A relatively quiet start to August

Hello

Another quiet day in the county and with cooling temperatures too.

Two Great White Egrets and two Ravens were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and a Grey Wagtail was in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

A Garganey was still at Summer Leys LNR and waders there included a Black-tailed Godwit, three Common Snipe, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. Two Hobby, two Egyptian Geese and a Water Rail were all noted.

Clifford Hill Pits provided a Black-tailed Godwit, a Raven, a Peregrine and over twenty Yellow Wagtails.

Two Common Redstarts were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby and nearby Naseby Reservoir provided the usual adult Caspian Gull, a Ringed Plover and two Green Sandpipers.

The Ruddy Shelduck was still at Stanford Reservoir where also a Swift and over twenty-five Common Terns.

Yet another Tawny Owl lies dead alongside the A508, this time near Hanging Houghton, and is probably another victim of the current night closures on the A14 with trucks and other traffic diverted along the A508 on a regular basis.

Regards

Neil M

Puffins.

Razorbill.

Images courtesy of Robin Gossage
following a successful photographic
venture to Skomer in the summer.

The summer heat continues into autumn

Hello

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning amounted to a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Raven. Larger odonata included Blue Emperor, Brown Hawker and Migrant Hawker.

The birding at Stanford Reservoir proved better with the Ferruginous Duck still, the female Ruddy Shelduck, three Green Sandpipers, three Common Sandpipers, a Common Snipe, a Tree Sparrow and a Clouded Yellow.

A Garganey remained at Summer Leys LNR and a Whimbrel was at Daventry Country Park with a Common Sandpiper and a Common Snipe at Boddington Reservoir.

A Black-tailed Godwit was still at Sulby Reservoir with two Snipe and a Common Sandpiper and Hollowell Reservoir provided sightings of three Ospreys together, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull and thirteen Little Egrets.

Clifford Hill Pits was the venue for a Black-tailed Godwit, a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, a Dunlin, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Redstart and a possible fly-over Tree Pipit.

A Hobby was in Corby old village and a Green Sandpiper was a surprise find at Boughton Pocket Park!

A family party of Spotted Flycatchers and an additional group of Spotted Flycatchers were in Hanging Houghton village, and a family of Grey Partridges were near Lodge Farm (between Lamport and Brixworth). Two Grey Wagtails were in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth.

At Sywell Country Park there were Spotted Flycatchers in trees by the car park/stream and with two Little Ringed Plovers on the west bank. A Raven was at Harlestone Heath.

Two Common Redstarts and three Spotted Flycatchers were amongst a roving warbler flock in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton, heading towards Cottesbrooke this morning. Gamboro' Plantation provided four more Spotted Flycatchers and two Siskins and a Clouded Yellow and three Common Redstarts and a Marsh Harrier remain around Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

A worn male Marsh Harrier was today at Harrington Airfield where also two or three Common Redstarts, a Wheatear and a Grey Partridge with ten tiny chicks.

Regards

Neil M

Kingfisher courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Striped Hawk-moth courtesy
of Chris Green.

Jersey Tiger courtesy of
Chris Green.

Global warming and the heat of this
summer is providing exotic moths from
the south, some of which are rapidly
extending their breeding range north.

Yellowhammer courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Quality birding in the heat

Hello

Another day where the temperatures reached 30C locally and with little reprieve in sight.

Pitsford Reservoir seemed relatively quiet today with the foreshore covered in green mats of vegetation rather than the wet mud that we hope for. A Great White Egret and a Raven were noted north of the causeway.

Stanford Reservoir retained it's Ferruginous Duck, Ruddy Shelduck and Black-necked Grebe, plus four Common Sandpipers, two Great White Egrets and two Spotted Flycatchers.

The two Spotted Redshanks were still at Daventry Country Park today and the two Garganey were still on the main scrape at Summer Leys LNR, where also a Green Sandpiper, and a Bittern showed well this evening in front of Pioneer Hide.

Hollowell Reservoir attracted fifteen Yellow Wagtails plus a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. Two Common Redstarts remain at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby and five different individual Common Redstarts were seen at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell during two separate visits today. Two Spotted Flycatchers were also there and nearby at Gamboro' Plantation there was a Common Redstart and at least four Spotted Flycatchers.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided sightings of a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Common Redstart, a Wheatear and four Lapwings this morning and this evening there were three Marsh Harriers on view at the same time - two juveniles and a moulting adult male.

