Pitsford WeBs Count

Hello

Much of the day was spent completing the WeBs count at Pitsford Reservoir with some interesting figures. At least thirteen Great White Egrets were north of the causeway, twenty-five Little Egrets were spread around the reservoir and nine Red-crested Pochard were initially in the Walgrave Bay but moved to the Holcot Bay. A Ferruginous x Red-crested Pochard kept with the Tufted Ducks and forty-four Pintail were mostly in the Scaldwell Bay. Apart from Lapwings the only waders were two Common Snipe, two Common Sandpipers and two Dunlin. Three adult Whooper Swans with the Mute Swans off the Old Scaldwell Road looked superb in the autumn sunshine.

A first year and very scaly Ring Ouzel was in bushes below the dam, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was in the Catwalk Bay and small numbers of Siskins, Redpolls and Chiffchaffs were around the reservoir south of the causeway. A first year female Peregrine was also hunting south of the causeway and other birds included four Grey Wagtails, a White Wagtail and a pair of Stonechat. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was north of the causeway and three more were in the gull roost off the Sailing Club. An Otter was loafing off the dam first thing this morning.

Sadly there were numbers of dead geese at the reservoir today, presumably casualties of bird flu with Greylags being particularly hard hit.

A pair of Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today and this afternoon a Short-eared Owl showed nicely at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. A Great White Egret and a Stonechat were at Thrapston Pits and birds at Stanford Reservoir amounted to four Red-crested Pochard, five Pintail, a Great White Egret, two Green Sandpipers and a Stonechat.

Regards

Neil M

Little Egret.

Common Buzzard eating
one of the goose casualties
at Pitsford Reservoir.

Lapwing.

Whooper Swans.

Stonechats and Golden Plovers

Hello

It appears that Stanford Reservoir was the place to be today with this site's third Yellow-browed Warbler this autumn and the second to be caught and ringed. In addition seven Whooper Swans arrived this evening and other birds included four Red-crested Pochard, a Great White Egret, three Green Sandpipers, four Pintail and a Water Rail.

A Black Tern was a good find at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows this morning and three Stonechats were also present. Two hundred Golden Plovers were noted on The Slips at Summer Leys LNR this afternoon.

Hollowell Reservoir sported the Pink-footed Goose still and other birds seen there were a Golden Plover, two Great White Egrets, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and four Stonechats. Up to three Stonechats remain in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and at Harrington Airfield there were two female Stonechats, nine Golden Plovers and a Raven with steady movements of Redwings, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits overhead.

Regards

Neil M

Stonechats.

Golden Plovers.

Harrington ringing take two

Hello

A consecutive day's bird ringing at Harrington Airfield today provided another ninety-six birds of sixteen species. Goldfinches again were the most common bird encountered with twenty-six birds and other finches were three Linnets and two Chaffinches (many more Chaffinches were caught but released at the net as they have a propensity for leg disease). Eight Yellowhammers and fifteen Meadow Pipits made up the numbers with just singles of Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and Blackcap and a juvenile male Sparrowhawk, a Song Thrush and six Redwings added more variety.

Other birds noted on-site included a Water Pipit which circled the top fields and went west at 7.55am and only five minutes later a vocal Tree Pipit flew over going south. Several Siskins sauntered over and other birds included a dozen Golden Plovers and good numbers of Skylarks.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included nine Red-crested Pochard, three Great White Egrets, plenty of Pintail, a Yellow-legged Gull and two Stonechats all north of the causeway.

Three Stonechats and a Stoat were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton and a Marsh Harrier was quartering the fields at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile male Sparrowhawk.

Redwing courtesy of
Chris Payne.

Ringing at Harrington Airfield.

Hello

A ringing session at Harrington Airfield this morning provided plenty of birds, a total of one hundred and one of which eighty-six were new birds and fifteen were birds ringed there on previous occasions. Thirty Goldfinches dominated proceedings and other finches included Chaffinches and singles of Linnet and Brambling. Flocks of Redwings were moving through and ten were caught and ringed and other highlights included two Green Woodpeckers, a female Stonechat, a Treecreeper plus Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Yellowhammers. Other birds noted included a Barn Owl, thirty Golden Plovers, Grey Partridges and fifteen Siskins flew south. A further period of ringing is planned for tomorrow when there will again be access restrictions to the ringing area.

