reservoir.

Three Common Redstarts were at Harrington Airfield where also four Wheatears, two Whinchats and a Marsh Harrier and again six Whinchats and a Common Redstart were in the valley below Hanging Houghton. A Common Redstart and four Spotted Flycatchers were at the Gamboro' Plantation and two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. A Common Redstart was still at Lamport Hall but no Spotted Flycatchers were seen there.

Elsewhere and a Black Swan was noted at Towcester, three Wheatears were located at Spanhoe/Harringworth Airfield and a Caspian Gull was recorded from Daventry Country Park.

Clouded Yellow butterflies were seen at Harrington Airfield, in the valley below Hanging Houghton and south of Collyweston bridge along a concrete track. Some were still present yesterday in the field behind Cherry Hill and reached from the footpath leading from the village of Old.

Regards

Neil M

Flowering-rush.

Kingfisher.

Common Blue.

Great White and Little Egret.

Small Copper.

Above four images courtesy
of Tony Stanford from Summer
Leys LNR yesterday.

Bank Holiday Monday

Hello

A warm and sunny day is rather unusual for a Bank Holiday, it would seem that more unsettled weather will follow this week.

At Stanford Reservoir yesterday four hundred birds were ringed including three Common Redstarts and seven Grasshopper Warblers. Other birds noted on-site were a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, two Kingfishers and three Spotted Flycatchers.

Today and a total of four hundred and sixty-three birds were newly ringed which included a male Pied Flycatcher. Birds seen there included a Black Tern this afternoon, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, four Spotted Flycatchers, a Cetti's Warbler, a Kingfisher and a Hobby.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning there was a Marsh Harrier and two Ospreys north of the causeway and the waders in the Scaldwell Bay amounted to a Wood Sandpiper, five Ruff, at least four Greenshanks and at least six Common Snipe. At the dam-end of the reservoir the best birds located were six Yellow-legged Gulls (one juvenile), a Common Sandpiper, a Grey Wagtail and two Kingfishers.

The male Pied Flycatcher at Gamboro' Plantation showed again today and there were still a small party of Spotted Flycatchers in the same bushes/trees and a Common Redstart.

At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell migrants included three Common Redstarts, two Whinchats, a Wheatear and six fly-over Crossbills. Five Whinchats and a Common Redstart were at shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and just five Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall today.

Harrington Airfield hosted two Common Redstarts (between Bunkers One and Two) plus a Raven and two Common Swifts over. Two Common Redstarts and several Clouded Yellows were still visible from the footpath that commences at Bridle Road, Old village and traverses behind Cherry Hill and Walgrave villages.

Five Spotted Flycatchers and twenty Common Swifts were at Towcester today and six Common Swifts were seen over Delapre Abbey, Northampton.

Four Knot were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning plus three Common Sandpipers, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Barnacle Goose. A Spotted Redshank was at Summer Leys LNR plus a Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, three Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank and a Wood Sandpiper, four Egyptian Geese, two Great White Egrets, a Hobby and a Water Rail.

Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits provided views of three Black-tailed Godwits and a Cattle Egret.

Regards

Neil M

Spotted Redshank at Summer Leys LNR
today courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Marsh Tit courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Mallard courtesy of
John Tilly.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

A still day in August

Hello

A little ringing at Pitsford Reservoir around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station this morning provided captures of tits, finches and warblers which included Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler. Two Tree Pipits flew over calling and birds in the Scaldwell Bay included eight Great White Egrets, a Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, five Ruff, at least four Greenshanks and eleven Common Snipe.

The Scaldwell Meadow on the reserve may have been mowed and baled but there were still Small Heath and Small Copper butterflies active there today.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted a Kingfisher, a Little Ringed Plover, three Common Sandpipers, a Cetti's Warbler and a Raven.

A possible Wood Sandpiper was at Summer Leys LNR plus two Common Sandpipers and a Greenshank. A Raven was noted over Weston Favell village and at least six Spotted Flycatchers were at Ramsden Corner, Church Stowe.

At least one elusive Pied Flycatcher was found in bushes at Gamborough Plantation between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton where also groups of two and five Crossbills were seen plus four Spotted Flycatchers, an 'acredula' type Willow Warbler, a Hobby and a fly-over Osprey.

Nearby and six Whinchats and a Common Redstart were at shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Six Cattle Egrets were in a field west of Nene Way to the west of Ringstead Pits at about 11.30am.

Regards

Neil M

Bullfinch courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

House Sparrows.

Juvenile Moorhens at different stages in life!

Above four images courtesy
of John Tilly.

Saturday's migrants

Hello

A generally still, dull and mild day with intermittent sunshine providing more opportunities to monitor the migrants travelling through the county.

