Hello
The next Bird Club meeting is an outdoor meeting at Pitsford Reservoir on Wednesday 6th August 2014 starting at 7pm. This is half-an-hour earlier than normal, taking in to account the available light. The venue is the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Reservoir where there is sufficient parking, and tea and coffee and biscuits will be available all evening.
The planned events for the evening will be dictated by the weather conditions but following a briefing in the Lodge classroom at 7pm, we hope to take a walk around part of the Holcot Bay in search of birds and general wildlife. At the same time it is planned to run a bird ringing demonstration with mist nets being utilized nearby. If we are fortunate to catch some birds, these will be processed just outside the Fishing Lodge for all to see.
With luck it is hoped that moths and other invertebrates will be available for general viewing and macro-photography, so please bring your camera and appropriate lenses!
At about 9pm, the diurnal wildlife will take a back seat as we think about the creatures of the night! Graham Warnes will be on hand to show us the equipment to track bats, several species which regularly fly at Pitsford. Excursions will be made around the Lodge in an effort to track down Pipistrelle, Daubenton and other species.
Should the weather not be conducive for lengthy outside excursions, we have a couple of indoor presentations lined up as a contingency.
We look forward to members and non-members alike to come along to the evening's events - all welcome!
Friday 1 August 2014
Pitsford update
Hello
A single mist net erected in the garden for the first few hours this morning yielded over 50 captures, juvenile Blue Tits making up over half of this total. However two juvenile Nuthatches were a treat.
A visit by Eleanor to Harrington Airfield this morning provided views of 2 Turtle Doves, a Redstart, a Wheatear, a Whinchat and 3 Crossbills. A single Wheatear was in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton this afternoon.
At Pitsford Res this morning it was difficult to muster much of interest on the reserve, the best being a Goldeneye, 2 Wigeon and 4 Little Egrets. Two broods of Tufted Duck seem to be the only evidence of breeding on-site this year, and to date there appear not to be any Gadwall broods. However there are large numbers of young Coots and Moorhens and the latter broods of Great Crested Grebes are doing well too.
Birds visible from the yacht club this evening included the pair of Ruddy Shelduck still, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls and at least 2 Common Sandpipers.
Regards
Neil M
A single mist net erected in the garden for the first few hours this morning yielded over 50 captures, juvenile Blue Tits making up over half of this total. However two juvenile Nuthatches were a treat.
A visit by Eleanor to Harrington Airfield this morning provided views of 2 Turtle Doves, a Redstart, a Wheatear, a Whinchat and 3 Crossbills. A single Wheatear was in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton this afternoon.
At Pitsford Res this morning it was difficult to muster much of interest on the reserve, the best being a Goldeneye, 2 Wigeon and 4 Little Egrets. Two broods of Tufted Duck seem to be the only evidence of breeding on-site this year, and to date there appear not to be any Gadwall broods. However there are large numbers of young Coots and Moorhens and the latter broods of Great Crested Grebes are doing well too.
Birds visible from the yacht club this evening included the pair of Ruddy Shelduck still, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls and at least 2 Common Sandpipers.
Regards
Neil M
The Yellowhammer
Hello
Simon Hales has kindly sent through some shots of a singing male Yellowhammer at Harrington Airfield. Locally we are fortunate in Northants as we still maintain a healthy population of these birds, but the picture isn't the same in other parts of the country where this species has diminished.
The Yellowhammer like many buntings has a lengthy breeding season and the males sing from early spring until early autumn. Although they feed their unfledged young on invertebrate food, they are reliant on seeds for much of the remainder of the year, and crucially it is a typical species that probably suffers the 'hunger gap' period in late winter/spring when there is very little natural food left. It is very likely that the comparative lack of winter stubble fields these days is one of the reasons why there is less food available, and this species is always going to be responsive to local and national agricultural processes.
It as actually one of my favourite birds. I think the adult males are absolutely stunning, but the plumage of the duller females is particularly intricate and full of super browns, russet and chestnut and soft yellow tones.
