Birding the north of the county

Hello

A cold day with a pretty hard frost overnight and northerly winds during the day but at times sunny and dry.

I visited East Carlton Country Park this morning, somewhere I used to visit several times each winter. The usual selection of birds were present but sadly in much lower numbers than there used to be (sound familiar?) and the highlights were a Grey Wagtail, a Raven, five Redpolls and just a couple of mobile Siskins. Nuthatch and Marsh Tit are just about hanging on there with a couple of individuals of each.

From there I visited the Welland Valley below Cottingham which was relatively busy with birds the best being a first year Caspian Gull at a pool with Herring Gulls, a Kingfisher, three Common Snipe, a Green Sandpiper, a Great White Egret flying further down the valley and two Egyptian Geese. The area around Gretton Weir seemed much quieter but as usual the valley as a whole was stuffed full of Red Kites!

A wander around the car park at Wakerley Wood was a quiet affair with several Siskins and a Redpoll being the only things of note and Fineshade Top Lodge was similar with several Siskins being the best.

Blatherwycke Lake held plenty of birds the best being a first year Marsh Harrier (possibly the first I've seen there), four Egyptian Geese, no apparent Mandarin Ducks, a Black Swan, a Water Rail, a Grey Wagtail, a Great White Egret and two Pintail. At least one very well marked 'Nordic' Jackdaw was with the corvid flock there. Two Stonechats were at nearby Deene Lake.

Eleanor saw the female Merlin in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton between 'shrike hedge' and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon where also a single Corn Bunting and at least ten Bramblings.

At Pitsford Reservoir today the juvenile Whooper Swan was still south of the causeway where also a female Goosander and a pair of Stonechat. Hollowell Reservoir attracted a Caspian Gull briefly and a Crossbill still near Keeper's Lodge.

Other birds for today were a Woodcock near Moulton, a female Blackcap eating rowan berries in a Little Billing garden and a Siskin with Goldfinches in a Spratton garden.

The three Glossy Ibis were still in a Nene Valley flooded field by Little Irchester sub-station at about noon today.

Regards

Neil M

Red Kites.

Black Swan.

Winter's coming!

Hello

Definitely a wintery feel to the weather today with rain, sleet and snow first thing.

The drake Green-winged Teal was again at Stanwick Pits where also three Pintails, a Dunlin and a Redshank.

A single Glossy Ibis was at Summer Leys LNR and apparently the Dark-bellied Goose was seen grazing at the recreation ground at Great Doddington before flying towards Earls Barton Pits.

A female Merlin was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon where also two Woodcock, a pair of Stonechats, at least eight Bramblings, a Chiffchaff and hundreds of winter thrushes, predominately Fieldfares. There was still a movement of Woodpigeons filing south. In excess of a hundred Fieldfares were between Kelmarsh and Naseby this afternoon.

A Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

Regards

Neil M

Squabbling Cormorants.

Curlew courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Black-tailed Godwit courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Muntjac.

Birds of the short November days

Hello

Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning were two Woodcock, six Bramblings, a Common Snipe, three Siskins and with a heavy passage of Woodpigeons south.

A couple of new birds on the scene today included a drake Green-winged Teal at Stanwick Pits (plus four Pintail) and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose at Summer Leys LNR. The three Glossy Ibis were located to a Little Irchester flooded field next to the electricity sub-station. Other birds at Summer Leys LNR included three Great White Egrets, a Blackcap and two Chiffchaffs.

At Pitsford Reservoir today birds south of the causeway included a juvenile Whooper Swan, a Yellow-legged Gull, three Great White Egrets, a Green Sandpiper, a Grey Wagtail, twenty plus Siskins, three Stonechats, a Kingfisher and two Ravens. North of the causeway there were up to fifty Pied Wagtails, two Great White Egrets, two Stonechats and two Woodcock.

Two Stonechats were at Upton Country Park, fifty Golden Plovers were on the flats at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve and singles of Raven, Grey Wagtail and Siskin were in Hanging Houghton village.

Regards

Neil M

Rook.

Woodpigeon.

Stonechats courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Song Thrush courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

The start of a cool week

Hello

A cold but pleasant day today but with quite a strong north-westerly breeze.

A ringing session took place at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes and provided sixty captures of fifteen species, just over half being newly-ringed. A dozen Redwing were very seasonal as was a single Fieldfare and a Blackbird. Eight Chiffchaffs and two Blackcaps were good for the time of the year and processed finches were three Goldfinches, two Greenfinches and a single Redpoll. Birds seen on-site were a Bittern and a Whooper Swan.

