Portugal Day 1

Hello

Today I flew from the UK to Portugal and eventually caught up with a group of bird ringers operating south of Lisbon. This group included members of the Northants Ringing Group and I heard first-hand of some of their exploits during the last week and a half of the operation. Surprise catches included Icterine Warbler and Aquatic Warbler, more typical catch species including Bluethroat, Savi's Warbler and Nightingale.

A nature reserve is managed at Costa Santo Andre around a lagoon/small estuary. An extensive reed-bed hides many migrants, and the muddy edges prove attractive to a broad range of wading birds as well as Spoonbill, herons and Flamingos. The heathland and dry pine woods that surround this area also attract a variety of birds including resident Crested Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper, Iberian Magpie, Woodlark and raptors including Booted Eagle.

Today I only had time to join them in an evening foray for roosting Yellow Wagtails and we ended up catching thirty of them plus a handful of Tree Sparrows. Interesting birds noted included an Osprey, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Black Tern, quite a number of Little Terns and a whole host of waders. Hopefully there will be plenty to see tomorrow!

Regards

Neil M

Yet more of the same !!!

Today really has been a beautiful "Autumn" day and I have been lucky enough to spend most of it outside.
I was out and about by 07.30am and already the tractors were busy scuffling the fields with masses of Gulls following on behind.
As I headed off towards Blueberry it was obvious that birds were on the move, both along the hedgerows and flying over. On my walk round I saw 2 Redstarts, 8 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Lesser Whitethroat as well as Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Willow Warbler. There was a steady trickle of Siskins , Meadow Pipit and Skylark flying over.
After a quick coffee I headed off to Harrington Airfield . It has been quiet here of late but today there were birds everywhere! Not necessarily rare birds, but just sheer numbers and obvious migration.  Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Siskins and Hirundines were clearly on the move.  The flock of Linnets and Finches seem to have trebled overnight.  There was at least 2 Redstarts , 2 Spotted Flycatcher,  6 Whinchat , 8+ Grey Partridge and a juv Marsh Harrier around the bunkers.
Entertainment was provided by a group of 6 Ravens each one making bizarre noises and sounding like a dysfunctional orchestra !
Again because the farmers are busy scuffling and ploughing this is attracting Gulls, Starlings, Raptors including many Red Kites and Common Buzzard.  
If I had more time I would have spent more time there as I'm sure that there was the real "potential" for a goodie to fly over.
Early evening I checked the hedgerow between Walgrave and the reservoir and easily counted 5 Common Redstarts who were vocal and putting on a good display of hopping along the fence posts and shimmering their whole body and then flitting down to the ground in the sheep field and back up on the fence posts for more shimmering and tail flicking. The best access is from the footpath Bridle Road, Old which is about a 10 minute walk across 3 small fields.

Regards Eleanor

More of the same...

Hello

More of the same today as the glut of Redstarts and other migrants continue to make middle England their transitory home en-route to Africa.

The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning provided views of a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Wheatear and two Whinchat. Also this morning up to four Grey Wagtails were utilising Brixworth Sewage Treatment Works and Lamport Hall attracted a Raven and two Hobby. Nearby and Jacob Spinks counted 31 Yellow Wagtails flying over fields between Scaldwell and Hanging Houghton as well as 22 Siskins. A couple of fields near Brixworth and Hanging Houghton have been attracting migrant Yellow Wagtails for some weeks now, the flocks regularly approaching up to twenty birds in each...

Five Redstarts were still in situ in hedging between Walgrave and Pitsford Reservoir - two males and three females. Other birds included a Whinchat and 2-3 Spotted Flycatchers.

Large numbers of Siskins were on the move all day at all locations visited and Blueberry Farm this evening hosted a female Peregrine, a Short-eared Owl, a Redstart and 6+ Whinchats.

Regards

Neil M

Wheatear courtesy
of John Gamble

Spotted Flycatcher courtesy
of Robin Gossage

Reed Bunting

A County Tick for Me !!

