Autumn birding in full flow

Hello

Plenty of action over at Stanford Reservoir again today, the ringers having another busy day with two hundred and seventy-five birds ringed including an astonishing nineteen Grasshopper Warblers and two Common Redstarts. Other birds noted on-site included a Marsh Harrier, a Ruff, two Common Sandpipers, the Bittern again and a Hobby.

Pitsford Reservoir, and particularly the Scaldwell Bay, enjoyed plenty of attention today with multiple sightings of an Osprey, a Peregrine, a Wood Sandpiper, up to eight Greenshanks, five Ruff, four Ringed Plovers, five Common Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, a Raven, a Common Swift and seven Great White Egrets.

Naseby Reservoir was again with an adult Caspian Gull plus four Ringed Plovers, two Green Sandpipers and eight Common Sandpipers.

In the Nene Valley and Titchmarsh reserve was good for three Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Snipe and Stanwick Pits attracted a juvenile Mediterranean Gull and three Ruff (on the layby and visitor centre pits). Summer Leys LNR provided two Ruff, a Common Snipe and singles of Green and Common Sandpiper.

The Hen Harrier was active this morning, covering a relatively large area between Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and the fields in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A Whinchat and a Grey Partridge were noted near to shrike hedge.

A flock of Spotted Flycatchers remain at Lamport Hall with the true numbers difficult to count but certainly double figures. Two Common Redstarts were still present in hedging near Blueberry Farm this morning plus two Whinchats and a Wheatear in one of the large fields there.

Regards

Neil M

Stoat courtesy of
David Arden.

Kestrel courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Red Fox courtesy
of David Arden.

Lapwing courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Whinchat courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Barred Warbler

Hello

The ringers at Stanford Reservoir struck gold again this morning as the senior ringer there extracted a juvenile Barred Warbler from the nets. It was duly processed and released on The Point but wasn't reportedly seen again. This is a long-awaited addition to the Northamptonshire list and it was always predicted that it would turn up in a mist net! Images of this bird in the hand can be found at stanfordrg.blogspot.com under Sightings: 2025.

A Bittern was discovered during the subsequent search for the Barred Warbler and other birds on-site included the Ruff still and four Common Sandpipers.

Perhaps everywhere else was a little mundane in comparison but the Hen Harrier was seen early this morning in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton again, still quartering fields to the east of the track to Cottesbrooke. A Whinchat was near to 'shrike hedge' for most of the day.

Nearby three Common Redstarts in a hedge near Blueberry Farm gave the impression they had just arrived and five Hobbies remain in the general area.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning there were good numbers of House Martins and Swallows feeding over the water in the cool, breezy conditions and birds north of the causeway included a Wood Sandpiper still, three Ruff, nine Greenshanks and two Snipe plus eight Great White Egrets. Five Yellow-legged Gulls at the dam-end of the reservoir this evening were joined by five Great Black-backed Gulls and a juvenile Caspian Gull or a hybrid. A Common Sandpiper was there too.

A juvenile Arctic Tern was briefly at Naseby Reservoir this morning and more static birds were three Ringed Plovers, two Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers, eight Common Sandpipers and later an adult Caspian Gull.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier and a Common Redstart were at Harrington Airfield early this afternoon, a Ruff was at Boddington Reservoir and a Greenshank and a Green Sandpiper were at the Earls Barton New Workings on the south section.

Stanwick Pits pulled in a Marsh Harrier, a Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers and two Yellow-legged Gulls, and a Ruff and two Common Sandpipers were at Clifford Hill Pits. Birds at Summer Leys LNR included two Great White Egrets, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers and a Common Snipe.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret.

Greenfinch.

Chiffchaffs.

Above images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Harvest sunset (last week) over 
the wheat fields between Brixworth
and Hanging Houghton.