Regards
Neil M
+Yellowhammer.jpg)
+Yellowhammer.jpg)
Simon Hales has kindly sent through some shots of a singing male Yellowhammer at Harrington Airfield. Locally we are fortunate in Northants as we still maintain a healthy population of these birds, but the picture isn't the same in other parts of the country where this species has diminished.
The Yellowhammer like many buntings has a lengthy breeding season and the males sing from early spring until early autumn. Although they feed their unfledged young on invertebrate food, they are reliant on seeds for much of the remainder of the year, and crucially it is a typical species that probably suffers the 'hunger gap' period in late winter/spring when there is very little natural food left. It is very likely that the comparative lack of winter stubble fields these days is one of the reasons why there is less food available, and this species is always going to be responsive to local and national agricultural processes.
It as actually one of my favourite birds. I think the adult males are absolutely stunning, but the plumage of the duller females is particularly intricate and full of super browns, russet and chestnut and soft yellow tones.
Regards
Neil M
+Yellowhammer.jpg)
+Yellowhammer.jpg)
Thursday 31 July 2014
Owl medley
Hello
Always photogenic, owls are often targeted by wildlife photographers. Sometimes though an owl will simply materialise in front of a photographer armed with a camera. Such is the case of this medley of owls as depicted by local naturalist Robin Gossage...
Regards
Neil M
Always photogenic, owls are often targeted by wildlife photographers. Sometimes though an owl will simply materialise in front of a photographer armed with a camera. Such is the case of this medley of owls as depicted by local naturalist Robin Gossage...
Regards
Neil M
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| Short-eared Owl |
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| Barn Owl |
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| Little Owl |
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| Tawny Owl All pictures courtesy of Robin Gossage. |
Further ringing
Hello
The reasonable weather of recent weeks coupled with a generally good breeding season resulting in plenty of young birds about has provided the momentum for plenty of action from the county bird ringers. Scientifically there is value in ringing young birds in the nest, inasmuch that it provides a significant understanding of their life history when seen or recovered again. However this isn't always feasible, so the next best thing is to try and ring birds which are clearly juveniles and can be easily aged as 'hatched that year'. The moult strategy employed by a bird may sometimes provide a significant clue as to the age of the bird. Some species may retain much of their juvenile feathers until a year later, whereas some species such as Tree Sparrow and Long-tailed Tit will rapidly moult the feathers they left the nest with and become very difficult to identify from adults.
Yesterday John Woollett ringed at Stortons GP and Chris Payne ringed in his excellent bird garden in Greens Norton. John caught typical species associated with the reserve and Chris ringed good numbers of House Sparrows plus other species including Starling, Collared Dove, finches, tits and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Yesterday afternoon and this morning saw Dave Francis and colleagues ringing at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir. This produced a very high total of 110 birds, 102 which were new. The total included 27 Tree Sparrows (nearly all juveniles), 10 Chaffinches, 8 Sedge Warblers, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler and a Moorhen and a Woodpigeon! Using mist-nets also provides an indication of what is lurking in the often dense seasonable foliage when small birds are typically very hard to spot!
Regards
Neil M
The reasonable weather of recent weeks coupled with a generally good breeding season resulting in plenty of young birds about has provided the momentum for plenty of action from the county bird ringers. Scientifically there is value in ringing young birds in the nest, inasmuch that it provides a significant understanding of their life history when seen or recovered again. However this isn't always feasible, so the next best thing is to try and ring birds which are clearly juveniles and can be easily aged as 'hatched that year'. The moult strategy employed by a bird may sometimes provide a significant clue as to the age of the bird. Some species may retain much of their juvenile feathers until a year later, whereas some species such as Tree Sparrow and Long-tailed Tit will rapidly moult the feathers they left the nest with and become very difficult to identify from adults.
