Cold and wet!

Hello

Cold and wet out there today made it quite different to what we are used to!

Birds noted today included two Cuckoos at Stortons Pits, two Wheatears, two pairs of Grey Partridges and a Grasshopper Warbler at Harrington Airfield with a flock of Arctic Terns being reported at Clifford Hill Pits. 

Birds at a cold, wet Pitsford Reservoir today included plenty of hirundines, six Swifts, a Hobby and two Yellow-legged Gulls. A Barn Owl was again near the village of Old.

The dried mealworms are a favoured treat in our garden with plenty of Starlings, Blackbirds, Jackdaws and Pied Wagtails and there was definitely an increase in the frequency of visits and numbers of birds turning up with such a downturn in the day temperature!

Regards

Neil M

Starling.

A very young Blackbird!

...and with Mum!

All above images
courtesy of John Tilly.

Cetti's Warbler.

Garden Warbler.

Above three images courtesy
of Pete Gilbert.

Change in the weather

Hello

A dull, cloudy start in my part of the world this morning, then a period of warm sunshine and blue skies before becoming dull and cloudy and cool again by evening. A change in the weather with rain forecast overnight and on and off for tomorrow with much the same on Wednesday too. No complaints though after the stunning dry and warm weather of the last month.

A Wood Sandpiper was a good find at Barnwell floods this morning, continuing the theme of different waders each day as they stop over briefly before continuing their long journeys. There was also a White Wagtail there too.

The Curlew Sandpiper was at Clifford Hill Pits for it's third day with a supporting cast of two Dunlin, two Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank, a Ringed Plover, a Little Ringed Plover and an Egyptian Goose.

Peregrines appeared overhead today in Earls Barton village and St Crispins, Northampton and a Hobby was over Barton Seagrave and Hollowell. Swifts were noted at a few sites today and our garden was blessed with a singing Willow Warbler this morning which was another addition to the April 'recorded from the garden list'!

After an apparent period of absence there were two Great White Egrets at Pitsford Reservoir today plus Little Egrets, a Yellow-legged Gull and a Raven. Nearby a Barn Owl was active near Old this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Curlew Sandpiper.

Wood Sandpiper.

Hobby courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Long distance Great Tit!

Hello

Birds in the county today included the Curlew Sandpiper still at Clifford Hill Pits, a Dunlin at Barnwell floods, two Little Ringed Plovers at Upton Valley, two Wheatears at Harrington Airfield and a Great White Egret at Thrapston Pits. There were several reports of Cuckoo in the county today and Stewart Short located a male Blue-headed Wagtail with Yellow Wagtails on the Northants/Cambs border between Clopton and Bythorn.

A few bird ringing recovery details have been received as follows:-

1. An adult female Magpie was ringed at Brixworth on 15th June 2016 and this bird was caught in a larsen trap and sadly destroyed also at Brixworth on 11th April 2020, 1396 days later;

2. An adult female Blackbird was ringed at Astcote, South Northants on 10th January 2019 and this bird died after hitting a glass greenhouse in the same village on 12th April this year, 458 days later;

3. A Great Tit was ringed as a nestling in Caysbriggs, Moray, Scotland on 30th May 2019 and was next encountered in a mist net in Astcote on 3rd April 2020 when assessed as a first year female before release. This astonishing record means that this young bird traveled 632km in a SSE direction over 309 days. Not bad for a species that is supposed to be essentially sedentary!

Regards

Neil M

Magpie.

Female Blackbird courtesy
of Cathy Ryden.

Great Tit courtesy of
Cathy Ryden.

And here come some more waders!

Hello

Spring migrant waders rather dominated birding affairs in Northamptonshire today, with the Nene Valley pulling in some quality birds. A spring Curlew Sandpiper is a rather rare event in the county so a lingering one at Clifford Hill Pits was a great find by Mark Williams. Other waders seen there today included Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Common Sandpiper.

This year seems to been a reasonable one for spring Bar-tailed Godwits too with singles today still at Barnwell and Stanwick Pits. A Greenshank was still at Barnwell today too and other birds noted at Stanwick included three Cattle Egrets and two Little Ringed Plovers.

Three Ringed Plovers flew east through Summer Leys this morning and then this afternoon four Whimbrel were found on Fisherman's Point and the Garganey remains in situ. A Marsh Harrier was seen there yesterday evening. A drake Red-crested Pochard was at Stortons Pits today.

Away from the valley and a Tree Pipit flew over early morning between Brackley and Evenley and two Wheatears and two Ravens were at Harrington Airfield. A flock of about a hundred Fieldfares were at Blueberry Farm this morning and a Turtle Dove was discovered in NN6, the first I've heard of locally.

Birdguides information indicates that a Great White Egret remains at Thrapston Pits today and a Hobby was seen there too.

Regards

Neil M

Cowslips in the cold morning dew.

Turtle Dove courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Female Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Here come the warblers!

Hello

Birds in the county for yesterday (Thursday) included two Spotted Redshanks, two Greenshanks, a Little Ringed Plover and a Reeve all at Lower Barnwell Lock floods.

