Reservoir Dog!

Hello

This afternoon we paid some visits to local reservoirs, starting at Welford/Sulby.  Here there were two juvenile Black Terns, 7 Common Terns and 2 Common Sandpipers.  Next was Naseby where the Great Crested Grebes have clearly had a great breeding year with lots of youngsters of all ages.  Other birds here included 3 Common Sandpipers and 2 Grey Wagtails.  A visit to Hollowell Res provided just 5 Common Terns and a Ruff.

The gull roost at Pitsford Res this evening yielded 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, 6 Yellow-legged Gulls, 6 Common Terns and an adult Black Tern.

Also this evening, 4 Whinchats were again present in the southern-most field at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

'Minding the 'scope'

 

Juvenile Black Tern

Welford Res

 

Common Sandpiper

Naseby Res

Harrington raptor

Hello

Eleanor was again up at Harrington Airfield late this morning.  The Marsh Harrier was still present near to the airfield pond and 2 Turtle Doves and a Redstart were still in the bushes west of the concrete track by the straw bale stacks.

A large pale raptor flew over which was either carrying something or had jesses hanging down and remained unidentified (it reminded her of a Short-toed Eagle)!

Neil M

Pitsford scan am

Hello

Scanning in dull but humid conditions at Pitsford Res this morning failed to locate much new of note.  Surprisingly there didn't seem to be any tern species present at all (in stark contrast to other inland waters) and the only birds of note seen were three adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 4 Little Egrets, 2 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a Swift.

Regards

Neil M

Pitsford Gull Roost

Hello

A gloomy gull roost at Pitsford Res this evening produced a juvenile Mediterranean Gull and at least 10 Yellow-legged Gulls amongst 700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.


Neil M

Pitsford pm

Hello

Birds south of the causeway at Pitsford Res this afternoon included a Little Egret, a Greenshank, 4 Ruff and the Bar-headed Goose still.

Sightings north of the causeway amounted to an adult Osprey that flew in to the Scaldwell bay at 5.25pm and caught a fish at the third attempt, a Greenshank, 3 Common Sandpipers, a Goldeneye, two female Red-crested Pochard, a Little Egret, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher (latter two in the Feeding Station bushes). 

The Vulcan flew past a couple of times to the dismay of the geese flocks!

Regards

E & N

Blueberry and immediate area

Hello

A wander this morning in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and the lower fields at Blueberry Farm indicated it was very quiet for birds.  A few small parties of birds called from hedgerows and a few over-flying Yellow Wagtails was the most significant activity.  A very active adult Red Kite was the only thing seriously stretching a wing albeit that the landowners at Blueberry Farm saw a hunting Short-eared Owl this morning over the fields on top of the hill towards Haselbech, which is about the right time for this species to make an appearance.

Regards

E & N

Pitsford Scan

Hello

A scan from the causeway and the Maytrees Hide area at Pitsford Res in very grey conditions this evening provided views of at least two female Red-crested Pochards, a Goldeneye and two Little Egrets.

Regards

E & N

Ditchford

Hello

This afternoon was spent at Ditchford GP, and six species of raptor included a juvenile Marsh Harrier west of Ditchford Lane at 1.10pm.  Other birds of interest included 2 Hobbies, 2 Little Egrets, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Egyptian Geese, a Redstart, 2 Whinchats, a Cuckoo, 7 Kingfishers and a Cetti's Warbler.  Plenty of insects on the go included 2 Clouded Yellow butterflies.

Regards

E & N

 

Large White

 

Peacock

 

Small Tortoiseshell

 

Common Frog

 

Marsh Harrier

 

Clouded Yellow

 

Spitfire and friends

 

Juvenile Common Tern

Hot Harrington

Hello

A ramble around the Harrington Airfield complex this morning resulted in a Cuckoo on the old airstrip and a small pocket of birds in the bushes just west of the main concrete track and near to the straw bales which included 2 Redstarts, 3 Spotted Flycatchers and 2 Turtle Doves.

Regards

E & N

Bits and pieces

Hello

The Swallow roost total of birds caught and ringed at Stortons GP on Wednesday evening was 125.

A ringing session completed by Dave Francis at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Res on Wednesday evening and this morning resulted in the capture of 25 new birds including 7 Tree Sparrows.  This provides a total of 52 Tree Sparrows ringed at the feeding station for the month of August alone.  Other birds ringed included 4 Reed Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Sparrowhawk.