The three Glossy Ibis re-appeared at Summer Leys LNR this morning, the Bittern was seen again there and a smart first year Caspian Gull was at Clifford Hill Pits. A female Marsh Harrier was at Dragonfly Lake, Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR early this afternoon. Nearby and a Peregrine was on the church at Higham Ferrers this morning, a regular haunt.

Birds south of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included eight Great White Egrets, six Little Egrets, at least two Crossbills, four Stonechats, a few Redpoll and about fifty Siskins.

A Raven was at Hanging Houghton and a Siskin flew over Harrington Airfield.

Regards

Neil M

Chiffchaff courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

The modest Dunnock
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

Carrion Crow.

Birds of mid-November

Hello

A pleasant day after more rain overnight and perhaps a reduction on the day temperature.

A juvenile Dark-bellied Brent Goose was a good find near Aynho before flying north this afternoon.

A Marsh Harrier was at Summer Leys LNR this morning but there were no reports of the Glossy Ibis today, perhaps displaced because of the floodwater and fresh feeding opportunities.

Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits provided five or six Great White Egrets, a Pintail and two Ravens.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today were kept on the move because of an active Peregrine but included two drake Pintail, thirty-three Golden Plovers, four hundred and thirty Lapwings, nine hundred and forty Tufted Ducks, four hundred Teal, over a hundred Cormorants and four Stonechats with an adult Yellow-legged Gull off the dam.

At least two Crossbills were noted in flight over Keeper's Lodge at Hollowell Reservoir this morning and birds at Stanford Reservoir included the two Glossy Ibis again.

Over a hundred Siskins were in alders at Castle Ashby Lakes and a confiding Kingfisher showed well at Abington Park, Northampton.

A few Siskins and a Grey Wagtail were over Scotland Wood, Kelmarsh today and singles of Grey Wagtail and Siskin were in Hanging Houghton village.

Regards

Neil M

Gadwall courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Drake Goldeneye courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

The day after the storm

Hello

A dreary grey day but still fairly mild and much better than yesterday but with lots of flooding and brown water!

Clifford Hill had some interesting birds first thing this morning with two Grey Plovers, a Sanderling (not common at this time of the year), nine Dunlin, six Golden Plovers and later a Caspian Gull and a Mediterranean Gull.

Summer Leys held on to two Glossy Ibis, a Green Sandpiper, a Pintail and a Bittern was well-photographed. About fifty Golden Plovers were seen in flight over Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows LNR.

Further down the valley this afternoon and the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston Pits attracted another Bittern, two hunting Marsh Harriers and a Sparrowhawk after the reed-roosting Starlings, eight Great White Egrets, two Kingfishers and three Cetti's Warblers.

Golden Plovers were flocking in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir and the juvenile Whooper Swan was still south of the causeway. Hollowell Reservoir hosted a Dunlin, a Common Snipe and six Stonechats and a Raven was at Kelmarsh.

Regionally the 'redhead' Smew was still at Eyebrook Reservoir, Grafham Water again attracted transient Little Gulls and Brent Geese (plus four Great Northern Divers) and the Yellow-browed Warbler was still at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough. Despite floodwater the Aylestone Dusky Warbler was still present and a Siberian Chiffchaff was there too. Kittiwakes were in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Regards

Neil M

Bittern photographed at
Summer Leys LNR today
courtesy of Stuart Munday.

Goldcrest courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Stonechat courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Storm Claudia

Hello

Well it's not often it rains all day but today was one of those days! Much of the day was unbirdable unless you could find a hide or somewhere similar to shelter from the constant rain and wind.

Nevertheless people tried and Neil H saw the three Glossy Ibis and a Bittern for his troubles at Summer Leys LNR this morning, with a Little Gull showing briefly there too. Interestingly in excess of ninety Little Gulls were at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire this afternoon.

The 'redhead' Smew was reported at Eyebrook Reservoir again today and a Brambling was with Chaffinches in our wet and windswept garden at Hanging Houghton this morning.

Back to sunnier weather I thought I'd post some unpublished images from my birding exploits on the Isles of Scilly earlier this autumn...

Regards

Neil M

Stonechat.

White Wagtail.

Curlew Sandpiper with Sanderlings.

Painted Lady.

Great Shearwater.

House Sparrow.

Pleasant before the deluge!

Hello

A pleasant, sunny and mild day in the county today but the rain begins tonight and is seemingly with us for most of tomorrow and with a shift in the wind direction to the north too!

The three Glossy Ibis were again at Summer Leys LNR today and other reported birds were a Water Rail, a Green Sandpiper and a Blackcap.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted six Golden Plovers this morning plus two Great White Egrets and a Goosander.

