Migrants galore!

Hello

A visit to Harrington Airfield this morning to prepare for the week-end ringing proved timely when a Wryneck jumped up in to a bush not far from the chippings compound. The bird seemed intent on spending time looking for ants on the trodden path but was soon displaced as further birders arrived trying to see it. Two vocal Redstarts were quite elusive again just south of the first bunker.

Ringing operations at the weekend causes the old airstrip and bunkers (all private land) to be out of bounds but the concrete track and linked footpaths are unaffected. My apologies if this affects your plans for Saturday and Sunday.

Other migrants located today included three Redstarts in field hedging between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir, a Wheatear in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and two juvenile Marsh Harriers at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell (at 3.30pm).

Regards

Neil M

Wryneck at Harrington Airfield
Courtesy of Bob Bullock

'Tis the time for chats and Redstarts!

Hello

This morning a quick check of the dam area at Pitsford Reservoir provided views of the two Ruddy Shelduck, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Swift.

This afternoon the Brampton Valley directly below the village of Hanging Houghton hosted a Redstart, a Wheatear and two Whinchats. At Harrington Airfield this evening there were two Redstarts in bushes just south of the first bunker.

Ringing sessions are planned for Stortons Gravel Pits, Pitsford Reservoir (Scaldwell Bay) and Harrington Airfield this coming Saturday should anyone like to come along and observe. All these operations are weather dependent and just like bird-watching there is no guarantee of catching birds or of any particular species! In respect of the Harrington site, observers can only be catered for if pre-arranged as this is on private land and with restricted access.

Regards

Neil M

It's migrant time!

Hello

The changeable weather conditions today definitely had an effect on migrants endeavouring to fly over our fair county or stopping for a breather and refreshments before going on again.

Pitsford was again the place to be with a Great White Egret and plenty of common waders on show in the morning, which were then eclipsed when David Arden and Jacob Spinks espied a migrant Pied Flycatcher next to the Bird Club hide in the Scaldwell Bay.

This evening the birds on offer there included seven Red-crested Pochard, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, three Ruff, a Snipe, eight Common Sandpipers, three Green Sandpipers, a Wood Sandpiper, four Dunlin, two Hobbies, two Ravens and two Swifts

A certain hedge in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton but close to the southern perimeter of Blueberry Farm can be a real migrant trap and so it proved again this afternoon with a large number of common warblers present plus at least two Redstarts, six Whinchats and two Wheatears in the drizzly rain.

Regards

Neil M

Chiffchaff courtesy of
Cathy Ryden

Siskin courtesy of  David Arden.

This bird was feeding on natural food from a
garden Silver Birch, but already
migrant summer Siskins arriving from
this June have been seen on garden
feeders. This year their summer
movements have been mirroring
that of Common Crossbill.

Pitsford birds

Hello

Eleanor spent a short time at Pitsford Reservoir this morning and noted an Osprey fishing south of the causeway at about 10.30am. Other birds included 2 Ruff and 4 Common Sandpipers. I spent some time by the dam in fairly inclement conditions this evening but the only birds of note I saw was a single Swift and 2 Black Terns.

Regards

Neil M

Local images...

Hello

After spending much of the day at the British Birdwatching Fair today we don't have much to report with regard to local wildlife, although it sounds like Pitsford has been lively with two Great White Egrets, three Wood Sandpipers, a Marsh Harrier and Black-tailed Godwits all reported today.

Some images below of recent images taken by local naturalists...

Regards

Neil M

Goldfinch courtesy of
Cathy Ryden

Ruff courtesy of
Cathy Ryden

Silver-washed Fritillary
courtesy of John Gamble

Great White Egret at
Rutland Water courtesy
of John Gamble

Little Egrets courtesy
of Robin Gossage

Common Tern Trail Camera

Hello

During the breeding year of 2014, the tern rafts at Pitsford Reservoir were well populated by Common Terns but they seemed to suffer egg and chick predation to the degree that few youngsters successfully fledged. It was thought that they lost eggs to the pair of Oystercatcher that were also on the same rafts and possibly from big gulls. It is possible that chicks were being lost to a female Sparrowhawk that was seen inspecting the rafts on one occasion.

During this year there was again a good take-up from the terns and the pair of Oystercatcher were present again. Although there was some egg predation it was less than last year and there was little if any chick predation.

Dave Francis deployed a trail camera on the rafts this year to try and prove what might be responsible. No images of predation were recorded but the following images depict life on the rafts and the progress of the chicks...

Regards

Neil M

Hot Saturday!

A small Pike only about two feet long
at Ditchford GP today, but just the right
size and shape for a passing Osprey!

