SP54 Short Day Count

Hello

Rather wet out there today and not the best day for me to commit to a Banbury Ornithological Society Short Day Count in the south of the county! At 8am I commenced my day at Thenford, moving on to Middleton Cheney and then Farthinghoe Local Nature Reserve. And it didn't stop raining! At least three Little Grebes and a Kingfisher were useful early finds at Thenford as the small birds began to wake up and call. The mature trees at this site including large numbers of yews attract Nuthatch and Treecreeper, and these birds were up and about despite the constant rain and low temperatures.

Travelling the short distance towards Middleton Cheney added a couple of sodden Common Buzzards and the first Meadow Pipits of the day. A visit to the village sewage treatment works was interesting as it was the first time I had ever seen a flock of Long-tailed Tits feeding on the filter beds in a similar manner to that adopted by wagtails and pipits! A Grey Wagtail was the first of five birds seen during the day and some Bullfinches were the first of small numbers logged at most sites.

Bird feeders next to the Farthinghoe reserve were busy with small birds including Marsh Tits and Tree Sparrows. A Jay on the reserve was the only one noted all day and the adjacent farm attracted a healthy flock of Chaffinches and Yellowhammers. Another large flock of Yellowhammers were feeding on stubble between Thenford and Thorpe Mandeville and included a few each of Reed Bunting and Chaffinch. Nearby a small flock of Golden Plovers fed in their traditional field.

The wet weather began to abate in the afternoon and I went for a hike around Edgcote and Trafford Bridge where the final new species for the day included a Sparrowhawk, some Linnets, five Snipe and a Water Rail.

Regards

Neil M

Images from Pitsford

Hello

Robin Gossage has kindly forwarded some images of birds taken at Pitsford Reservoir recently, with some of the pictures taken only yesterday...

In addition, Robin has forwarded images of an unidentified fly and these are placed on his Tab - Robin's Wildlife Images. Come on you entomologists, take a look and make Robin's day!

Regards

Neil M

Smew

Slavonian Grebe

Bullfinch

Goldeneye

White-fronted Geese

Kestrel

Portugal at Christmas

Hello

I was fortunate that over the Christmas period there was an opportunity for some birding in the Algarve region of Portugal, co-leading a tour on behalf of Naturetrek. This was the first time I had been away at Christmas and our base was the south-west coastal 'town' of Sagres, a few miles east of Cape St Vincent. The week-long trip included trips to coastal lagoons and marshes, beaches, scrubby plains, woodland, the highest peak in the Algarve and the rolling fields and plateau of the Castro Verde district. Some 134 species of birds were observed and we even managed to find 8 species of butterfly on the wing! We were very fortunate with the weather as it was sunny every day and we experienced no meaningful rain, despite December supposedly being about the wettest month in this part of Portugal. 

Wintering warblers in good numbers included Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Fan-tailed Warbler, Cetti's and Sardinian and we saw Dartford Warbler too. Raptors were relatively few but we saw Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Peregrine and Black-winged Kite among the more common Kestrels and Common Buzzards. Stonechats were particularly common and Black Redstarts numerous, and it is likely that many of the finches, common warblers and waders had at some stage moved down from the UK and other countries north of Portugal.

Regional specialities are few but we saw Audouin's Gull, Little Bustard, Great Bustard, Azure-winged Magpie, Richard's Pipit, Spotless Starling, Crag Martin and Purple Swamp-hen.

With the pleasant temperatures, stunning coasts, dramatic sunrises and sunsets, good transport infrastructure and quiet, laid-back culture admixed with a pride for producing excellent food from home produce and the sea, it's no wonder that many people from Europe head for the south of Portugal in the winter.

Adeus and Obrigado!

Neil M

Purple Swamp-hen

Approaching sunset, Cape St
Vincent, Portugal.
Courtesy of Barbara Lovell

Ring-necked Duck

Hello

Out and about in the county today in sunny but cool conditions. My apologies but I forgot to document the fact that yesterday Eleanor saw a Short-eared Owl at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell in the evening, flying around the southern border of the complex.