Harrington Airfield attracted a fine male Ring Ouzel which showed next to the old shooting wall off the concrete track and other birds on-site included a 'reeling' Grasshopper Warbler, two Wheatears and still over a hundred migrant Fieldfares.

Pitsford Reservoir yesterday hosted two adult Little Gulls and six Arctic Terns north of the causeway early in the afternoon and by the evening the dynamics had changed to nine Little Gulls, five Arctic Terns and two Common Terns.

Today (Friday) and after a cold start this morning the sun shone all day! Birds at Barnwell this morning courtesy of John Hunt included a Bar-tailed Godwit and two Greenshanks.

Incoming migrants seen in the county today included a Hobby at Bozeat, Swifts, more House Martins and a variety of warblers included the first wave of Garden Warblers and Reed Warblers and lots more Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats and a few Grasshopper Warblers too.

Regards

Neil M

Willow Warbler.

Garden Warbler.

A female hoverfly with the scientific name of
helophilus pendulus as kindly identified by
 Fiona Barclay.

Speckled Wood butterfly.

Lady's Smock.

Lockdown - sites to peruse

Hello

If you have time on your hands and would like to look at digital images taken by some of our talented local wildlife photographers here are a couple of sites for your perusal...

https://www.paulcrotty.co.uk/

http:/tillyweb.biz/gallery/natureindex.htm

http://Simonwantlingphotography.co.uk

http://naturaltreks.co.uk/

https://youpic.com/photographer/MartinSwannell

...and if you want to see some nocturnal Storm Petrel action from Skokholm -

https://youtu.be/zmJF2-kFTnw

A daily blog is completed by the wardens on Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) and can be found at:-

skokholm.blogspot.com

..and of course there is the Northants Bird Club site with last year's best images from the photograph competition displayed at:-

https//northantsbirdclub.blogspot.co.uk/

Regards

Neil M

Honey Buzzard.

Raven.

More garden snaps

Hello

Yesterday (Tuesday) evening and David Arden again saw an Osprey north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir plus an Arctic Tern.

This morning (Wednesday) and John Hunt found two Spotted Redshanks at the flooded area near Barnwell plus a Greenshank. Birds at Stanwick Pits this morning included the Garganey and Bar-tailed Godwit still, plus a Mediterranean Gull, a Green Sandpiper and two Shelduck.

Stewart again found his Ring Ouzel near Clopton this morning and this evening Adrian saw a drake Garganey at Summer Leys and a Common Sandpiper and a White Wagtail. David Arden's evening foray at Pitsford Reservoir provided five Arctic Terns and Tom Green located a Little Ringed Plover on a pool at Sidegate Lane Landfill.

I connected with my first Lesser Whitethroats of the year today and an addition to the April 'from the garden list' was a fly-over Tree Sparrow.

Regards

Neil M

Sunflower hearts-loving
Collared Dove.

Male House Sparrows
just coming into summer
plumage with extended bibs
and breast markings.

Female Pied Wagtail now
almost as tame as the male!

The Swallows are already
inspecting last year's nests!

Birds of the breeze and sun

Hello

Another bright and breezy day but nothing new for the garden list today!

Yesterday (Monday) evening and David Arden saw a fishing Osprey at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway plus an adult Little Gull and about fifteen Arctic Terns.

Today and Steve Fisher's early morning visit to his local patch of Stanwick Pits provided a bumper number of about 170 Arctic Terns, a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Common Sandpipers and a drake Garganey.

Stewart was able to locate his male Ring Ouzel near Clopton again this morning and a visit to Harrington Airfield this morning provided 3-4 Wheatears, a pair of Grey Partridge and a singing Grasshopper Warbler which eventually showed well.

The Whinchat was again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and local information indicates that at least one Barn Owl is flying around fields and adjacent gardens on a daily basis in the village of Scaldwell.

Birdguides information recorded a Montagu's Harrier overflying Cottingham this morning and a record of three possible Eurasian Bee-eaters heard calling over Islip this afternoon (about 4.15pm).

Regards

Neil M

Life is a tussle if you
are a cock Pheasant!

Caterpillar of the Scarlet
Tiger moth in our Hanging
Houghton garden.

One of the Wheatears at
Harrington Airfield today.
The large size, pot-bellied
stature and plumage would
suggest this is an adult female
of the large 'Greenland' race.
Amazingly these stoic migrants
really do migrate from Africa all
the way to Greenland and even the
Canadian mainland...and the only
way is to cross the Atlantic with
 no stops!

Bluebells

Hello

A blustery wind and some strong sunshine but not a lot of new birds found locally today.

At long last a Song Thrush struck up a ballad a couple of gardens away and finally made it on to the April 'from the garden' list! Two Bar-tailed Godwits flew low over the garden just before midday and this species not surprisingly was also an addition to the said list!

The Black Redstart and Common Redstart couldn't be found at Blueberry Farm today but a Grasshopper Warbler was singing nearby and a flock of about two hundred Fieldfares were in the paddocks there. 