Ditchford WeBs count

Hello

Today was the wetland and waterbirds count at Ditchford Pits and we began with some distant scanning of the mitigation pit to the west of Ditchford Lane. This area attracted a Goosander, three Greenshanks and two Common Sandpipers. From where we were parked next to the private track two vocal Corn Buntings popped up and spent time in the large trees there (but were not seen later). Other birds viewable from here were ten Egyptian Geese which included three quarter grown goslings (on the Watersport Pit) and at least three Grey Partridges. Common Whitethroats were busy in the hedgerow and several Yellow Wagtails were in the stubble fields.

After this enjoyable start things became much quieter as we explored the older pits. West of Ditchford Lane and the best birds were a Hobby, an apparent White-fronted x Greylag hybrid (with 140 plus Greylags), a Water Rail, two Great White Egrets, two Common Sandpipers and three Cetti's Warblers.

East of Ditchford Lane and there was one Great White Egret, three Common Snipe, two Cetti's Warblers, three Grey Wagtails and several Willow Emerald Damselflies.

Birds noted at Summer Leys LNR included a Greenshank, two Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper and two Great White Egrets.

At Pitsford Reservoir today birds north of the causeway were an Osprey, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Wood Sandpiper, an excellent eleven Greenshanks, three Ruff, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers and a Raven.

Naseby Reservoir did well with a Sanderling (not a common bird inland in the autumn), a Ringed Plover, three Greenshanks, a Green Sandpiper, seven Common Sandpipers and a Caspian Gull.

Stanford Reservoir hosted two Black Terns, a Ringed Plover, a Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, five Common Sandpipers, a Whinchat and a Cetti's Warbler. One hundred and eighty-five birds were newly ringed which included three Common Redstarts.

Two or three Ospreys were seen at Hollowell Reservoir today, five Ravens were over Moulton village and there were at least twenty Spotted Flycatchers and a female Common Redstart at Lamport Hall.

The young female Hen Harrier was seen several times today frequenting the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and wandering up to Blueberry Farm, Maidwell, with perhaps the more sustained views being this evening in breezy conditions. At least two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Mallard.

Willow Emerald Damselfly.

Grey Heron.

Migrant Hawker.

Harriers and more waders

Hello

A juvenile female Hen Harrier was a nice surprise this morning, the bird being disturbed from a field edge just south of Blueberry Farm at 7.45am this morning. This bird showed again this afternoon between Blueberry Farm and shrike hedge and again this evening when chasing Skylarks. A Common Redstart and two Whinchats were in the general area of shrike hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton too.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the waders in the Scaldwell Bay comprised of a Wood Sandpiper, at least three Green Sandpipers, six Greenshanks, a Common Snipe and three Ruff. Seven Great White Egrets were also fishing north of the causeway and an Osprey was seen early this morning.

Hollowell Reservoir attracted a Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank and a Yellow-legged Gull, Naseby Reservoir pulled in two Caspian Gulls, four Ringed Plovers, two Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers and five Common Sandpipers.

Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls were on Town Lake at Thrapston Pits with a Little Ringed Plover and a Bittern on the Titchmarsh reserve.

Summer Leys LNR was good for a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a juvenile Ruff, a Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, three Common Snipe and two Great White Egrets.

An apparent Slavonian Grebe at Clifford Hill Pits was causing some identification issues early this morning but couldn't be found later in the day. Other birds there were a Barnacle Goose, a Ruff, a Little Ringed Plover and three Common Sandpipers.

Seven juvenile Little Gulls were at the northern end of Eyebrook Reservoir this morning and Stanford Reservoir had two Marsh Harriers (one picked up injured), two Whinchats, two Spotted Flycatchers, an Osprey, a Ruff, five Common Sandpipers and three Grasshopper Warblers which were caught and ringed.

Stanwick Pits saw an Osprey passing over early morning and a Cattle Egret on Roadside Pit.

Regards

Neil M

Marsh Harrier courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Greenshank and a Green 
Sandpiper courtesy of
Dave Jackson.

All images from Summer Leys
LNR today.

A Bittern, a Firecrest and Wood Sandpipers.

Hello

A bird ringing session at Brixworth Treatment Works today provided seventy-eight captures of eighteen species, seventy of which were newly-ringed. Thirty-seven of the birds were warblers which are very much on the move at the moment as the majority conclude breeding. Six Grey Wagtails were present there first thing.