I went to have a look at the female Ring-necked Duck at Billing Gravel Pits this morning, as viewed from the Billing Garden Centre site. I asked permission to view the bird from the caravan sales premises and obtained reasonable views in harsh light and through the waterside willows. Other birds included a Grey Wagtail and a Kingfisher.

A Great White Egret was visible from the causeway at Pitsford Res, perched in waterside bushes in the sunshine alongside Grey Herons and Cormorants on the west side of the Holcot Bay. Two Redshanks were also present but a check of the gull roost failed to identify a gull of note.

Other birds noted today included two Ravens again near Hanging Houghton plus a single at Kelmarsh Hall, a Grey Wagtail at Brixworth, just eleven Golden Plovers at Harrington Airfield and a hunting Barn Owl at Blueberry Farm this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Ring-necked Duck

New Years Day

Hello

Neil H spent some time at Pitsford Res today and located a Slavonian Grebe off The Narrows near to the The Holly Tree. Also present were two Goosanders, seven Smew (three drakes), a Little Owl and a female Stonechat. The Smew were all north of the causeway.

Eleanor noted two Ravens near Hanging Houghton and a circuit at Harrington Airfield this afternoon in grey, breezy conditions produced about a hundred Golden Plovers but little else.

Regards

Neil M

Happy New Year!

Hello

A single Barn Owl was hunting on the outskirts of Scaldwell village first thing this morning and a restricted ringing session at Kelmarsh Hall this morning with just a single net resulted in 50 captures, the highlights being a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Nuthatch, 2 Marsh Tits, 3 Goldfinches and a Goldcrest.

Birds noted at Harrington Airfield this morning amounted to a male Peregrine and a pair of Raven.

Birds north of the causeway at Pitsford Res this afternoon included a Raven and six Goosanders and a check of the gull roost off the yacht club in the afternoon yielded a fine adult Mediterranean Gull, a Redshank and a Grey Wagtail.

Happy New Year!

Eleanor and Neil

Frosty birds!

Hello

Cracking winter's day weather today with a crispy, frosty start and plenty of sunshine. The pair of Ruddy Shelduck were seen off the yacht club at Pitsford Res this morning and 39 Golden Plovers were on the fields at Harrington Airfield.

Blueberry Farm provided views of 2 Ravens, a Barn Owl and a pair of Stonechat this morning but the best birds were at Sywell Country Park this afternoon with a gorgeous Bittern on some bent-over reeds in the icy margins (1pm), a pair of Smew, a pair of Stonechat, 2 Water Rails, 20+ Siskins and 6+ redpoll sp. The suspended feeders were full and attracted plenty of birds including Nuthatch and Marsh Tits.

Regards

Neil M

Ruddy Shelduck

Robin

Bits and Bobs

Another one of those days where I had to fit my birding around running numerous errands...

At day break I was at Blueberry Farm where the air was crisp and clear and the ground white from the hard frost. As I watched the beautiful sunrise I regretted not taking my camera as a Barn Owl hunted low over the fields creating a magical scene. Other birds seen included a pair of Stonechat and a Woodcock.

Mid-morning found me in Northampton so I made a detour to Billing Garden Centre area for the Ring-necked Duck which has been viewed from the car sales office. A visiting birder arrived at the same time and we quickly located a small group of Tufted Duck and Gadwall but they were just in silhouette as they loitered in the direct sunlight. We walked from the garden centre and followed the main road towards the narrow bridge and we were able to 'scope the birds through the trees. The Ring-necked Duck was easy to pick out with it's distinctive head shape.

En-route back home a Great White Egret, 2 drake Smew and a Shelduck at Pitsford Reservoir were all visible from the causeway.

A visit to Harrington Airfield produced a male Peregrine, again in hunting mode after the numerous winter thrushes, 7 Grey Partridge and approx 50 Golden Plover.

