Pitsford gulls

Hi

The gull roost at Pitsford Res off the yacht club this evening included a juvenile Mediterranean Gull (moulting to 1st winter), the 4th year Caspian Gull again, at least 5 Yellow-legged Gulls, plus 4 Curlews which headed off west and a drake Red-crested Pochard.

Regards

Neil M

Migrants, migrants, migrants!

Hi

Early this morning a good walk around Harrington Airfield provided 4-5 Redstarts, a Wheatear, 2 Whinchats, a Tree Pipit, a Garden Warbler (most appear to have gone now) and perhaps most surprising of all, a Nuthatch!  The Redstarts were well scattered but included the usual male by the first bunker, 1-2 at the third bunker, the female again just off the concrete track by the sparse wild bird cover and one at the roadside between the compound and the start of the concrete track.  Grey Partridges comprised of a pair plus a small covey.

Birds in hedging by the side of the most southerly Blueberry Farm field included a Redstart and 2-3 Whinchats (SP 728745), with 2 Hobby closer to Hanging Houghton.

Birds noted in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res this morning included a Tree Pipit, 2 Nuthatch (one caught and ringed), a Kingfisher, a Water Rail and a Spotted Flycatcher.  Small numbers of Yellow Wagtails and the first few migrant Meadow Pipits were noted moving south.

Regards

E & N

Evening birds

Hi

Two Whinchats remained in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening, exploiting the vegetation alongside the brook to the south of the track.  Two Ravens flew up towards the village.

At Pitsford Res the 4th year Caspian Gull was again on a buoy off the yacht club and an Osprey fished 'The Narrows' which is between Catwalk Bay and The Pines.

Regards

E & N

Hi

Neil H was out on the Summer Leys reserve at Earls Barton GP this morning and saw the below Sacred Ibis fly over.  Other birds included yet another Marsh Harrier, a probable Wood Sandpiper in flight, a Greenshank, 4 Common Sandpipers, and a Peregrine was reported.

Neil M

Whinchats

Hi

This morning there were 3 Whinchats in brambles/weed stems adjacent to the track that runs alongside the southern-most Blueberry Farm field between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke (SP 730744).

Regards

Neil M

Reservoir birding

Hi

This afternoon, inbetween the showers, birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included 2 Whinchats, a Hobby and 2 Kingfishers.

Scanning from the causeway at Ravensthorpe Res revealed a pair of Red-crested Pochard, a Goldeneye, 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls and 2 Swifts.

On next to Hollowell Res which produced 2 juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, a Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpipers, ca9 Yellow Wagtails and 12 Common Terns.

Finally a late visit to the gull roost at Pitsford Res attracted 2 Mediterranean Gulls (2nd winter and a juvenile moulting to 1st winter), 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 9 Common Terns and a Curlew flying over moving south.

E & N

Little Ringed Plover

'alba' Wagtail

Mallard and Shoveler

Gadwall and Mallard and Teal and Shoveler

Harrington Airfield

Hi

This morning it seemed rather quiet for birds at Harrington Airfield but there were 2 Redstarts present (one in bushes by the first bunker walking from the chippings compound and the other in bushes just off the concrete track by the wild bird feed cover).

Regards

E & N

Harrington & Stortons

Hi

Birds at Harrington Airfield this morning included a male Redstart, a Wheatear and 2 Turtle Doves.

At Stortons GP this evening a Swift briefly joined the pre-roost gathering of about 300 Swallows.  A couple of mist nets were sufficient to catch some 90 birds, the majority of which were Swallows.

Neil M

Brampton Valley migrants and CES

Hi

This morning there were 2 Whinchats, a Wheatear and a Redstart in the Brampton Valley between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke, all in hedging close to the southern outskirts of the Blueberry Farm complex.  There was also a Marsh Harrier between Blueberry Farm and Maidwell village.

Also this morning the last Constant Effort Scheme ringing session of the season took place in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res.  Only low numbers of birds were captured but it did include a Tawny Owl and a Kingfisher (please see images below).

