A day in Norfolk

Hello

A day out in Norfolk today began at Weybourne where a dead Sperm Whale washed up recently was nevertheless spectacular even in death. Interesting birds there included a juvenile Iceland Gull, Velvet and Common Scoters, Great Northern and Red-throated Divers, Water Pipit and migrating geese.

We went on to briefly visit Cley and Wiveton before walking out to the sea at Titchwell and finishing at Lady Anne's Drive at Holkham.

Mammals included Common and Grey Seals and Muntjac, Roe and Chinese Water Deer and the best of the birds were a Lesser Yellowlegs on flooded meadows at Wiveton, geese of seven species, a Bewick's Swan, four more Water Pipits, lots of Marsh Harriers including calling and part-displaying birds, Spotted Redshank and an excellent variety of waders, Bearded Tits and waterfowl.

In the county today Hollowell Reservoir continued to host the Great Northern Diver, a Ruddy Shelduck, two Great White Egrets, seven Pink-footed Geese and four Crossbills. Four Black-necked Grebes were at Stanford Reservoir and Clifford Hill Pits attracted two adult White-fronted Geese, twenty Barnacle Geese, six Goosanders and a Peregrine.

A Marsh Harrier was seen flying east at Otter Lakes below Irthlingborough (eastern end of Ditchford Pits) and Wakerley Wood provided a refuge for twelve Crossbills near the car park with neighbouring Fineshade Wood also attracting a flock of Crossbills and two Ravens.

Regards

Neil M

Dead Sperm Whale.

Common Scoters.

Iceland Gull.

Redshank.

Birds of another cold, wet day...

Hello

A thoroughly horrible day's weather for most people in the county today but the forecast for the week-end looks much better.

An excursion up to Harrington Airfield before first light was pretty windy but not too wet, much of the rain coming later. A Woodcock was flushed and there were about a hundred Golden Plovers, about two hundred Fieldfares and over a hundred Redwings on the top fields with a Barn Owl disturbed from hedging towards the Brampton Valley Way.

Two Ravens were again at Hanging Houghton with two pairs of Stonechats in the Brampton Valley below the village. The four Black-necked Grebes were again at Stanford Reservoir and a Great White Egret was at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits.

At Pitsford Reservoir this morning four Bewick's Swans were located on the water in the Scaldwell Bay but unfortunately flew off in a north-westerly just a few minutes later. Three Great White Egrets were also visible in the bay.

Regards

Neil M

Golden Plover.

Bewick's Swan.

Wigeon.

Little Bunting...another
overdue species yet to
be confirmed in the county!

Wet and cold Thursday

Hello

A cold and wet winter's day and very dull and dank this afternoon.

Just outside of the county a Firecrest showed up at Market Harborough - feeding alongside the River Welland in ivy-clad trees in the town centre opposite Argos and Wilkinson and between the two foot bridges over the river. The first year female Peregrine was still on the nearby church spire.

Jacob and Bethan spent time at a very wet and water-logged Harrington Airfield where many of the winter thrushes present were worming in the fields with estimated counts of 850 Fieldfares and 350 Redwings.

The Great Northern Diver and two Great White Egrets were still at Hollowell Reservoir today and the four Black-necked Grebes were still at Stanford Reservoir.

The very small gull roost at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon provided an opportunity to read the details of a colour-ringed Black-headed Gull and a first year Yellow-legged Gull was there for a time.

It might be cold and wintery out there but we are still receiving visits from hedgehogs in our garden each night.

Regards

Neil M

Firecrest.

Yellow-legged Gull.

Birds of early December

Hello

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included a Water Pipit at dawn which seemingly didn't linger, four Great White Egrets, a leucistic drake Red-crested Pochard, eight Pintail, a Green Sandpiper, three Snipe and three Kingfishers. Jacob estimated the dispersing roosts of corvids and counted 990 Rooks and an amazing 6,100 Jackdaws and a post roost dispersal of 3,000 Starlings from elsewhere which flew high over the reservoir.

Ringing on site provided eighty captures of small birds which included ten Tree Sparrows (a reserve conservation priority species) and a pleasantly surprising total of twenty-five Greenfinches which is quite a number by modern day standards. Nearby a Blackcap was seen in Scaldwell village and a small number of Golden Plovers remain at Harrington Airfield.

Down at Greens Norton Chris and team completed another ringing session which provided 74 captures with thirty Redwings and four Lesser Redpolls within the total. A Woodcock was seen on-site.

Deene Lake hosted over two hundred Teal today plus four pairs of Shelduck, a pair of Egyptian Geese and a pair of Black Swans.

The four Black-necked Grebes were seen again at Stanford Reservoir and a Green Sandpiper was noted at Ashton Water Treatment Works.

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Redpolls courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Ringing highlights

Hello

A cold night but then sunshine and blue skies for much of the day made it very pleasant to be out!