A Common Buzzard spent time fixated on the feeding station with a presumed interest in the rodents coming to the food and Dave also noted 6 Little Egrets, a Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Sandpipers (all Wednesday evening).  Two Muntjac enjoyed munching their way through some of the broadcast seed!

This evening (Thursday) and the gull roost off the yacht club at Pitsford Res produced 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls and four Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regards

Neil M

Osprey!

Hello

A run along the Brampton Valley Way this morning between Merry Tom Lane and Hanging Houghton failed to locate any specific birds of interest, so off I went to Harrington Airfield (again).  A Marsh Harrier was again present as were two Turtle Doves which showed particularly well.  Six Crossbills flew over in a westerly direction.

Later in the day and a visit to Pitsford Res was memorable due to the exploits and proximity of a fishing Osprey.  This adult bird, seemingly without rings, flew a couple of lengths of the big side between the causeway and the dam at about 1.55pm before splashing in to the water unsuccessfully in the Pintail Bay.  It then came flying down the reservoir and dived in to the water only about a 100 metres away next the gorse bushes and in very close proximity to a fishing boat, to the surprise and exclamation of the two occupants!

The Osprey then rested on the water's surface with wings extended for quite a period to the point that I was becoming a little concerned.  One of the fishermen had time to find his camera and take some images!  With much labour, the avian fisher then attempted to rise from the water with an impossibly huge fish.  On the third attempt the fish was pulled from the water but after rising to only about two feet from the surface, it was clear that the fish was just too heavy and it was released with a big splash!

The bird then disappeared off in a northerly direction, only to re-appear at 2.55pm and again seemingly to go fishing south of the causeway.

A Goldeneye and a Garganey were present near to the Maytrees Hide.

Late this afternoon there were four Whinchats in the southern-most field of Blueberry Farm next to the Cottesbrooke/Hanging Houghton track.

Regards

Eleanor

Late evening update

Hello

This evening birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included 4 Whinchats and a singing Grasshopper Warbler.

The efforts at ringing Swallows at Stortons GP was successful with approximately 100 birds caught with about another 250 - 300 birds present.  The exact number will be assessed as the birds are processed and safely roosted overnight for release at dawn tomorrow.  Other birds caught included Whitethroat, Reed Warbler and a Cetti's Warbler.  Calling birds heard included Hobby, Water Rail and Kingfisher.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil M

August migrants

Hello

A visit to Harrington Airfield this morning did not result in any sightings of yesterday's Woodchat Shrike.  Birds present included a Marsh Harrier still, a Cuckoo and a Turtle Dove.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Res this morning included an adult Yellow-legged Gull still, two Little Egrets, a Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Kingfisher.

In the Brampton Valley today between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke there was a Stonechat, 2 Whinchats, a Wheatear and a Clouded Yellow butterfly.

An Osprey flew over Hanging Houghton in a westerly direction at about 11.30am and other birds seen from the garden included Red Kite and Hobby.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Local ringing

Hello

Yesterday evening (Monday), and a ringing session at Stortons GP aimed at catching roosting Swallows was successful with 40 birds caught (including a controlled bird from elsewhere) plus other species of birds were captured too.  A repeat performance is planned for tomorrow evening (Wednesday).

At Pitsford Res this morning, Dave Francis ringed over 60 birds in the Scaldwell Bay as part of the Constant Effort Site monitoring process.  Warblers included 5 Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps, 4 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Sedge Warbler and 2 Reed Warblers.  Variety was in the shape of 2 Kingfishers and a Jay and numbers were provided in the plump shape of 10 Wrens!

This evening birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Res included an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Hobby, a Little Egret and a Green Sandpiper.

Regards

Neil M

Woodchat!

Hello

This afternoon a juvenile Woodchat Shrike was showing well at Harrington Airfield, in the close vicinity of the first bunker walking from the chippings compound.  An old 19th Century record is the only previous record of this species in the county.  A Hobby was also on show as well as plenty of Common Buzzards and a very tatty Red Kite.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Juvenile Woodchat Shrike.

This bird was sallying after

large insects such as wasps

and bees and consuming them.

It was seen to cough up a pellet

and impale a Bumblebee on a rose

thorn as part of a larder, something

the shrike family is famous for.