Wet and wild!

Hello

More wild bird feeding station maintenance today with Marsh Tits greeting me with their distinctive calls at two sites on the Kelmarsh Estate. Well it might have been a greeting but perhaps they were just being impatient whilst I was filling up the feeders and were swearing at me! In any event they are always one of the first birds to the feeders and I find their mixture of calls particularly cheery. Plenty of other birds coming to the feeders too despite the mild and wild weather conditions.

Kelmarsh Hall hosted a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail and about 25 Siskins around the niger feeders.

Eleanor was over at Staverton again today and the two Ravens remained.

This afternoon was very blustery up at Harrington Airfield but it didn't stop swirling flocks of Starlings, Redwings and Fieldfares feeding off the berry bushes and wet fields. Not surprisingly a female Sparrowhawk was in close attendance.

I finished the day checking through the gulls by the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir but the only bird of note was an adult Caspian Gull that appeared to be the same bird as yesterday afternoon...

Regards

Neil M

Recent images of a Short-eared Owl
at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell courtesy
of Simon Wantling.

More of Simon's work can be found
at http//:www.simonwantlingphotography.com

Creatures of the water...

Hello

Jim Dunkley's persistence paid off yesterday with a further visit to Market Harborough in an effort to see the Otters in the River Welland there. He struck gold with a fabulous animal that was fast-moving but still photogenic. Please see images below...

In the sometimes gloom of diminishing wildlife, it is wonderful to see that some creatures are able to take advantage of the unnatural world that we have created and there can be few things as uplifting as a lively, gorgeous 'charm' of Goldfinches. Sunflower hearts and niger seed tends to be the suspended food that brings them to garden feeders as suitably illustrated by Cathy Ryden (below). Like most creatures though aggression plays it's part, and the image shows a typical display of volatile interaction as they argue for the best perching post.

This morning I undertook another birding boat safari for the Wildlife Trust at Grafham Water, and we located good numbers of wildfowl which included three adult Bewick's Swans, Pintail, lots of Goldeneye and a group of five Goosanders. Three or four Kingfishers were noisy and the Little Egret count reached thirty or so.

Eleanor noticed a couple of Ravens at Staverton today and called in at Ravensthorpe Reservoir causeway and saw the Great White Egret and a Green Sandpiper.

Birds noted elsewhere included a single Brambling at Hanging Houghton and this afternoon Pitsford Reservoir provided a Great White Egret in the Holcot Bay, at least seven Little Egrets, two Shelduck were in the Scaldwell Bay and an adult Caspian Gull was present in the gull roost.

Regards

Neil M

Otter
Courtesy of Jim Dunkley

Goldfinches

Courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

Day out in Norfolk

Hello

A day out on the North Norfolk coast today started with a three hour excursion at Snettisham. Right from the word go hundreds of Starlings and Fieldfares were flying past us heading in to a strong south-westerly wind, most of them at very low level and presumably in off the sea further to the north. Four Waxwings went past with one flock of Starlings.

High tide was at dawn and we witnessed thousands of waders on the edge of the ebbing tide, Golden Plover, Knot and Oystercatcher being the most common. Also thousands of Pink-footed Geese flew from the flats and shallows to inland fields and six species of raptor included a fine juvenile male Pallid Harrier plus Hen Harriers, Marsh Harriers and a female Merlin.

Other birds included Stonechat, Common Scoter, a flock of Whooper Swans, Brent Goose, Pintail and a Spoonbill.

Inland from Brancaster we looked for a Rough-legged Buzzard reported the day before but there was no sign. Sugar Beet harvesting attracted Black-headed and Common Gulls and nearby additional raptors included Peregrine and Red Kite bringing our raptor species total to nine for the day.

We spent the last couple of hours at Titchwell where the highlights were a stunning adult male Hen Harrier, a drake Long-tailed Duck, plenty of common waders, lots of Marsh Harriers, Water Rail, three Red-crested Pochard, a Water Pipit and more flocks of Brent and Pink-footed Geese.

Regards

Neil M

Distant shots of
a Pallid Harrier

Fieldfare

Sugar Beet harvesting

No birding today!

Hello

No time for any birding today but Chris Payne managed a short ringing session in his Greens Norton garden today resulting in 46 birds being assessed, 20 of which were Goldfinches. In addition he caught a smart male Lesser Redpoll (please see image below). The Sparrowhawk from yesterday has since been identified as a bird ringed locally as a nestling in 2010...