Birds at Clifford Hill Pits this morning were a Common Redstart, a Common Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Common Snipe and fifteen Yellow Wagtails.

Regards

Neil M

Ruff.

Fulmar.

Woodpigeon.

Juvenile House Sparrow.

A few images from my short trip to Norfolk last week.

Bird Ringing at Harrington Airfield

Hello

Some ringing at a very dry Harrington Airfield this morning provided eighty-three captures of seventeen species with perhaps the highlights being a juvenile Green Woodpecker, two adult Common Redstarts, twenty-five Common Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, two Sedge Warblers, a Willow Warbler and sixteen Linnets. A Raven was seen and butterflies were numerous with Common Blue, Small Heath, Painted Lady and a couple of Clouded Yellows, mostly attracted to the knapweed meadows.

Two further Common Redstarts and a couple of Clouded Yellows were located at Borough Hill Country Park, Daventry and with still some Common Redstarts at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby.

The Ferruginous Duck and the Ruddy Shelduck were still at Stanford Reservoir today plus two or three Green Sandpipers and a couple of Kingfishers, and an Osprey flew through late morning.

Two Spotted Redshanks were still at Daventry Country Park early this morning plus four Little Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin and five Common Sandpipers.

A Cattle Egret and two Garganey were at Summer Leys LNR and Clifford Hill Pits supported a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper with two Black-tailed Godwits flying through, two Common Redstarts and seventeen Yellow Wagtails.

Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning included the regular juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Common Redstart and two Whinchats. The Spotted Flycatchers in Hanging Houghton village have successfully fledged their second brood, although the tiny youngsters appear to have fledged prematurely. Another pair were in an orchard at East Farndon.

Regards

Neil M

Sunrise at Harrington Airfield this morning.

Adult female Common Redstart.

Adult male Common Redstart
courtesy of Olivia Neilson.

A young male Green Woodpecker
courtesy of Olivia Neilson.

West is best today!

Hello

It seems that Stanford Reservoir and Daventry Country Park were the places to be today!

Birds at Stanford included two juvenile Black-necked Grebes, the female Ferruginous Duck again, the female Ruddy Shelduck, an Osprey, a Marsh Harrier, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers, a juvenile Shelduck and a Common Snipe. Bird ringers on-site processed a staggering total of 320 new birds as the warblers simply pour through.

At Daventry Country Park it seems that one of the Black-necked Grebes was again seen and quality waders included two Spotted Redshanks, five Black-tailed Godwits, four Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper and three Little Ringed Plovers.

A Marsh Harrier was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening and a Common Redstart was at Bunker Two, Harrington Airfield where some bird ringing tomorrow will restrict access to the bunker areas between the Chippings Compound and the concrete track. The concrete track itself is unaffected. A Spotted Flycatcher and a Little Owl were in Hanging Houghton village.

Common Redstarts were discovered at Cosgrove Park and Kislingbury Pits and a Wheatear was at Upton Country Park. Two Ring-necked Parakeets were noted at Moulton Leys today.

At least one Garganey was still at Summer Leys LNR today with two Spotted Flycatchers at the Doddington Road entrance.

Regards

Neil M

Common Darter.

Common Snipe courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Juvenile Marsh Harrier
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Still no real rain in the forecast

Hello

Another quiet day in the county. I've been in North Norfolk the last two days and there is clearly some heavy passage of waders currently, a large post-breeding dispersal of gulls and hirundines and with Swifts on the move along the coast.

Locally and the returning colour-ringed Caspian Gull is already settled it seems at Naseby Reservoir and the two Garganey remain on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR.

A Juvenile Black-necked Grebe was at Stanford Reservoir, continuing the excellent run of sightings in the county this year.

Two or three Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell with another in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. A juvenile Marsh Harrier was moving around the whole area.

A Grey Wagtail was at Pitsford Quarry and a recent sighting of a colour-ringed Mute Swan at Ditchford Pits confirms it is at least eighteen years old, first ringed at Wellingborough in 2010.

Clouded Yellow butterflies are still appearing in the county with six at Ring Haw today and two in Scaldwell Meadow at Pitsford Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Common Redstarts recently at
Honey Hill, Cold Ashby courtesy
of Stuart Munday.

