Hi
Eleanor has just come in from her Christmas Day morning run with the dog, and she has just seen 4 Waxwings along the Brampton Valley Way below Brixworth in bushes close to the Creaton Road access point. This would have been about 10.20am...
Also 2 Ravens at Blueberry Farm this morning.
Regards
Neil M
Tuesday 25 December 2012
Angels of the flood
Hi
On this Christmas morning the Great White Angel and three Little Angels were again on the floodwater near Holcot at 10am this morning, best viewed from the Hannington Road (for angel read egret). Although they are slowly becoming more used to cars and traffic generally, it is best to stay in your vehicle and watch from a distance to avoid disturbance.
A quick recce and top-up of the feeders on the Kelmarsh Estate this morning, and before the rain sets in, didn't come up with anything particularly unusual but there were three smart male Bramblings at Kelmarsh Hall.
Regards
Neil M
On this Christmas morning the Great White Angel and three Little Angels were again on the floodwater near Holcot at 10am this morning, best viewed from the Hannington Road (for angel read egret). Although they are slowly becoming more used to cars and traffic generally, it is best to stay in your vehicle and watch from a distance to avoid disturbance.
A quick recce and top-up of the feeders on the Kelmarsh Estate this morning, and before the rain sets in, didn't come up with anything particularly unusual but there were three smart male Bramblings at Kelmarsh Hall.
Regards
Neil M
Monday 24 December 2012
Merry Christmas!
Hi
A first winter Mediterranean Gull and a first year Yellow-legged Gull were in the gull roost at Pitsford Res this afternoon. In addition there were a pair of Smew off The Pines and a Kingfisher off the yacht club.
Merry Christmas and fingers crossed for a bird-filled 2013!
E & N
A first winter Mediterranean Gull and a first year Yellow-legged Gull were in the gull roost at Pitsford Res this afternoon. In addition there were a pair of Smew off The Pines and a Kingfisher off the yacht club.
Merry Christmas and fingers crossed for a bird-filled 2013!
E & N
Soggy birding!
Hi
Rain, rain and more rain!
This morning the Jackdaw sporting the broad silver neck braces was again present at Hanging Houghton. Two other birds showed similar but much duller markings.
At 11am this morning the Great White Egret was showing well on the floodwater at the back of the Holcot Bay at Pitsford Res, just outside Holcot village and viewable from both the Walgrave and Hannington roads. Two Little Egrets were also present. At least one Brambling was present at the main feeding station at Pitsford Res this morning.
Regards
Neil M
Rain, rain and more rain!
This morning the Jackdaw sporting the broad silver neck braces was again present at Hanging Houghton. Two other birds showed similar but much duller markings.
At 11am this morning the Great White Egret was showing well on the floodwater at the back of the Holcot Bay at Pitsford Res, just outside Holcot village and viewable from both the Walgrave and Hannington roads. Two Little Egrets were also present. At least one Brambling was present at the main feeding station at Pitsford Res this morning.
Regards
Neil M
Sunday 23 December 2012
Egrets and stuff
Hi
A visit to Harrington Airfield this morning only produced a single female Brambling amongst the feeding birds on the seed by the concrete track entrance off the Draughton Road.
Birds in and around the garden here at Hanging Houghton included a Brambling, plus a Jackdaw with plumage traits sometimes associated with north-eastern populations known as 'Nordic Jackdaw'. An image is below - see what you think!
The Great White Egret was quite mobile at Pitsford Res late morning and seen in both the Holcot and Walgrave bays. Five Little Egrets were near floodwater at the back of the Holcot Bay as seen from the Hannington Road.
At 3.30pm this afternoon, five Waxwings were on television aerials in Holcot village at the crossroads in the middle of the village.
Blueberry Farm seemed quiet this afternoon, three redpoll sp and a Snipe being the most notable birds.
Regards
E & N
A visit to Harrington Airfield this morning only produced a single female Brambling amongst the feeding birds on the seed by the concrete track entrance off the Draughton Road.
Birds in and around the garden here at Hanging Houghton included a Brambling, plus a Jackdaw with plumage traits sometimes associated with north-eastern populations known as 'Nordic Jackdaw'. An image is below - see what you think!
The Great White Egret was quite mobile at Pitsford Res late morning and seen in both the Holcot and Walgrave bays. Five Little Egrets were near floodwater at the back of the Holcot Bay as seen from the Hannington Road.
At 3.30pm this afternoon, five Waxwings were on television aerials in Holcot village at the crossroads in the middle of the village.
Blueberry Farm seemed quiet this afternoon, three redpoll sp and a Snipe being the most notable birds.
Regards
E & N
Stock Dove Hanging Houghton
Jackdaw at Hanging Houghton
(with a sheep in the way!)
Little Egrets Pitsford
Great White Egret
Pitsford - distant
flight shots
Goldeneye Pitsford
Tufted Duck Pitsford
Saturday 22 December 2012
Pitsford birds
Hi
This afternoon birds visible from and around the yacht club at Pitsford Res included 4-5 Smew (2-3 drakes), a Kingfisher, a Barn Owl hunting at 3pm (during a short spell when it wasn't actually raining!), a first year Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult and first winter).