A Brambling, a Grey Wagtail, a few Siskins and two Ravens were about in Hanging Houghton village today and there were two male Stonechats in the Brampton Valley below the village in the vicinity of 'shrike hedge'.

Other county sightings today included five Great White Egrets heading east over Clifford Hill Pits at 9am, a Curlew was seen in flight over Mary's Lake, Earls Barton Pits and Ravensthorpe Reservoir hosted a Black-tailed Godwit, four Green Sandpipers, a Snipe, a Great White Egret and an excellent count of 363 Teal.

The Yellow-browed Warbler was again seen on the Leicestershire bank of Stanford Reservoir this morning and other birds included an adult Mediterranean Gull in the gull roost, four Red-crested Pochard, two Great White Egrets, a Goosander, a Water Rail, three Pintail, three Green Sandpipers and two Cetti's Warblers.

Regards

Neil M

Stonechat at Harrington Airfield
today courtesy of Lynne Barnett,

Coot courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Swallow courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

October migrants

Hello

More birding efforts at Pitsford Reservoir today provided ten Great White Egrets north of the causeway plus Pintails and three Stonechats and Small Coppers still on the wing. At the other end of the reservoir there was a Water/Rock Pipit heard calling a few times distantly in the morning near the dam plus a Pintail, a Dunlin, Siskins and four Grey Wagtails (three caught and ringed).

The Yellow-browed Warbler was tracked down again at Stanford Reservoir (still on the Leicestershire bank) and other birds included a Common Redstart caught and ringed, a Great White Egret and a Green Sandpiper. A Green Sandpiper was noted at Clifford Hill Pits, a Great White Egret was at Higham Lakes (Ditchford Pits) and a vocal Short-eared Owl flew south in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon.

A ringing session will be undertaken tomorrow (Wednesday) at Harrington Airfield when access to the bunkers and scrub between the Chippings Compound and the main track will be restricted.

Regards

Neil M

Small Copper.

Great White Egret.

Grey Wagtail.

Sabine's Gull

Hello

A visit to Harrington Airfield this morning provided two Grey Wagtails, two Bramblings, a Blackcap, three Stonechats (Bunker One), a Fieldfare and a light passage of Redwings and Starlings and Meadow Pipits. Two Ravens were at Hanging Houghton but the Brampton Valley below the village was devoid of interesting birds with just a single Clouded Yellow on the old nectar strips. Sadly a Common Buzzard was picked up dead on the A508 just outside the village.

A Rock Pipit was a good find at Clifford Hill Pits this morning on the main pit plus two Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper. On the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadow reserve there was a Little Stint on Dragonfly Lake and a Green Sandpiper on Ring Res this morning.

A Yellow-browed Warbler at Stanford Reservoir today was apparently on the Leicestershire side of the reservoir and seen within a roving tit flock. Other birds at the reservoir included six Stonechats, two Great White Egrets, a Pintail, a Water Rail and four Green Sandpipers.

About ten Clouded Yellow butterflies were in clover fields near Lower Benefield today.

Six Red-crested Pochard were in the mouth of the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning. An attempt to count the gull roost at the dam end of the reservoir this afternoon/evening provided some excitement with a vocal juvenile Sabine's Gull flying around out in the middle of the reservoir. With the light quickly fading I managed some blurred shots of this stunning gull on the only occasion it ventured to the area where I was standing. It left the reservoir to the south at about 6.40pm. A first winter Mediterranean Gull, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail were also present.

An additional page or Tab has been created which depicts images from a recent Naturetrek tour to the Isles of Scilly.

Regards

Neil M

Sorry about the quality of 
images, they don't do the
Sabine's Gull justice!