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield today was a modest affair with just 58 birds processed. Thrushes were the main impetus and we managed seven Fieldfares, two Blackbirds, nineteen Redwings and a Song Thrush. 

Smaller birds included two Reed Buntings, two Yellowhammers, ten Chaffinches, four Goldfinches and two Tree Sparrows. A first year male Sparrowhawk was a bonus! Another fifteen or so Chaffinches were released at the net due to their poor condition with the majority of them exhibiting diseased legs/feet.

Other birds on-site included a Woodcock, about sixty Golden Plovers, two coveys of Grey Partridges, a Raven and a male Brambling.

On Sunday a Corn Bunting was caught and ringed at a private site between Brigstock and Grafton Underwood.

Back to today and there was a Birdguides report of the Parrot Crossbill again at Wakerley Wood, south west of the car park early this afternoon with a small party of Crossbills. There were also four Black-necked Grebes at Stanford Reservoir both yesterday afternoon and again today with recent reports of the two Bearded Tits being present too with a drake Scaup there this afternoon.

At Clifford Hill Pits today there was a Great White Egret, six Goosanders and twenty-four Golden Plovers. Hollowell Reservoir continues to host the Great Northern Diver, a single Great White Egret, six Pink-footed Geese, a Caspian Gull, two Stonechats and a single Crossbill.

At Thrapston Pits today Eric notched up the five Great White Egrets, an Egyptian Goose and two Kingfishers but there was no sign of yesterday's scoters.

Regards

Neil M

First year male Sparrowhawk.

Fieldfare.

Redwing.

Blue Tit.
Above images courtesy
of Beth Clyne.

Corn Bunting courtesy
of Rich Goswell.

Dull and grey and new birds in

 Hello

With some potential colder weather arriving at the end of the week, today was another mild, grey and damp affair.

Pitsford Reservoir today had a new flush of wildfowl with an influx of Shoveler and a few Pintail plus the usual three Great White Egrets, four Red-crested Pochards, two Yellow-legged Gulls, an adult Mediterranean Gull which roosted plus a Golden Plover, Raven and a pair of Stonechat.

A pair of Raven were at Hanging Houghton and Harrington Airfield continues to host good numbers of winter thrushes plus at least twenty-one Golden Plovers and a Grey Wagtail (ringing tomorrow restricts access to the bunkers and old airstrip).

Over at Thrapston Pits, Nick Parker located six female Common Scoters on Town Lake with a Black-tailed Godwit, two Dunlin and ca100 Golden Plovers at Stanwick Pits. The Great Northern Diver and six Pink-footed Geese were at Hollowell Reservoir again today and a Woodcock and two Bramblings were at Lamport Hall.

Regards

Neil M

Drake Shoveler.

Drake Pintail.

Adult winter Mediterranean Gull.

Foggy Sunday

Hello

The fog and mist certainly made birding rather challenging today but it was okay for ringing.

Birds visible in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning included a Great White Egret, two drake Red-crested Pochards, seven Pintail, a Woodcock, three Stonechats and a male Brambling.

Hollowell Reservoir was also suffering from poor visibility but Mark Piper managed to see the Great Northern Diver, two Great White Egrets, five Pink-footed Geese and three Stonechats.

At Summer Leys LNR there were two rather unseasonal Black-tailed Godwits plus fourteen Common Snipe. A Woodcock was seen flying along the A508 at Brixworth early this morning and up to a dozen Crossbills were seen at Wakerley Wood. A pair of Stonechats were seen at Wicksteed Water Meadows this afternoon.

Ringing efforts during Monday and Tuesday at Harrington Airfield this coming week will restrict access to the old airstrip and bunkers but the footpaths/concrete track will remain open.

Regards

Neil M

Female Stonechat.
Courtesy of Jacob Spinks.

Second year male
Sparrowhawk courtesy
of Eleanor McMahon.

Late November arrivals

Hello

A very grey and murky day but not really cold for the time of the year. Little birding opportunities for me today after completely filling the van full of bird food and re-organising the house and garage to cater for it!

Thankfully others managed some time out there and found some interesting birds many of which are lingerers and may well remain with us for much of the winter.

The Nene Valley was well-represented with a juvenile White-fronted Goose associating with Greylags at Stanwick Pits, two female Common Scoters and twenty Barnacle Geese at Clifford Hill Pits, a Great White Egret, two Goosanders and a Redshank at Earls Barton Pits (plus a spectacular Starling murmuration), a Great White Egret at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits and five Great White Egrets, eight Little Egrets, a Green Sandpiper and two Chiffchaffs at Thrapston Pits.

Away from the valley and birds at Hollowell Reservoir today included the Great Northern Diver, seven Pink-footed Geese and eleven Crossbills with six Jack Snipe found at a field pond near Ravensthorpe. 

