Blustery feathers!

Hello

In blustery conditions this morning, Eleanor took a long walk around the Blueberry Farm complex near Maidwell and was rewarded with views of an adult male Merlin, three Woodcock, a Barn Owl and a pair of Stonechat.

I didn't see much on my travels this morning, notching up a Grey Wagtail at Brixworth Sewer Treatment Works and another one here at Hanging Houghton. A nice male Brambling was feeding in the garden again. 

A couple of Red Kites were foraging at Brixworth but were just too distant in poor light to provide the best opportunity for photographs...

Regards

Neil M

Red Kite

Harrington birds

Hello

A foray out to Harrington Airfield this morning was sufficient to see singles of Raven, Woodcock, Brambling and a redpoll sp. A party of Siskins were at nearby Kelmarsh Hall.

Yesterday, Chris Payne came across a party of ten Little Egrets in fields near to Greens Norton. Apparently there have been up to twenty birds recently on the floods there...

Regards

Neil M

Stanwick Ringing Demonstration

Hello

The bird ringing demonstration at Stanwick Lakes was very well attended and we had something like just short of a hundred birds to be able to show to people during the processing stage. Blue Tits were the most numerous, plus many Great Tits and plenty of other common species. Scarcer birds included three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Redwing, a Chiffchaff and at least five Goldcrests.

The site was busy with birds which included a thousand Lapwing, about five hundred Golden Plovers and good numbers of gulls and wildfowl. More unusual birds included a smart male Firecrest in reeds and scrub close to the breeze block/concrete hide just off the old railway track and a Siberian Chiffchaff in willows alongside the old railway track near to the Visitors Centre.

A brief visit to Broadholme Treatment Works next to Ditchford GP provided views of two Green Sandpipers, a Chiffchaff and 2-3 Grey Wagtails.

Regards

Neil M

Redwing

Siberian Chiffchaff

Red Kite

Green Sandpipers

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

Today was the WeBS count at Pitsford Reservoir, which initially had some mist to contend with. No sign of any Great White Egrets today but there were still eight Little Egrets despite the high water levels. A drake Smew was in the Scaldwell Bay and an adult female Peregrine put in a couple of appearances. The Red-necked Grebe was off the Gorse Bushes (precisely half way between the dam and causeway) and the Ruddy Shelduck was again in the vicinity of the Sailing Club. Two Redshanks were present today, as were forty Snipe and an adult Caspian Gull was seen in the roost late afternoon. Other birds included a male Stonechat, a Willow Tit, a Kingfisher, a couple of Little Owls, about twenty Siskins and in excess of twenty Lesser Redpolls.

A pair of Stonechat were again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and Harrington Airfield this afternoon hosted a flock of ca250 Golden Plovers and a couple of fly-through Ravens.

Eric Graham was out on the Titchmarsh reserve at Thrapston GP today and notched up a Great White Egret, nine Goosanders, a Peregrine and at least one Lesser Redpoll.

Regards

Neil M

Quick count them, it's a WeBS count day!

Drake Goldeneye

Distant image of the
long-staying Red-necked Grebe

Male Stonechat

Ruddy Shelduck

All images at Pitsford
Reservoir today...

Ringing data

Hello

The provisional figures for bird ringing completed by members of the Northants Ringing Group in 2015 has been compiled by our secretary Nick Wood. Most of the birds were captured in the county with a couple of regular sites just over the county border. Total captures are calculated at 11,851 made up of 7,455 new birds, 1,314 nestlings and 3,082 re-traps/controls. With two other active ringing groups in the county it looks as if 2015 will be another successful year for Northamptonshire despite the frustrating catching conditions of late autumn and December.

More interesting recoveries include an adult female Great Tit that was re-caught at Pitsford Reservoir on Wednesday which was first ringed as a juvenile there in July 2010 meaning that she will have attained six years if she survives to the summer. Dave Francis has been informed of a recent Blue Tit re-capture which confirms that this bird is seven years old, very old indeed for a Blue Tit.

