Last few birds of 2012

Hi 

Birds around the garden today included a couple of flighty Bramblings but unfortunately no sign of yesterday's Waxwings.

At least one Brambling was a Kelmarsh Hall late morning.

This afternoon the Great White Egret was on the floodwater again near to Holcot village and viewable from the Hannington Road, but efforts to photograph it were thwarted as there was always vegetation in the way.  Just the one Little Egret was keeping it company.

The Pitsford Res gull roost contained two Mediterranean Gulls this evening (adult and 1st winter).

Regards

Neil M

 

Great White Egret

 

Tufted Duck Pitsford

 

Common Gull Brixworth

Grey day birding

Hi

Limited opportunity for birding today on a very grey dank day in the county.

A single Brambling was on the scattered seed at Harrington Airfield this morning.  Neil Hasdell located the Slavonian Grebe at Pitsford Res this morning, present off the Brixworth bank next to The Gorses (about half way between the causeway and the dam).  A 'redhead' Smew was still present off The Pines and a Redshank was at the yacht club this afternoon.

At 3.05pm this afternoon a lock of 11 Waxwings were in a garden at The Croft, Hanging Houghton briefly, before flying towards Lamport Grange.  Two Bramblings and a redpoll sp were also flying around the gardens.

Finally this afternoon there was a male Stonechat in the most northerly field at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell plus a hunting Barn Owl.

We thought we would add an image of a pink male Lesser Redpoll caught yesterday to brighten the day up (please see below)!

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Squelch squelch!

Hi

A good traipse around the Blueberry Farm complex today confirmed that few birds of interest remain on-site, with just 2 Woodcock being of note.

A squelchy walk around Stanford Res was a pleasant change of scenery, the only birds of interest were 5 Goosanders, ca20 Lesser Redpolls on weeds, a Cetti's Warbler and ca50 Tree Sparrows.

Small numbers of finches at Kelmarsh Hall this afternoon included a couple each of Brambling, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin.

It seems that the current mild and wet conditions are failing to produce many new birds in the county.

Regards

Eleanor & Neil

Boxing Day Bramblings

Hi

Birds visible from the feed station at Pitsford Res this morning included a 'redhead' Goosander, a Brambling and a Lesser Redpoll.

Four Bramblings and a Lesser Redpoll were caught and ringed at Kelmarsh Hall today with several others of each and up to 10 Siskins present too.

About 8 Bramblings were back on the seed at Harrington Airfield this afternoon.

Finally a couple of Ravens were visible in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning.

Regards

E and N

Crested Angels from the north

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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