Yesterday John Woollett ringed at Stortons GP and Chris Payne ringed in his excellent bird garden in Greens Norton. John caught typical species associated with the reserve and Chris ringed good numbers of House Sparrows plus other species including Starling, Collared Dove, finches, tits and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Yesterday afternoon and this morning saw Dave Francis and colleagues ringing at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir. This produced a very high total of 110 birds, 102 which were new. The total included 27 Tree Sparrows (nearly all juveniles), 10 Chaffinches, 8 Sedge Warblers, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler and a Moorhen and a Woodpigeon! Using mist-nets also provides an indication of what is lurking in the often dense seasonable foliage when small birds are typically very hard to spot!
Regards
Neil M
Wednesday 30 July 2014
Big bird in the net!
Hello
Some wild bird ringing in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning proved very interesting, not least when a juvenile Grey Heron collided with a mist net!
In all we processed about 45 birds which included a Kingfisher, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, 9 Chiffchaffs and 3 Willow Warblers.
Other birds noted on-site included 2 drake Red-crested Pochard, 2 Black Swans, 6+ Little Egrets, a Curlew, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Nuthatch.
At Harrington Airfield this morning, Eleanor saw a 'cream crown' Marsh Harrier, 2 Ravens, 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Turtle Doves, 4 Crossbills, 3 Redstarts, a Whinchat, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Grasshopper Warbler.
Regards
Neil M
Some wild bird ringing in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning proved very interesting, not least when a juvenile Grey Heron collided with a mist net!
In all we processed about 45 birds which included a Kingfisher, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, 9 Chiffchaffs and 3 Willow Warblers.
Other birds noted on-site included 2 drake Red-crested Pochard, 2 Black Swans, 6+ Little Egrets, a Curlew, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Nuthatch.
At Harrington Airfield this morning, Eleanor saw a 'cream crown' Marsh Harrier, 2 Ravens, 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Turtle Doves, 4 Crossbills, 3 Redstarts, a Whinchat, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Grasshopper Warbler.
Regards
Neil M
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| Neil Hasdell with the captured Grey Heron. |
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| Kingfisher. Both images courtesy of Lynne Barnett. |
Tuesday 29 July 2014
Wheatear
Hello
Very limited opportunity for birding today, but a migrant Wheatear at the top of Blueberry Hill (Blueberry Farm), Maidwell this evening was the first south-bound individual seen so far this season...
Regards
Neil M
Very limited opportunity for birding today, but a migrant Wheatear at the top of Blueberry Hill (Blueberry Farm), Maidwell this evening was the first south-bound individual seen so far this season...
Regards
Neil M
Monday 28 July 2014
Birds of the harvest
Hello
Efforts at ringing on the Harrington Airfield plateau this morning provided 38 captures which included 15 Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warblers and 4 Yellowhammers. Other birds noted included 2 Redstarts, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Hobby. My apologies if the planned ringing session prevented you from visiting the site today.
At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon, birds in the Scaldwell Bay included 6 Little Egrets, a Kingfisher, an adult male Ruff and a Green Sandpiper.
Also this afternoon, there was a single Whinchat in a wheat field adjacent to the gated road between Cottesbrooke and Brixworth, and 2 Ravens were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.
Regards
Neil M
Sunday 27 July 2014
Sunday birds
Hello
Late yesterday evening and this morning there was some bird ringing in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir leading to the capture of 74 birds which included only 12 re-traps. Species included 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 12 Wrens, 9 Blackcaps, 7 Chiffchaffs, 6 new Robins, 3 Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers (almost certainly migrants as there is only one pair on the reserve this year), a Whitethroat and a Kingfisher.
Another ringing effort this morning at Broadholme Sewer Treatment Works adjacent to Ditchford Gravel Pits required more ringers present to set up, but only resulted in 7 birds being ringed (4 Starlings, a Pied Wagtail, a Carrion Crow and a Magpie). However three Peregrines put on a show all morning, and other birds included a Hobby, three Green Sandpipers and several Grey Wagtails.
This morning there was a Redstart and two Whinchat in 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, and this afternoon two Ravens and a Hobby sauntered over the garden here at Hanging Houghton.
Finally at Harrington Airfield today, birds on show included a Redstart, a Grasshopper Warbler and two Turtle Doves. A short ringing session is planned for this site tomorrow morning (Monday) and the old airstrip will have restricted general access. The concrete track and designated footpaths remain unaffected.
