Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

The Pitsford Reservoir WeBS count today was a rather cold affair but at least it was dry! The long-staying juvenile Great Northern Diver was still in the Narrows south of the causeway but this area of the reservoir remains very quiet for birds as it has been all winter. 

On arrival at the reservoir an Osprey was north of the causeway and attracting attention from gulls and corvids and eventually drifted out of the back of the Scaldwell Bay. Interestingly the famous female Osprey (Maya) from Rutland Water arrived at her nest in Manton Bay for the first time this year at 9.50am, seventy-five minutes later after the bird at Pitsford disappeared. However one of the birds of a more locally breeding pair was found at it's nest this afternoon so the identity of the Pitsford bird will remain a mystery!

Other birds north of the causeway included about seventy Common Snipe, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, six Great White Egrets, a Kingfisher and a few Siskins. Three sizeable flocks of Redwings were sub-singing in the plantations and there were at least twenty-two active Cormorant nests and ten active Grey Heron nests.

Fifty Yellowhammers were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and a female Sparrowhawk tried to take a Jackdaw in our garden this afternoon but thought better of it after the Jackdaw flock plus a couple of angry Carrion Crows swirled around over the scene and the Jackdaw was released. Probably the same Sparrowhawk is responsible for taking out three Blackbirds in our garden during the last two weeks but she tried something bigger today!

The Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Stanford Reservoir attracted a Great White Egret, two Oystercatchers, two Goosanders and two Kingfishers.

Mark's regular visits to Ravensthorpe and Hollowell Reservoirs paid off today with an unprecedented visit of four adult Caspian Gulls to Ravensthorpe Reservoir (possibly two pairs) and the two White-fronted Geese were still present as was a Brambling. Mark's subsequent visit to Hollowell Reservoir yielded a Bittern which flew to the back of the Guilsborough Bay plus a Jack Snipe.

Two Oystercatchers were at the Whiston Wetlands area plus two Green Sandpipers, a Redshank and a Shelduck.

The drake Smew and a Cattle Egret were at Clifford Hill Pits and a Scaup was noted at Summer Leys LNR and a Ruff and two Little Ringed Plovers were there this evening. Three adult White-fronted Geese were on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits and the potential hybrid Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck was also seen. A Marsh Harrier was at Stanwick Pits today.

It seems that the White-tailed Eagle that was in the county last week ended up in West Sussex.

Regards

Neil M

Osprey.

Little Ringed Plover.

Wren.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Another cold week-end!

Hello

Another cold night followed by a frosty morning and a cool day with some sunshine and cloud. No real change in the birds locally it seems and we still retain many of the long-term winterers.

Two vocal Hawfinches remain in Cottesbrooke village just to the east of the church in Main Street, two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and two Grey Wagtails, a Raven and displaying Lapwing were in the valley below Brixworth.

The Great Northern Diver was still at Pitsford Reservoir patrolling between Pintail Bay and the causeway and a Jack Snipe was seen too.

The Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and birds at Stanford Reservoir included two Great White Egrets, twelve Common Snipe, a Water Rail, a Goosander, two Oystercatchers, a Raven, a Cetti's Warbler and three Lesser Redpolls.

The drake Smew and the Cattle Egret were still at Clifford Hill Pits today where also three Little Ringed Plovers and Grey Partridge(s). Five White-fronted Geese were at Whiston Wetlands still where there was also a Red-crested Pochard and two Little Ringed Plovers. A Sand Martin flew west at Summer Leys LNR and the Richard's Pipit remains near Newport Pagnell.

Regards

Neil M

Adult female
Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Sean Gower.

Adult Redwing courtesy
of Sean Gower.

Goldcrest courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Coot courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Longer days but still cool temperatures

Hello

The Nene Valley continues to be the feature in the county that attracts many of the birds of interest currently.

Clifford Hill Pits still had it's drake Smew and a Cattle Egret today, Summer Leys was still the venue for the Glossy Ibis and two Cattle Egrets were again in flight at Stanwick Pits early morning.

The Whiston Wetlands area hosted a Red-crested Pochard on the river still and four White-fronted Geese and two Pink-footed Geese and three White-fronted Geese were at Thrapston Pits where a possible Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck hybrid was noted and a Bittern was reportedly seen.

The long-staying Scaup and Cattle Egret were still at Blatherwycke Lake, a pair of Ravens, a Siskin and one or two Kingfisher(s) were in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

A Slavonian Grebe was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and Stanford Reservoir's birds included two Great White Egrets still, two Oystercatchers, three Goosanders, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher and two Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Kestrel courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Blue Tit courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Little Owl courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Grey Heron with Pike prey
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Mid-March birds

Hello

Reservoir birding at Ravensthorpe provided the two White-fronted Geese and nearby at Hollowell Reservoir there was a second calendar year Mediterranean Gull, two Jack Snipe and a Water Rail. At least two Great White Egrets were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir and two Yellow-legged Gulls were off the dam late this afternoon.