The Whinchat was present in the valley below Hanging Houghton for it's fifth day and this afternoon it was joined by a Wheatear.

Regards

Neil M

Kelmarsh Estate woodland.

Badger Sett Kelmarsh Estate.

Bluebells Kelmarsh Estate.

Ring Ouzels and more...

Hello

Plenty of migrant activity today in sometimes blustery conditions but with plenty of sunshine from mid-morning.

John Hunt kicked off proceedings at Lower Barnwell Lock flood with three Whimbrel and a Greenshank, and then located nine Wheatears in a sheep field between Benefield and Deenethorpe.

Stewart checked up on his Ring Ouzel this morning and he was still present near barns along the Clopton to Bythorn road.

Harrington Airfield finally attracted a spring Ring Ouzel with a female near Bunker One at about 8am, and there were 5/6 Wheatears, a Raven and a pair of Grey Partridge also present. Nearby an adult male Black Redstart was at Blueberry Farm buildings (Maidwell) at about 9.30am but was not seen subsequently. Other birds included a female Common Redstart in hedging nearby, two Yellow Wagtails and ten Fieldfares. The Whinchat remains on his haystack in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

An addition to our April 'seen from the garden' list was an Osprey that spiraled NW over the garden just before 3pm. A Barn Owl was alongside the A508 at Hanging Houghton early this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Very much a 'record shot'
of the Ring Ouzel at
Harrington this morning!

Swallows at Blueberry Farm today.

Osprey overhead at
Hanging Houghton
this afternoon.

A rather tatty Common Buzzard
over the garden at Hanging
 Houghton this afternoon.

Garden male Sparrowhawk
courtesy of Chris Payne.

April showers

Hello

A reasonable amount of rain overnight and this morning is the first substantial drop for some time and is likely to be partly responsible for some of the passage migrants seen in the county today.

The male Ring Ouzel is near Clopton for it's third day, and a Lesser Whitethroat was also there today. Near Oundle at Barnwell Lock floods, John Hunt found a Garganey this morning plus a Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Yellow Wagtail. Two Oystercatchers overhead at Barton Seagrave heading towards Wicksteed Park was a good 'seen from the garden' bird!

Eleanor's run out this morning provided a male Common Redstart in roadside hedging at Drummerboy Lake (between Cottesbrooke and Brixworth) and a calling Cuckoo.

At Pitsford Reservoir today there was a fishing Osprey, a hunting Barn Owl, the usual Yellow-legged Gull and a Common Sandpiper.

Much of the week ahead looks to be breezy but sunny and no doubt more summer migrants will be arriving each day...

Regards

Neil M

This Cetti's Warbler was photographed by David
 Arden in scrub adjacent to Pitsford Reservoir a
 couple of days ago.

A small herd of British White Cattle
are managed at Kelmarsh Hall and the
next generation are now enjoying the
lush green grass of spring.

Female Starling.

Mid-April migrants

Hello

A cool north easterly breeze looks like it might be set in for some time and may provide an opportunity for a flurry of terns and Little Gulls (and maybe Kittiwake) at some of our more substantial waters during the next week or so.

Plenty of migrants and other good birds were reported in the county today, some of which were as follows:-

Three Cattle Egrets were at Stanwick Pits this morning and Clifford Hill Pits attracted three Little Gulls, four Common Terns, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover. A White-tailed Eagle was reported as flying over Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits this morning (no more details known).

Harrington Airfield today was good for an adult male Merlin, six Wheatears, a Raven and a pair of Grey Partridge. The Ring Ouzel was again off the Clopton to Bythorn road on the Cambridgeshire border. The Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton held on to yesterday's Whinchat, plus three Wheatears, a Cuckoo, a Grasshopper Warbler, a flock of eight Yellow Wagtails and a Peregrine.

A Wheatear was at Farndish, near Irchester and hirundines over Ashton Sewer Works were made up of twelve House Martins and fifteen Swallows.

Regards

Neil M

Northern Wheatear courtesy
of Jacob Spinks.

Male Yellow Wagtail.

White-tailed Eagles.
With now at least four reports
in the county this spring, is there
still a chance for the rest of us to
catch up with one?

North and west bound birds...

Hello

Eleanor's morning walk took her to Blueberry Farm today where a male Ring Ouzel was foraging on grass alongside one of the hedgerows and two Wheatears were on the hill. About forty Fieldfares and a Raven were nearby.

Sarah Gibbs was in Wicksteed Park, Kettering this morning and watched a Carrion Crow 'anting' itself. This is well documented behaviour whereby birds 'bathe' in ants, secreting the acid and chemicals from the ants to enhance the skin and feathers. Although well known it is not in my experience commonly seen in the UK...

Birds in and over the garden today were not remarkable but in the Brampton Valley below the village this afternoon there was a fine singing Whinchat and a male Greenland Wheatear.

Elsewhere and Stewart Short saw a singing male Ring Ouzel near Clopton and heard a Cuckoo nearby. A Cuckoo was also heard at Chase Park Farm, Yardley Chase this morning.

Regards

Neil M

Male Whinchat.

Male Ring Ouzel.