It has been one of those days !! .......a glorious Autumn day full of expectation which was fueled by 2 Crossbills and a Grey Wagtail going over the garden this morning. So I headed for Harrington Airfield where a good yomp round with my faithful old collie produced nothing . I couldn't find a single bird of note and the silence of the bushes was deafening !!!!
A couple of visits to the causeway at Pitsford produced the same result.
This evening Neil and I walked a huge circuit around Blueberry and the valley between Hanging Houghton and Cottesbrooke, where again the birds proved elusive. The only compensation being a rather beautiful sunset. But.....at 19.50hrs we picked up a Marsh Harrier hunting the wheat fields between HH and Cottesbrooke. As we watched it made several attempts to catch prey and finally it did appear to be "wrestling" with something on the ground.
Regards Eleanor and Neil
Tuesday 27 August 2013
Monday 26 August 2013
Swallow alert
Hello
Red Kite and Hobby are providing daily viewings over the garden these days alongside the more regular Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard. The few pairs of Swallows in the village are very good at alerting us whenever one of the smaller raptors are around but it is important for them to recognise the correct species of avian hunter. Certainly there is a different tone to their warning calls when a Hobby arrives within their air-space, perhaps one of the few predators that can out-manoeuvre a Swallow, albeit that they probably lose more of their kin to the 'smash and grab' tactics of the Sparrowhawk. With both Hobby and Sparrowhawk feeding large young locally they are under pressure to hunt more regularly thus their visits to and around the garden are probably now at their most frequent and the Swallows probably at their most anxious!
A visit to Pitsford Res this evening produced a Hobby, 2 Greenshanks and 4 Little Egrets.
Regards
E & N
Red Kite and Hobby are providing daily viewings over the garden these days alongside the more regular Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard. The few pairs of Swallows in the village are very good at alerting us whenever one of the smaller raptors are around but it is important for them to recognise the correct species of avian hunter. Certainly there is a different tone to their warning calls when a Hobby arrives within their air-space, perhaps one of the few predators that can out-manoeuvre a Swallow, albeit that they probably lose more of their kin to the 'smash and grab' tactics of the Sparrowhawk. With both Hobby and Sparrowhawk feeding large young locally they are under pressure to hunt more regularly thus their visits to and around the garden are probably now at their most frequent and the Swallows probably at their most anxious!
A visit to Pitsford Res this evening produced a Hobby, 2 Greenshanks and 4 Little Egrets.
Regards
E & N
Bank Holiday birds
Hello
A wander around Harrington Airfield this morning failed to locate any birds of note. Three Grey Wagtails were present at Brixworth Sewer Works.
This afternoon a visit to the Blueberry Farm area near Maidwell provided a juvenile Marsh Harrier flying towards Haselbech at 4.30pm, and there were 6 Whinchats in the southern-most field.
Regards
E & N
A wander around Harrington Airfield this morning failed to locate any birds of note. Three Grey Wagtails were present at Brixworth Sewer Works.
This afternoon a visit to the Blueberry Farm area near Maidwell provided a juvenile Marsh Harrier flying towards Haselbech at 4.30pm, and there were 6 Whinchats in the southern-most field.
Regards
E & N
Male Southern Hawker
Small Tortoiseshell
Sunday 25 August 2013
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
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
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
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
Saturday 24 August 2013
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
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
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
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
Friday 23 August 2013
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
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
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
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
Thursday 22 August 2013
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
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
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
Wednesday 21 August 2013
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
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
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