Round Up

 After the excitement of the Red Backed Shrike on Monday the rest of my week has been fairly quiet. I have made several visits to Harrington Airfield.  On Tuesday (4th) there were 4 Bramblings and 2 Fieldfares flying around and a male Merlin hunting the Skylarks and causing absolute panic which was quite spectacular to watch.     Yesterday as I neared bunker 3 I could hear the distinctive harsh chack call of a Ring Ouzel. As I approached with its namesake Rouzel my collie it flew up out of a bush with 10 Redwings.  Other birds of note were 4 Stonechat,  2 Bramblings,  4 Grey Partridge and several Ravens.                                                                                                                                        I  usually check the valley area below Hanging Houghton especially the hedgerow known as "shrike hedge". There has been a rather obliging group of 8 Stonechat and a Whinchat in this area. I  last saw them on Wednesday when they were sheltering in a ditch out of the wind. I  checked the area today but didn't see any of the chats, instead to my dismay I found that the hedge had been severely cut !! I  suspect that the chats will  now move on if they haven't already done so.                                                                                                            I visited Sywell CP  yesterday.  It was quiet,  just 6 Stonechat,  Cettis Warbler and a few Siskins.  I did notice that there was a good muddy margin all the way round the reservoir but I couldn't find any waders.                                                                                                            Pitsford Reservoir looks excellent and is full of birds. A quick visit today produced a single Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpiper, 8 Great White Egrets and good numbers of Pintail north of the causeway and a Little Gull south of the causeway.  Other folk have seen Ruff, Stonechats and Common Sandpipers too.  It is certainly worth a few hours visit rather than a snatched visit like mine.                                                                                                           Whilst I have been out and about I have been aware of a slow steady trickle of Redwings and Fieldfares arriving and House Martins and Swallows departing as the wonderful seasonal cycle of migration continues. 

There have been a few interesting birds dotted around the county during the week.  Black Tailed Godwit and Marsh Harrier at  Summer Leys.  Cattle Egrets at Stanwick GP. Northern Wheatear and Caspian Gull at Stanford Reservoir.  Caspian Gull, 2 Great White Egrets,  3 Green Sandpiper and 4 Pintail at Daventry Reservoir.                                                 Boddington Reservoir has been the place to be with a Firecrest yesterday and a Mediterranean Gull today. 

Despite the time of year there are still quite a few butterflies around.  Over the past few days I have seen Red Admirals, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White and Small Copper.   Clouded Yellow  butterflies are still frequenting thenectar strip below Hanging Houghton. However an amazing 49+ Clouded Yellows were seen at Lower Benefield over some clover fields just south of the village.  What an amazing sight this must have been. 

Have a good weekend. 

Regards Eleanor 

A hectic dawn to dusk day

Well it has been a very full, busy and exciting day . I have literally just sat down following an epic dawn to dusk birding day.     At dawn I was at Fineshade Wood in the north of the county . It is one of my favourite places to run and now that my hound is fully recovered after his back surgery I decided that today was the day to take him on his longest run.  The sunrise was amazing and I was glad that I had made the effort to get up early. My dogs enjoyed a  2 hour run, zig zagging along the many trails and we covered quite a bit of ground.  It was disappointingly quiet for birds. A few Siskins, Nuthatches,  Marsh Tits,  Ravens and Red Kites being the highlight.   After a brief rest I went to nearby Wakerley Wood where a long walk produced very little,  in fact much the same as Fineshade.  It was also quiet for people which suited me.  I didn't meet anyone at all in either wood until I got back to the respective car parks. I really did feel as if I had the whole woods to myself.  The only thing which surprised me was just how green the trees still are and it will be a good few weeks before they will be robed in their autumn glory.

Prior to leaving Wakerley Wood I checked my phone and saw that a Red Backed Shrike had been found on the outskirts of Duston, Northampton.  My heart sank as I was a good hour away. I intended to visit some other areas in the north but news of this bird changed everything.  I did manage a quick visit to  Blatherwycke Lake where 15 Fieldfares flew over chattering as I got out of the car.  Other birds present, 12 Mandarin Ducks, Green Sandpiper,  Kingfisher, 2 Egyptian Geese,  Little Egret and a Black Swan.  At nearby Deene Lake there was just a pair of Stonechat. 

