Wild and Windy

It has certainly been very wild and windy over the last couple of days.  Yesterday when I stopped off at the dam at Pitsford Reservoir I could barely stand up and it was impossible to hold my optics steady. There could have been anything out there!!  Infact yesterday I didn't see much at all.                                                                                                         Today I managed to connect with a Common Redstart,  6 Whinchats,  Northern Wheatear and Marsh Harrier in the area between shrike hedge and Blueberry.  I couldn't find any of these birds this afternoon on my walk round. All I could manage was a single Clouded Yellow butterfly. 

Birds reported from the last 2 days include Little Stint, Sanderling and Sandwich Tern at Boddington Reservoir and at nearby Daventry Reservoir,  Caspian Gull, Green and Common Sandpipers.  At Pitsford Reservoir the Glossy Ibis remains as well as Osprey,  Marsh Harrier,  Pintails and Red Crested Pochards.  The other Glossy Ibis continues to show well at Summer Leys plus a Marsh Harrier.   The Wood Sandpiper remains at Naseby.  Arctic and Black Tern were reported at Hollowell Reservoir and a Curlew at Stanford Reservoir. 

This evening when I went out it was like a different world as the wind had dropped completely.  Let's hope that any birds keeping their heads down or those who have been blown off course will give themselves up before the wind returns. 

Regards Eleanor 

Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Pintails courtesy
of John Tilly.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Kingfisher courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Weekend Round Up

 Yesterday I was out competing again and my journey home took me to Daventry so I took the opportunity to walk the dogs and look for birds at Borough Hill.  I had visited the previous weekend but I couldn't find anything of interest.  However it was very different yesterday as there was obviously a fall/movement of warblers,  especially Chiffchaffs which were literally everywhere!! Every bush had a calling Chiffchaff and many of the birds were also hopping around in the short grass and clambering about on weed stems.  I wasn't surprised to find at least 3 Common Redstarts.  Other birds of note were 2 Spotted Flycatchers,  Blackcaps and Whitethroats.                                                          Today was technically a "rest day" for the collies but after a 5 hour meander they may beg to differ!!! They actually enjoy being out and about simply mooching around.  We were not walking continuously but stopping and starting, looking and listening and simply enjoying being out and about.  I started at Harrington Airfield and breathed a sigh of relief when I began walking - Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Swallows were flying over, a good indication that there was some movement.  The last few visits have been extremely quiet.  My 2 hour meander produced a Common Redstart,  Northern Wheatear,  2 Whinchats and a Marsh Harrier.  A Whimbrel and 2 Golden Plovers flew over calling and there was a steady trickle of Siskins flying over.   A quick coffee stop before a 3 hour meander around shrike hedge/Blueberry area.  It was hard work to find any birds but eventually a pair of Stonechats,  2 Whinchats,  Northern Wheatear and Common Redstart gave themselves up. The most surprising bird was the appearance of the female Hen Harrier again.  It suddenly appeared in front of me before following one of the hedgerows/field edge and disappeared from view. I've absolutely no idea where this bird is spending most of its time. 

Yesterday the Glossy Ibis and Bittern were showing at Summer Leys.  The other Glossy Ibis was at Pitsford Reservoir plus a Common Redstart, Osprey and Marsh Harrier.  There were Black Terns at Ravensthorpe and Hollowell Res and at nearby Naseby Reservoir,  Ringed Plovers,  Ruff, Black Tailed Godwit, Caspian Gull,  Green and Common Sandpiper.                                                                 Today there was a Wood Sandpiper at Naseby Reservoir, 12 Black Tailed Godwits at Clifford Hill GP,  2 Common Redstarts near Harpole and at Boddington Reservoir a Little Stint, Sanderling and Caspian Gull.                                    This evening whilst most people were at home in the dry Jon was at Hollowell Reservoir enjoying the sight of 50 Arctic Terns dropping in during a heavy rain shower before they headed off south. I was also out in the rain  but all I saw were 4 wet dogs !!!

Regards Eleanor 

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

Juvenile Glossy Ibis at
Pitsford Reservoir courtesy
of David Smith.

More awards for the competing
duo of Jaeger and Rouzel.

Much the same!!