Clouded Yellow and Hummingbird
Hawk-moth at Summerleys LNR today
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Hot and quiet

Hello

Well hopefully that's the hottest day of this most recent heat spell over and done with!

It seemed a much quieter day out there but an adult Black-necked Grebe remained at Daventry Country Park and the female Ruddy Shelduck was still at Stanford Reservoir. Two Garganey continue to grace the scrape at Summer Leys LNR.

Pitsford Reservoir seemed quiet with a single Great White Egret, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Common Sandpiper north of the causeway this morning.

A Hobby was over St James, Northampton and three Common Redstarts and a Marsh Harrier were the best on offer at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning.

A Common Redstart was at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this evening and two young Barn Owls were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Ravens were at Mawsley and Hanging Houghton and Clouded Yellow butterflies were noted at Barnwell Country Park, Pitsford Reservoir and Summer Leys LNR. A Purple Hairstreak was a good 'urban' find at Abington Park, Northampton.

Regards

Neil M

Carrion Crow.

A rather worn Four-spotted Chaser.

Emperor Moth courtesy 
of Robin Gossage.

Male House Sparrow courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Common Redstarts and a few other things

Hello

Although I have seen plenty of them in Asia, the lure of the Long-tailed Shrike only one hour and forty minutes away on the Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire border was too strong and I succumbed with an early morning visit with Neil H. Despite very dull conditions the bird performed admirably and is the subject of the video clip below courtesy of Neil H. An adult male Common Redstart there was a bonus bird.

In Northamptonshire today the adult Black-necked Grebe was still in West Bay, Daventry Country Park.

The Ruddy Shelduck was still at Stanford Reservoir where also three Green Sandpipers.

The two Garganey were still on the wader scrape at Summer Leys LNR where also a juvenile Little Ringed Plover.

Two Common Redstarts and a Common Sandpiper were at Clifford Hill Pits and a lunchtime visit to Pitsford Reservoir in the vicinity of the Old Scaldwell Road provided one or two Osprey(s), four Great White Egrets, a Greenshank and a Common Redstart. A Spotted Flycatcher was at Pitsford quarry woods.

The female Red-crested Pochard was north of the causeway at Ravensthorpe Reservoir plus a Common Sandpiper and the brood of six Gadwall.

Four Common Redstarts were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby and four more were in the Blueberry Farm, Maidwell area where flocking birds included at least two Spotted Flycatchers and common warblers.

This afternoon at Harrington Airfield there were at least three Common Redstarts plus a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Hobby and a pair of Grey Partridge with eight small chicks.

This evening two Whinchats and a juvenile Marsh Harrier were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton near to shrike hedge where also a female Grey Partridge was chaperoning ten half-grown chicks.

Regards

Neil M

Ruddy Darter.

Female Banded Demoiselle.

More birding and insects in arid Northamptonshire

Hello

Another warm day and supposedly the next two days will be warmer still!

Stanford Reservoir was the venue for a female Ferruginous Duck today plus two juvenile Black-necked Grebes, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, the Ruddy Shelduck, three Common Sandpipers, seven Yellow Wagtails and two hundred and fifty Tufted Ducks.

An Osprey, a Dunlin, two Common Snipe and twenty-four Common Terns were at Hollowell Reservoir today and a Yellow-legged Gull was at Pitsford Reservoir. 

A Black-tailed Godwit was at Boddington Reservoir and a Black-tailed Godwit, a Common Sandpiper and eleven Little Egrets were at Sulby Reservoir with a Grey Wagtail, a Clouded Yellow and a Southern Hawker at Welford Reservoir.

Ravensthorpe Reservoir hosted a female Red-crested Pochard plus a hybrid Red-crested Pochard x Mallard, a Mandarin Duck and eighty-three Great Crested Grebes.

Two Black-tailed Godwits were at Whiston Wetlands/Earls Barton Pits, two Garganey and a Common Snipe were still on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR and a Dunlin was at Clifford Hill Pits. 

Common Redstarts are at many of their favoured spots and today there were at least four on the Old-Walgrave footpath, five at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby, two at Clifford Hill Pits and one in the Brampton Valley near shrike hedge below Hanging Houghton.