One or two pair(s) of Stonechat were in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and six Golden Plovers were on the mud. Two Tree Sparrows were at Rectory Farm near Old village.

The 'redhead' smew was still at Eyebrook Reservoir and bird highlights at Stanford Reservoir were the two Glossy Ibis again, an amazing twenty Great White Egrets, a late Common Sandpiper, the female Ruddy Shelduck after an absence, a Pintail, two Kingfishers and a Brambling.

A juvenile Peregrine was over Hanging Houghton at 12.45pm and a Redpoll and a Grey Wagtail were in the village. Two Stonechats and six Bramblings were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Glossy Ibis courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Brambling courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Greenfinch courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Great White Egrets courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

A quiet day in November

Hello

A very wet morning but a dry afternoon and the temperature remains mild.

There was a negative report from Ditchford Pits with the drake Lesser Scaup not being seen.

At Summer Leys LNR the three Glossy Ibis were still present and Stuart saw a Firecrest with a Long-tailed Tit flock in the ditch between the two hides. Other birds were over three hundred Golden Plovers and a Green Sandpiper.

At Pitsford Reservoir the juvenile Whooper Swan was relocated and other birds were a Peregrine, two Pintail, five Golden Plovers, two Stonechats, Grey Partridges and a Redpoll. A possible first year Caspian Gull was also seen.

Two Glossy Ibis were at Stanford Reservoir again and other birds were an adult Caspian Gull, as many as fifteen Great White Egrets, two Kingfishers and a Stonechat.

A Woodcock and a couple of Crossbills were at the Gamboro' Plantation this afternoon (between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton) and the nearby shrike hedge area attracted three Stonechats and two or three mobile Bramblings.

Regards

Neil M

Great Crested Grebes courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Grey Heron courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Common Buzzard and Carrion Crow
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Green Sandpiper courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Autumn long-stayers

Hello

A day of mixed weather today ahead of some cooler northerlies predicted at the end of the week.

At Ditchford Pits the adult drake Lesser Scaup was again on show on Big Lake, access from either Rushden Lakes Shopping Complex or Ditchford Lane.

At Summer Leys the three Glossy Ibis showed up after initially only two birds being visible and other birds settled there included a Great White Egret, three hundred Golden Plovers, a Water Rail and two Cetti's Warblers and a Green Sandpiper.

Clifford Hill Pits was adversely affected by bird shooting but birds visible before it started included a female Goosander, two Great White Egrets, a Kingfisher and three Stonechats. Ring-necked Parakeets were at Weston Mill (numbers not specified).

A Merlin was seen from the track between Brington and Brockhall this morning, two Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a Raven was at St Andrews Hospital, Northampton.

Stanford Reservoir again attracted two Glossy Ibis, a first year Mediterranean Gull in the roost and an Egyptian Goose. The American Golden Plover and 'redhead' Smew continue to find Eyebrook Reservoir to their liking. Long-staying rare warblers in neighbouring counties include a Dusky Warbler at Aylestone, Leicestershire (where also a Siberian Chiffchaff) and a Yellow-browed Warbler at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough.

Regards

Neil M

Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys LNR.

Goldfinch.

Two Tree Sparrows with Greenfinches
at Pitsford Reservoir last Friday.

All images again courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

A wet Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

The Pitsford Reservoir WeBS count was completed today, in wet conditions at times. Two Greater Scaup were with the much-reduced Tufted Duck flock in the Scaldwell Bay this morning. Ten Great White Egrets were south of the causeway (none north of the causeway during the count) as were four Yellow-legged Gulls. Waders included a single Golden Plover, thirty-five Common Snipe and five Green Sandpipers. Other birds north of the causeway were a Kingfisher, eight Pintail and three Redpolls. Other passerines included about twenty-two Siskins, four Grey Wagtails, two Chiffchaffs, eleven Stonechats and three Ravens.

Elsewhere and the drake Lesser Scaup was again reported at Ditchford Pits and two Stonechats and a dozen Siskins were at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve with the three Glossy Ibis still at Summer Leys LNR plus a Green Sandpiper.

Clifford Hill Pits hosted a Dunlin, a Common Snipe, five Golden Plovers, a Goosander and a Yellow-legged Gull.

At least three Chiffchaffs were at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this afternoon and two Blackcaps were in a Hollowell village garden. 

A Siskin, a Raven and a Grey Wagtail were in Hanging Houghton village and a pair of Stonechats and four Bramblings were in the Brampton Valley below the village.

The American Golden Plover and a 'redhead' Smew remain at Eyebrook Reservoir and Stanford Reservoir was good for two Glossy Ibis plus two first year Mediterranean Gulls in the gull roost and four Water Rails and three Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Whooper Swan.