An adult female Lesser Redpoll caught at Linford Lakes (Milton Keynes) on 22nd November 2015 was first caught at Icklesham, East Sussex on 27th November 2013. An adult female Blackbird processed at Woodford Halse Nature Reserve on 1st November 2015 was first ringed as long ago as 24th August 2011 at Wanlip Gravel Pits, Leicestershire. She was aged as an adult when first ringed so I wonder what caused her to relocate 60km to the south?

Regards

Neil M

Female Blackbird

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Lesser Redpoll

Stanwick Lakes Big Garden Birdwatch event

Big Garden Birdwatch

Sun 24th January 2016

Start: 8:00 AM | End: 3:00 PM

Join us for this free event and find out more about the birds that live at Stanwick Lakes and the ones you might find in your garden.

From 8am – Bird ringing demonstration (weather dependent)

10am – 12 noon and 1pm – 3pm – Join Bob Webster for a guided walk

Various other bird guides will be in our hides around the site throughout the day.

 http://www.stanwicklakes.org.uk/northampton/whats-on/big-garden-birdwatch-2/

It's becoming milder again...

Hello

No birding was possible today but Eleanor did see the pair of Stonechat in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton again.

Some more pictures from Robin...

Neil M

Drake Gadwall

Drake Wigeon

Long-tailed Tit

All images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Scarce wildfowl

Hello

John Gamble was out and about around the Weston Mill area of the Nene Valley yesterday (Tuesday) in frosty conditions. Checking through the Greylag Goose flock he picked out singles of Barnacle Goose and Pink-footed Goose (please see images below).

Steve Rappitt paid Ravensthorpe Reservoir a visit this afternoon (Wednesday) and enjoyed excellent views of a drake Smew (please image below)...

Regards

Neil M

Barnacle Goose

Pink-footed Goose

Fieldfare

Above three images
courtesy of John Gamble.

Drake Smew at
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
courtesy of Steve Rappitt

Ringing at Pitsford Res

Hello

A few hours bird ringing in Christies Copse in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir today succeeded in trapping over a hundred tits, which provides a picture of the number of birds attracted to the feeders there. The majority of them were Blue Tits and Great Tits but also Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, two Marsh Tits and a Willow Tit.

Other birds noted in the same area included three Woodcock, a Raven, a Chiffchaff, a Water Rail, 1-2 Siskin(s) and 12 redpoll sp.

Sad news relayed today was that one of the Otters at Ravensthorpe Reservoir was run over on the causeway last night, I guess a fairly predictable result with the combination of a busy road and their activity.

Regards

Neil M

Willow Tit

Birds of Ravensthorpe Reservoir

Hello

Virtually no opportunity for birding today, but I did flush up a Short-eared Owl at Harrington Airfield this morning on my walk to feed the birds there...

Cathy Ryden was at Ravensthorpe Reservoir this evening and saw at least one Otter.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gull

Cormorant

Mute Swan

Goldcrest

All images from
Ravensthorpe Rservoir
courtesy of Cathy Ryden.

The snow has almost gone...

Hello

The male Brambling was among the garden Chaffinches here at Hanging Houghton again today and Graham Bentley visited Ravensthorpe Reservoir this morning and watched three Otters, the Great White Egret and a pair of Smew.

Eleanor saw small numbers of redpolls and Siskins in Brixworth Country Park this afternoon and the Ruddy Shelduck was with Canada Geese in the Sailing Club grounds of Pitsford Reservoir. Chris Payne saw two Ravens down at Bradden today...

Kenny Cramer conducted some ringing at Linford Lakes yesterday, catching some 27 birds of 12 species which included a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker, three Goldcrests, a Chiffchaff and three Siskins.

Albeit it is weather dependent, it is hoped to run a ringing demonstration at Stanwick Lakes this coming Sunday (24th January) with Ian Wrisdale presiding but supported by other members of the Northants Ringing Group. More details in due course...

Regards

Neil M

Wintery Northamptonshire!

Hello

The snowfall from last night created a very wintery landscape today.

Birds at Harrington Airfield this morning included 150 Golden Plovers, 3 Snipe and 15 Skylarks and a meander at Blueberry Farm again provided three pairs of Stonechat and two Woodcock.