Regards
Neil M
Late yesterday evening and this morning there was some bird ringing in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir leading to the capture of 74 birds which included only 12 re-traps. Species included 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 12 Wrens, 9 Blackcaps, 7 Chiffchaffs, 6 new Robins, 3 Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers (almost certainly migrants as there is only one pair on the reserve this year), a Whitethroat and a Kingfisher.
Another ringing effort this morning at Broadholme Sewer Treatment Works adjacent to Ditchford Gravel Pits required more ringers present to set up, but only resulted in 7 birds being ringed (4 Starlings, a Pied Wagtail, a Carrion Crow and a Magpie). However three Peregrines put on a show all morning, and other birds included a Hobby, three Green Sandpipers and several Grey Wagtails.
This morning there was a Redstart and two Whinchat in 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, and this afternoon two Ravens and a Hobby sauntered over the garden here at Hanging Houghton.
Finally at Harrington Airfield today, birds on show included a Redstart, a Grasshopper Warbler and two Turtle Doves. A short ringing session is planned for this site tomorrow morning (Monday) and the old airstrip will have restricted general access. The concrete track and designated footpaths remain unaffected.
Regards
Neil M
Saturday 26 July 2014
Sultry Pitsford
Hello
A visit to Pitsford Reservoir this evening provided a few birds in the vicinity of the dam and yacht club, amounting to a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, three Yellow-legged Gulls and the pair of Ruddy Shelduck.
Regards
Neil M
A visit to Pitsford Reservoir this evening provided a few birds in the vicinity of the dam and yacht club, amounting to a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, three Yellow-legged Gulls and the pair of Ruddy Shelduck.
Regards
Neil M
Stortons Ringing
Hello
The Stortons Gravel Pit Ringing Team were hard at it again today and enjoyed another busy morning. Warblers took centre stage and of the 80 birds caught, 63 were new birds, and many of them sub-Saharan migrants. Blackcap was the most common bird caught but also there were numbers of Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat. Star bird though was a juvenile Grasshopper Warbler (please see images below).
At Harrington Airfield this morning, there were still two Redstarts present (including the now moulting adult male), a singing Grasshopper Warbler, a Turtle Dove and a Willow Tit.
Regards
Neil M
The Stortons Gravel Pit Ringing Team were hard at it again today and enjoyed another busy morning. Warblers took centre stage and of the 80 birds caught, 63 were new birds, and many of them sub-Saharan migrants. Blackcap was the most common bird caught but also there were numbers of Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat. Star bird though was a juvenile Grasshopper Warbler (please see images below).
At Harrington Airfield this morning, there were still two Redstarts present (including the now moulting adult male), a singing Grasshopper Warbler, a Turtle Dove and a Willow Tit.
Regards
Neil M
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| Grasshopper Warbler. Images courtesy of Kim Robinson and Chris Payne |
Friday 25 July 2014
The last CBC of the season.
Hello
A walk around the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir was called for this morning, as we completed the last Common Bird Census of the year. Plenty of birds about but mostly standard fare which included about six Little Egrets, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a couple of Kingfishers and family parties of Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Tawny Owl. The best of the smaller birds were Grey and Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat and Marsh and Willow Tit. There were some large feeding flocks made up of tits, warblers, Goldcrests and Treecreepers moving through the foliage. Insects included a good variety of common butterflies and dragonflies.
In the pre-roost gathering of gulls by the yacht club this evening, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull was present as were two Yellow-legged Gulls. The pair of summering Ruddy Shelduck were with Canada Geese just off the dam.
At Harrington Airfield this evening, Eleanor kept to the main concrete track and saw a singing Grasshopper Warbler, a 'purring' Turtle Dove, a Redstart, a Barn Owl, a pair of Grey Partridge and two Crossbills flying low in an easterly direction towards the B576.