Regards
Neil M
This afternoon birds visible from and around the yacht club at Pitsford Res included 4-5 Smew (2-3 drakes), a Kingfisher, a Barn Owl hunting at 3pm (during a short spell when it wasn't actually raining!), a first year Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult and first winter).
Regards
Neil M
Rain birds!
Hi
In very soggy conditions this morning it was time to replenish the food at the wild bird feeding stations. Not much to report in the constant rain but there were a couple of vocal Bramblings at Kelmarsh Hall and at 10.40am the Great White Egret was in flooded fields just outside Holcot village next to Pitsford Res and best viewed from the Hanninton Road. While I was there it was spending time standing around in the brown stubble field away from the stream. Plenty of Grey Herons there too and 2 Little Egrets were in a grass field on the opposite side of the Hannington road.
Regards
Neil M
In very soggy conditions this morning it was time to replenish the food at the wild bird feeding stations. Not much to report in the constant rain but there were a couple of vocal Bramblings at Kelmarsh Hall and at 10.40am the Great White Egret was in flooded fields just outside Holcot village next to Pitsford Res and best viewed from the Hanninton Road. While I was there it was spending time standing around in the brown stubble field away from the stream. Plenty of Grey Herons there too and 2 Little Egrets were in a grass field on the opposite side of the Hannington road.
Regards
Neil M
Friday 21 December 2012
GWE again...
Hi
Today the only birds of note seen was the Great White Egret together with 4 Little Egrets on floodwater at the back of the Holcot Bay, Pitsford Reservoir (at 12 noon).
Regards
Eleanor
Today the only birds of note seen was the Great White Egret together with 4 Little Egrets on floodwater at the back of the Holcot Bay, Pitsford Reservoir (at 12 noon).
Regards
Eleanor
Thursday 20 December 2012
Great White Egret
Hi
At about 11.30am this morning the Great White Egret was on show on the ever increasing floodwater at the back of the Holcot Bay, Pitsford Res, best viewed from the Hannington Road out of Holcot village.
Regards
Eleanor
At about 11.30am this morning the Great White Egret was on show on the ever increasing floodwater at the back of the Holcot Bay, Pitsford Res, best viewed from the Hannington Road out of Holcot village.
Regards
Eleanor
Wednesday 19 December 2012
Smew
Hi
Very limited opportunity for birding today, but a walk around Ravensthorpe Res this afternoon in rapidly deteriorating light was sufficient to locate 2 'redhead' Smew, 40 Cormorants, a Nuthatch, a Grey Wagtail, a Siskin and a redpoll sp.
15 redpoll sp flew over Smith's Farm Shop, Boughton this morning heading for the Brampton Valley Way.
Regards
E & N
Very limited opportunity for birding today, but a walk around Ravensthorpe Res this afternoon in rapidly deteriorating light was sufficient to locate 2 'redhead' Smew, 40 Cormorants, a Nuthatch, a Grey Wagtail, a Siskin and a redpoll sp.
15 redpoll sp flew over Smith's Farm Shop, Boughton this morning heading for the Brampton Valley Way.
Regards
E & N
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Ditchford WeBS survey
Hi
Today was taken up completing the WeBS survey at Ditchford GP, slipping and sliding in the mud as we went!
There were comparatively few large gulls in the Ditchford Lane area which was rather disappointing. A first year Scaup was with Tufted Ducks on the Watersport Pit to the west of Ditchford Lane. A pair of Smew were on the old Skew Bridge Pit. Other birds included 2-3 Little Egrets, 2 Stonechats, 3 Chiffchaffs, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 6-7 Kingfishers, 3 Grey Wagtails, c60 Golden Plovers over east, 6 Water Rails, just a couple of Siskins and 4 Lesser Redpolls.
Regards
E & N
Today was taken up completing the WeBS survey at Ditchford GP, slipping and sliding in the mud as we went!
There were comparatively few large gulls in the Ditchford Lane area which was rather disappointing. A first year Scaup was with Tufted Ducks on the Watersport Pit to the west of Ditchford Lane. A pair of Smew were on the old Skew Bridge Pit. Other birds included 2-3 Little Egrets, 2 Stonechats, 3 Chiffchaffs, 8 Cetti's Warblers, 6-7 Kingfishers, 3 Grey Wagtails, c60 Golden Plovers over east, 6 Water Rails, just a couple of Siskins and 4 Lesser Redpolls.
Regards
E & N
Ringing updates
Hi
On Sunday (16th), John Woollett and a team of ringers operated nets and traps at Stortons GP and captured 70 birds, 45 of which had been caught before at this site. New birds included a Water Rail (at least the third individual to be ringed at Stortons this year), a Magpie, a Goldcrest and 2 Lesser Redpolls. A Woodcock was flushed there yesterday (17th).
Today (18th) and Dave Francis has been ringing at Pitsford Res this morning and caught 56 birds, the majority of them new birds. This included another 13 Yellowhammers, 17 Goldfinches, 3 Tree Sparrows, 4 Reed Buntings, a Goldcrest and a Moorhen. Bramblings present at the feed station included an unringed bird and 37 Snipe were present in Scaldwell Meadow.
