Iceland - 4th - 8th March 2022
Hi,
Despite the very foggy conditions (see pic below) a ringing session was carried out at the feed station at Pitsford reservoir this morning.
Total number of birds captured was 54, which included 22 new Tree Sparrows (mostly youngsters), 1 female G.S. Woodpecker, 1 male Goldcrest, 1 Coal Tit and a Song Thrush. Unfortunately the weather went from foggy to bright sunshine in a very short space of time, neither conditions being ideal for ringing. There's no pleasing ringers itseems:)
The Pintail was still in the back of the Scaldwell Bay.
Hi,
Not much to report after a gloriously sunny autumn morning walk at Pitsford. There was quite a lot of disturbance on the reserve half of the reservoir today from a number of low flying hot-air ballons making the most of the conditions. The only bird of note in the Scaldwell Bay was a Pintail.
At the other end of the reservoir the Black-necked Grebe was showing well close into the dam wall along with a couple of Little Grebes.
Regards,
Neil H.
Hi
This morning there were migrants moving over the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and included a Fieldfare, a Brambling and quite a number of redpoll sp and Siskin. Two Barn Owls remained on show at Blueberry Farm.
A little later 5 Curlews arrived in the valley between the Brixworth and Spratton crossings, having arrived from the direction of Pitsford Res.
A smashing mixed flock of small birds in the garden included Long-tailed Tits, a couple of Goldcrests and 4 Chiffchaffs.
Regards
Eleanor
Hi
A trundle around at Harrington Airfield this morning provided an opportunity to again witness visible migration with passerines passing over the airfield in a southerly direction. The most dominant species were Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Swallow and House Martin. Other species moving in smaller numbers included 'alba' wagtail, Tree Sparrow, Siskin and redpoll sp. No particular birds of note were seen but there were at least 24 Golden Plovers in the fields. Two Ravens were cruising over Hanging Houghton during the late morning.
Whilst at home today, anxiety calls from the garden birds announced the arrival of the usual male Sparrowhawk. He was on the lawn with prey in his talons, 'kneading' an unidentified victim in the way they kill small birds. However it soon became clear that he actually had a sprig of ice plant in his talons and no bird! I assume he had impacted with the bird and the ice plant at the same time and thought he had both. After realising his mistake the now grumpy Sparrowhawk walked around the border looking for his anticipated victim, but I don't think he found it and it had long gone! Please see the images below. The bird was ringed and although four males have been caught and ringed in the garden over the years, it is likely that this bird was DB92870 and originally ringed as a yearling in 2005 and retrapped in 2011. He is now very much a mature male.
Birds off the yacht club at Pitsford Res this evening included the Black-necked Grebe and the 4th year Caspian Gull.
Regards
E & N
Hi
A wander in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and around Blueberry Farm was very busy with birds this morning. Large numbers of Meadow Pipits were on the move so it was no real surprise when a male Merlin appeared in pursuit. Other birds included 3 Redwings, 2+ redpoll sp, plenty of Skylarks and Siskins and 2 Barn Owls.
Then up to Harrington Airfield and much of the same with large flocks of Meadow Pipits, a Wheatear, a female Stonechat, a Redstart (the first for a little while), a Grey Wagtail, 30+ Golden Plovers and further visible migration included flocks of Linnets and a few Tree Sparrows passing over.
This afternoon it was back down to the Brampton Valley with many of the morning species still present. Additional birds included 2 Red Kites, a Grey Wagtail and 2 Crossbills.
Birds visible from the causeway at Ravensthorpe Res this afternoon included a juvenile Caspian Gull and a pair of Red-crested Pochard.
E & N
Hi
Some of the county ringers were active over the week-end. John Woollett and team processed 77 birds at Stortons GP today which included a Water Rail, a Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Reed Warblers and a Siskin.
Some ringers are reporting particularly large numbers of Greenfinches and Goldfinches coming to garden feeders where ringing provides some idea of the true numbers involved. After a couple of difficult years for the Greenfinch which has been suffering from avian diseases, this upturn in numbers is very welcome. A ringer operating in South Northants has ringed over 300 Greenfinches in his garden this year including some 177 during this month alone! The same ringer has caught and ringed over 300 Goldfinches this year in the garden too. I hate to think how much he is spending on sunflower hearts and niger seed!