The ringers at Stanford Reservoir were on hand to ring four hundred and eighty-seven birds which included a Common Redstart. The Bittern and Marsh Harrier were seen there again and other birds noted included a Wheatear, three Ravens, two Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper.

In the Brampton Valley below Brixworth over a hundred birds were similarly processed with Blackcaps dominating but a range of species including two Grey Wagtails (of at least four present) and four adult Swallows. Two adult Ravens were vocal there.

Birds for Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway were seven Great White Egrets, an Osprey, a Hobby, two Yellow-legged Gulls, eight Common Snipe, two Green Sandpipers, a Wood Sandpiper, four Greenshank, five Ruff and two Black-tailed Godwits. 

Thrapston Pits provided sightings of an Osprey, a Cattle Egret, three Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff and a Whinchat. Three Greenshanks were at Earls Barton New Workings and three more flew over. Three Greenshanks were on the mitigation pit west of Ditchford Lane.

A flock of about twenty Swifts were at Towcester, a Hobby was at Bozeat and another was near Kelmarsh.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and the fields up to and including Blueberry Farm, Maidwell received plenty of birder attention today and sightings included a menacing female Goshawk which the Hobby family were not happy about, two Ospreys, a Marsh Harrier, about eight Whinchats, two Wheatears, four Common Redstarts and a family of Spotted Flycatchers.

Twenty to twenty-five Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart were at Lamport Hall and nearby at Harrington Airfield there were two Common Redstarts, two Whinchats, a Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier.

Two juvenile Little Gulls were at Eyebrook Reservoir and a Curlew Sandpiper was reported there.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret.

Common Tern.

Red Fox.

Grey Wagtail.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Waders, chats and warblers

Hello

More evidence of on-going migration if required is again from Stanford Reservoir where nearly seven hundred new birds were ringed by ringers operating there. A Wood Warbler was the most impressive catch but there were also five Grasshopper Warblers and three Common Redstarts amongst the throng. Three birds caught were already with rings from ringing operations elsewhere. Other birds noted there today were four Ravens, a Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Hobby.

Over a hundred birds of twenty-one species were processed by ringers at Pitsford Reservoir today which included tits, finches and warblers. A Chiffchaff was bearing a ring from elsewhere. Birds noted on-site today included seven Great White Egrets, a Wood Sandpiper, at least seven Greenshanks, at least one Green Sandpiper, four Ruff, four Common Snipe, a Ringed Plover, a Hobby and a Wheatear - all north of the causeway and primarily in the Scaldwell Bay.

A Little Stint was discovered at Clifford Hill Pits today but it could be elusive. Other birds were a Dunlin, four Common Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover and a Kingfisher.

An Osprey flew west over the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits where also a Common Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover with a Whinchat at Elinor Lake.

A Wood Sandpiper was located at Summer Leys LNR where also a Green Sandpiper and a Greenshank.

The Hen Harrier wasn't reported in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton/Blueberry area but a series of observers during the day located a Marsh Harrier, four Whinchats, two Common Redstarts, two Wheatears and two Hobbies in the general area.

Hollowell Reservoir today attracted the Ruddy Shelduck, a feeding Curlew, a Ruff, a juvenile Ringed Plover, two Little Ringed Plovers, an Osprey and a Whinchat with Naseby Reservoir recording a Ruff, a Ringed Plover, three Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers, five Common Sandpipers and the adult Caspian Gull.

A Common Redstart was located at Denton Wood this morning and Eyebrook Reservoir hosted seven Knot and a Sanderling.

Regards

Neil M

Ringed Plover courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

 

Tachina fera fly
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Pied Wagtail courtesy
of John Tilly

Swallows courtesy of
John Tilly.

Red Admiral courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Ever watchful - Eleanor and her
pack on the look out in the Brampton
Valley below Hanging Houghton.
Image courtesy of Aamir Aziz Mughal.

Autumn birding in full flow

Hello

Plenty of action over at Stanford Reservoir again today, the ringers having another busy day with two hundred and seventy-five birds ringed including an astonishing nineteen Grasshopper Warblers and two Common Redstarts. Other birds noted on-site included a Marsh Harrier, a Ruff, two Common Sandpipers, the Bittern again and a Hobby.

Pitsford Reservoir, and particularly the Scaldwell Bay, enjoyed plenty of attention today with multiple sightings of an Osprey, a Peregrine, a Wood Sandpiper, up to eight Greenshanks, five Ruff, four Ringed Plovers, five Common Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, a Raven, a Common Swift and seven Great White Egrets.

Naseby Reservoir was again with an adult Caspian Gull plus four Ringed Plovers, two Green Sandpipers and eight Common Sandpipers.

In the Nene Valley and Titchmarsh reserve was good for three Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Snipe and Stanwick Pits attracted a juvenile Mediterranean Gull and three Ruff (on the layby and visitor centre pits). Summer Leys LNR provided two Ruff, a Common Snipe and singles of Green and Common Sandpiper.