Regards
Neil M
A walk around the reserve section of Pitsford Reservoir was called for this morning, as we completed the last Common Bird Census of the year. Plenty of birds about but mostly standard fare which included about six Little Egrets, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a couple of Kingfishers and family parties of Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Tawny Owl. The best of the smaller birds were Grey and Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat and Marsh and Willow Tit. There were some large feeding flocks made up of tits, warblers, Goldcrests and Treecreepers moving through the foliage. Insects included a good variety of common butterflies and dragonflies.
In the pre-roost gathering of gulls by the yacht club this evening, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull was present as were two Yellow-legged Gulls. The pair of summering Ruddy Shelduck were with Canada Geese just off the dam.
At Harrington Airfield this evening, Eleanor kept to the main concrete track and saw a singing Grasshopper Warbler, a 'purring' Turtle Dove, a Redstart, a Barn Owl, a pair of Grey Partridge and two Crossbills flying low in an easterly direction towards the B576.
Regards
Neil M
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| Flowering Rush Pitsford Res Courtesy of Lynne Barnett |
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| Juvenile Mediterranean Gull Pitsford Res |
Thursday 24 July 2014
One good tern...
Hello
Sorry nothing to report today, so just a retro image of Eleanor (wearing my cap and a belligerent Arctic Tern) on the Farne Islands in 2007!
Regards
Neil M
Sorry nothing to report today, so just a retro image of Eleanor (wearing my cap and a belligerent Arctic Tern) on the Farne Islands in 2007!
Regards
Neil M
Wednesday 23 July 2014
Swallows might make a summer, but Redstarts declare autumn!
Hello
Yesterday Chris Payne and John Boland spent some time monitoring and ringing Swallows in the south of the county with considerable success. Please see the image below of these iconic British summer birds...
At Harrington Airfield this morning there were two Redstarts in bushes between the concrete track and the airstrip. One was a juvenile but the other was a cracking adult male bird. Both birds were quite vocal.
In the garden again today, birds coming to the sunflower feeder included the couple of Nuthatch and the Marsh Tit, with a Grey Wagtail nearby.
Regards
Neil M
Yesterday Chris Payne and John Boland spent some time monitoring and ringing Swallows in the south of the county with considerable success. Please see the image below of these iconic British summer birds...
At Harrington Airfield this morning there were two Redstarts in bushes between the concrete track and the airstrip. One was a juvenile but the other was a cracking adult male bird. Both birds were quite vocal.
In the garden again today, birds coming to the sunflower feeder included the couple of Nuthatch and the Marsh Tit, with a Grey Wagtail nearby.
Regards
Neil M
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| Juvenile Swallows Courtesy of John Boland |
Tuesday 22 July 2014
NN6 Birding
Hello
Eleanor was back at Harrington Airfield this morning and came across a mixed flock of birds in the vicinity of the old shooting wall off the main concrete track. Birds of note included two Spotted Flycatchers, a variety of warblers including Lesser Whitethroat and a Redstart. Two Turtle Doves were in the dead willows half way along the concrete track and a Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling' at the very end of the same track. A Whinchat was by the main entrance.
At Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) this evening there was a hunting Barn Owl, a Cuckoo and a pair of Grey Partridge. Two Ravens overflew the garden here at Hanging Houghton and the Grey Wagtail and two Nuthatch persisted.
This afternoon Wendy and Robin Gossage spent some time at Pitsford Reservoir and witnessed a fishing Osprey, plus a marauding Sparrowhawk inspecting the tern rafts (please see below).
Regards
Neil M
Eleanor was back at Harrington Airfield this morning and came across a mixed flock of birds in the vicinity of the old shooting wall off the main concrete track. Birds of note included two Spotted Flycatchers, a variety of warblers including Lesser Whitethroat and a Redstart. Two Turtle Doves were in the dead willows half way along the concrete track and a Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling' at the very end of the same track. A Whinchat was by the main entrance.
At Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) this evening there was a hunting Barn Owl, a Cuckoo and a pair of Grey Partridge. Two Ravens overflew the garden here at Hanging Houghton and the Grey Wagtail and two Nuthatch persisted.