A singing Blackcap was at Woodford Halse, Steve still has two Lesser Redpolls on his garden feeders at Brixworth and several gardens report Reed Buntings and we still have three Yellowhammers coming to our garden. 

The Glossy Ibis was by Wollaston Weir at Earls Barton Pits and Common Snipe on the Summer Leys LNR reached twenty-eight. The drake Smew and a Cattle Egret remain at Clifford Hill Pits and seven White-fronted Geese and a Pink-footed Goose were still at Whiston Wetlands between Cogenhoe and Earls Barton.

Birds at Thrapston Pits included the drake Ring-necked Duck on the Heronry Lake on the Titchmarsh reserve, three White-fronted Geese, four Egyptian Geese, two Oystercatchers, a Water Rail, two Grey Wagtails, a Redshank, two Sand Martins and with plenty of Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers.

Two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and the two Barn Owls were again in the valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Meadow Pipit courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Goldeneye courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Sunshine and hail showers

Hello

Today was very much a day of visiting feeding stations and beginning the preparation for a ringing session on Saturday. For the most part the day was cool but pleasant with some sunshine and a succession of hail showers this afternoon.

Stanford Reservoir hosted two Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers, two Kingfishers, a Goosander and a Cetti's Warbler and a Slavonian Grebe was logged at Eyebrook Reservoir. Not too far away and two Ospreys were back at Rutland Water, both using the well-known Manton Bay nest platform at different times of the day.

White-fronted Geese have been a welcome feature during the winter and as we advance into spring there were still two at Ravensthorpe Reservoir, at least five in the Nene Valley below Cogenhoe and east of Cogenhoe Mill (plus four Egyptian Geese) and three were at Titchmarsh Reserve, Thrapston Pits.

Also in the Nene Valley, two Cattle Egrets were seen in flight at Stanwick Pits and the drake Smew was still at Clifford Hill Pits. Two Goosanders were at Higham Lock.

Hollowell Reservoir was visited by a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier this morning and subsequent birds were a Sand Martin flying north, a Jack Snipe and two Common Snipe.

Over a hundred Golden Plovers and a pair of Grey Partridge and about forty Yellowhammers were at Harrington Airfield this afternoon. A Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh Hall and a Siskin was at Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir. A Raven was in Hanging Houghton village and two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below the village this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Peacock butterfly after
wintering as an adult.

Barn Owl.

Black-headed Gull - most 
of the adults are now depicting
their summer plumage brown faces.

Birds of the cool northerly air

Hello

Another day of cold air, at times a lively northerly breeze and showers this afternoon, some wintery.

A bit of a lag in GPS data but it transpires that the White-tailed Eagle of the last couple of days spent another full day in the county yesterday. After flying from Church Brampton the data indicates that the bird flew over Kingsthorpe and Northampton early morning, over Billing Pits to the east of Brackmills and then flew south-east before arriving at Yardley Chase where it remained for much of the day. Data tracking has yet to tell us where it was today!

At Yardley Chase today a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was calling and drumming and another was heard calling at Pitsford Reservoir where this morning there were three Great White Egrets, a Raven and an adult Yellow-legged Gull all north of the causeway. There were at least four Yellow-legged Gulls in the roost off the dam this evening (two adults).

At Stanwick Pits a Marsh Harrier flew from the main reedbed at dawn and Clifford Hill Pits was still the venue for a drake Smew, a Cattle Egret, three Ringed Plovers, three Little Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today were two Great White Egrets, three Oystercatchers, a Goosander, a Barn Owl and two Common Snipe.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were two Barn Owls, two Peregrines, two Green Sandpipers and two Grey Wagtails. At least one Raven was in the village.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Teal courtesy of
Jonathan Pitt.

Tufted Duck courtesy
of John Tilly.

Barn Owl courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Cool northerly but migrants still

Hello

GPS tracking identified that the White-tailed Eagle from yesterday roosted near Church Brampton and was detected at first light before flying south again...it's current whereabouts is unknown!

At Pitsford Reservoir the wintering Great Northern Diver was seen a couple of times just south of the dam today and this evening's gull roost contained a corking adult summer plumage Mediterranean Gull and three Yellow-legged Gulls.

There was a Raven and a Grey Wagtail in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and this was day two of quite a significant winter thrush movement as Redwings and Fieldfares power their way north into the headwind. Wagtails, finches and Meadow Pipits are also moving over during daylight hours and Coots and Moorhens have been vocal for some weeks as they pass over at night.

