Smew and friends

Hello

A Brambling was with Chaffinches at Scotland Wood this morning and two Woodcock were flushed from the Brampton Valley Way between Hanging Houghton and Draughton where there were also about fifteen Bramblings.

Plenty of Redwings and Fieldfares remain at Harrington Airfield today together with some twenty-five Bramblings and a Woodcock. Efforts will be made to ring some of these thrushes over the week-end when general access to the bunker and old airstrip areas will be restricted for safety reasons.

Two drake Smew were found in the Holcot Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and were in situ for much of the day and visible from the Goosander Hide. Other birds included the Wood Sandpiper again with a Green Sandpiper in the Scaldwell Bay, at least six Great White Egrets, at least ten Pintail, the adult Yellow-legged Gull, a couple of Grey Wagtails and a couple of Siskins.

Birds prominent at Lamport Hall today included a Grey Wagtail, c50 Siskins, a dozen Bramblings and a Woodcock with Sywell Country Park hosting a pair of Stonechat, two Cetti's Warblers, one or two Water Rail(s), two Grey Wagtails, a Green Sandpiper, over five hundred Golden Plovers in adjacent fields, c80 Siskins and over fifteen Bramblings.

At Summer Leys LNR an Otter was on show for a while this morning and the Water Pipit and a Black-tailed Godwit were present, the former on the scrape. Not far away three Cattle Egrets were in horse paddocks north east of Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits this afternoon and subsequently roosted on one of the islands on the lake.

At Stanford Reservoir a Marsh Harrier flew over and other birds included thirteen Goosanders, a Chiffchaff and a Kingfisher. Wintering Blackcaps have been in Spratton and Scaldwell gardens the last few days.

Regards

Neil M

The fabulous drake Smew
at Pitsford Reservoir today,
courtesy of Bethan Clyne.

Blackcap.

Cattle Egret.

Wood Sandpiper.

Thirty years ago no-one would have 
believed that the above three species could
be seen in one day in December in the county!

Peregrines, Woodcock and Bramblings.

Hello

Early morning birding at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning provided the usual Barn Owl, two Woodcock and half a dozen Bramblings.

A pair of Peregrine were showing very well in winter sunshine on the church in the centre of Market Harborough this morning. Remnants of discarded prey items included a Woodcock, a Starling and what may have been a Snipe. A Grey Wagtail was present too (but very much alive and kicking)!

The Water Pipit showed on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR again this morning and about twenty or so Bramblings were still present at Harrington Airfield in the hawthorn bushes near the bunkers.

Birds on show in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon included five or more Great White Egrets, at least ten Pintail, the usual drake Mandarin Duck, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, and a Brambling. Finishing touches are still required to finish off the new viewing area and screen in the Scaldwell Bay which has been designed for watching and photographing Kingfishers and other water birds. As if to seal the approval and construction, a Kingfisher was seen to come in and try and land on one of the added perches! Bramblings were also present in a finch flock on the track running down to the Walgrave Bay from the Holcot to Walgrave road.

Late this afternoon a small flock of Pink-footed Geese flew south during the cover of darkness along the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton towards Brixworth. There was a Barn Owl and a Little Owl and a Woodcock in a different place at Blueberry Farm this afternoon and about half a dozen Bramblings were near the large barn in the Brampton Valley below HH.

Long-staying birds just north of the border at Eyebrook Reservoir include a Ring-necked Duck, a Scaup and a Smew.

Regards

Neil M

Remnants of a Woodcock
at Market Harborough
courtesy of Fiona Barclay.

Brambling at Harrington Airfield
today. There are still plenty about
in the county.

December moods

Hello

Another day of volatile and initially wet weather doesn't make finding wildlife that easy!

A Water Pipit was again seen on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon and two Stonechats were at Upton Country Park.

Two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and a Jay was a rare visitor to our garden today. Small numbers of Bramblings continue to roost in hedging behind the large barn in the valley but it's mostly Chaffinches that are coming to the seed put down there.

At least twenty Bramblings were at Harrington Airfield today and there were still good numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares present. Ringing sessions targeting the migrant thrushes are planned for this site on both Saturday and Sunday and access to the bunker areas and the old airstrip will be restricted during this time (access to the concrete track is unaffected).