A couple of images from Robin Gossage too following an excursion to Harrington Airfield...

Regards

Neil M

Male Lesser Redpoll

Courtesy of Chris Payne

Yellowhammer

Pied Wagtail

Both above courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Autumn to winter

Hello

Nice weather locally today, just a shame the days are so short!

A quick wander at Harrington Airfield this morning was sufficient to see plenty of thrushes on the scrubby areas and large numbers of Fieldfares moving over. A day-flying Barn Owl was clearly injured and struggling which was sad. A flock of about 63 Golden Plovers completed a circuit or two of the complex and one or two redpoll sp were also flying around.

Feed station maintenance ensured I visited a number of places today and birds noted included a Grey Wagtail at Brixworth and a Willow Tit at Scotland Wood.

A visit to Ravensthorpe Reservoir, once a very regular place for me to visit, was enjoyable this afternoon and provided views of a Great White Egret, a Green Sandpiper, a Grey Wagtail and a redpoll sp.

Local birder and conservationist Ian Dobson today reports a gathering and murmuration of some 2,000 Starlings at Fawsley Park, which in turn attracted 2-3 hunting Peregrines.

Local ringer Chris Payne captured a male Sparrowhawk in his garden today already bearing a ring. We await news of when and where this bird was initially ringed...

Regards

Neil M

Male Sparrowhawk
Courtesy of Chris Payne.

In memory of Graham Soden

Hello

All the below-listed items have been donated to the Northants Bird Club by the late Graham Soden.

The NBC committee are seeking to sell these items in order to raise funds for a celebratory shield in Graham's name, 

the GRAHAM SODEN PHOTOGRAPHIC AWARD.

This shield will be engraved with the Northants Bird Club emblem as well as his name and is to be presented to the photographer whose image is deemed the best overall by Bird Club members during the course of the club's annual photographic competition.

It is planned for all winners to have their name engraved.

Should you be interested in purchasing the listed items please make email contact with committee member Robin Gossage on robin.gossage@sky.com

In addition Graham donated a selection of books and Robin will bring these to Bird Club evenings where it is hoped members will purchase those they wish to own.

The photographic/ optical equipment for sale consists of:-

A BENBO 1 TRIPOD with or without the MANFROTTO 322RC2 TRIGGER GRIP.

A TAMRAC PRO CAMERA BAG, EXPEDITION 8X.

An OPTOLYTH TSB 80 TELESCOPE

Regards

Neil M

Bits and pieces

Hello

Yesterday John Gamble saw a flock of ten Goosanders on Abington Park Lake, Northampton and managed an image of a fine drake (please see below).

Jim Dunkley has been experimenting with garden feeders in an endeavour to try and outwit the acrobatic and persistent Grey Squirrel. Errrr I think the pictures indicate it might be back to the drawing board Jim...!

Following Eleanor's previous photos of the Vulcan, Jim decided to go one better and went to see the largest plane in the world - the Antonov AN225. Back to birds and Jim welcomed back a Green Woodpecker to his garden today...

And to finish, a pair of Red Foxes as portrayed by Robin Gossage enjoying the winter sun...

Regards

Neil M

Drake Goosander
Courtesy of John Gamble

Grey Squirrel lunch-time
Courtesy of Jim Dunkley

Antonov AN225
Courtesy of Jim Dunkley

Green Woodpecker
Courtesy of Jim Dunkley

Red Foxes
Courtesy of Robin Gossage

More county ringing...

Hello

Chris Payne was ringing in his Greens Norton garden in South Northamptonshire today and caught nearly fifty birds, the majority being Goldfinches. One of these was already bearing a ring from elsewhere (control). He also caught a Nuthatch which was a garden first and a House Sparrow which is also a scarce visitor. A male Blackcap was feeding on apples there.

Some more bird ringing at Pitsford Reservoir over the last two days provided 73 captures which included 46 new birds. Fourteen Dunnocks reflected a good breeding year and other birds of 17 species included 9 Tree Sparrows, 8 Yellowhammers, 6 Starlings, 5 Reed Buntings, 3 Song Thrushes, 3 Snipe, 2 Redwings, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Goldcrest, a Pied Wagtail and a House Sparrow.

We didn't really have time to commit to any birding there but at least one Great White Egret was present today and a drake Smew was picked out in the Scaldwell Bay.