A Spotted Flycatcher and Raven were in Hanging Houghton village and a couple of Spotted Flycatchers were at Lamport Hall. A mobile tit/warbler flock in the Brampton Valley by shrike hedge (between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke) contained a Nightingale (not the first record for the site), twenty-five Common Whitethroats, two Spotted Flycatchers and several other species of warbler.

In excess of ten Clouded Yellow butterflies were in the lucerne fields off the Old-Walgrave footpath and a Green-eyed Hawker and a Clouded Yellow were at Summer Leys LNR. Hummingbird Hawk-moths are currently widespread.

Regards

Neil M

Egyptian Goose.

Carolina Wood Duck.

Striped Hawk-moth in an Oundle garden,
courtesy of Phil Horsnail.

Hummingbird Hawk-moths in
cop courtesy of John Hunt.

Ringing Demonstration at Milton Keynes.

Hello

Yesterday saw a ringing demonstration at Milton Keynes in association with a biodiversity event organised by the Parks Trust in the community orchard at Woughton on the Green.

Despite the weather and number of people and 'things going on' Kenny Cramer and his small team managed to catch sixty or so birds to demonstrate the art and reasons for ringing as well as providing an opportunity for people to see birds up close and personal. Blue Tit was the most numerous capture with thirty birds located and extracted safely and also eighteen Blackcaps, a surprise Reed Warbler, a Wren, two Blackbirds, a Song Thrush, three Great Tits, four Long-tailed Tits (including a re-trapped bird at least four years old), and a Greenfinch.

Today and a Quail was heard calling near Mawsley at lunchtime, audible from the bridleway leading to Mill Lane, Faxton.

Two Garganey were on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR late this morning where also two Ringed Plovers, five Dunlin, a Green Sandpiper and five Common Snipe. Nearby a Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers were at Whiston Wetlands.

A Common Redstart was still at Clifford Hill Pits today on the south-west side of the complex and two Dunlin were noted.

An adult Black-necked Grebe and five Green Sandpipers were at Daventry Country Park early this afternoon.

Spotted Flycatchers were behind the Bird Club at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and there were still fifteen Yellow Wagtails near the bio-fuel plant north of Kelmarsh off one of the minor roads to Clipston. An urban Raven was at Burwood Road, Northampton.

Two Common Redstarts were 1km north of Upper Heyford in a thick hedgerow by the track that runs from there to Little Brington, just west of Glassthorpe Hill. Four Common Redstarts were very showy at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby this afternoon plus a Whinchat and a passage of Swallows.

A Ruddy Shelduck was still at Stanford Reservoir today plus four Common Sandpipers and a brood of seven Tufted Duck ducklings.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Ringing demonstration in
style at yesterday's event!

Reed Warbler.

Blackcap.

Above images courtesy
of Kenny Cramer.

I'm just back from spending
several days in Suffolk, these
digi'scoped Stone Curlews
being one of the highlights.

Right place at the right time !!

 I wonder just how many birds are found by simply being in the "right place at the right time ". I know that this has happened to me on numerous occasions.  Well ,today I was in the right place but sadly a few hours too early!! As I was competing today I was out early with the collies and just after 05.00hrs I was at shrike hedge below Hanging Houghton.  It was very quiet and it certainly seemed that the birds hadn't woken up and were having a lie in.  A few hours later, just after 09.30hrs Stuart Mundy found a juvenile Red Backed Shrike on the very aptly named "shrike hedge ". A fantastic find. Unfortunately the bird was flushed by a Marsh Harrier and despite much searching it was not relocated.                                                                            I was out of county competing with Rouzel and Jaeger who had a good day finishing in the placings so couldn't do anything about the Red Backed Shrike.  As soon as I got home late afternoon I went straight down to shrike hedge and walked around the area but no luck,  just the Marsh Harrier and a Common Redstart.  But I will keep checking the area, just in case it is still around. 

Other birds around today include a Black Necked Grebe,  Wood,  Common and Green Sandpiper at Daventry Reservoir,  Common Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher at Pitsford Reservoir ( Scaldwell bay), Ruddy Shelduck and Common Sandpipers at Stanford Reservoir and 2 Garganey at Summer Leys. 

I wonder what tomorrow will bring? Meanwhile just enjoy some pictures from Tyler Atkinson taken at Clifford Hill GP during the week. 

Regards Eleanor 

Black Necked Grebes, Common Redstarts, Clouded Yellows and Hummingbird Hawk Moths !!