Regards

Neil M

Smeagol. He might have 
severe arthritis but nothing
stops him playing with a tennis ball!

Sunset near Scotland Wood
courtesy of Lynne Barnett. 
Typical of our current environment,
the natural beauty of our world
marred with fly-tipping!

Images from France

Little Egret.

Hello

A thoroughly miserable day of weather today after a cold night but not such challenging stormy conditions as the north of the country. 

Small numbers of Bramblings (c25) were present at Harrington Airfield today and a Woodcock was flushed between the chippings compound and Bunker One with two more flushed near the museum. A Barn Owl was hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and about thirty Bramblings were along the Brampton Valley Way between Draughton and Lamport Crossings.

Myself and Dave Jackson are just back from a short Naturetrek tour in the south of  France spending time in the Camargue and Les Alpilles limestone hills, and the following image are courtesy of Dave from this five day break.

Regards

Neil M

White Stork.

Wallcreeper.

Greater Flamingo

Sardinian Warbler.

Citril Finch.

All images courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

 Despite two very busy days I have managed to snatch some short periods of birding albeit at Harrington Airfield and Blueberry.  Yesterday the bushes at Harrington Airfield were absolutely heaving with Fieldfares and Redwings. There were hundreds of these winter thrushes and the sound of their chattering was quite deafening and the sight of so many was amazing.  Also joining in were large numbers of Bramblings and I estimated about 200 birds,  again quite an incredible sight and sound.                                                    However today's visit was so different,  far less birds and very quiet.  It would seem that there was an attempt at Hare coursing although not witnessed by myself which may have disturbed the birds.                                                                                                                                A Merlin has been seen on a couple of occasions. 

Nearby at Pitsford Reservoir the Wood Sandpiper remains in the Scaldwell Bay along with a  Green Sandpiper, Red Crested Pochards, Goosander and Great White Egrets.      

Ducks, a few waders, egrets and a Water Pipit.

Hello

A breezy day with showers and rather mild provided a few birds locally.

Pitsford Reservoir hung on to some of the regular birds but the Wood Sandpiper wasn't seen (it can be elusive). The goose flocks still contained the Barnacle Goose and drake Mandarin Duck and other birds north of the causeway included nine Great White Egrets, thirteen Red-crested Pochard, thirteen Pintail, a Green Sandpiper, a Redshank, a Dunlin, two Ravens and two Bramblings. Two Sparrowhawks quickly caught avian prey almost simultaneously at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station this morning.

A Water Pipit on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR was a good find today; in recent years it has been difficult finding one in the county that has stayed put.

Five Cattle Egrets were again in a field between Brightwells Farm, Irthlingborough and the Lakes and Meadows reserve and six Goosanders were further west on the same Ditchford Pits complex.

A Barn Owl was hunting at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning with a scattering of Bramblings there and in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Shoveler.

Pintail.

Lapwing.

Winter begins tomorrow

Hello

The topsy turvy weather continues with a mild and breezy day but cooler conditions are again around the corner.

With two days outside ringing I spent much of today catching up on admin etc but a wander up to Harrington Airfield this afternoon initially didn't find much in the way of the birds. The big numbers of thrushes were scoffing the hawthorn berries at the far north end of the complex and a large flock of about ninety Bramblings flew in from the west and their calls echoed out from the bushes, particularly the nasal calls of the males. 

Birds in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir included the Wood Sandpiper still plus at least four Great White Egrets, thirteen Red-crested Pochard and eight Pintail. A Green Sandpiper and a pair of Stonechats were at Upton Country Park this afternoon.

Two Great White Egrets were noted at Thrapston Pits today but there was no sign of any Cattle Egrets at Ringstead Pits this afternoon. A pair of Blackcaps were seen in Hollowell village and a pair of Ravens remain visitors to the village here at Hanging Houghton.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Great White Egret, an Egyptian Goose, a Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and a Chiffchaff.

Regards

Neil M

Yellowhammer.

The humble Robin
holds territory throughout
the year, albeit that the 
winter territories might be temporary.

Red-crested Pochards.

Birds of Harrington Airfield.