Over at Stanford Reservoir over four hundred birds were caught and newly ringed and this total included six Grasshopper Warblers. Other birds there were a Marsh Harrier, a Whinchat, seven Spotted Flycatchers and five Common Sandpipers. A Wood Sandpiper was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and a Black Tern was there this afternoon.

A Wood Sandpiper was reported in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and waders there this morning included a Greenshank, a Common Redshank and three Ruff. A Spotted Flycatcher was also present.

At Summer Leys LNR today there were four Greenshanks, a Wood Sandpiper, three Green Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover, a Ruff, a Turnstone and a juvenile Marsh Harrier. Birds of the New Workings/Whiston Wetlands were a Wood Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and three Greenshanks.

A Bittern was discovered and photographed at Stortons Pits this morning and two Peregrines were on the Express Lifts tower. A Crossbill flew over Cavendish Drive towards Abington Park, Northampton this afternoon. Unspecified numbers of Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall this afternoon.

A Firecrest was a good find in the south-west corner of Hinton Airfield this morning.

Five Hobbies were again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and another was near Kelmarsh carrying prey.

Regards

Neil M

Bittern at Stortons Pits
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Little Egret courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Grey Heron courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wood Sandpiper courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Blyth's Reed Warbler

Hello

Stanford Reservoir was the place this morning with a Blyth's Reed Warbler being caught and ringed and is potentially the second record for the site and county. A Willow Warbler of the Northern form was also caught and ringed as were four more Common Redstarts and a Grasshopper Warbler. Other birds noted on-site included a Green Sandpiper, six Common Sandpipers, a Little Ringed Plover, three Ravens, two Kingfishers and two Cetti's Warblers.

Eyebrook Reservoir hung on to a Wood Sandpiper and Pitsford Reservoir birds included four Greenshanks, three Ruff, a Common Redshank, five Green Sandpipers, at least five Great White Egrets and a Kingfisher.

An Osprey passed over Stanwick Pits early this morning and a Marsh Harrier flew over Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston where there were three Cattle Egrets.

Birds noted at Summer Leys LNR today were a Greenshank, a Wood Sandpiper, three Common Sandpipers, three Green Sandpipers and a Marsh Harrier.

Five Hobbies were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and six Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth. Three Grey Partridges were noted at Harrington Airfield and a minimum of four Spotted Flycatchers (more heard) were at Lamport Hall.

Regards

Neil M

Common Blue courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Starling courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Wood Sandpiper.

Yellow-legged Gull.

Warm but cooling off

Hello

Another warm day but a shift in the wind direction this evening should make it a cooler affair.

At Stanford Reservoir today the ringers had another busy day with two hundred and sixty-four birds newly ringed which included a Grasshopper Warbler and two Common Redstarts. Again two Marsh Harriers were present plus three Ravens and four Common Sandpipers.

A Wood Sandpiper remained at Eyebrook Reservoir and birds for Pitsford Reservoir included ten Yellow-legged Gulls, three Greenshanks, at least three Green Sandpipers, two Common Snipe and a Common Redshank

Hollowell Reservoir attracted an adult Caspian Gull, a Whinchat, two Greenshanks and a Common Sandpiper. Five Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and five Hobbies were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. Two Ravens were in Hanging Houghton village.

Summer Leys LNR was busy with waders today with six Black-tailed Godwits in flight first thing, two Wood Sandpipers, a Ruff, two Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers and three Green Sandpipers. A Marsh Harrier and a Hobby made brief visits.

Elsewhere and an Osprey was over the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston and a couple of Kingfishers and Mandarin Ducks were at Barnwell Country Park. Odonata at Barnwell CP included Willow Emerald Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle and Southern, Migrant and Brown Hawkers.

Spotted Flycatchers were reported from Glapthorn Cow Pastures and ten were at Lamport Hall where there was also a Common Redstart.

Regards

Neil M

Collared Dove courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Mute Swan family
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Common Tern courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Gadwall.

Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar.