Birds visible at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell this afternoon included a Barn Owl, fifteen Red Kites and eight Stonechats (Short-eared Owl reported).

Regards

Neil M

Common Snipe. The upper
bird was considered to be an
adult, the lower bird a bird
hatched this year.
Images courtesy of Neil Hasdell.

Local Bird Ringing

Hello

November has been a difficult month for local bird ringers as the weather has compromised most planned efforts, so it wasn't surprising to see a great deal of local ringing going on today in colder but more stable weather conditions...

Nick Wood was operating at Chase Park Farm near Yardley Hastings this morning, catching 65 birds of which 16 were re-traps from previous efforts. Highlights included a fine Sparrowhawk (please see image below), a Goldcrest, a Bullfinch, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and plenty of common woodland birds of ten species.

Kenny Cramer was presiding at Linford Lakes on the outskirts of Milton Keynes where 113 birds of 16 species found the nets. There was a high proportion of re-traps (72) which is indicative of the on-going efforts on-site. Scarcer birds included 15 new Siskins, a control Lesser Redpoll, 5 Song Thrushes, 3 Redwings, a Treecreeper and a Chiffchaff.

At Stortons Gravel Pits John Woollett and team caught 109 birds also of 16 species of which 65 were new birds. This catch included 18 Reed Buntings, 8 Chaffinches, 14 Greenfinches, 5 Robins, 5 Blackbirds, 4 Redwings, 2 Bullfinches, a Lesser Redpoll, 3 Goldcrests and 3 Cetti's Warblers.

Finally a small band of ringers operated at Kelmarsh Hall resulting in 109 captures of 14 species of which 76 were new birds. Tits made up the majority of the birds but the total also included a Treecreeper, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Nuthatch, 4 Blackbirds, a Fieldfare, 5 Bullfinches and a control Great Tit.

Other birds noted at Kelmarsh Hall included a dozen Siskins, a Brambling, about half a dozen redpoll sp and a Grey Wagtail.

Regards

Neil M

Sparrowhawk at Chase Park Farm,
courtesy of Nick Wood

Windy and cold...

Hello

My apologies but I forgot to mention a few birds for Pitsford Reservoir yesterday, namely the Ruddy Shelduck, the Shelduck and two Ravens all north of the causeway.

A couple of visits to Blueberry Farm, Maidwell by Eleanor today provided a list of two Short-eared Owls, a particularly pale Barn Owl, ten Stonechats, plenty of Red Kites and good numbers of Fieldfares. Another Barn Owl was showing this afternoon in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Very windy conditions from the north was probably the reason for an influx of common thrushes at Harrington Airfield this morning and about 25 Golden Plovers were present too.

Bits and pieces today included single Chiffchaffs at Brixworth Sewer Works and Pitsford Reservoir with the Redshank still off the causeway at the latter site and a Kingfisher at the Sailing Club.

I spent much of the day filling feeders at eight feeding stations, the plummeting temperatures causing the birds to respond by visiting the feeders in good numbers.

Two new birdwatching hides constructed on the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir have now been completed. One replaces the Bird Club hide in the Scaldwell Bay and the other replaces the main hide in the Walgrave Bay. Both to my mind have been built to a high standard with hinged and glazed viewing ports and movable benches to cater for all heights and optical equipment.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret

Great White Egret

Grey Heron and Great White Egret

All images taken yesterday by Robin Gossage
on the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir

Pitsford WeBS count...

Hello

Much of today was spent completing the monthly WeBS count of waterbirds at Pitsford Reservoir in pleasant weather conditions. Two Great White Egrets remain (Walgrave Bay) and there were up to twenty Little Egrets present too. Waders included two Golden Plover, a Redshank, four Green Sandpipers, forty-eight Snipe and a Jack Snipe. Waterfowl were not present in large numbers, with scarcer birds being just six Pintail and thirteen Red-crested Pochard (all present north of the causeway). A juvenile female Peregrine was active around the reserve section first thing and passerines included a Grey Wagtail and just a few each of Brambling, redpoll sp and Siskin.

Nearby, Brixworth Country Park attracted a Crossbill, fifteen Siskins, three Bramblings and six Lesser Redpolls.