Yesterday I had a "county tick" ???  ........after seeing many squashed heaps of fur on our roads I finally saw a live Polecat near Cottesbrooke !!!!!
Today's birding has been combined with dog walking and running errands.  At Harrington Airfield this morning there was a Redstart and 2 Whinchat keeping me company around the compound area whilst I picked some blackberries. It certainly seems to be a good year for blackberries as the hedgerows are laden and they are just calling out to be picked and eaten, both by the birds and ourselves.
The rough area appeared quiet until a covey of 8 Grey Partridge exploded just infront of me as I reached the first bunker.  It was whilst I was scanning from here that I saw 2 Turtle Doves and 4 Ravens.
This afternoon I checked the hedgerow between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir [ access via the footpath which runs from Bridle Road, Old] and 5 Redstarts remain, 2 rather smart males and 3 female types. They were very active flitting about on the fence posts and going down onto the grass.  These birds have been very vocal and usually I can hear them as I'm walking across the fields to the hedge, but today they were strangely silent.
But the silence was broken by the evocative calls of a couple of Whimbrel as they headed over towards the reservoir.
The farmers have had to make the most of this spell of fine weather and in the valley below us it has been all systems go for the last couple of days. There are combine harvesters and an assortment of tractors, rollers and ploughs working as far as the eye can see and this has produced an influx of Red Kites, Common Buzzard, Gulls, Corvids and Passerines as the land is worked.  Certainly my favourite time of the year.
Anyway whilst I was birding here tonight there was a Redstart, 4 Whinchat and a Tree Pipit at the southern most end of the Blueberry complex.
It was getting dark as I left and I was reminded of the "War of the Worlds" sci fi as I looked around and could see all the farm machinery lit up and could hear the constant hum of the combines as they prepared to work on into the night.

Regards  Eleanor

In memory of John

Hello

More autumnal birding again today when opportunities permitted provided some birds at Haselbech Hill in the shape of 1-2 Redstart(s), 2 Spotted Flycatchers, vocal Nuthatches and plenty of Siskins. Nearby at least two Whinchats were still present in the northern-most field at Blueberry Farm and at Lamport Hall two Redstarts were present in ancient hedging.

Siskins seemed to be calling wherever we were today, such are the numbers on the move.

A walk this afternoon around the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Grave Pits was very pleasant and followed our attendance at the memorial service for John Finlayson at the nearby church in Titchmarsh village. We thought the best way to mark John's passing was to walk around the reserve he loved. Large numbers of Chiffchaffs could be heard calling from the bushes and also good numbers of juvenile Cetti's Warblers were trying out their songs for the first time. Two Little Egrets and three Kingfishers were noted and the clumps of elders attracted Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats all intent on consuming the ripening berries.

Birds visible from the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir this evening included three juvenile Shelducks and the pair of Ruddy Shelduck and the gathering gulls included an adult Mediterranean, an adult Caspian and two adult Yellow-legged Gulls.

Regards

Neil M

All day birding

Hello

Yesterday (Saturday) saw Kenny Cramer and team commit to a ringing session at Linford Lakes, Milton Keynes which provided a big catch of 74 new birds and 17 re-traps. This included the first Cetti's Warbler to be caught at this site plus 4 Reed Warblers, 8 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Treecreepers, 5 Goldcrests, a Marsh Tit and a Kingfisher.

This morning (Sunday) saw some ringing take place in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir under the leadership of Dave Francis. Fifty-three birds were caught, the highlights being 12 Blackcaps, 2 Reed Warblers, a Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Treecreepers, a Willow Tit, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Kingfishers and a Tree Pipit.

All day diurnal passage of passerines has been extremely heavy with large numbers of hirundines on the move plus wagtails, Meadow Pipits and constant numbers of Siskins.

Other birds seen or heard north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included a Great White Egret, 6 Little Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Curlew, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Nuthatch and a Whinchat. An Otter was watched swimming in from the Walgrave Bay and in to the Scaldwell Bay, displacing waterfowl as it swam through the shallows and disappeared in to the Scaldwell feeder stream with prey.

Six Redstarts remained in hedging and feeding off fence posts and barbed wire between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir, these birds being visible from a public footpath which is accessible from Bridle Road, Old. Other birds here today included at least one Whinchat, a Wheatear, two Spotted Flycatchers and 10+ Siskins.

Harrington Airfield provided some birds today with a Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Turtle Dove at the shooting wall off the concrete track, a Green Sandpiper on the muddy pool at the start of the concrete track, a Raven and two Whinchat on the old airstrip scrub.

Birds visible from the garden today at Hanging Houghton included 2+ Ravens, 15+ Siskins, a Brambling and 2+ Crossbills.