Hello

The wintry conditions from yesterday persisted overnight into this morning and then dissipated during the course of the afternoon. In many respects it provided the ideal opportunity for ringing thrushes at Harrington Airfield and this is what a small team completed today. Hundreds of Redwings and good numbers of Fieldfares were swirling around yesterday afternoon and again today and we caught and processed six handsome Fieldfares, forty-five Redwings (surely one of the ultimate migrants), a Song Thrush and ten Blackbirds. Most of these birds will have emanated from northern or north-east Europe and were taking advantage of the plentiful hawthorn berries locally before moving on in typical nomadic style. Smaller birds included twelve Bramblings, a couple of Chaffinches and Goldfinches and five Greenfinches and six Yellowhammers.

All these birds were a fraction of the birds present with a mobile flock of Bramblings this morning for a short time estimated at one hundred and seventy birds and with small numbers present in the bushes all the time we were up there. Redwings numbered up to four hundred and at one stage early this afternoon there was a similar number of Fieldfares. A Golden Plover and a few Siskins were heard calling at dawn but the best birds came later with three very vocal Hawfinches that flew low over the disused airfield heading west at 8.55am and a very vocal and low-flying Water Pipit that cut across the fields heading north-east at 9.20am.

Over at Stanford Reservoir the ringers on-site identified a big influx of Chaffinches and caught and ringed many of them plus a Brambling, again no doubt migrants from the continent. Other birds noted there included two more Bramblings, c20 Siskins, a Chiffchaff, a Kingfisher, four Ravens, a Water Rail, an Egyptian Goose, four Great White Egrets and an impressive 172 Great Black-backed Gulls in the roost. 

In the Nene Valley today there were five Cattle Egrets between Irthlingborough and the Lakes and Meadow complex with a Great White Egret on Higham Lakes and two Great White Egrets at Summer Leys LNR. Stanwick Pits attracted three more Great White Egrets, about fifteen Little Egrets and a flock of Siskins around the feeding station. The long-staying Dark-bellied Brent Goose was still at Clifford Hill Pits plus a Great White Egret, a Stonechat and a Snipe.

The Pink-footed Goose was still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today with a Great White Egret, a Snipe and four Stonechats at Hollowell Reservoir. Approximately twenty Bramblings were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and small numbers were flying around and vocal in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton again, with two Ravens in the village again.

Regards

Neil M

Redwing.

Fieldfare.

Brambling.

Images courtesy of
Bethan Clyne.

Ringing at Kelmarsh Hall

Hello

A ringing session at Kelmarsh Hall today recorded one hundred and fifty captures and provides an insight into how many birds are attracted to the feeding station there. Most birds were newly ringed and first year Blue Tits predominated but three Coal Tits, nine Long-tailed Tits, two Marsh Tits and eighteen Great Tits were also processed. The habitat attracts many woodland birds and we caught two new Nuthatches and three Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Jay too. A few finches attracted to the feedstuff included a Bullfinch, three Chaffinches, four Goldfinches and two Siskins.

Other birds noted on-site included a vocal Kingfisher, a pair of Raven, a Brambling and up to twenty further Siskins.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included the Wood Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, a Dunlin, ten Great White Egrets, fifteen Red-crested Pochard and ten plus Pintail north of the causeway with two female/immature Common Scoters south of the causeway. 

An initial scan over Boddington Reservoir failed to locate a Common Scoter or the Pale-bellied Brent Goose this morning in icy conditions. Stuart attracted a male Blackcap on apples in his Duston garden.

The Dark-bellied Brent Goose was again at Clifford Hill Pits today plus two Great White Egrets and thirteen Golden Plovers. Birds at Thrapston Pits included six Great White Egrets and a pair of Stonechats.

The Brambling flock appears to have increased again at Harrington Airfield to over fifty birds this afternoon, a Woodcock flushed up and a Peregrine was harrying the Fieldfares there. Tomorrow (Monday) there is likely to be a ringing session around the bushes and bunkers in the morning and this area will have restricted access during that time but the concrete track and main footpath is unaffected.

Regards

Neil M

Jay.

Siskin.

Nuthatch courtesy
of John Tilly.

Snow, rain, wind...and birds!

Hello

It was a case of walking into the headwind and snow showers as I stalked over Harrington Airfield this morning to feed the birds. Good numbers of Chaffinches also carried small numbers of other finches and up to twenty-five Bramblings and the bushes were full of thrushes with about three hundred Redwings and over a hundred Fieldfares with much smaller numbers of Song Thrushes and Blackbirds. A small flock of fourteen Golden Plovers were also present.