Ringing the passage migrants

Hello

A bird-filled ringing session at Linford lakes LNR began last night with the capture of birds coming into roost and continued this morning from dawn. The small team of ringers led by Kenny Cramer succeeded in processing no less than a staggering one hundred and ninety-seven birds of twenty-three species.

This total included thirty Swallows, thirteen Sand Martins, a Yellow Wagtail, sixteen Reed Warblers, eleven Sedge Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, thirty-eight Blackcaps, five Garden Warblers, twelve Chiffchaffs, seventeen Willow Warblers, three Common Whitethroats, five Robins, seven Reed Buntings and a Treecreeper. In addition to the Yellow Wagtail, further star birds trapped included a male Sparrowhawk and a migrant Tree Pipit. One of the Garden Warblers bore a ring from elsewhere.

In comparison a more leisurely morning's ringing in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth provided ninety-eight captures with warblers dominating - twenty Blackcaps, two Garden Warblers, four Lesser Whitethroats, eight Common Whitethroats, three Sedge Warblers, five Reed Warblers, fifteen Chiffchaffs and seven Willow Warblers. Other birds were a young Kingfisher, two Magpies, two Goldcrests and two Grey Wagtails. A Blackcap and a Reed Warbler already with rings were from Stanford Reservoir where they were ringed as juveniles during the summer. A Hobby and a Raven were seen.

At Stanford Reservoir a hundred and seventy new birds were ringed which included three Common Redstarts and two Grasshopper Warblers. Birds noted on-site included two Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine, two Common Sandpipers and at least four Spotted Flycatchers.

Eyebrook Reservoir today attracted a Wood Sandpiper and an Arctic Tern with the female Ruddy Shelduck again being seen at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Naseby Reservoir was good for the German-ringed Caspian Gull again plus two Common Sandpipers and a Common Snipe. A Common Redstart and two Spotted Flycatchers were at nearby Welford Quarry.

Hollowell Reservoir provided a Crossbill, two Whinchats, one Common Sandpiper, three Greenshanks and a Ringed Plover and Pitsford Reservoir produced three Greenshanks, three Green Sandpipers, three Common Snipe, a Dunlin, a Common Redshank and a Spotted Flycatcher.

The Blueberry Farm area near Maidwell yielded a Marsh Harrier, two Common Redstarts, two Whinchats, a Hobby Family and six Crossbills flying south-west. Two Ravens were in Hanging Houghton village.

Summer Leys LNR was the venue for two Wood Sandpipers, three Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers and a juvenile Marsh Harrier.

Regards

Neil M

Sand Martin.

Sparrowhawk.

Swallow.

Tree Pipit.

Yellow Wagtail.

All images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

Some like it Hot!

Hello

The heat continues but new arrivals on the bird scene seem minimal.

Stanford Reservoir hosted a Marsh Harrier, five Common Sandpipers, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Cetti's Warbler and a Wood Sandpiper remained at Eyebrook Reservoir.

The White Stork was seen again, this time flying high up over Northampton General Hospital towards the University early this afternoon.

Thrapston Pits saw action around Elinor Lake with an Osprey seen flying away and a Whinchat and a Common Redstart in hedging in the south-west corner this morning.

Observers at Clifford Hill Pits enjoyed a Hobby, a Great White Egret, a Ringed Plover and a Common Snipe, with a juvenile Cuckoo and two Barnacle Geese being seen later in the day.

Pitsford Reservoir hosted six Green Sandpipers, a Black-tailed Godwit, five Common Snipe, a Dunlin and a Yellow-legged Gull, all in the Scaldwell Bay.

Four Greenshanks and a Green Sandpiper were seen on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR, three Ravens were at Harrington Airfield and the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton attracted a Marsh Harrier, and two Hobbies this evening with a Marsh Harrier, a Common Redstart, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a few Clouded Yellows earlier at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Jersey Tiger Moths appeared in a Duston Moth Trap and garden from overnight.

Regards

Neil M

Green Tiger Beetle
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Cormorant courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Black-headed Gull courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Robin courtesy of
John Tilly.

Common Tern courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Brown Hare courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The heat is on!

