Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

I spent much of the day completing the wetland and waterbird count at Ditchford Pits, the first hour or so in sunshine and the remainder mostly cloudy with some showers.

West of Ditchford Lane and the choice birds were three Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers, a Common Snipe, a Hobby, a Great White Egret, two Egyptian Geese, three Kingfishers, two Cetti's Warblers and a Goldeneye.

East of Ditchford Lane provided another two Kingfishers, six Common Swifts, a Grey Wagtail, a Pintail and four Cetti's Warblers. 

I visited Summer Leys LNR afterwards and was fortunate to see the Glossy Ibis outside the Paul Britten hide plus a couple of Otters, two Great White Egrets, a Ruff, a Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. A Bittern was seen twice during the day and other observations included a Marsh Harrier and a Hobby, two Common Swifts, an additional Green Sandpiper and two Greenshank.

Also in the Nene Valley, an Osprey was at Elinor Lake, Thrapston Pits this afternoon, there were two Yellow-legged Gulls on Town Lake and with two Little Ringed Plovers on the Titchmarsh reserve.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included a Black Tern, four Black-tailed Godwits, five or six Greenshanks and at least eight Green Sandpipers.

Naseby Reservoir continued to attract the adult Caspian Gull, a Greenshank, two Green Sandpipers, five Common Sandpipers and all the way from Australasia, two Wandering Whistling-ducks! Hollowell Reservoir was good for two Greenshanks which flew north and a Common Sandpiper.

Away from water and six Ravens flew north-east over Mawsley and migrants in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included a Grasshopper Warbler, a Common Redstart, a Wheatear and two Whinchats around the shrike hedge area. A Common Redstart and four Spotted Flycatchers were at Gamboro' Plantation and Blueberry Farm at Maidwell hosted a Common Redstart, three Whinchats and a Wheatear.

Harrington Airfield this afternoon provided sightings of a Marsh Harrier, a Wheatear, a Whinchat and a Common Redstart.

A first year Caspian Gull was at Daventry Country Park this morning and a Red-backed Shrike was on the east side of Eyebrook Reservoir this morning but apparently couldn't be found later.

Four Common Sandpipers were at Stanford Reservoir today plus a Peregrine, five Spotted Flycatchers and a Cetti's Warbler.

Regards

Neil M

Chicken of the Woods.

Grey Heron.

Pied Wagtail.

Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys LNR today.

Migrant birds and insects

Hello

A day of strong southerly breezes, dying away this evening. The strong winds from the south are possibly holding up the smaller birds from migrating. Pied Flycatchers don't normally hang around in the county during the autumn passage but the male at Gamboro' Plantation has now been there for some time, being seen again this morning. Also seen there was a Nightingale (a very scarce autumn migrant in the county), a Common Redstart, six Spotted Flycatchers and a mixture of common warblers.

Nearby and there was a Marsh Harrier with two Common Redstarts at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and four Whinchats, a Wheatear and a Hobby near shrike hedge between Gamboro' and the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton.

At Pitsford Reservoir there was an Osprey north of the causeway this morning plus a Black Tern, five Black-tailed Godwits, five or six Greenshanks, at least five Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper. At the south end of the reservoir this afternoon and evening an adult Osprey caught a fish off the Sailing Club and other birds were five Yellow-legged Gulls, an Oystercatcher, a Ringed Plover and a Grey Wagtail.

At Naseby Reservoir this morning there was the usual adult Caspian Gull, a juvenile Ruff, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and five Common Sandpipers. Two Greenshanks were at Boddington Reservoir.

Birds at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon were two Ruff, two Common Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover, an Egyptian Goose and two Great White Egrets and an Osprey was seen over Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning.

A Garganey was at Eyebrook Reservoir today and two Common Sandpipers and two Spotted Flycatchers were noted at Stanford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Ruff at Summer Leys LNR today
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Willow Emerald damselfly at
Summer Leys LNR today courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Chiffchaff courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Painted Lady at Pitsford 
Reservoir yesterday.

Clifden Nonpareil at Pitsford
Reservoir today.

Birds on the last day of the month

Hello

Presumably the same Glossy Ibis was seen at Summer Leys LNR first thing and then later at Dragonfly Lake on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve at Ditchford Pits.

Brookfield Plantation at Corby hosted at least one Crossbill in larches at the middle crossroads with a Spotted Flycatcher also present.

Two Greenshanks were at Boddington Reservoir, a Ruff and a Common Sandpiper were at Summer Leys LNR and a Ruff, a Green Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover were at Hollowell Reservoir.

A female Common Redstart was at Nobottle village and at least six Spotted Flycatchers and a Common Redstart were at Lamport Hall.

At Pitsford Reservoir birds north of the causeway this afternoon included two Ospreys together, nine Great White Egrets, three Yellow-legged Gulls, a Black Tern, five Black-tailed Godwits, nine Greenshanks, three Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper and three Common Snipe. At the dam-end this evening an adult Osprey caught a fish and other birds were three Ravens, three Yellow-legged Gulls, an adult Caspian Gull and a Oystercatcher.

An afternoon visit to Harrington Airfield provided three Common Redstarts, two Spotted Flycatchers, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier, quite different to the morning when nothing of note was seen!

Stanford Reservoir produced a Marsh Harrier today plus three Common Sandpipers, a Hobby. three Spotted Flycatchers, fifteen Grey Wagtails and a Cetti's Warbler.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Six-spot Burnett courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Whitethroat
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Pitsford Reservoir and the rest...