About ten Bramblings were blown around on top of Blueberry Hill and a covey of four Grey Partridges were there too. Single Grey Wagtails were noted at Lamport and Brixworth.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir included a Curlew flying south over the dam, the adult Yellow-legged Gull on a buoy there and singles of Redpoll and Siskin. The Scaldwell Bay contained eleven Great White Egrets, sixteen Pintail and eighteen Red-crested Pochard.

Hollowell Reservoir this afternoon held two Great White Egrets and five Little Egrets and a Pink-footed Goose was with the Greylag flock at nearby Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was found at Boddington Reservoir today and I believe is the first time this race has occurred in the county. A Common Scoter was there too and yesterday a Caspian Gull and four Yellow-legged Gulls were also seen.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Pink-footed Goose, two Egyptian Geese, a Peregrine, a Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, a Cetti's Warbler and a Siskin.

In the Nene Valley there were two Jack Snipe at Thrapston Pits on the Titchmarsh reserve and at Summer Leys there was a Ruff, a Dunlin, a pair of Pintail and a Great White Egret.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gull.

Little Egret.

Cormorant.

Wood Sandpiper and
 Green Sandpiper.

All images from Pitsford Reservoir
from last week courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Storm Arwen on it's way

Hello

Harrington Airfield was our first venue this morning and about thirty Bramblings were still present and coming down for mixed seed. Winter thrushes included c300 Redwings and 180 Fieldfares and there were at least forty Yellowhammers on-site plus a few Siskins, ninety Golden Plovers and a covey of nine Grey Partridges.

A few Siskins were calling at Scotland Wood and Kelmarsh Hall this morning and a Barn Owl was again hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and there were hundreds of Fieldfares feeding on the valley fields following today's showers.

At Pitsford Reservoir the Wood Sandpiper was still present in the Scaldwell Bay early this morning and other birds noted included a Green Sandpiper, six Great White Egrets, fifteen Red-crested Pochard, nine Pintail, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Siskin. A flock of about twenty Bramblings were in trees next to the Sailing Club this afternoon, some birds showing interest in the suspended feeders there.

Windy, cold and wintry weather conditions are forecast for tomorrow so we'll see what that produces!

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite carrying a firework|
Image courtesy of Don West.

Kingfisher.

Drake Tufted Duck. With the
'aytha' ducks just concluding
their annual moult it now becomes
a little easier to pick out different
species in amongst them!

Sightings, Swifts and Ringing

Hello

A walk up to the summit of Blueberry Hill above Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning provided fifty Bramblings feeding on a strip of wild bird cover and a couple of Woodcock. Bramblings were still present at Harrington Airfield today but a number was not estimated.

The long-stayers at Pitsford Reservoir today included a Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, eighteen Great White Egrets, eighteen Pintail, fourteen Red-crested Pochard and a Yellow-legged Gull, most of these birds centred around the Scaldwell Bay.

The Dark-bellied Brent Goose was again at Clifford Hill Pits today and Martin estimated the numbers of Red Kites at the Laxton pre-roost gathering to be about two hundred and fifty birds this afternoon!

If anyone fancies a quick trip across the border the long-staying Ring-necked Duck remains at Eyebrook Reservoir (Rutland) today with three Scaup and a Smew there too.

Touching base with local naturalist John Hunt who works tirelessly trying to create nesting opportunities and monitor breeding Swifts in the village of Spratton, it transpires that one of his nest box pairs of Swifts was still feeding young in the nest into September with the nestlings fledging on 11th/12th September and the adults hanging around for a few days before fleeing south. This is much later than generally associated with our local breeding population with many leaving by the end of July and just a few stragglers during August. I wonder how many local birders saw Swifts flying in September or expected to see them!

The Bird Ringing Tab or Page has been updated today to incorporate a short report and maps/images from Nick Wood the Northants Ringing Group Secretary.

Regards

Neil M

Swift courtesy of
Lewis Aaron.

With plummeting temperatures
and natural invertebrate food now at a
premium, our garden has an invasion
of Blue Tits!