It has been a couple of quite busy days for birds and insects in the county.  There are still plenty of Common Redstarts around, Harrington Airfield,  Clifford Hill GP,  Jurassic Way ( Honey Hill Cold Ashby), Borough Hill, Blueberry area and below Hanging Houghton but no doubt many more slipping through unnoticed.                                                                           Black Necked Grebes have been present at Clifford Hill GP and Daventry Reservoir.                     The decreasing water levels are starting to attract waders. At Hollowell Reservoir there is a Wood Sandpiper,  Dunlin and Little Ringed Plovers,  nearby Naseby Reservoir has Common Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plover, and at Daventry Reservoir a Wood Sandpiper,  Common and Green Sandpipers.                             Other birds seen over the last couple of days include Ospreys at Pitsford Reservoir, Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Elinor Lake Thrapston.  A Whinchat at Harrington Airfield and 2 below Hanging Houghton, female Ruddy Shelduck at Stanford Reservoir and an Arctic Tern through Daventry Reservoir. 

At this time of year the hedgerows are often "alive" with birds as Tits and Warblers move together.  I seem to spend quite a bit of time simply watching the hedgerows and the birds moving through.  This is exactly what I was doing yesterday at Borough Hill when I found a Pied Flycatcher moving along the hedge along with 5 Spotted Flycatchers and Common Warblers.  You just never know what you might find especially at this time of year so it is always worth spending time watching the birds moving along the hedgerows. 

It is definitely a good year for butterflies and at the moment there is an influx of Clouded Yellows.  They have been recorded throughout the county.  One particular good area for seeing these lovely butterflies is an area of Lucerne fields from the footpath between Old and Walgrave.    There are also good numbers of Hummingbird Hawk Moths around with 5 being seen in the car park at Summer Leys. 

There are certainly plenty of birds and insects around this weekend and there's always the chance of something else being found. Have a good time. 

Regards Eleanor 

Comma, Black Tailed Skimmer and Chiffchaff taken at Pitsford Reservoir,  Tony Stanford 

Classic early autumn sightings

Hello

Again cloudy and humid today with only light winds.

This was ideal for an early morning ringing session at Stortons Pits where a small group of ringers successfully processed ninety-one bird of thirteen species. A good number of warblers were three Chiffchaffs, nineteen Garden Warblers, twenty-five Blackcaps, eight Reed Warblers, a single Sedge Warbler and thirteen Common Whitethroats. Eight Robins, four Dunnocks, five Blue Tits, four Great Tits, two Blackbirds, three Long-tailed Tits and two Wrens also found the nets.

Two Garganey were again on the scrape at Summer Leys LNR and a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling briefly in the car park area and with a Kingfisher seen briefly. The juvenile Black-necked Grebe was still at Clifford Hill Pits where also two Common Sandpipers, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and two Ravens.

An Osprey was over Elinor Lake at Thrapston Pits this morning.

Away from the Nene Valley and up to three Common Redstarts were at Honey Hill, Cold Ashby, again by the commemorative stone on the Jurassic Way footpath. Two Common Redstarts were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and another was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton at shrike hedge. A juvenile Marsh Harrier was in the valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Nearby there were at least four Spotted Flycatchers at Lamport Hall and three Common Redstarts were located at Harrington Airfield - two 50m south of Bunker One and another at Bunker Two. A brood of Grey Partridges were present and the best of the butterflies were Small Copper and the now scarce Small Tortoiseshell.

The last couple of years has seen a change in that there is evidence of Hummingbird Hawk-moths and Painted Lady butterflies are now breeding locally.

A Wood Sandpiper was at Hollowell Reservoir this morning but may not have been there this afternoon when two Little Ringed Plovers were present. Twenty Yellow Wagtails were still off the Clipston Road near a bio fuel plant north of Kelmarsh.

Two Ravens were at the dam at Pitsford Reservoir and birds in the Welland Valley were a Kingfisher below Cottingham and a Cetti's Warbler at Gretton Weir.

The Ruddy Shelduck was still at Stanford Reservoir this morning plus three Common Sandpipers and ten Yellow Wagtails, and two Black-necked Grebes were still at Daventry Country Park where also a Greenshank and two Common Sandpipers.

Regards

Neil M

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Adult Common Redstart
at Harrington Airfield.

Small Copper butterfly
Harrington Airfield.