Hi
Well a pleasant day's weather for a change today with some warm sunshine and just a gentle breeze. However the cloud has been bubbling all day and it is apparently to be wet again tomorrow. This afternoon I made a cheeky excursion with two friends south out of the county to Startops End reservoir on the Bucks/Herts border (one of the famous Tring reservoirs). This was in order to see a first year Sabine's Gull which has been present since Sunday. The reservoir is very small and this small pelagic gull often afforded close views. Together with my two colleagues I endeavoured to take some photos but my poor technical skills in changing light, reflection from the water and every other excuse I can think of prevented me from clinching the killer shot! However the bird itself was grace itself (I am a self confessed gull addict), with the buoyant and agile flight (somewhere between Kittiwake and Little Gull), fabulous gun metal grey inner upper wing, blackish primaries with four gleaming tips, shallow-forked tail and dark bill (with just a hint of yellow on the top of the lower mandible). It was in good condition and seemed to feeding mostly on insects over and on the water's surface but did actually come and try some bread that someone threw down for it! Other birds present included a Red-crested Pochard, Red Kite and several Grey Wagtails. TTFN
Neil
Iceland - 4th - 8th March 2022
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Thursday 5 July 2012
Tuesday 3 July 2012
Hi
Well with yet more wet weather set in for the next few days, unfortunately this week's unsettled forecast is proving to be accurate! I suppose it provides an opportunity of catching up with those inside jobs and yet another list that I never seem to get around to. A perusal of Pitsford Res today located a south-bound Green Sandpiper calling and flying over the reservoir and a Common Sandpiper in the Scaldwell Bay that was apparently having great difficulty in finding somewhere to land and feed such is the water level! Loafing large gulls have been conspicuous all spring and summer at Pitsford, and today there were a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls off the yacht club late morning (1st year and 2nd year). Away from Pitsford and the regular Barn Owl was hunting again this afternoon in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. There has been a single Siskin in the village (at Hanging Houghton) for the best part of a week now, but no sign of it today. The Spotted Flycatchers have remained very inconspicuous in the village but one was calling well this afternoon. For me Little Owls have been scarce this year and seemingly absent from many of their usual haunts. However there is still one that terrorises the birds on the north side of the village and it has been regularly roosting in the holly bushes in my neighbour's garden and sitting on our chimney during the early hours. A Little Owl call is enough to wake me from my slumbers, particularly so when it echos down the chimney stack! My on-going study in to local Jackdaws continues and so far this year I have been fortunate to catch and ring an additional 16 birds in the garden. Most of the birds around the village now bear rings to the point whereby new birds are reasonably easy to spot (which of course includes many of the youngsters which are fledged and mostly independent now). One capture in the garden was interesting recently inasmuch that it was a ringed bird from Pitsford. This bird was ringed as a nestling in a nest box in 2006 and found its way to our garden this spring. It's obviously followed me or Eleanor back from Pitsford before and perhaps decided not to go back!
Well with yet more wet weather set in for the next few days, unfortunately this week's unsettled forecast is proving to be accurate! I suppose it provides an opportunity of catching up with those inside jobs and yet another list that I never seem to get around to. A perusal of Pitsford Res today located a south-bound Green Sandpiper calling and flying over the reservoir and a Common Sandpiper in the Scaldwell Bay that was apparently having great difficulty in finding somewhere to land and feed such is the water level! Loafing large gulls have been conspicuous all spring and summer at Pitsford, and today there were a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls off the yacht club late morning (1st year and 2nd year). Away from Pitsford and the regular Barn Owl was hunting again this afternoon in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton. There has been a single Siskin in the village (at Hanging Houghton) for the best part of a week now, but no sign of it today. The Spotted Flycatchers have remained very inconspicuous in the village but one was calling well this afternoon. For me Little Owls have been scarce this year and seemingly absent from many of their usual haunts. However there is still one that terrorises the birds on the north side of the village and it has been regularly roosting in the holly bushes in my neighbour's garden and sitting on our chimney during the early hours. A Little Owl call is enough to wake me from my slumbers, particularly so when it echos down the chimney stack! My on-going study in to local Jackdaws continues and so far this year I have been fortunate to catch and ring an additional 16 birds in the garden. Most of the birds around the village now bear rings to the point whereby new birds are reasonably easy to spot (which of course includes many of the youngsters which are fledged and mostly independent now). One capture in the garden was interesting recently inasmuch that it was a ringed bird from Pitsford. This bird was ringed as a nestling in a nest box in 2006 and found its way to our garden this spring. It's obviously followed me or Eleanor back from Pitsford before and perhaps decided not to go back!