At Stanwick Pits today a Marsh Harrier and two Cattle Egrets moved over the complex early this morning and the drake Ring-necked Duck was again on the Titchmarsh Reserve on Heronry Lake. Summer Leys LNR hung on to it's Glossy Ibis and there were three Great White Egrets and at least twenty-eight Common Snipe present.

The drake Smew was again at Clifford Hill Pits today.

Stanford Reservoir today attracted three Sand Martins, two Great White Egrets, a Goosander, two Oystercatchers and two Kingfishers. A Goosander was at Harlestone Lake.

Regards

Neil M

Chiffchaff.

Rook.

Great Tit courtesy
of John Tilly.

Great White Egret
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Little Egret courtesy
of John Tilly.

Eagle on the loose

Hello

Some excitement today as it transpires that the White-tailed Eagle that was at Rutland Water yesterday was GPS tracked in Northamptonshire as it headed south. The initial tracking provided a location of Hollowell Reservoir at about 12.32pm. It now seems that the eagle was in flight and didn't linger and then overflew nearby Ravensthorpe Reservoir before moving further south and could still be local.

Earlier birds at Hollowell Reservoir were four Jack Snipe and two Common Snipe and latterly two Great White Egrets and two Kingfishers. The two White-fronted Geese were still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning and a Shelduck was there this afternoon.

Elsewhere and the favourites of the Summer Leys LNR Glossy Ibis and the Titchmarsh reserve Ring-necked Duck were still present today. Also two Hawfinches showed rather nicely in Cottesbrooke village this morning at and near the Old Rectory which is just east of the church in Main Street.

Six Siskins were at Scotland Wood, a Grey Wagtail was at Kelmarsh Hall and single Ravens were in Brixworth and Cottesbrooke villages.

Clifford Hill Pits still hung on to the Cattle Egret and drake Smew and a Little Ringed Plover and a Sand Martin flew through Eyebrook Reservoir. Five Yellow-legged Gulls were in the Pitsford Reservoir gull roost this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Carrion Crow courtesy
of John Tilly.

Lesser Redpolls courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Little Ringed Plover
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Birds of sunny Sunday

Hello

Another warm, sunny day with a light breeze was perfect for more bird migration and permitted large birds to move about with comparative ease. A White-tailed Eagle found itself at Rutland Water today and was one of the Isle of Wight re-introduction scheme birds...the likelihood is that it flew over Northamptonshire air space but I'm not aware of any reports in the county. Three Common Cranes were also seen in flight at Stanford Reservoir late this morning but don't appear to have remained or been located elsewhere.

Other birds at Stanford Reservoir today included a Pink-footed Goose, two Great White Egrets, three Goosanders, a Water Rail and two Oystercatchers.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR and the drake Ring-necked Duck was again at the Titchmarsh Reserve on the Heronry Lake (Thrapston Pits complex).

At Clifford Hill Pits the Cattle Egret was in a field on the south side (with geese) and the drake Smew was still at the east end of the main barrage lake there. Other birds included a fly-through Little Ringed Plover, two Goosanders and a Great White Egret.

Just down the valley below Cogenhoe and Whiston the goose flock included seven White-fronted Geese and the drake Red-crested Pochard was on the River Nene in the same area. The New Workings provided a Ringed Plover, two Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper.

Two Hawfinches were vocal and showy in Cottesbrooke village this morning at the road T junction of Station Road and Creaton Road.

Two Ravens were at Harrington Airfield, two Grey Wagtails were at the Silverstone Brook in Towcester and in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were two Grey Wagtails, a Little Egret and two Barn Owls. Four Great White Egrets and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Canada Geese courtesy
of Jonathan Pitt.

Oystercatchers courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Pheasant courtesy of
John Tilly.

Reed Buntings courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Ringing at Kelmarsh Hall.

Hello

Some ringing in super sunshine at Kelmarsh Hall was very pleasant today, eighty-four birds were processed of thirteen species with perhaps the most noteworthy being a Grey Wagtail, three Nuthatches, two Coal Tits, a Redwing and six Goldfinches. Another two Grey Wagtails were present as was a singing Chiffchaff and at least one Raven. Butterflies included Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell. A Barn Owl was between Clipston and Kelmarsh early morning.

On the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits the drake Ring-necked Duck showed very nicely on the Heronry Lake. On the west side of Elinor Lake there was a Pink-footed Goose with a flock of Greylags.