The Hen Harrier was active this morning, covering a relatively large area between Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and the fields in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A Whinchat and a Grey Partridge were noted near to shrike hedge.

A flock of Spotted Flycatchers remain at Lamport Hall with the true numbers difficult to count but certainly double figures. Two Common Redstarts were still present in hedging near Blueberry Farm this morning plus two Whinchats and a Wheatear in one of the large fields there.

Regards

Neil M

Stoat courtesy of
David Arden.

Kestrel courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Red Fox courtesy
of David Arden.

Lapwing courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Whinchat courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Barred Warbler

Hello

The ringers at Stanford Reservoir struck gold again this morning as the senior ringer there extracted a juvenile Barred Warbler from the nets. It was duly processed and released on The Point but wasn't reportedly seen again. This is a long-awaited addition to the Northamptonshire list and it was always predicted that it would turn up in a mist net! Images of this bird in the hand can be found at stanfordrg.blogspot.com under Sightings: 2025.

A Bittern was discovered during the subsequent search for the Barred Warbler and other birds on-site included the Ruff still and four Common Sandpipers.

Perhaps everywhere else was a little mundane in comparison but the Hen Harrier was seen early this morning in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton again, still quartering fields to the east of the track to Cottesbrooke. A Whinchat was near to 'shrike hedge' for most of the day.

Nearby three Common Redstarts in a hedge near Blueberry Farm gave the impression they had just arrived and five Hobbies remain in the general area.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning there were good numbers of House Martins and Swallows feeding over the water in the cool, breezy conditions and birds north of the causeway included a Wood Sandpiper still, three Ruff, nine Greenshanks and two Snipe plus eight Great White Egrets. Five Yellow-legged Gulls at the dam-end of the reservoir this evening were joined by five Great Black-backed Gulls and a juvenile Caspian Gull or a hybrid. A Common Sandpiper was there too.

A juvenile Arctic Tern was briefly at Naseby Reservoir this morning and more static birds were three Ringed Plovers, two Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers, eight Common Sandpipers and later an adult Caspian Gull.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier and a Common Redstart were at Harrington Airfield early this afternoon, a Ruff was at Boddington Reservoir and a Greenshank and a Green Sandpiper were at the Earls Barton New Workings on the south section.

Stanwick Pits pulled in a Marsh Harrier, a Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers and two Yellow-legged Gulls, and a Ruff and two Common Sandpipers were at Clifford Hill Pits. Birds at Summer Leys LNR included two Great White Egrets, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers and a Common Snipe.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret.

Greenfinch.

Chiffchaffs.

Above images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Harvest sunset (last week) over 
the wheat fields between Brixworth
and Hanging Houghton.

Ditchford WeBs count

Hello

Today was the wetland and waterbirds count at Ditchford Pits and we began with some distant scanning of the mitigation pit to the west of Ditchford Lane. This area attracted a Goosander, three Greenshanks and two Common Sandpipers. From where we were parked next to the private track two vocal Corn Buntings popped up and spent time in the large trees there (but were not seen later). Other birds viewable from here were ten Egyptian Geese which included three quarter grown goslings (on the Watersport Pit) and at least three Grey Partridges. Common Whitethroats were busy in the hedgerow and several Yellow Wagtails were in the stubble fields.

After this enjoyable start things became much quieter as we explored the older pits. West of Ditchford Lane and the best birds were a Hobby, an apparent White-fronted x Greylag hybrid (with 140 plus Greylags), a Water Rail, two Great White Egrets, two Common Sandpipers and three Cetti's Warblers.

East of Ditchford Lane and there was one Great White Egret, three Common Snipe, two Cetti's Warblers, three Grey Wagtails and several Willow Emerald Damselflies.

Birds noted at Summer Leys LNR included a Greenshank, two Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper and two Great White Egrets.

At Pitsford Reservoir today birds north of the causeway were an Osprey, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Wood Sandpiper, an excellent eleven Greenshanks, three Ruff, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers and a Raven.

Naseby Reservoir did well with a Sanderling (not a common bird inland in the autumn), a Ringed Plover, three Greenshanks, a Green Sandpiper, seven Common Sandpipers and a Caspian Gull.

Stanford Reservoir hosted two Black Terns, a Ringed Plover, a Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, five Common Sandpipers, a Whinchat and a Cetti's Warbler. One hundred and eighty-five birds were newly ringed which included three Common Redstarts.

Two or three Ospreys were seen at Hollowell Reservoir today, five Ravens were over Moulton village and there were at least twenty Spotted Flycatchers and a female Common Redstart at Lamport Hall.

The young female Hen Harrier was seen several times today frequenting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and wandering up to Blueberry Farm, Maidwell, with perhaps the more sustained views being this evening in breezy conditions. At least two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Mallard.