Monday 2 July 2012
Hi
Well we are still trying to establish how to make this blog site available to everyone as it has confounded us so far! Anyway here goes again with a slight change in the name of the blog address in an effort to make it at least viewable!
In any event the birding scene locally has been a touch samey I'm afraid, and at risk of simply not being too repetitive, it's a case of the local breeding birds trying to get down to a bit of breeeding which this year is clearly being very challenging. At Pitsford Res the pair of Oystercatchers still have their three chicks which are now growing nicely. We managed to visit them on a boat on Friday just gone and ringed them which was a real treat. The conscientious parents made their presence felt with that fantastic yelping yodle. The terns unfortunately have started very poorly this year but many have relaid so hopefully will be able to salvage something from this very damp year. Meadow Pipits are in good numbers at Blueberry Farm this year, which tends to be the case when it is damp. The only other breeding birds nearby in this part of the county this year is a single pair at Pitsford Res by the dam.
A further CES ringing session at Pitsford a week ago confirmed the low numbers of fledged tits, but there was an increase in the number of fledged Robins and the first young warblers are about now. Away from Pitsford and the Starlings seemed to have produced plenty of youngsters and the ideal conditions seem to have stimulated 2nd broods. From the sheer numbers of Crane Flies about there are clearly plenty of leatherjackets in the top soil available for the probing Starlings. Let us hope that other species are able to improve with their second broods too...
Regards
N & E
Well we are still trying to establish how to make this blog site available to everyone as it has confounded us so far! Anyway here goes again with a slight change in the name of the blog address in an effort to make it at least viewable!
In any event the birding scene locally has been a touch samey I'm afraid, and at risk of simply not being too repetitive, it's a case of the local breeding birds trying to get down to a bit of breeeding which this year is clearly being very challenging. At Pitsford Res the pair of Oystercatchers still have their three chicks which are now growing nicely. We managed to visit them on a boat on Friday just gone and ringed them which was a real treat. The conscientious parents made their presence felt with that fantastic yelping yodle. The terns unfortunately have started very poorly this year but many have relaid so hopefully will be able to salvage something from this very damp year. Meadow Pipits are in good numbers at Blueberry Farm this year, which tends to be the case when it is damp. The only other breeding birds nearby in this part of the county this year is a single pair at Pitsford Res by the dam.
A further CES ringing session at Pitsford a week ago confirmed the low numbers of fledged tits, but there was an increase in the number of fledged Robins and the first young warblers are about now. Away from Pitsford and the Starlings seemed to have produced plenty of youngsters and the ideal conditions seem to have stimulated 2nd broods. From the sheer numbers of Crane Flies about there are clearly plenty of leatherjackets in the top soil available for the probing Starlings. Let us hope that other species are able to improve with their second broods too...
Regards
N & E
Tuesday 26 June 2012
Hi
A Common Bird Census at Pitsford Res this morning was mostly uneventful, albeit there was still plenty of bird song. Some of the warblers are beginning to falter in their singing, particularly the Garden Warblers. Probably the best birds were an adult Cuckoo, and fly-over singles of Crossbill and Siskin. Gadwall and Pochard are beginning to gather for the summer moult and the three Oystercatcher chicks on the Scaldwell Bay tern rafts are growing steadily.
This evening provided 4 Ravens at Clint Hill, Hanging Houghton (possibly an adult and 3 juveniles), and a Quail which called just a couple of times (easier to hear from the Brampton Valley Way about a third of a mile south of the Hanging Houghton crossing), plus the hunting Barn Owl still.