Adult Tawny Owls regularly keep their eyes mostly closed when being handled so no images of those fabulous liquid black eyes I'm afraid.  Kingfishers generally horizontally swivel their heads from side to side in slow motion when being handled in an almost mechanical fashion, and many will simply remain motionless in the palm of your hand when placed on their back!  The owl is an adult, first ringed some years ago at Pitsford (please note the variation in colours of its flight feathers indicating their differing ages).  The Kingfisher is a juvenile.

Regards

E & N

Whinchats

Hi

A wander around the fields in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening was pleasant but quiet for birds.  However there were 3 Whinchats in vegetation alongside the brook to the south of the track.

Regards

E & N

Pied Fly

Hi 

Nick and Michael Wood were ringing near to Chase Park Farm, Yardley Hastings this morning which is one of their regular ringing sites. They were both surprised and delighted when they found a Pied Flycatcher in the mist net (please find images below courtesy of Michael).

The bird was in the area near to the old railway line reached by Chase Park Road and then progressing past the farm (near to where the Great Grey Shrike was earlier in the year).

In the meantime I was down in Hertfordshire this morning ringing at Hillfield Reservoir where a Redstart graced the nets (please see below images).  It was judged to be an adult female...

Hi

At about 1pm this afternoon a juvenile Marsh Harrier was hunting in the back of the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res.

At Harrington Airfield this afternoon the first year male Redstart was again present along the old airstrip between the compound and the first bunker, plus a Wheatear and 9 Yellow Wagtails.

Monitoring the gull roost at Pitsford Res this evening was worthwhile with the arrival of at least 3 Caspian Gulls (a juvenile, the regular 4th year and an adult), and at least 5 Yellow-legged Gulls.

The last few weeks has seen a leucistic Collared Dove in our garden at Hanging Houghton (please see below courtesy of Neil H)

Regards

Neil M

More Swallows

Hi

A further ringing session took place this evening at Stortons GP, targeting the roosting Swallows.  Probably 3-400 gathered to roost in the reeds accompanied by small numbers of Sand Martins.  A late Swift joined the swarm for a short time whilst the hirundines were flying high.  In time the birds swept down to roost in the reeds and in excess of 100 birds were caught, the majority being Swallows, but with about a dozen Sand Martins and a handful of warblers too.  A few resident Cetti's Warblers and Water Rails were audible from the phragmites.

Regards

Neil M

Harrington

Hi

A two hour hike around the Blueberry Farm/Brampton Valley area yesterday evening in stunning light was incredibly quiet for birds and we failed to find the rather tatty male Marsh Harrier from the previous evening.

This morning (23rd) and a walk around the usual circuit at Harrington Airfield provided a migrant Tree Pipit which arrived at about 10.15am, flew around several times and then seemed to depart to the south.  Also still present was the first year male Redstart in bushes along the old airstrip between the chippings compound and the first bunker.  This is likely to be the elusive bird first seen at the end of July.  Today it was much more showy and calling well.

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford

Hi

Yesterday afternoon (21st) and this morning (22nd) saw the first ringing session of the season at the Old Scaldwell Road feeding station at Pitsford Res.  The main target was Tree Sparrows and 28 juveniles were caught and ringed.  The majority did not show post-juvenile moult which indicates that they were late brood birds from not far away.  Previous ringing data on Tree Sparrows occurring at the feed station has recorded at least two movements of birds linked to the East Yorkshire coast. Some 61 birds were caught in total which did include some common warblers too.

Also this morning a WeBS count was completed at Pitsford.  It was very quiet for both waterbirds and migrants.  The most notable birds were the two drake Red-crested Pochard which today were back in the Scaldwell Bay, a Goldeneye (Walgrave Bay) and any number of mobile Common Sandpipers (somewhere between 5-12).  Marsh and Willow Tits and Nuthatch remain on-site in small numbers on the reserve section.

Regards

E & N