Blueberry Farm near Maidwell was again good for interesting migrants which included 3 Redstarts, 11 Whinchats, a Wheatear, a Tree Pipit, a Hobby and a Peregrine. A single flock of eleven Red Kites is easily the largest group recorded locally, these birds and up to twenty Common Buzzards seemingly taking advantage of some late harvesting and soil turning activity in the fields surrounding the long-term setaside complex.

Regards

Neil M

Kingfisher
Pitsford Reservoir

Adult Common Buzzard

Juvenile Common Buzzard

Redstart
Walgrave

Still plenty of Redstarts!

Hello

This morning a Hobby was chasing Linnets across fields at Hanging Houghton and a revisit to the hedge-line between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir was again profitable with at least seven Redstarts still present, including at least three males. A number of thrushes in the same hedge included a juvenile Ring Ouzel.

A visit to the dam area at Pitsford Reservoir this morning was busy with sailing craft but it didn't put off the pair of Ruddy Shelduck, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Greenshank.

Blueberry Farm was busy with birds today including plenty of Siskins and Swallows moving in the cool northerly breeze. Other migrants included three Redstarts, ten Whinchats and six Crossbills flew over. A Short-eared Owl was flying around the most northern field (Redgrass) and other birds included two Ravens and two Hobby.

Regards

Neil M

Redstarts near Walgrave
courtesy of Eleanor

The Puddle!

Hello

When one bird starts bathing in a puddle the others just cannot resist! I'm not sure which bird started the process off but here is a series of images from Robin depicting the activity around a compelling collection of rain water...

As ever my thanks to the photographic skills of Robin Gossage...

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Blackbird, sporting
what appears to be a tick close
to the eye

Juvenile Blue Tit

Female Bullfinch

It's a soggy Great Tit

Blue Tit also becoming soggy!

Blackcap bath-time!

Male Chaffinch - thinking about it!

Juvenile Blue Tit

Here come the finches?

Hello

Yesterday (Thursday) and Eleanor saw four Redstarts still in the hedging between Walgrave village and Pitsford Reservoir. No sign of the Pied Fly or Spotted Flys though...

At Blueberry Farm there were four Whinchats and a Redstart in the northern-most field of the complex plus four Ravens over.

Today (Friday) and Eleanor's dog-walking duties provided an opportunity to see some local birds. However Harrington Airfield was again very quiet but Blueberry Farm provided birds at it's southern edge amounting to four Whinchats, a Redstart and six Ravens.

Siskins continue to filter through in small numbers but this afternoon a flock of fifteen flew south over Hanging Houghton as did a single vocal Brambling. It seems that the finches are moving very early this autumn, born out with a significant movement of Chaffinches last week-end. A cool air-stream from the north may be a significant influence, but with Siskins and Crossbills moving since June, is there a problem with food-stocks in Northern Europe?

Regards

Neil M

Redstarts galore!

Hello

Another day of Redstarts today, this species is becoming increasingly more common on passage each year...

An amazing flock of passage migrants in ancient hedging made up of Elder and Hawthorn between Pitsford Reservoir and Walgrave village today provided at least 10 Redstarts including six males, a Pied Flycatcher, 6+ Spotted Flycatchers and numerous Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Willow Warblers. A juvenile Marsh Harrier was quartering over the Pitsford Res Walgrave Bay (all EKMcM).

Blueberry Farm near Maidwell still held 2-3 Redstarts, 2+ Whinchats and a Wheatear today.

In contrast, Harrington Airfield seemed quiet with just a Hobby noted...

Regards

Neil M

Redstarts

Limited birding today

Common Sandpiper

Hello

A quick visit to the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this evening was sufficient to see singles of Common Sandpiper and Spotted Flycatcher and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. A Hobby was hunting Swallows at Harrington Airfield just before dusk.

Birds at the south end of Blueberry Farm today again included a Redstart, 2 Whinchats and a Wheatear...

Regards

Neil M

Spotted Flycatcher
Courtesy of Robin Gossage

Yellow-legged Gull

Another rainy day!

Leaden Spider Wasp
pompilus cinereus
Courtesy of Pete Gilbert

Trichrysis cyanea
Courtesy of Pete Gilbert

Brood of nestling Swallows courtesy
of Chris Payne. Many Swallows have already
left the country and on their way to Africa - others
haven't even fledged yet!