Hello

With temperatures up to thirty degree Centigrade it was certainly a warm one locally!

Just over the border and Eyebrook Reservoir had a good day with three Spotted Redshanks, two Wood Sandpipers and this evening a White-winged Black Tern.

At Stanford Reservoir there was a Whinchat, two Spotted Flycatchers, two Common Sandpipers and a Kingfisher today.

The Ruddy Shelduck was again seen at Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Stuart was lucky enough to have a Firecrest visitation in his garden in Harlestone Road, Duston, Northampton at lunchtime, the bird moving off with a roving tit flock.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there was an Osprey, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, six Yellow-legged Gulls, three Common Redshanks, a Ringed Plover, six Green Sandpipers, a Dunlin and seven Grey Wagtails.

Two Common Redstarts were again in hedging off the footpath running from Bridle Road, Old to the back of Walgrave village with about ten Clouded Yellows still on the alfalfa field. Extra single Common Redstarts were in a hedgerow just north of Hanging Houghton alongside the A508 and in the Brampton Valley between Spratton and Brixworth.

At Summer Leys LNR today there were three Great White Egrets, a Cattle Egret early morning, a Marsh Harrier, four Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers and two Common Sandpipers.

A Wheatear was located at Clifford Hill Pits today where there was also a fly-through Ringed Plover and a Peregrine. A Common Snipe, sixty-eight Lapwings and five Grey Wagtails were the best on offer at Lilbourne Water Meadows this morning.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, early morning birding provided a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Tree Pipit, a Common Redstart and two Whinchats. Five Spotted Flycatchers were in Hazelborough Forest, in the King Richard Copse area and at least one was in Hanging Houghton village.

Regards

Neil M

Greenfinch courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Greenshanks courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Brown Argus courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Willow Emerald Damselfly
courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was the wetland bird count at Pitsford Reservoir with most birds of interest north of the causeway.

An Osprey was an early morning visitor and waders in the Scaldwell Bay amounted to six Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, three Common Snipe and a Dunlin. At least seven Great White Egrets were present as was Grey Wagtail and Raven. Three Crossbills flew south and low over the Walgrave Bay and a Pied Flycatcher was found in the same bay in waterside vegetation about 200m north of the Walgrave Hide. A Spotted Flycatcher and a Kingfisher were in the Holcot Bay and three Yellow-legged Gulls were generally loafing north of the causeway.

Eyebrook Reservoir hosted two Wood Sandpipers and saw the return of the two Sandwich Terns from Rutland Water. The German-ringed Caspian Gull was again at Naseby Reservoir.

Stanford Reservoir was again the venue for a Marsh Harrier plus three Common Sandpipers, a Hobby and two Ravens. The Stanford Ringing Group ringed two hundred and forty-two new birds which included a Spotted Flycatcher (of three present), a male Common Redstart, a Grasshopper Warbler, forty-six Reed Warblers, thirty-one Sedge Warblers, forty-four Common Whitethroats, six Lesser Whitethroats, thirty-three Garden Warblers, twenty-six Blackcaps and twenty-nine Willow Warblers.

At Summer Leys LNR today there were five Greenshanks, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Snipe, two Egyptian Geese, a Great White Egret and a Marsh Harrier. Two Cattle Egrets flew south-west over Stanwick Pits early in the morning.

A Greenshank was briefly at Hollowell Reservoir this morning and Harrington Airfield was good for two Common Redstarts, two Spotted Flycatchers and a Marsh Harrier. Five Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall, another visited a Corby Old Village garden and two Ravens were again at Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Mute Swan cygnets at Pitsford
Reservoir. A late brood of five
cygnets includes two white birds
which are generally known as 'Polish'
swans. As youngsters they are white
rather than grey and when mature their
bare parts will be a brighter colour than
their compatriots. They are a scarce
sight locally, I see most of mine on 
the continent.

Common Darter courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Brimstone courtesy of
Neil Hasdell.

Ruddy Darter courtesy
of Neil Hasdell.

Wasp Spider courtesy
of Tony Stanford.