But are these birds simply the adults and offspring of local breeding stock or from further afield? Hopefully some of these birds will be recorded again and provide the answer.
Birds noted today included 2 Ravens in Lamport village, 3 Crossbills in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res late morning (in trees between Christies Copse and West Hide) and a drake Red-crested Pochard and a drake Mandarin Duck at Ravensthorpe Res.
Regards
Neil M
Hi
At Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this morning there was a male Stonechat partnered with a Whinchat in the northern-most field along the central ditch.
Other birds included 2 Red Kites, 2 Barn Owls and 3 Ravens. South-bound passerines included Meadow Pipits, a Grey Wagtail, Skylarks and Swallows and House Martins.
Neil M
Hi
Birds noted at Harrington Airfield this morning included a Short-eared Owl, a female Stonechat, 5 Redwings over south and singles of Yellow and Grey Wagtail also over south.
At Pitsford Res this evening the Black-necked Grebe was still present off the yacht club as was the Caspian Gull.
Some images from Pitsford below, courtesy of Robin Gossage...
E & N
Black-necked and Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Meadow Pipit
Hi
Birds at Sywell Country Park this afternoon amounted to 2 drake Red-crested Pochard (the Pitsford birds?), 2 Grey Wagtails, a Kingfisher, a Common Sandpiper and 12 Siskins.
Regards
Eleanor
Hi
Some ringing in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res was accomplished this morning with 56 birds caught and released. Birds processed included 6 Chiffchaffs, a couple of Goldcrests and a Blackcap.
There were plenty more Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs and several Blackcaps in the bushes, together with at least 3 Marsh Tits and a Willow Tit. Moving migrants included a Grey Wagtail, a couple of Yellow Wagtails, c10 Siskins, 2 redpoll sp and relatively small numbers of Meadow Pipits and 'alba' wagtails. Two Kingfishers were careering around the margins.
Plenty of dragonflies were still on the wing, mostly Ruddy Darters and Migrant Hawkers but also a late Brown Hawker.
A Rock Pipit flew high south over Hanging Houghton at about 3.15pm (calling well).
Neil M
Hi
At Blueberry Farm this evening there were 2 Short-eared Owls, 2 Barn Owls, a Hobby, a pair of Stonechat plus a redpoll sp and 2 Crossbills over.
At Pitsford Res this evening it was much the same with the Caspian Gull still present off the yacht club, the 1st winter Little Gull was still present as also was the Black-necked Grebe (in yacht bay).
Regards
E & N
Hi
A walk around Harrington Airfield this morning was a little disappointing as the weather conditions looked good for finding something a little different. As it was the best birds were a female Stonechat, 18 Golden Plovers, 3 Blackcaps and southbound singles of Siskin, Grey Wagtail and Yellow Wagtail.
Regards
E & N
Hi
Birds at Harrington Airfield this morning included a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a male Peregrine, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Ravens, a Wheatear, a pair of Stonechat, a Blackcap and still 2 Whitethroats. Finches moving over included a Brambling, a redpoll sp and 8 Siskins.
Birds visible from the yacht club at Pitsford Res this morning involved the Caspian Gull still, a 1st winter Little Gull, an Arctic Tern, a Common Tern and a male Peregrine.
Regards
E & N
Hi
The highlight of a very wet morning at Pitsford Reservoir was a glimpse of an Otter in the Walgrave Bay.
This afternoon the 4th winter Caspian Gull was again present off the yacht club and the moulting adult Black-necked Grebe was at the mouth of the yacht bay near to the pontoons. Also present were two 1st year Arctic Terns and two 1st year Common Terns and several lateish Sand Martins amongst the hirundines.
Regards
Neil M
Hi
Robin Gossage has kindly forwarded some additional images from the NBC trip to Titchwell (RSPB reserve on the Norfolk coast) yesterday. The majority of the images on this blog are low resolution but prints from Robin are available at a higher resolution. If you would like a print from a blog picture, please contact me or the photographer credited with the image.
It really was a day of birds from all seasons with quite a number of summer migrants about but also plenty of birds normally associated with winter. There were already thousands of Pink-footed Geese in the stubble fields adjacent to the coast road, Brent Geese passing by over the sea and Bramblings and Redwing dropping in.
Regards
Neil M