Hello

Very warm for much of today, with some resultant showers as I type this!

Eleanor paid Hollowell Reservoir a visit this morning and saw an adult Osprey, 4 Little Egrets, 12 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Greenshank, a Ruff and a Dunlin. There were 2 Green Sandpipers at nearby Ravensthorpe Reservoir. Two adult Hobby were over Maidwell village this afternoon.

I visited Ditchford Gravel Pits to complete the August WeBS count which took me over six hours in pretty sticky and humid conditions. Brilliant for insects though with the large hawker dragonflies in particular whizzing around in big numbers. Brown and Migrant Hawkers dominated but there were plenty of Emperors and a few Southern Hawkers too.

The viaduct pit west of Ditchford Lane attracted wader singletons of Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin. The wildfowl were unremarkable but there were six Egyptian Geese present. The whole complex is excellent for Kingfisher, with a mixture of streams, pits and the River Nene providing plenty of choice; there were at least 8 birds present today. Other birds of note included an adult Peregrine over the main pit between Higham Ferrers and Irthlingborough, 3 Little Egrets, a Grey Wagtail and 4 Whinchats on the east side of the Viaduct Pit.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning, the ringing team in the Scaldwell Bay caught 63 birds of 21species, perhaps the more interesting being a Garden Warbler, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Treecreepers, 2 Marsh Tits and 2 Willow Tits.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Osprey at
Pitsford Reservoir yesterday,
sadly keeping its distance!

Lapwing. The road causeway at Pitsford
Reservoir is a traditional site for post-
breeding Lapwings to gather. They are a
mixture of moulting adults (the majority)
and a few juveniles.

Pitsford WeBS Count

Hello

It was time for the coordinated wetland bird count at Pitsford Reservoir today. The water level is quite low and the bird numbers were unremarkable but typical of August.

At least one Osprey was present early morning north of the causeway and two drake Red-crested Pochard were in the Walgrave Bay. Four Little Egrets were present as was an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Kingfisher. Waders comprised of 3 Ruff, 5 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers and 2 Greenshank.

Regards

Neil M

Common Sandpiper

Yellow Wagtail

Great Black-backed Gull

Coot

All images taken at Pitsford
Reservoir courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford Events

Hello

Little opportunity for birding today and nothing seen of particular note.

The Pitsford Wildlife Trust team will be holding a moth catching and identification event at the Fishing Lodge on the evening of 12th September 2015, which coincides with the National Moth Night. Mischa Furfaro and team will be hoping to attract a variety of species for perusal and logging. If you would like to attend or require more information please contact Mischa - 

Mischa.Furfaro@wildlifebcn.org

In addition to the usual monitoring of the different disciplines of wildlife on-site, efforts at tracking and identifying bats on aligned transects have been completed and further efforts are planned for 29th August and 12th September (the latter the same as the moth night). Six species were confirmed on the last coordinated effort using bat detectors, with a possible seventh awaiting confirmation. Eleven species of bat are known to occur on the reserve.

From this month onwards until and including March next year, waterbirds using the whole reservoir are counted once a month and the count details are forwarded to the Wetland Bird Survey scheme (WeBS), as well as retained and analysed by the wardens on-site. If you want to play a part in this count, please let me know.

One confirmed recent sighting and the find now of several Otter spraints confirms the presence of at least one animal currently using the reserve, possibly spending much of its time in the Walgrave Bay. Something to look out for whilst scanning those rafts of moulting ducks!

Regards

Neil M

Common Tern

Lapwing

Grey Heron

Osprey


All images taken at Pitsford
Reservoir during the last few
days courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Pitsford update

Hello

This morning south-bound migrants over Hanging Houghton prior to 7.30am included a Tree Pipit and a Grey Wagtail. 

A little birding in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir in warm sunshine preceded a day of ringing ride maintenance in the Walgrave Bay. Birds noted included 2 Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and the pair of Ruddy Shelduck.

This evening a check of the gull roost from the Sailing Club provided a view of a juvenile Caspian Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regards

Neil M

Southern Hawker dragonfly
courtesy of Jacob Spinks

Distant and fuzzy image of a
juvenile Caspian Gull in the
gull roost at Pitsford. It's rather
large size is accentuated due to
the particularly small
'intermedius' type Lesser
Black-backed Gull to it's left

Pitsford images...

Hello

A few images from excursions at Pitsford Reservoir during the last day or two...

Regards

Neil M

Osprey
Courtesy of Robin Gossage

Common Sandpiper
and Ruff courtesy
of Cathy Ryden