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon north of the causeway included three Great White Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Green Sandpiper, a Jack Snipe and a pair of Stonechats.

Regards

Neil M

Jack Snipe.

Green Sandpiper.

Woodcock. We are still awaiting
the main arrival of our wintering
population (probably due to the mild
conditions on the continent) but they
are on their way with recent arrivals on the
 east coast and with cold weather predicted
 more will follow...

Friday's offerings

Hello

A period of ringing at Kelmarsh Hall today provided 121 captures of fifteen species, the majority of them common tits. Amongst the lovely Blue Tits there was a single Marsh Tit, nine Coal Tits, three Nuthatches, two Treecreepers, a male Blackcap, a male Bullfinch, six Redwings, a Song Thrush and four Blackbirds. Other birds noted on-site included two Ravens, a Grey Wagtail, a Redpoll and in excess of twenty Siskins.

At Fineshade Wood today there were thirty Crossbills, six Redpolls and fifteen Siskins and a subsequent visit to Wakerley Wood eventually provided a view of the male Parrot Crossbill with twenty Crossbills just beyond the car park, all the birds feeding silently. Other flocks were encountered in a good walk around the complex and Stewart counted fifty-eight at one stage. A few each of Redpoll and Siskin were noted and the area adjacent to Harringworth Airfield seemed quiet today.

At Blatherwycke Lake there were three adult Whooper Swans, a Pink-footed Goose, two Egyptian Geese and at least thirty-six Mandarin Ducks plus a couple of Kingfishers. East Carlton Country Park this afternoon catered for six Bramblings around the beeches, two Crossbills, half a dozen Siskins and a couple of Redpolls. Harrington Airfield this afternoon provided two Ravens and a Redpoll.

The Great Northern Diver was still at Hollowell Reservoir today plus the Ruddy Shelduck and two Great White Egrets. Single Great White Egrets were reported at Stanford Reservoir and Stanwick Pits.

I have started to use a new mobile phone today (same number) and I'm conscious that not all the comms data has transferred successfully so my apologies if you have contacted me today and I haven't responded!

Regards

Neil M

Whooper Swan.

Pink-footed Goose.

Drake Mandarin Duck.

Frosty Thursday

Hello

A cold and frosty morning followed our coolest night this autumn as we rapidly approach winter.

Pitsford Reservoir today provided views of up to four Great White Egrets, three Little Egrets, a drake Red-crested Pochard, a Pintail, two Stonechats and two Kingfishers. A Short-eared Owl remained aerial for an hour attracting plenty of birds prepared to mob it including one of the Great White Egrets!

Hollowell Reservoir continues to attract good birds with the Great Northern Diver still present, a Ruddy Shelduck, two Great White Egrets, six Pink-footed Geese and six Crossbills.

Single Great White Egrets were also seen at Summer Leys LNR and on Otter Lakes on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve.

An 'asio owl' sp was flushed from bushes between Harrington Airfield and the Brampton Valley Way this morning and there were still a few Bramblings on the old airstrip section of the airfield. A Raven and Siskins were heard calling at Kelmarsh Hall this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Short-eared Owl.

Male Siskin.

Red-legged Partridge.

Wren.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Not much to report

Hello

Very few reports of birds in the county today in rather wet, miserable conditions.

Three Great White Egrets and four drake Red-crested Pochards were still present north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir today, three or four Bramblings were in one of the ringing rides at Harrington Airfield and two Stonechats and a Grey Wagtail were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Sunset pictures from 
Sywell two evenings ago
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Atmospheric image courtesy
of John Hunt.

Peregrine.

Lapland Bunting - the bird
to find in Northamptonshire
at this time of the year...

Pitsford WeBS count

Hello

The Pitsford Reservoir WeBS count was completed today in mild and sunny conditions. Three Great White Egrets were using all three bays north of the causeway, three Little Egrets were in the Scaldwell Bay, four drake Red-crested Pochards (one leucistic) were also in the Scaldwell Bay and other birds included three Pintail, forty-eight Common Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. 

Finches included a flying Crossbill, a Brambling at the main feeding station and at least fifteen Redpolls. Other small birds included two Grey Wagtails, two pairs of Stonechats and five Chiffchaffs. A couple of Kingfishers were about as were 4-6 Ravens and two Water Rails were heard calling.

The gull roost at Pitsford Reservoir is very small these days but the roost at Boddington Reservoir this afternoon included a Caspian Gull, eleven Yellow-legged Gulls and estimates of 2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2500 Black-headed Gulls and many Common and Herring Gulls.

Two Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and approximately fifty Crossbills remain at Wakerley Wood, mostly around the car park area.

Birds at Hollowell Reservoir today included the Great Northern Diver still, a Caspian Gull (some of the recent photos of a reported Caspian Gull there depict a Yellow-legged Gull), six Pink-footed Geese and a Crossbill.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret.

Cormorant.