Brambling courtesy
of John Tilly.

Lesser Redpoll courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Late autumn migrants

Hello

Another mild November day although it was only 5 degrees Centigrade before dawn. It was then murky for much of the morning until the breeze kicked in and then broken sunshine in the afternoon with rain after dark.

A modest ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir processed eight Reed Buntings, three Song Thrushes and four Stonechats amongst more common fare. An adult Caspian Gull was north of the causeway and other birds noted included three Great White Egrets, a Raven, twenty Common Snipe, a Grey Wagtail and a Brambling.

Two local observers saw a possible Dusky Warbler this morning from one of the hides at Summer Leys but seemingly it wasn't seen subsequently. The three Glossy Ibis were still there and other birds noted included a Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher and about forty Golden Plovers. A Marsh Harrier was also seen at Quarry Walk Pit, Earls Barton Pits.

At Ditchford Pits the drake Lesser Scaup was still on Big Lake but there was no sign of yesterday's Smew.

Early morning birding at Clifford Hill Pits provided a Dunlin, five Golden Plovers, a Common Snipe, a Peregrine, a Yellow-legged Gull, two Great White Egrets and two Stonechats.

The bird information services reported five Twite for Sywell Country Park this afternoon, a rare visitor to the county these days.

In the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today there were two Stonechats, several Bramblings and at least two Redpolls with several Crossbills at Gamboro' Plantation. Two Green Sandpipers were on a pool in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth. A vocal Grey Plover was over Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning and Bramblings were at Beck Dairy, Cottesbrooke.

Harrington Airfield provided sightings of a male Merlin, a high-flying Short-eared Owl being pursued by corvids and a heavy passage of winter thrushes and smaller numbers of Siskins, Redpolls and Bramblings passing over.

The American Golden Plover was at Eyebrook Reservoir and the two Glossy Ibis flew over Stanford Reservoir where there was also a Peregrine, a Pochard exhibiting a bill saddle, two Water Rails, four Cetti's Warblers and a Brambling.

Regards

Neil M

Stonechats at Pitsford
Reservoir today, male above
and female below.

Migration on-going

Hello

Quality Nene valley birding continues with the drake Lesser Scaup again on Big Lake, Ditchford Pits and a 'redhead' Smew on the adjacent Skew Bridge (old water ski) Pit.

Three Glossy Ibis and a Marsh Harrier were still at Summer Leys LNR and the nearby Mary's Lake hosted two Caspian and a Yellow-legged Gull. An Otter was showing on the main pit of the reserve.

A drake Mandarin Duck was at Barnwell Country Park today and thirty Golden Plovers were near Finedon with a Peregrine at Higham Ferrers church.

At Clifford Hill Pits a Jack Snipe was recorded plus a Common Snipe, five Golden Plovers, a Water Rail and a Great White Egret.

Two Glossy Ibis re-appeared at Stanford Reservoir briefly today and other birds were six Goosanders and four Goldeneye.

At Pitsford Reservoir a Whooper Swan and two Green Sandpipers were just south-west of the causeway and north of the causeway there were three Great White Egrets, thirteen Pintail, thirty-five Golden Plovers, a Ruff, a Woodcock, sixty Common Snipe, at least two Crossbills and three Stonechats.

A Woodcock and a pair of Stonechats were at Harrington Airfield. Birds this afternoon in the Brampton Valley between the Brampton Valley Way and Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) included eighty Chaffinches, at least one Tree Sparrow. at least six Bramblings including some super males and a Merlin. A Marsh Harrier flew east over Blueberry Hill with a female Peregrine following shortly afterwards.

Eyebrook Reservoir again hosted the juvenile American Golden Plover, a female Scaup and a 'redhead' Smew.

Ringing at Linford Lakes on the edge of Milton Keynes today provided eighty-six captures of eighteen species, fifty-one birds being newly-ringed. Thrushes included ten Redwings, five Blackbirds, two Song Thrushes and a Fieldfare. Finches were made up of seven Redpolls, four Goldfinches, two Chaffinches and a Greenfinch. Four Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and a Cetti's Warbler were also processed.

A Goldcrest was caught bearing a Brussels ring, so this tiny bundle of feathers has come from Belgium, initial ringing details are awaited.

Other birds noted on-site were three Great White Egrets, a Raven, two Woodcock, a male Marsh Harrier and a flock of Siskins.

Thirty-six Goldfinches and a Sparrowhawk were ringed in a Greens Norton garden today.

Regards

Neil M

Fieldfare courtesy of
Kenny Cramer.

Goldcrest from Belgium
courtesy of Kenny Cramer.

 Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Chris Payne.