Regards
E & N
On Sunday (16th), John Woollett and a team of ringers operated nets and traps at Stortons GP and captured 70 birds, 45 of which had been caught before at this site. New birds included a Water Rail (at least the third individual to be ringed at Stortons this year), a Magpie, a Goldcrest and 2 Lesser Redpolls. A Woodcock was flushed there yesterday (17th).
Today (18th) and Dave Francis has been ringing at Pitsford Res this morning and caught 56 birds, the majority of them new birds. This included another 13 Yellowhammers, 17 Goldfinches, 3 Tree Sparrows, 4 Reed Buntings, a Goldcrest and a Moorhen. Bramblings present at the feed station included an unringed bird and 37 Snipe were present in Scaldwell Meadow.
Regards
E & N
Monday 17 December 2012
Harrington pm
Hi
This afternoon a walk around Harrington Airfield was productive with a/the female Merlin, a Short-eared Owl, a Woodcock and at least 10 Bramblings.
Regards
Eleanor
This afternoon a walk around Harrington Airfield was productive with a/the female Merlin, a Short-eared Owl, a Woodcock and at least 10 Bramblings.
Regards
Eleanor
Pitsford WeBS Count
Hi
Today was another team effort at counting the waterbirds at Pitsford Res, with David Arden, Neil Hasdell, Eleanor and myself conducting a coordinated count. The extra rain of the last few days had turned the water brown on much of the reserve section of the reservoir. However the winter sunshine and relatively mild conditions meant it was good to be out. Total numbers of waterbirds have yet to be added up, but birds of note included the Great White Egret (in Holcot Bay and showing well from the Goosander Hide), a 'redhead' Smew near to Pintail Bay, 3 Goosanders, a Red Kite, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher, a Chiffchaff, 2-3 Brambling and small numbers of Lesser Redpolls and Siskins.
A Brambling remains in our garden at Hanging Houghton.
Regards
Neil M
Today was another team effort at counting the waterbirds at Pitsford Res, with David Arden, Neil Hasdell, Eleanor and myself conducting a coordinated count. The extra rain of the last few days had turned the water brown on much of the reserve section of the reservoir. However the winter sunshine and relatively mild conditions meant it was good to be out. Total numbers of waterbirds have yet to be added up, but birds of note included the Great White Egret (in Holcot Bay and showing well from the Goosander Hide), a 'redhead' Smew near to Pintail Bay, 3 Goosanders, a Red Kite, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher, a Chiffchaff, 2-3 Brambling and small numbers of Lesser Redpolls and Siskins.
A Brambling remains in our garden at Hanging Houghton.
Regards
Neil M
Sunday 16 December 2012
Monitoring Feed Stations
Hi
Dave Francis presided over a ringing session at the main Pitsford Res feeding station yesterday afternoon and again this morning. The benefits to some birds of maintaining a feed station is best assessed when we can actually work out how many birds are using it. Visually we can count the numbers we see at any one time but have no idea of the total number requiring sustenance. Dave caught 32 new Yellowhammers during the Saturday/Sunday session, and another 10 were caught on Friday morning. Add the retraps and another 150 or so Yellowhammers caught at this one spot during the year and I think we can begin to understand how such a project benefits a local population. In some areas Yellowhammers are really struggling so its just great to enhance their status in central Northants.
Other birds trapped and monitored yesterday afternoon and this morning included another 4 new Bramblings, 14 Goldfinches, 5 Tree Sparrows (plus a controlled bird from elsewhere), 4 Reed Buntings, a Fieldfare and a Moorhen. However my favourite bird of the session was a single Snipe that was flushed in to a net. I'm a big fan of the bird species that endeavour to utilise their plumage to hide from would-be predators, and it is an incredible privilege to be able to be so close to a crepuscular species such as a Snipe (please see the below images).
This afternoon there were two Barn Owls hunting at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.
Regards
Neil M
Dave Francis presided over a ringing session at the main Pitsford Res feeding station yesterday afternoon and again this morning. The benefits to some birds of maintaining a feed station is best assessed when we can actually work out how many birds are using it. Visually we can count the numbers we see at any one time but have no idea of the total number requiring sustenance. Dave caught 32 new Yellowhammers during the Saturday/Sunday session, and another 10 were caught on Friday morning. Add the retraps and another 150 or so Yellowhammers caught at this one spot during the year and I think we can begin to understand how such a project benefits a local population. In some areas Yellowhammers are really struggling so its just great to enhance their status in central Northants.
Other birds trapped and monitored yesterday afternoon and this morning included another 4 new Bramblings, 14 Goldfinches, 5 Tree Sparrows (plus a controlled bird from elsewhere), 4 Reed Buntings, a Fieldfare and a Moorhen. However my favourite bird of the session was a single Snipe that was flushed in to a net. I'm a big fan of the bird species that endeavour to utilise their plumage to hide from would-be predators, and it is an incredible privilege to be able to be so close to a crepuscular species such as a Snipe (please see the below images).
This afternoon there were two Barn Owls hunting at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.
Regards
Neil M
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