Willow Emerald Damselfly.

Grey Heron.

Migrant Hawker.

Harriers and more waders

Hello

A juvenile female Hen Harrier was a nice surprise this morning, the bird being disturbed from a field edge just south of Blueberry Farm at 7.45am this morning. This bird showed again this afternoon between Blueberry Farm and shrike hedge and again this evening when chasing Skylarks. A Common Redstart and two Whinchats were in the general area of shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton too.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the waders in the Scaldwell Bay comprised of a Wood Sandpiper, at least three Green Sandpipers, six Greenshanks, a Common Snipe and three Ruff. Seven Great White Egrets were also fishing north of the causeway and an Osprey was seen early this morning.

Hollowell Reservoir attracted a Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank and a Yellow-legged Gull, Naseby Reservoir pulled in two Caspian Gulls, four Ringed Plovers, two Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers and five Common Sandpipers.

Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls were on Town Lake at Thrapston Pits with a Little Ringed Plover and a Bittern on the Titchmarsh reserve.

Summer Leys LNR was good for a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a juvenile Ruff, a Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, three Common Snipe and two Great White Egrets.

An apparent Slavonian Grebe at Clifford Hill Pits was causing some identification issues early this morning but couldn't be found later in the day. Other birds there were a Barnacle Goose, a Ruff, a Little Ringed Plover and three Common Sandpipers.

Seven juvenile Little Gulls were at the northern end of Eyebrook Reservoir this morning and Stanford Reservoir had two Marsh Harriers (one picked up injured), two Whinchats, two Spotted Flycatchers, an Osprey, a Ruff, five Common Sandpipers and three Grasshopper Warblers which were caught and ringed.

Stanwick Pits saw an Osprey passing over early morning and a Cattle Egret on Roadside Pit.

Regards

Neil M

Marsh Harrier courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Greenshank and a Green 
Sandpiper courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

All images from Summer Leys
LNR today.

A Bittern, a Firecrest and Wood Sandpipers.

Hello

A bird ringing session at Brixworth Treatment Works today provided seventy-eight captures of eighteen species, seventy of which were newly-ringed. Thirty-seven of the birds were warblers which are very much on the move at the moment as the majority conclude breeding. Six Grey Wagtails were present there first thing.

Over at Stanford Reservoir over four hundred birds were caught and newly ringed and this total included six Grasshopper Warblers. Other birds there were a Marsh Harrier, a Whinchat, seven Spotted Flycatchers and five Common Sandpipers. A Wood Sandpiper was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and a Black Tern was there this afternoon.

A Wood Sandpiper was reported in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and waders there this morning included a Greenshank, a Common Redshank and three Ruff. A Spotted Flycatcher was also present.

At Summer Leys LNR today there were four Greenshanks, a Wood Sandpiper, three Green Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover, a Ruff, a Turnstone and a juvenile Marsh Harrier. Birds of the New Workings/Whiston Wetlands were a Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and three Greenshanks.

A Bittern was discovered and photographed at Stortons Pits this morning and two Peregrines were on the Express Lifts tower. A Crossbill flew over Cavendish Drive towards Abington Park, Northampton this afternoon. Unspecified numbers of Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall this afternoon.

A Firecrest was a good find in the south-west corner of Hinton Airfield this morning.

Five Hobbies were again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and another was near Kelmarsh carrying prey.

Regards

Neil M

Bittern at Stortons Pits
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Little Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Grey Heron courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wood Sandpiper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Blyth's Reed Warbler

Hello

Stanford Reservoir was the place this morning with a Blyth's Reed Warbler being caught and ringed and is potentially the second record for the site and county. A Willow Warbler of the Northern form was also caught and ringed as were four more Common Redstarts and a Grasshopper Warbler. Other birds noted on-site included a Green Sandpiper, six Common Sandpipers, a Little Ringed Plover, three Ravens, two Kingfishers and two Cetti's Warblers.

Eyebrook Reservoir hung on to a Wood Sandpiper and Pitsford Reservoir birds included four Greenshanks, three Ruff, a Common Redshank, five Green Sandpipers, at least five Great White Egrets and a Kingfisher.

An Osprey passed over Stanwick Pits early this morning and a Marsh Harrier flew over Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston where there were three Cattle Egrets.

Birds noted at Summer Leys LNR today were a Greenshank, a Wood Sandpiper, three Common Sandpipers, three Green Sandpipers and a Marsh Harrier.

Five Hobbies were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and six Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth. Three Grey Partridges were noted at Harrington Airfield and a minimum of four Spotted Flycatchers (more heard) were at Lamport Hall.

Regards

Neil M

Common Blue courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Starling courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wood Sandpiper.

Yellow-legged Gull.