Hello

After the rain today birds came out to feed and Eleanor located 2-3 Redstarts at Blueberry Farm this afternoon at the southern end of the complex, plus 6 Whinchats and a Wheatear.

At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon three juvenile Shelduck were north of the causeway and the sky was full of hirundines, particularly House Martins. At the dam-end of the reservoir birds included the pair of Ruddy Shelduck, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, two Hobbies successfully intercepting hirundines over the water, a male Peregine and 2-3 Dunlin.

Regards

Neil M

Sparrowhawk
Courtesy of Pete Gilbert

Bird Club Indoor Meeting

Hello

This Wednesday evening (2nd September) sees the start of the next period of Northants Bird Club indoor meetings. As usual our venue will be the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Reservoir which is found off the Brixworth road just outside the village of Holcot (NN6 9SJ), and we commence proceedings at 7.30pm.

Our speaker for the evening will be Dr Mark Avery who will continue with his theme from the January meeting associated with conflict in the uplands of Britain associated with grouse shooting and linked economical and environmental interests. Mark has recently released two more books and it is likely that these will be on sale during the evening, one book entitled 'Inglorious' which is associated with his presentation.

As usual hot drinks and biscuits will be available during the evening, car-parking is free around the lodge with an overflow facility to park down by the fishing boats or on the road causeway. Members and non-members are welcome and we hope to see as many people as possible at our first meeting of the new period!

Regards

Neil M

Red Grouse
Courtesy of  Dave Jackson.

Migrants in the rain!

Hello

At Harrington Airfield this morning birds included a Tree Pipit, a Grey Wagtail, a Redstart, 2+ Ravens, several Siskins and a pair of Grey Partridge.

The Blueberry Farm area continued to retain migrants in the shape of a Marsh Harrier, a Grasshopper Warbler, 1-2 Redstart(s), 2 Whinchats and a Wheatear. This evening a Redstart was in hedging at Lamport Hall at a spot which has proved a traditional stop-over area for a number of years.

Some ringing at Brixworth Sewer Works today provided some 43 captures which included seven Pied Wagtails, ten Swallows, ten Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, six Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers and a Magpie. At least six Grey Wagtails were also present.

Regards

Neil M

Intense Migration!

Hello

The county ringers from the Northants Ringing Group were busy today and were split in to teams for operations at Stortons Gravel Pits, Pitsford Reservoir and Harrington Airfield.

John Woollett presided at Stortons where the team were responsible for catching 140 birds, over a hundred of which were warblers. A staggering fifty-seven of the total were Blackcaps and other warblers consisted of six Garden Warblers, twenty Reed Warblers, six Whitethroats, three Cetti's Warblers, three Willow Warblers and seven Chiffchaffs. Other birds included a re-trap Kingfisher from last year and two Sparrowhawks enlivened the day!

Ringing in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford was managed by Dave Francis and seventy-nine birds were caught of 23 species. A Kingfisher was a control from elsewhere and the pick of the rest included 10 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, a Reed Warbler, 4 Tree Sparrows, a Yellowhammer, a Willow Tit, a Marsh Tit, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Mallard, 3 Pied Wagtails and 4 Treecreepers.

Harrington Airfield provided 57 captures and where a flock of Chaffinches arrived from somewhere resulting in 15 being caught and ringed. Other finches included 7 Linnets and a Goldfinch but warblers were restricted to 5 Whitethroats, a Blackcap and a Willow Warbler. Seven Yellowhammers and four Reed Buntings also hit the nets and a new Green Woodpecker was the seventh to be ringed at this site during 2015. The ringing highlights for most of the ringers however was a single Tree Pipit and two Redstarts. Other birds noted at Harrington included a Hobby, a juvenile Whinchat, an additional fly-over Tree Pipit, a couple of Siskins and following the harvesting of the wheat crop the local raptors congregated and included several each of Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Kestrel gleaning what they could from the fields.

Migrants were moving through the garden at Hanging Houghton this morning, mostly Blackcaps and Willow Warblers, and overhead a couple of Siskins, four Crossbills and two Ravens flew over.

The same theme continued with Blueberry Farm providing views of five Ravens, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, a Redstart and several Siskins and a single Wheatear. This evening a small pocket of migrants in field hedging between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell included two Redstarts and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Regards

Neil M

Sparrowhawks at Stortons GP
Courtesy of Chris Payne

Tree Pipit

Redstarts at
Harrington Airfield.