The weather of the last two days has pushed different birds in to our garden which has included a couple of Reed Buntings, a Tree Sparrow or two, a Mistle Thrush and today a Brambling. A Blackcap was in Jacob Spink's garden in Scaldwell village yesterday and today he noted a first year Caspian Gull in fields between there and Pitsford Reservoir.

A ringing session around the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir this morning provided a significant haul of 108 birds made up of 52 Yellowhammers, 13 Reed Buntings, 9 Blue Tits, 6 Great Tits, 6 Dunnocks, 5 Chaffinches, 3 Redwings, 3 Blackbirds, 2 Tree Sparrows, 2 Goldfinches, 2 Fieldfares, 2 Robins, a Goldcrest, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Pied Wagtail.
A Kingfisher and a Goosander were also present.

A walk at the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve (part of the Ditchford Gravel Pits complex) provided records of a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff, three Water Rails, three Snipe and three Lesser Redpolls.

Some census work on land at Orton this afternoon yielded a fabulous flock of about 250 Yellowhammers, sharing a field with up to 38 Reed Buntings, 50 Skylarks and a dozen Tree Sparrows.

Regards

Neil M

Snowy Northamptonshire!

Cold Birding!

Hello

Eleanor made a couple of visits to Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and managed to see 2-4 Otters which were generally visible from the causeway. However the animals are mostly absent when there are several people present and talking - these animals clearly respond adversely to human voices so it is critical that prospective watchers remain quiet. Birds of interest included the Great White Egret, a Raven and two Grey Wagtails.

A Barn Owl was out hunting at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell first thing this morning.

A couple of short periods today with the mist net open in the garden succeeded in catching some birds including the hybrid finch from yesterday. Features in the hand and the subsequent call notes suggest it is a Goldfinch x Canary hybrid. Interestingly it showed no features sometimes associated with being of captive origin - the plumage was in good condition, there was little abrasion and the feet and claws were in good condition and no hint that it had ever been 'close-ringed'.

An adult male Lesser Redpoll caught this afternoon was first ringed in the garden in April 2013 and there is no record of this bird being processed or recorded since. If only he could tell us where he has been in the meantime!

A re-trap Blue Tit was first caught in the garden and aged as a juvenile on 31st August 2011. Four and a half years is pretty old for a Blue Tit - it's a hard life when you are that small!

Eric Graham was at Thrapston GP today and birds in and around the Titchmarsh Reserve included a Great White Egret, four Little Egrets and three Goosanders. Lesser Redpolls are visiting the feeders there and a smart male was showing well today.

Regards

Neil M

A rather cold Friday - winter's here!

Hybrid finch

(maybe Goldfinch x Canary?)

Hanging Houghton

Hello

Eleanor walked around the Blueberry Farm complex this morning and found three pairs of Stonechat and two Woodcock.

Scotland Wood on the Kelmarsh Estate is home to about eight or so Marsh Tits this winter and they all seem to know where the bird food and feeders are! A couple of them were showing well in the winter sunshine today...

A visit to Brixworth Sewer Treatment Works this afternoon provided views of two Chiffchaffs, at least one Grey Wagtail and 60+ Pied Wagtails.

An odd-looking finch in the garden today appeared to be a hybrid and presumably of captive origin. It's parentage includes Goldfinch and perhaps Canary? A poor quality image is the best I could do through the double-glazing!

Regards

Neil M

Marsh Tits
Scotland Wood
Kelmarsh Estate

Robin
Scotland Wood
Kelmarsh Estate

Pied Wagtails
Brixworth

Ducks of Abington Park

Hello

Yesterday (Wednesday) and birds of interest found locally included a pair of Grey Partridge at Harrington Airfield and a flock of at least 200 Golden Plovers in a field near to the old landfill site between the villages of Scaldwell and Brixworth.

Today (Thursday) and the Little Egret count on the flooded fields near to Old village rose to six! A pair of Stonechat appeared again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Robin Gossage has been at it again, this time visiting the excellent Abington Park in Northampton and taking photographs of the habituated Goosanders, as well as a couple of ducks that originate from captive stock...!

Regards

Neil M

Domestic-origin Mallard

Domestic-origin Muscovy

Wild and glorious
Goosanders!

All images courtesy
of Robin Gossage.