This afternoon Wendy and Robin Gossage spent some time at Pitsford Reservoir and witnessed a fishing Osprey, plus a marauding Sparrowhawk inspecting the tern rafts (please see below).
Regards
Neil M
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| Osprey at Pitsford Res Courtesy of Robin Gossage |
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| Sparrowhawk at Pitsford Res Courtesy of Robin Gossage |
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| Views of Lamport from Blueberry Farm, Maidwell |
Monday 21 July 2014
Buddleia Magic!
Hello
This morning two Turtle Doves again put in an appearance at Harrington Airfield.
Without wishing to seem lazy, it was a day when the wildlife came to us in and around our garden at Hanging Houghton. The last few days have seen our buddleia bushes heaving with butterflies and today was no exception with large numbers of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock and smaller numbers of Red Admiral, Comma etc. The Silver Y moths then take over in the evening.
Birds in or from the garden today included two Ravens, a Grey Wagtail, and a Spotted Flycatcher, plus a Marsh Tit and two Nuthatch coming to the sunflower heart feeder.
Regards
Neil M
This morning two Turtle Doves again put in an appearance at Harrington Airfield.
Without wishing to seem lazy, it was a day when the wildlife came to us in and around our garden at Hanging Houghton. The last few days have seen our buddleia bushes heaving with butterflies and today was no exception with large numbers of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock and smaller numbers of Red Admiral, Comma etc. The Silver Y moths then take over in the evening.
Birds in or from the garden today included two Ravens, a Grey Wagtail, and a Spotted Flycatcher, plus a Marsh Tit and two Nuthatch coming to the sunflower heart feeder.
Regards
Neil M
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| Small Tortoiseshell |
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| Red Admiral |
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| Brown Hares. The fields between the Scaldwell and Walgrave Bays at Pitsford Reservoir are normally good for this super mammal. |
Sunday 20 July 2014
Storton's Warblers
Hello
The ringers operating at Stortons Gravel Pits enjoyed perfect conditions this morning, culminating in the capture of 95 birds which included at least 52 warblers! They were made up of 18 Blackcaps, 20 Reed Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Garden Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs and 3 Cetti's Warblers. Both Stortons and Pitsford now only catch very small numbers of Willow Warblers, and then mostly during the spring and autumn as the bulk of this species now breeds much further north than middle-England. Certainly when I first started ringing, the Willow Warbler was about the most common warbler encountered.
In the relative coolness of this evening, Eleanor located a single Redstart in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, and another in hedging near Haselbech Hill.
Regards
Neil M
The ringers operating at Stortons Gravel Pits enjoyed perfect conditions this morning, culminating in the capture of 95 birds which included at least 52 warblers! They were made up of 18 Blackcaps, 20 Reed Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Garden Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs and 3 Cetti's Warblers. Both Stortons and Pitsford now only catch very small numbers of Willow Warblers, and then mostly during the spring and autumn as the bulk of this species now breeds much further north than middle-England. Certainly when I first started ringing, the Willow Warbler was about the most common warbler encountered.
In the relative coolness of this evening, Eleanor located a single Redstart in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, and another in hedging near Haselbech Hill.
Regards
Neil M
Pitsford am
Hello
Birds around the dam area of Pitsford Reservoir early this morning included the pair of Ruddy Shelduck, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Raven, three Common Sandpipers and three juvenile Grey Wagtails. The reserve section of the reservoir (north of the causeway) is currently holding large numbers of water-birds but apart from four Little Egrets I didn't see anything of note there this morning. A couple of short ringing sessions on-site produced two Pied Wagtails and singles of Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Marsh Tit.
Regards
Neil M
Birds around the dam area of Pitsford Reservoir early this morning included the pair of Ruddy Shelduck, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Raven, three Common Sandpipers and three juvenile Grey Wagtails. The reserve section of the reservoir (north of the causeway) is currently holding large numbers of water-birds but apart from four Little Egrets I didn't see anything of note there this morning. A couple of short ringing sessions on-site produced two Pied Wagtails and singles of Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Marsh Tit.
Regards
Neil M
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