Regards
Neil
Monday 25 June 2012
Hi
Well it was another early start today with a Constant Effort Site (CES) bird ringing session in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res. Very muddy and wet with many of the boardwalks under water! The reservoir is apparently at least 98% full and is the highest water level for some years. Previous CES sessions this year have identified a real lack of fledged young birds, but today was better with several juvenile Robins and a handful of juvenile tits trapped and processed. Of particular interest was the capture of an adult female Blackcap bearing a Belgium ring - it will take a little while to find out the history of this bird. Eleanor is just back in from a wander in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and up towards Blueberry Farm. Nothing significant found but the regular Barn Owl and Grasshopper Warbler were on show as usual. The only visible migration noticed during today included a few Lapwings and non-breeding Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a couple of Siskin singletons passing over. Roll on the autumn!
Regards
Neil M
Well it was another early start today with a Constant Effort Site (CES) bird ringing session in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res. Very muddy and wet with many of the boardwalks under water! The reservoir is apparently at least 98% full and is the highest water level for some years. Previous CES sessions this year have identified a real lack of fledged young birds, but today was better with several juvenile Robins and a handful of juvenile tits trapped and processed. Of particular interest was the capture of an adult female Blackcap bearing a Belgium ring - it will take a little while to find out the history of this bird. Eleanor is just back in from a wander in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and up towards Blueberry Farm. Nothing significant found but the regular Barn Owl and Grasshopper Warbler were on show as usual. The only visible migration noticed during today included a few Lapwings and non-breeding Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a couple of Siskin singletons passing over. Roll on the autumn!
Regards
Neil M
Friday 22 June 2012
Hi
Despite spending quite a bit of time in the Blueberry Farm/Hanging Houghton area during the last few days, the Quail have been stubbornly quiet and we've not heard a whisper of the 'wet-my-lips' call. The weather has not been ideal but even so there have been periods of sunshine and dry periods when you would have thought they would have been calling. In contrast a persistently singing Lesser Whitethroat in the middle of the Blueberry Farm complex seems to be desperate to find a mate and sings no matter the weather! Down at Pitsford Res the three Oystercatcher chicks seem to be doing fine with their attentive parents continually providing worms and grubs for them and sheltering them from the rain and wind. A Pied Wagtail nest was found today in the grounds of the yacht club, the nest located in an upturned canoe and sheltering five warm chicks! I just hope that the resident Weasel doesn't find them as it also lives in the dormant yachts and boat 'furniture'. TTFN
N & E
Despite spending quite a bit of time in the Blueberry Farm/Hanging Houghton area during the last few days, the Quail have been stubbornly quiet and we've not heard a whisper of the 'wet-my-lips' call. The weather has not been ideal but even so there have been periods of sunshine and dry periods when you would have thought they would have been calling. In contrast a persistently singing Lesser Whitethroat in the middle of the Blueberry Farm complex seems to be desperate to find a mate and sings no matter the weather! Down at Pitsford Res the three Oystercatcher chicks seem to be doing fine with their attentive parents continually providing worms and grubs for them and sheltering them from the rain and wind. A Pied Wagtail nest was found today in the grounds of the yacht club, the nest located in an upturned canoe and sheltering five warm chicks! I just hope that the resident Weasel doesn't find them as it also lives in the dormant yachts and boat 'furniture'. TTFN
N & E
Wednesday 20 June 2012
Hello!
This is the first time that Eleanor and I have attempted a blog and it is hoped this is the first of many regular updates! Both recently retired we are now relatively free to fully exploit our love for watching wild birds and linked activities. We are both keen birders with regular local patches in the county of Northants, and enjoy exploring new sites, finding birds and generally finding out about wild birds and other wildlife. Although very much based in the county of Northamptonshire, we also travel around the UK and all our foreign holidays are birds/wildlife-based. Bear with us please whilst we unravel the intricacies of setting up a website etc!
Regards
Neil & Eleanor
This is the first time that Eleanor and I have attempted a blog and it is hoped this is the first of many regular updates! Both recently retired we are now relatively free to fully exploit our love for watching wild birds and linked activities. We are both keen birders with regular local patches in the county of Northants, and enjoy exploring new sites, finding birds and generally finding out about wild birds and other wildlife. Although very much based in the county of Northamptonshire, we also travel around the UK and all our foreign holidays are birds/wildlife-based. Bear with us please whilst we unravel the intricacies of setting up a website etc!
Regards
Neil & Eleanor
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