Over the past few days the same birds seem to be around.  The Glossy Ibis remains at Pitsford Reservoir along with Osprey,  Marsh Harrier,  Peregrine,  Pintail, Ruffs,  Greenshanks, Black Tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover and  Green Sandpiper .    Another Glossy Ibis remains at Summer Leys along with Marsh Harrier,  Osprey, Bittern, Ruff, Little Ringed Plovers and Common Sandpipers.             5 Whinchats,  Common Redstart,  Northern Wheatears and Marsh Harrier can still be found between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke although more difficult to locate since their favourite hedge was severely cut down. 

Today there have been a few new birds around, 6 Red Crested Pochards at Pitsford Reservoir, Wood Sandpiper at Naseby Reservoir and Black Terns at Hollowell Reservoir and Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows. 

It is always quite an exciting time of year and there is always something of interest to see.  We just need to get out and about and find it.        Have a good weekend!

Regards Eleanor 

Coot courtesy of
John Tilly.

Gadwall courtesy of
John Tilly.

Stonechat courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Small Copper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Late Summer Birding

After a busy weekend of competing, myself and the dogs have enjoyed a couple of days relaxing and spending as much time as possible walking across the fields.  They love simply mooching around and sitting down watching the world go by. The weather has been amazing and has a real Autumn feel to it. A couple of visits to Harrington Airfield and Lamport Hall produced absolutely nothing, they were both "birdless zones".   However the area around shrike hedge,  Gamboro plantation and Blueberry were busy with birds, with Whinchats,  Stonechats,  Northern Wheatears,  Common Redstart,  Yellow Wagtails,  Crossbills,  Siskins, Marsh Harrier and Golden Plovers.  On scanning around there was no shortage of raptors either enjoying the sunshine and light winds or hunting.  The female Hen Harrier was seen yesterday and today in the area. I think that she is covering quite a large area and that shrike hedge/ Gamboro is part of her circuit.                                         Unfortunately today shrike hedge has been severely flailed and may not be so attractive to the "Chats". I'm always saddened to see the hedgerows murdered in such a way especially when they are so full of seeds and berries which would help to sustain the birds and wildlife throughout the winter.

There is a good selection of other birds around in the county at the moment.  The Glossy Ibis remains at Pitsford Reservoir along with 2 Ospreys,  Peregrine,  Black Tailed Godwits,  Greenshanks, Ruff , Green Sandpipers, Pintail and Marsh Harrier.  There is another Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys .  At Boddington Reservoir there was Osprey, Ringed Plovers,  Golden Plovers,  Greenshanks,  Peregrine and Hobby.   Caspian Gulls were seen at Ravensthorpe and Naseby Reservoirs.  A Whimbrel was seen at Lilbourne Meadows and there was an interesting record of a Merlin flying over Abington Park in Northampton.                               The weather is expected to become more unsettled as the week progresses which might mean a few new birds.  

Regards Eleanor 

Wading birds at the helm

Hello

Plenty more classic September birding in the county today, and with low water levels at many of our reservoirs etc an opportunity to enjoy the wading birds.

Quality birding at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway today included the Glossy Ibis still, fifteen Greenshanks (one nearly became Peregrine prey), four Ruff, three Black-tailed Godwits, a Redshank, six Green Sandpipers, two Pintail, two Ospreys and the hunting Peregrine.

Fresh in at Daventry Country Park were two Curlew Sandpipers discovered by Gary Pullan and a Green Sandpiper was present too. These birds are at the southern end of the water, best viewed by a screen on the east bank.

The Glossy Ibis was still at Summer Leys LNR and with multiple flocks of these birds countrywide it seems likely we will have some more arrivals before long! The biggest flocks are in the south-west, Wales and also the south coast of Ireland.

A Common Sandpiper was at Sixfields Lake, an Otter was on view at Stortons Pits, a Greenshank was heard calling at the Earls Barton New Workings/Whiston Wetlands with a Whinchat at Whiston Lock. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Priors Hall Quarry Lake, Corby and Grey Partridges maintained a presence at Harrington Airfield. The four Whinchats were still in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton but the Hen Harrier wasn't reported today.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included an Osprey, a fly-through Ringed Plover, a Great White Egret, the Ruddy Shelduck still, eight Common Sandpipers, a fly-through Curlew and two Hobbies. A flock of twelve Grey Herons flew in and there was also an increase in numbers of Grey Herons at Pitsford today - suggesting migrants coming in from elsewhere.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of John Tilly.

Cormorant at Summer Leys LNR
courtesy of John Tilly.

Otter at Stortons Pits today
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Common Toad courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

A Pitsford Reservoir rainbow!

Jaeger and Rouzel have been competing at agility
the last three days and were successful!

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.