The Glossy Ibis was again on the reserve at Summer Leys LNR and a Marsh Harrier was seen over the A45 towards the Cogenhoe/Whiston early this afternoon. The drake Smew remains on the main barrage pit at Clifford Hill Pits.

A Little Ringed Plover was at Eyebrook Reservoir today and Stanford Reservoir provided a Pink-footed Goose, two Great White Egrets, two Oystercatchers and a Barn Owl.

Two Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Gadwall courtesy
of John Tilly.

Great Crested Grebe
courtesy of John Tilly.

Nuthatches courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Adult male Chaffinch
courtesy of Michelle Spinks.

The Chiffchaffs have arrived!

Hello

Cloudier today but with weak sunshine and southerly winds which produced an extensive arrival of singing Chiffchaffs throughout the county.

Stanford Reservoir hosted a Jack Snipe again today plus two Great White Egrets, two Goosanders, four Oystercatchers and three singing Chiffchaffs.

A Jack Snipe was also at Hollowell Reservoir where there were also two Common Snipe, a Water Rail and a singing Chiffchaff.

A singing Chiffchaff, a Siskin and a Woodcock were at Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate this morning with a Siskin and two Grey Wagtails at Kelmarsh Hall.

Clifford Hill Pits today provided the drake Smew and Cattle Egret again and the Glossy Ibis and a Peregrine were at Summer Leys LNR. A Marsh Harrier and two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper and a female Stonechat were in the Nene Valley below Whiston.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was on the Heronry Lake on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits this afternoon and other birds on the complex were a Marsh Harrier, at least four Egyptian Geese, ten Great White Egrets, a Water Rail, two Oystercatchers, a Barn Owl and several singing Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers.

Our small garden at Hanging Houghton is still busy with birds which this afternoon included twelve Stock Doves, three Yellowhammers, four Reed Buntings, two fly-through Common Buzzards with a singing Chiffchaff and two Ravens nearby.

Three displaying Lapwings in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth looked and sounded fabulous but I'm not certain they will stay to breed despite how good the wetlands there look currently. A Barn Owl was in the valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

A typical Summer Leys LNR
scene with a Great White Egret,
Oystercatcher and Wigeon courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Red Fox courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Common Snipe at Summer 
Leys LNR courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

The following video clip of
a pair of Tawny Owls is
courtesy of Chris Payne
and special thanks to
SW Monitoring.

Finches on the move

Hello

Warmer conditions and more sunshine were much appreciated by all!

A wander at Harrington Airfield this morning initially looked promising with a weak northerly passage of Meadow Pipits and Siskins on arrival, but the warming conditions probably meant that any later movers were too high to be visible or audible. There were four Golden Plovers on the top fields before being disturbed by a Sparrowhawk and a Raven, with another Raven tucking into a road casualty Pheasant on the Draughton to Lamport road.

Clifford Hill Pits seemed to be the place today with an early morning Wheatear being reported plus the drake Smew still, a Little Ringed Plover, a Cattle Egret (with sheep at the western end), a Redshank, four Oystercatchers and three Goosanders.

The Nene Valley below Cogenhoe and eastwards below Whiston also provided a collection of birds of interest which included a Little Gull, seven White-fronted Geese, a Pink-footed Goose, a Red-crested Pochard and two Shelduck.

The Glossy Ibis was again at Summer Leys LNR as were two Pintail, two Great White Egrets, three Redshanks and five Common Snipe. A pair of Mandarin Ducks were at Barnwell Country Park.

A Marsh Harrier at Cransley Reservoir was a good local record and a Raven was there too. A Great White Egret was north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir and the Great Northern Diver had pushed further south and was off the valve tower at the dam, away from it's usual haunt of The Narrows.

The Brent Goose was still at Eyebrook Reservoir, the Richard's Pipit is still at Newport Pagnell and a Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

A couple of finch movements of note have been recorded by Northants Ringing Group activity as follows:-

1. A juvenile male Goldfinch was ringed at Courteenhall on 12th October 2023 and was caught again by another ringer operating at Ardeamush, Lisdoonvarna, County Clare, Ireland on 19th February this year, a distance of 579km and 496 days later when assessed as an adult male. Very much a westerly movement but where had it wandered to in the meantime?

2. A first year Lesser Redpoll was ringed at Top House Farm, Rawcliffe Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire on 30th October 2023. This bird was caught again at Greens Norton on 22nd February this year when assessed as a male, 481 days later and 169km south of where first ringed.

Regards

Neil M

Map depicting
movement of
the above Goldfinch.

Map depicting
the movement
of the above
Lesser Redpoll.

Maps courtesy of
Nick Wood.

Muntjac courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Mandarin Ducks today
at Barnwell Country Park
courtesy of Jonathan Pitt.