I ended as I started by walking around Blueberry, this time enjoying the glorious red sky and sunset leaving behind a clear frosty sky dotted with bright stars.  Again I was fortunate to watch a Barn Owl hunting [Large Redgrass field] and also a Short-eared Owl which may be the bird from Harrington. 

Regards  Eleanor

Short-eared Owl

Hello

This afternoon at about 2pm, Ian Jones saw a Short-eared Owl by the third bunker at Harrington Airfield...

Regards

Neil M

Festive Birding !

I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Christmas and that many folk will have some time off before returning to normal in the New Year, so plenty of time to get out and about !!!

Due to family commitments my birding activity has been severely curtailed. In the Blueberry Farm area I have seen one or two Barn Owls on a regular basis at different times of the day. Also at least 2 pairs of Stonechat remain in the area.  Both yesterday and today I have seen numerous Woodcock underneath the hedgerows.

I've visited Harrington Airfield every day to feed the birds at the main entrance and whilst I haven't seen any birds of interest I'm sure this will soon change. The seed is proving attractive to a wide number of species - Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Robin and Blue Tit, as well as a valuable food source as the temperatures fall.

I visited late this afternoon and although chilly the sunset was remarkable. There were 11 Golden Plover feeding on the wet fields and small groups of calling Goldies were constantly in the air. Their calls joining those of a couple of Red Kite who were very vocal. A superb male blue Peregrine was definitely in hunting mode as he powered across the airfield and a Barn Owl and Grey Heron took me my surprise when I got back to the feeding station just as darkness fell.

Sending best wishes to everyone for this Festive period and a happy and healthy bird-filled 2015 

Love Eleanor

Abington Park over Christmas

Hello

Doug Goddard has been in Abington Park, Northampton over the festive period and seen plenty of good birds including 13 Goosanders today on the lakes and a Ring-necked Parakeet (the latter attracted to captive birds in enclosures) .

Regards

Neil M

Ring-necked Parakeets

Common Buzzard

Goosander with Perch

Boxing day birds

A walk at Pitsford this morning was just what was needed after the Christmas day feasting.
A scan of the Scaldwell and Walgrave bays, after topping up the feeders at the Saldwell road feed station, revealed a Great White Egret in each of the bays. From the causeway a possible third bird was noted near to the Lagoon hide. Also from the causeway a redhead Smew was in the mouth of the Holcot bay. My first drake of the year was just south of the causeway.
A walk south of the causeway down to the Pintail bay was rewarded with a calling Little Owl near to the three storey farm house by the narrows.
The goose flock was commuting between the fields and the reservoir in the vicinity of the Holly tree. The three White-fronted Geese were still included amongst them, but I failed to spot the Ruddy Shelduck or the Great Northern Diver.
     Regards,
             Neil H.

Merry Christmas!

A very Merry Christmas to all our followers and visitors to this blog-site. Thank-you for your support, your interest and contributions over the last year. We will seek to ensure the blog remains as relevant as possible for people with an interest in wild birds and other wildlife in Northamptonshire and further afield.

Enjoy the Festive Period...

Neil M

Barn Owls

Hello

Yesterday I neglected to document sightings of single Barn Owls which were noted in Maidwell village and also alongside the road between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell. This afternoon a Barn Owl was again noted hunting at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. With such an exceptional year for breeding Barn Owls, it is perhaps surprising that they are not being seen more regularly.

Regards

Neil M

Ringing Sunderland Wood

Hello

A ringing session took place at Sunderland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate today which led to 75 captures, the majority being Great and Blue Tits with a high percentage of adults.

A Redwing, two Blackbirds, two Wrens, four Goldcrests, a Robin and a Chaffinch were additional species as were two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Marsh Tit and seven Coal Tits.

Other birds noted in this mid-Northants Ash woodland included a couple of Woodcock and at nearby Scotland Wood a Willow Tit was moving around with a mobile tit flock.

Regards

Neil M