Yellow Wagtails, Glossy Ibis and the Hen Harrier still.

Hello

Another perfect autumn day's weather with still conditions initially and the breeze kicking in as the temperatures rose in the warm sunshine.

Ringing operations by Northants Ringing Group members both yesterday evening and today produced spectacular results at Linford Lakes LNR on the outskirts of Milton Keynes. Efforts at catching birds coming into roost ensured 172 birds were caught in mist nets made up of 107 Swallows, 20 Sand Martins, an unprecedented 42 Yellow Wagtails and singles of Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler. These birds were roosted overnight and ringed and released this morning. After that another 92 birds of a broad range of species were caught in daytime mist nets. Of the 264 birds processed only a single Blue Tit was wearing a ring from a previous encounter!

Day-time captures included twenty Chiffchaffs, twenty-eight Blackcaps, four more Reed Warblers, two Garden Warblers, three Willow Warblers, three Goldcrests, two Treecreepers and two Greenfinches. Birds noted on-site included two Great White Egrets, two Spotted Flycatchers and a Raven.

At Eyebrook Reservoir the Baird's Sandpiper wasn't reported today but the Garganey was still present.

A Pitsford Reservoir tick for many was a Glossy Ibis which turned up in the Scaldwell Bay today, the first there that has ever lingered. Flocks of Glossy Ibis have been seen passing over scattered localities in the UK during the last forty-eight hours as part of an influx. Also at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway was a Yellow-legged Gull, two Ospreys, threes of Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Ruff, at least two Green Sandpipers, a Common Snipe, a Pintail, six Great White Egrets and a Raven.

At Summer Leys LNR the original Glossy Ibis remained and again provided excellent views, a Ruff was present and there was a significant build-up of Swallows and House Martins.

Four Whinchats and the Hen Harrier were seen in the vicinity of 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and two Whinchats were in hedging at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Another Whinchat was at the New Workings South section of Earls Barton Pits and Abington Park, Northampton again provided a fly-over Osprey and a Raven.

At least two Crossbills were at Wakerley Wood this morning, west of the car park, a Grey Wagtail was near Kelmarsh and the last two early mornings have been good for the first significant Meadow Pipit passage over the county as they filter their way from the moors to Iberia.

Regards

Neil M

Yellow Wagtails at Linford LNR
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Whinchat at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell
today courtesy of David Smith.

Glossy Ibis today at Summer Leys
LNR courtesy of John Tilly.

A beautiful September day

Hello

A glorious day of autumnal weather with warm sunshine, a gentle breeze and no rain.

Just outside the county and a Baird's Sandpiper at Eyebrook Reservoir was a good find today, and where there was also a Garganey.

Summer Leys LNR continues to provide for a Glossy Ibis which again showed well at times and the Bittern which was far more reclusive! Both birds regularly visit the scrape. Four Greenshanks were also present today.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today included a Wheatear, two Ospreys, a Hobby, three Black-tailed Godwits, three Ruff, at least two Greenshanks and four Green Sandpipers.

Birds utilising Naseby Reservoir were the Caspian Gull again, a Greenshank, two Common Sandpipers and two Spotted Flycatchers with a Wheatear and a Little Ringed Plover at Hollowell Reservoir.

Little Owls were recorded at Newton Bromswold and Hanging Houghton (where also a Grey Wagtail) and five or six Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall.

The Hen Harrier and two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and birds near shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton were a Common Redstart, a Wheatear, eight Yellow Wagtails and four Whinchats. Clouded Yellows were there enjoying the sunshine.

Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits today provided some good birds with a Cattle Egret, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff, two Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper. A Wheatear was nearby at Elinor Lake. Three Cattle Egrets were at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits this afternoon.

A mixture of birds at Stanford Reservoir included the Ruddy Shelduck still, a Bittern, a Tree Pipit, five Siskins, three Common Sandpipers and the ringers there caught and ringed three Grasshopper Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Box Bug courtesy of
Jim Dunkley.

Hoverfly Volucella inanis courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Hoverfly Volucella zonaria courtesy
of Jim Dunkley.

Cormorant.

Female Siskin.

Male Siskin.

Siskin images courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Hobby courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Autumn's rain and sunny periods

Hello

A very wet morning and some regular showers interspersed with warm sunshine for the remainder kept our eyes to the horizon to see what was next! The wind veered to the west this afternoon so we will see if that makes a difference.

The Glossy Ibis and Bittern were the two quality birds at Summer Leys LNR again today, the ibis seemingly part of a small scale influx into the country, no doubt assisted with the southerly winds of the last few days. Other birds there were a Marsh Harrier, six Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers plus the Ruff and Ringed Plover.

The Hen Harrier was again in the Brampton Valley between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke, seen in the general vicinity of 'shrike hedge' and Gamboro' Plantation. Two Common Redstarts enjoyed the periods of sunshine at nearby Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

At Pitsford Reservoir an Osprey was seen with a fish at the south end of the reservoir this afternoon where also three Ravens, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Hobby. North of the causeway this morning and waders persisted with two Ruff, four Black-tailed Godwits, nine Greenshanks, six Green Sandpipers and at least four Common Snipe. The Black Tern was also still present.

Ospreys away from usual haunts included one flying over Abington Park, Northampton early this afternoon heading west and one over Mears Ashby this morning heading towards Sywell Country Park.

More reservoir birds included a Wheatear and three Common Sandpipers at Hollowell (early morning) and the Caspian Gull (which flew north), a Greenshank, two Green Sandpipers and four Common Sandpipers at Naseby (this afternoon). Stanford hosted a Marsh Harrier, a male Common Redstart, five Ruff which flew off, the female Ruddy Shelduck again plus three Common Sandpipers and ten Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

Hummingbird Hawk-moth
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Red-legged (Forest) Shield-bug
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Starling courtesy of John Tilly.

A local brood of three Ospreys.
 Mixed success up and down the country
but at least one successful pair
in the county this year (location
and photographer details withheld).

Ibis, Bittern and more waders

Hello

Quite a wet day as September tries to catch up with the paucity of rain during the summer.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR and at times showing again in front of the Paul Britten hide. The Bittern was seen around the scrape again too.

At Pitsford Reservoir today birds north of the causeway were five Great White Egrets, nine Greenshanks, four Black-tailed Godwits, three Ruff, eight Ringed Plovers, two Green Sandpipers, a juvenile Black Tern, two Yellow-legged Gulls and two Hobbies. At least two other Yellow-legged Gulls were at the south-end of the reservoir.

Two Wheatears and a Common Sandpiper were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning and a female Hen Harrier was hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, generally around shrike hedge and nearby fields this morning. Twelve Yellow Wagtails were in the cultivated bean field there this evening.

A Bittern was again seen at Stortons Pits this afternoon and waders located on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits at differing times of the day included twelve Common Redshanks, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover and five Knot.

A Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were at Daventry Country Park and Stanford Reservoir hosted a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, a juvenile Little Gull, a Marsh Harrier, the wandering female Ruddy Shelduck, five Common Sandpipers, a Wheatear and two Siskins flying over.

Regards

Neil M

Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys LNR
today courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Red Admiral.

Common Blue.

Small Copper.

An hour's warm sunshine yesterday
morning at Ditchford Pits was enough
to bring the above three butterflies out
in view.

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.