Hello

This morning probably represents the best morning's birding at Pitsford Reservoir this year, with a number of observers visiting the Scaldwell Bay. David Arden found a Little Stint early this morning and other birds on show included two or three Ospreys, at least one Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Black Tern, four Yellow-legged Gulls, five Black-tailed Godwits, up to nine Greenshanks, four Green Sandpipers, fifteen Great White Egrets, a Kingfisher, three Grey Wagtails and a confiding Wheatear. A small but steady flow of Yellow Wagtails passed south over the Scaldwell Bay during the morning.

Two Ravens were near Brixworth, four Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton early this morning and the male Pied Flycatcher was seen again at Gamboro' Plantation plus several Spotted Flycatchers and with a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier nearby.

A Crossbill was over Corby village this morning, a family of Spotted Flycatchers were at Barnwell Country Park behind the visitors centre and two Common Swifts were over Clifford Hill Pits.

The Glossy Ibis popped back up at Summer Leys LNR this morning where also a Hobby, Green and Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank, a Ruff and a Kingfisher with a female Common Redstart being found nearby on Mary's Lake.

Eyebrook Reservoir attracted singles of Caspian Gull, Curlew Sandpiper and Black Tern today and the Caspian Gull and Ruddy Shelduck were again reported from Naseby Reservoir.

Stanford Reservoir saw five more Common Redstarts caught and ringed today and three more Grasshopper Warblers caught and ringed. Other birds noted on-site were three Common Sandpipers, a Cetti's Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Regards

Neil M

Wheatear courtesy of
Neil Hasdell.

Young Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of David Smith.

Black Tern courtesy
of David Smith.

All the above images were
taken at Pitsford Reservoir today.

Quail, Garganey and Merlin.

Hello

Some welcome rain today but also periods of sunshine and a lovely evening.

Birds for Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway today included a Black Tern, eight Great White Egrets, four Greenshanks, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, three Ruff, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and two Spotted Flycatchers.

Naseby Reservoir continued to provide for the adult Caspian Gull, female Ruddy Shelduck, a Greenshank, three Green Sandpipers and four Common Sandpipers.

A Curlew Sandpiper and a Caspian Gull were at Eyebrook Reservoir and Hollowell Reservoir hung on to the juvenile Stonechat plus two Common Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover and a Little Ringed Plover.

In the Nene Valley at Summer Leys LNR there was a Garganey, a female Red-crested Pochard, a Ruff, a Greenshank, three Common Sandpipers and two Great White Egrets. The New Workings/Whiston Wetlands yielded four Greenshanks, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, a Hobby and a Whinchat. A Bittern flew across the layby pit at Stanwick Pits this afternoon and Clifford Hill Pits was quiet with a Ringed Plover and five Common Sandpipers with a Black-tailed Godwit over early morning and a Raven.

It was pleasing to locate an adult Little Owl in Hanging Houghton village with two full-grown owlets and a Barn Owl (noticeable by their recent absence) was in the valley below the village.

Migrants in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included an unexpected Quail feeding out in the open this evening plus the usual chats in the shape of a Wheatear, ten Whinchats and a Common Redstart. Two male Common Redstarts were showing nicely at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this evening.

A male Merlin was recorded at Farthingstone and birds at Stanford Reservoir were a Yellow-legged Gull, two Common Sandpipers, six Ravens and two Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Kingfisher from the Goosander Hide
at Pitsford Reservoir courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Spotted Flycatcher at Pitsford Reservoir
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

In a good year for the species, Clifden Nonpareil
has been found by many moth-ers locally, this
image courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Juvenile Common Buzzard
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Glossy Ibis, Whinchats and plenty more

Hello

More sunshine but cooler temperatures today and some brief, powerful showers too.

A Glossy Ibis passed over Stanwick Pits early this morning with a Marsh Harrier there this afternoon.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted the two Knot and the Ruff still plus a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper, and a Hobby was at Earls Barton Pits. A Ruff, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Green Sandpiper were at Titchmarsh reserve, Thrapston Pits.

Hollowell Reservoir was good for an Osprey, a juvenile Stonechat, a Ringed Plover, a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper. Naseby Reservoir was again the site for an adult Caspian Gull, a Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, three Green Sandpipers, four Common Sandpipers and the female Ruddy Shelduck.

Pitsford Reservoir provided views of two Ospreys north of the causeway plus a Black Tern, nine Greenshanks, three Ruff, at least two Green Sandpipers, two Spotted Flycatchers and with three Yellow-legged Gulls at the south end of the reservoir.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton was busy this morning with ten Whinchats from the Brampton Brook to shrike hedge plus a Wheatear and a Common Redstart. Six Spotted Flycatchers and four Crossbills were at nearby Gamboro' Plantation and a Marsh Harrier and two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Harrington Airfield seemed quiet with a male Common Redstart in scrub 200m north of the chippings compound, some calling Grey Partridges and single fly-overs of Siskin, Grey Wagtail and a possible White Wagtail.

A dozen Common Swifts were over Higham Ferrers this morning and Cransley Reservoir this afternoon provided sightings of a Yellow-legged Gull, a Great White Egret, two Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper.

At Stanford Reservoir today there was a Marsh Harrier, three eclipse drake Red-crested Pochards, twelve Grey Wagtails, a Cetti's Warbler, two Common Sandpipers, four Ravens and a Kingfisher. A juvenile Caspian Gull was at Daventry Country Park this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Lapwing courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Little Egret courtesy
of John Tilly.

Common Emerald Damselfly.

Common Blue Damselfly
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

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.