A new addition to the 
garden in recent days
is this Red-legged Partridge!

Winter weather birds.

Hello

Yesterday's (Tuesday) foray to Harrington Airfield yielded c200 Bramblings, c25 Golden Plovers, a Redpoll, a few Siskins and four Woodcock.

At Stanwick Pits two Cattle Egrets were seen in flight over the complex and c100 Pied Wagtails was a decent-sized roost or pre-roost around the Visitors Centre.

The Dark-bellied Brent Goose was again at Clifford Hill Pits plus two Goosanders, two Ravens and a Ring-necked Parakeet. The two Smew were still at Ringstead Pits.

Today (Wednesday) and the Brent Goose was still at Clifford Hill Pits but the Smew were not to be found at Ringstead Pits but there were five Cattle Egrets and a Great White Egret there. Twelve Goosanders at Sulby Reservoir today was a good early winter count. Again a Caspian Gull was seen for a short time at Hollowell Reservoir and the regular Barn Owl has continued to show the last few afternoons in the Brampton Valley Way below Hanging Houghton.

At Harrington Airfield today the Brambling flock seemed to be much-reduced to about seventy birds (six birds caught and ringed), and there were c50 Golden Plovers but the only visible migration seemed to be restricted to winter thrushes and Starlings.

Regards

Neil M

Pied Wagtail courtesy
of John Tilly.

Brambling today at Harrington
Airfield courtesy of Lewis Aaron.

Goosander.

The wonderful Red Kite

Hello

Perhaps not surprisingly my first venue of choice this morning was Harrington Airfield with another bucket of mixed seed. A large number of finches were again present but well spread and difficult to count but there were a minimum of two hundred mobile and noisy Bramblings which at times showed very closely in the hawthorns. Good numbers of Greenfinches, Linnets and Chaffinches were also present with smaller numbers of Goldfinches and Siskins. Not surprisingly plenty of birders were on-site today to see the spectacle and a Ring Ouzel was reported amongst the plentiful winter thrushes. Please note that a period of bird ringing is planned for the bunker area on Wednesday this week and access will be restricted - the concrete track will be unaffected.

My next venue was East Carlton Country Park which was full of autumn colour and standard birds included Raven, Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Grey Wagtail and Siskin.

On next to the Welland Valley and below Cottingham the more interesting birds in this under-watched valley included three Egyptian Geese, two Little Egrets and plenty of Red Kites, corvids and winter thrushes. Gretton Weir was quieter and the lack of recent rains means the valley is currently very dry and with no standing water. Another twenty Red Kites were gleaning the valley fields between Harringworth and Wakerley and the car park at Wakerley Wood seemed very quiet with just several vocal Siskins of note.

Fineshade Top Lodge attracted plenty of common birds plus a Grey Wagtail, a Redpoll, a Brambling and a few Siskins and Blatherwycke Lake just down the road held two Kingfishers, four Little Egrets, two Black Swans, forty Mandarin Ducks, four Egyptian Geese and more Siskins. A quick scan over Deene Lake provided two Shelduck.

My last venue was Laxton village and the traditional Red Kite gathering and roost. A sizeable flock of finches here contained an unknown number of Bramblings late afternoon but the Red Kites are the main attraction here with about a hundred birds gathered together (this number should increase as the winter progresses). These amazing raptors interact with each other right overhead and the noise is almost deafening!

Small numbers of Brambling were at Blueberry Farm this morning and a Barn Owl was again hunting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Four Bramblings were feeding in our garden this afternoon.

The Pink-footed Goose had moved from Hollowell to Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and a Great White Egret was also at Ravensthorpe. Birds for Hollowell Reservoir included a Caspian Gull, three Great White Egrets and two Stonechats.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there were two Stonechats below the dam and north of the causeway birds included the Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, thirteen Pintail, fourteen Red-crested Pochard, seventeen Great White Egrets and a Yellow-legged Gull.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Caspian Gull, an Egyptian Goose, seven Goosanders and a Pintail and the two Smew remain at Ringstead Pits on Brightwells Lake.

Regards

Neil M

East Carlton Country Park.

There are several examples
of European Spindle Tree at
East Carlton CP.

The Welland Valley 
below Cottingham.

Common Buzzard.

Red Kites.
All images taken today.