After a rather painfully slow journey I finally arrived at the Red-backed Shrike site but panic set in as I  couldn't find anyone and I wasn't too sure where to look. Thankfully my SOS plea for help was answered by Nigel Muddiman who I didn't realise was the finder of the bird.  The Rb Shrike was a delight and showed really well, sometimes hopping on the ground before perching up on bare twigs in  full open view.  A big thank you to Nigel for getting the news out so quickly which enabled so many birders to  see the bird.                  Like many of us Nigel has his "local" patch which he birds regularly and most times sees the same birds but then out of the blue a rare bird pops up. He was telling me that he had walked around Harlestone Firs and had seen very little and was walking home past New Sandy Lane attenuation area. When he reached a small pond with scrubby  bushes he became aware of several Reed Buntings seemingly mobbing something.  As he approached the pond a Common Snipe got up but Nigel wasn't convinced that this is what the birds were mobbing.  As he watched the Reed Buntings he saw a  larger brown bird with them but it had its back to him so he thought possible Redwing.  However when the bird turned around Nigel realised that he was in fact looking at a Red-backed Shrike!!!      What an amazing find. Looking at the area I'm sure that Nigel will be finding something else.  So to everyone watching their local patch, never give up.                                                   My final walk out was at dusk although it was dark when I got back home but there was a Barn Owl below Hanging Houghton. 

Whilst all the  excitement of the Rb Shrike was going on, Dave and Helen were ringing at the feeding station at Pitsford Reservoir.  105 birds trapped of 20 species.  Plenty of Blue Tits, 17 Chiffchaff,  7 Blackcap , 7 Tree Sparrow,  2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Pied Wagtail , 1 Whinchat,  1 Cettis Warbler and a re-trap Sedge Warbler being the birds of note.  There were 3 particularly interesting birds. The Whinchat was a ringing tick for the site, the Cetti's Warbler was only the 4th to be ringed at Pitsford and the Sedge Warbler had gone from 10.1g to 14.7g in twelve days !!!  They also witnessed a Peregrine attacking the Lapwings and counted 6 Stonechat and the usual Great White Egrets. 

On Wednesday 5th October the birdclub have their meeting at 7.30pm at the Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir.  Dave Thomas will be giving a talk and presentation " Yellowstone in Winter ". A midwinter tour through the world's first national park looking at the wildlife and scenery along the roads that are open  and those that are closed during the winter.  It promises to be a good evening and Dave is an excellent photographer so we will be in for a treat.  Everyone is very welcome to come along.  Tea/coffee/biscuits and banter guaranteed. 

Regards Eleanor 

The Duston Red-backed Shrike
courtesy of Martin Swannell.

Parasol Mushroom.

Red Admiral.

Comma.

A stunning Autumn Day

 It has been a stunning Autumn day and one of those days where you wanted to be outdoors.  Luckily I was able to be out and about enjoying the warm sunshine and gentle breeze.    An early visit to Harrington Airfield was productive. As I checked the area around bunker one I flushed a Short-eared Owl.  I don't know who was the most surprised, me or it. The corvids soon had it spotted and started to annoy it.  The Owl wanted to land but it's attempts were thwarted so it headed off in a southerly direction with the corvids in pursuit.    A pair of Stonechat were at bunker two.  As I continued my wanderers several Brambling, Siskins and a single Redpoll flew over calling.  There was a noticeable number of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks over the fields.                                            Next stop was the "shrike hedge" area below Hanging Houghton where at least 8 Stonechat a Whinchat remain plus good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.                Early afternoon I went to Pitsford Reservoir.  The water level continues to drop exposing more mud. It looks very promising and it is certainly attracting a large number of birds on the small side. The Walgrave arm was particularly packed with birds but I concentrated on the Scaldwell bay.  A good variety of birds noted including 5 Dunlin, Common and Green Sandpiper,  4 Stonechat, Whinchat,  20+ Pintail,  Garganey, and a rather splendid drake Red Crested Pochard.  A bonus as I stood having a final look round was a Marsh Harrier.                                                                                                                              I thought that the sunshine would bring out  some butterflies.  I bumped into a Clouded Yellow at Pitsford Reservoir and a further 2 below Hanging Houghton and another  was reported from Harrington Airfield. 