Eleanor visited Blueberry Farm near Maidwell twice today and noted a male Peregrine, two Short-eared Owls, a Barn Owl, ten Stonechats and more mobile Bramblings, redpoll sp and Siskins. A small flock of five Pink-footed Geese flew low over Blueberry Farm in to the Brampton Valley and on towards Pitsford Res (but were not seen there) at about 8.20am.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Mute Swans hunkering down
before a squall

Common Buzzard

All images taken today at Pitsford
Reservoir by Robin Gossage.

Quiet day

Hello

Not much to report today due to a variety of commitments but Eleanor saw a pair of Stonechat still in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and at 12.05pm I happened to be at Riverside Retail Park off the A45 on the outskirts of Northampton when four vocal Ring-necked Parakeets decided to fly around!

Regards

Neil M

Crooked Spire 0 Birders 2

Hello

A fourth visit to Chesterfield this morning finally provided us with an opportunity of seeing the vagrant Crag Martin. This astute bird appears to be using the football stadium in the town as it's home base, and with the strong winds and inclement conditions recently it can clearly choose which of the four stands is the most protected. We also saw it briefly around the Crooked Spire of the St Mary's and All Saints church in the centre of this well-maintained town.

Back in the county and a quick look around the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir provided views of just a single Ruddy Shelduck. Eleanor spent some time around the Blueberry Farm area again today and saw just one Short-eared Owl...

Regards

Neil M

Blustery Blueberry Birding

Today most of my birding has been around Blueberry Farm area. 
This morning I was constantly wiping my binoculars due to the heavy drizzle and I did get pretty wet, but the weather did not deter the birds.  There were literally hundreds and hundreds of Fieldfare and Redwings chattering in the hedgerows or feeding on the soggy fields. Certainly no shortage of food for them. I wasn't at all surprised when a male Peregrine put in an appearance, his presence causing panic and chaos. He didn't have a thrush for breakfast but instead a Skylark which he pursued and caught.

About an hour later as I was scanning from the shelter of a hedge I saw a female Merlin who also was in "hunting" mode and she flushed up quite a few passerines from the grass but I didn't see her catch anything. 

On my walk back I caught a very slight movement in a hedgerow and came face to face with two pairs of eyes looking at me, two Short-eared Owls. I think that they were sheltering from the weather and rather reluctantly they flew across the field [ southern most field] and sat in the hedgerow I had just walked along.  I suspect that these are very recent arrivals as I have been checking this area regularly. Other birds of note were 2 pairs of Stonechat, 2 Grey Partridge and a Barn Owl.

The larger raptors were absent this morning, not a single Kite or Buzzard.  However this afternoon it was quite a different story. It was extremely blustery with grey skies and some amazing cloud formations. At times the skies looked quite eerie and more akin to what you expect in a horror movie. Then I became aware of "shapes" twisting and turning and hanging in the air......Red Kites. The kites were flying straight into the wind and as such were seemingly being tossed about in slow motion. In the space of 30 minutes I counted a staggering 30+ Red Kites all following the same path. It really was an incredible sight and I just wish that I could have captured the atmosphere. It certainly was an exceptional sight.

They weren't the only ones being tossed about as the two Short- eared Owls were literally being blown about all over the place so I wouldn't like to say where they ended up.

Watch this space tomorrow for the latest scoreline in the Crag Martin versus birders match !!!!!!!

Regards Eleanor

Crooked Spire 3 Birders 0 !

Hello

Yes another visitation to Chesterfield this morning and no we didn't see the Crag Martin again! It was seen on three occasions during the day but sadly not when we were there or where we were! A fly-over Marsh Harrier was unexpected. Do we give up or try a fourth time? Only time will tell...

Sarah Gibbs saw three unidentified 'wild' swans at Pitsford Reservoir today as visible from the new Walgrave Hide and John Woollett caught and ringed a female Blackcap at Astcote today which weighed a heavy 20.1g. The mild conditions seems to be invoking passerines to sing with regular bursts of song from Wren, Dunnock, Mistle Thrush and even Blackbird during the last week or so.

Eleanor saw a Barn Owl in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and an adult male Peregrine and two Little Owls there this afternoon. Two Chiffchaffs were present at Spring Pond alongside the Brampton Valley Way below Brixworth as were 6+ Siskins and 2 Ravens.

Eleanor also paid the River Welland at Market Harborough some attention today in case the Otters were on show. No Otters were seen but 2-3 Grey Wagtails and 2 Kingfishers were easy to see.

Regards

Neil M