Generally it appears to have been a quiet weekend in the county.  There has been a Grey Plover on Aldwincle Lake Thrapston,  Black Tailed Godwit at Summer Leys and Hollowell,  Cattle Egret at Stanwick and Jack Snipe at Hollowell.                                                 Stanford Reservoir is always an interesting place even though it can be very frustrating if the bird is only present on the Leicestershire side rather than Northamptonshire.  There has been a Rock Pipit around the dam area but spends most of it's time just in Leicestershire and a Yellow Browed Warbler was trapped and ringed there on Friday. 

I wonder what this new week will bring ??

Regards Eleanor 

A few images from a Scilly
pelagic trip today where Neil
is leading a Naturetrek group.
The top image is a first winter
Mediterranean Gull, the latter
two images are of Cory's Shearwater.

Ditchford WeBs count

Hello

I completed a rather belated WeBs count at Ditchford Pits today, initially in dull, dank conditions but then bright sunshine later. Hundreds of House Martins were feeding low down in the cool temperatures early on with rather less Swallows and a few Sand Martins. Cetti's Warblers were very vocal today, probably mostly this year's youngsters trying out their vocal chords and establishing winter territories. Good numbers of Chiffchaffs called and flitted around the complex and I'm sure that the single Blackcap I saw wasn't a true representation of the numbers present. At least six Grey Wagtails were good with a minimum of four Kingfishers whizzing about and when the sun came out plenty of Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers took to the wing.

West of Ditchford Lane and a Great White Egret was seen in flight and two Egyptian Geese were on the Watersport Pit. Flights of Wigeon were on the move, whistling over in flocks through the low cloud. A female Stonechat was on thistles and other plant stems and three Water Rails were heard squealing. East of Ditchford Lane and two Jack Snipe were found in a restricted area and a few each of Siskin and Redwing flew in and around.

Over at Thrapston Pits a Grey Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Little Stint and two Ruff were all passage migrants seen on the Titchmarsh reserve. A Dunlin, two Green Sandpipers and a Snipe were at the New Workings North at Earls Barton Pits.

Stanford Reservoir attracted three Pintail today plus twenty-one Golden Plovers, two Green Sandpipers, five Snipe, two Cetti's Warbler, a Reed Warbler and a few hundred hirundines. At least five Great White Egrets, a Ruff, a Whinchat and a Hobby were north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon.

The chats in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton were still represented by eight Stonechats and a Whinchat this morning and they were joined by a Wheatear late this afternoon.

Regards

Neil M

Jack Snipe.

Song Thrush.

Meadow Pipit with Crane Fly
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

Cooler and wetter weather on the way

Hello

Cooler temperatures ahead of some stormy weather this week-end and the birds are reflecting the change in the season.

A Brambling was in the garden at Hanging Houghton and a Siskin was mobile in the village. Birds in the Brampton Valley below the village included still eight Stonechats, a Whinchat, two Bramblings, Siskins and three Redwings. Another Brambling was noted at Braunston.

A Peregrine was seen over Earls Barton village today and birds at Titchmarsh Reserve at Tharpston Pits included a drake Red-crested Pochard and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included two Great White Egrets, four Green Sandpipers, three Common Snipe, two Kingfishers, four Redwings, two Cetti's Warblers and up to four hundred House Martins. A Garganey was at Pitsford Reservoir plus five Great White Egrets, seven Snipe, a Green Sandpiper, five Dunlin, two Stonechats and a Whinchat, a Grey Wagtail and good numbers of Pintail. A Comma was on the wing (with Small Copper yesterday).

Harrington Airfield surrendered at least two Bramblings coming to food in the ringing ride by Bunker One, a pair of Stonechats and a Common Redstart near Bunker Two and fifteen Golden Plovers flying over.

Regards

Neil M

Blue Tit.

Bullfinch.

Dunnock.

Cormorant with Perch.

All images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Pitsford WeBs Count

Hello

A waterbird census at Pitsford Reservoir was completed, initially in showery conditions. Eight or nine Great White Egrets and about seventeen Little Egrets were present and the waders comprised of two Greenshanks, two Ruff, five Dunlin and twelve Common Snipe. Ducks included the Garganey still, twenty-nine Pintail scattered between three bays and a slumbering aythya duck that was either a female Ferruginous Duck or a hybrid. Good numbers of Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon reflected the season and the low water levels which is providing shallow water and ideal foraging habitat.

Other birds included three Grey Wagtails, three Yellow-legged Gulls, three Stonechats and a Whinchat.

Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton near to 'shrike hedge' included eight Stonechats and a Whinchat and birds at Hollowell Reservoir were four Dunlin, four Common Snipe and a Ringed Plover (with another one dead there).

Birds at Stanford Reservoir today included three Green Sandpipers, three Common Snipe, three Pintail and six Ravens.

Mandarin Ducks were present at Blatherwycke Lake today and an Otter was seen too.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Common Nighthawk
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Queen of Spain Fritillary
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Silver-washed Fritillary
courtesy of Robin Gossage.

WeBs counter (Jane Neill)
 ready for action!

Back from Dungeness.

Hello

Another rather quiet day in the county today, perhaps partly because of a superb find of an American Common Nighthawk in Oxfordshire which may have distracted local birders!

A male Merlin was at Harrington Airfield this evening where there were also thirty Golden Plovers (and a male Peregrine there yesterday). 

Two Yellow-legged Gulls were seen at the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits today and a Yellow-legged Gull and a Pintail were at Mary's Lake, Earls Barton with a Dunlin on the Summer Leys LNR. Four Cattle Egrets were on the Roadside Pit at Stanwick Pits this morning with two Ringed Plovers near to the visitor centre.

Six Stonechats were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton at 'shrike hedge' this morning as were singles of Whinchat and Wheatear with two Golden Plovers over.

Regards

Neil M

Wheatear at Dungeness.

A Harvest Mouse which was 
released shortly after this image
was taken, courtesy of
Michelle Spinks.

Dungeness!

Hello

It seems to be a very quiet day in the county today but a Spotted Redshank was still at Pitsford Reservoir north of the causeway this morning and other birds were eight Great White Egrets, a Garganey, two Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, two Ruff, six Common Snipe, two Ringed Plovers, a Whinchat and two Stonechats. The Wood Sandpiper was also reported.

Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton included eight Stonechats and two or three Whinchats. The two Dunlin were still at Ravensthorpe Reservoir today and there was still a Spotted Flycatcher at Stanford Reservoir plus a Pintail and five Ravens.

A Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were on the New Workings North at Earls Barton Pits today with three Stonechats on the New Workings South and two Redwings over.

In the meantime a small contingent of Northants Ringing Group members have been down at Dungeness Bird Observatory on the Kent coast enjoying visible migration and a little ringing. Sea-watching has produced views of terns and gulls feeding over the sea, a passage of Arctic Skuas and small numbers of waders and wildfowl. On the land there have been plenty of chats, pipits and wagtails, as well as warblers to keep migration enthusiasts entertained. A tame Red Fox coming for food was fabulous and we were lucky enough to see Common and Grey Seals, Harbour Porpoises and some interesting end of season insects.

Regards

Neil M

Clifden Nonpareil or
Blue Underwing

Views from the old
lighthouse at Dungeness.

Mixed summer, winter and passage migrants.

Hello

A migrant-filled walk at Harrington Airfield today provided plenty of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, a relatively early Brambling, a Ring Ouzel (briefly at Bunker Two), a pair of Stonechats, three over-flying Crossbills, Grey Partridges and a Common Redstart.

Nearby around 'shrike hedge' in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton there were four Stonechats today, a Whinchat, a Common Redstart and over a hundred Meadow Pipits and Clouded Yellow butterflies with Grey Partridges at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell. Six Siskins were in Hanging Houghton village.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir today included just one Spotted Redshank in the Scaldwell Bay, a Dunlin, two Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, two Ringed Plovers, a Garganey, six Great White Egrets, ten plus Pintail, three Yellow-legged Gulls and two Stonechats.

Records from Stanford Reservoir today included lingering summer migrants, at least three Redwings, two rather late Spotted Flycatchers, four Cetti's Warblers, four Green Sandpipers, a Water Rail, a Pintail and two Kingfishers

Two Cattle Egrets were at North Lake, Stanwick Pits this morning, two Stonechats were still on the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits and two Dunlin were noted at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

Regards

Neil M

Great White Egret.

Red Kite.

Common Buzzard.