Water Rail colour ring project

Hello

A thoroughly miserable, wet and cold day but our wildlife still has to cope out there!

This month sees the start of a colour-ringing programme of Water Rails in the Nene Valley with the first four birds now having colour rings on their legs. Although not a bird regularly seen out in the open for long, there are places in the Nene Valley where it is possible to obtain reasonable views of these secretive birds. 

The key purpose of this project is to enable recognition of individual birds using cameras or observer sightings with a view to determining movements around sites, monitor nesting behaviour and to perhaps discover post-breeding dispersal, without the need to trap them again. Being so secretive, very little is known about Water Rails during the breeding season, and hopefully this project will shed some light on their behaviour and requirements.

The birds are initially trapped, aged where possible and their gender established with the measurement of tarsus, bill and wing. Each bird is affixed with a metal ring and a colour ring with a number, a white coloured ring denotes a male and yellow a female.

This project will initially run for three years with  birds being trapped and marked during this time and is managed by members of the Northants Ringing Group. Anyone seeing a Water Rail so marked is asked to photograph and report it.

A few stoic observers out there today reported the two Glossy Ibis still at Stanwick Pits and a Bewick's Swan was photographed at Summer Leys LNR this morning. Birds in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton today included hundreds of Fieldfares, a Great White Egret standing in a field and just two Common Snipe at nearby Blueberry Farm. A quick visit to Fineshade Top Lodge in the rain this afternoon to check on the whitebeam and rowan trees failed to locate any Waxwings (a flock of 47 reported yesterday there).

Regards

Neil M

Water Rails courtesy
of Chris Payne.

Here comes winter!

Hello

Another cold and dull day and with a period of rain just around the corner it is forecast to remain wintry for a while yet.

Stanwick Pits continued to attract birds more associated with the Mediterranean/southern Europe in the shape of the two Glossy Ibis and six Cattle Egrets. A Marsh Harrier was there this morning too.

A little more seasonal was a report via Birdguides of a flock of forty-seven Waxwings in a Whitebeam tree at Fineshade Top Lodge this afternoon. From memory there are only a couple of such trees so if this is a genuine record that number will quickly eat all the berries!

Hollowell Reservoir hosted two adult Yellow-legged Gulls, a hundred and ten Cormorants (very large number for this site), three Stonechats and a Common Snipe. Single Lesser Redpolls were noted at Scaldwell and Hanging Houghton villages.

At Pitsford Reservoir the juvenile Great Northern Diver was still consuming crayfish off the dam and there was also a female/immature Common Scoter north of the dam plus an adult Caspian Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls (adult and first year). A Great White Egret was north of the causeway.

Regards

Neil M

Mute Swans.

Grey Heron.

Magpie.

Robin.

All images taken by Tony
Stanford at Stortons Pits.

Birds of a cold November day

Hello

Stanwick Pits tended to be the site of the day with the two Glossy Ibis and the six Cattle Egrets in attendance, the ibis tending to remain around the west side of Roadside Pit and the egrets are much more mobile and tend to move between North and the Main Lakes.

The Great Northern Diver and the Common Scoter were still visible from the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today, at times both of them being in the main basin.

A Grey Wagtail was at Hanging Houghton and at Kelmarsh there were eight Siskins near New Covert and a single at Kelmarsh Hall with a Lesser Redpoll at Scotland Wood. Up to three Blackcaps have been visiting Jon's garden in Hollowell and eating berries in recent days.

The 'redhead' Smew was still at Eyebrook Reservoir today and two Crossbills and a Brambling were at Fineshade Wood north east of Top Lodge this afternoon.

In the Nene Valley there was a Barnacle Goose still at Upton Country Park plus two Stonechats and Ian's walk from Whiston Lock to Cogenhoe and Ecton Sewer Works provided four Stonechats, three or four Green Sandpipers, a Great White Egret and at least twenty Grey Partridges.

The moon this evening displays an impressive halo around it and although all the indications suggest the Northern Lights might be possible to see at this latitude tonight it's cloudy where we are!

Regards

Neil M

Female Blackbird.

Great Tit.

Goldeneye courtesy
of Robin Gossage.

Crossbill courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

Pitsford Reservoir WebS count

Hello

Today was the wetland count day at Pitsford Reservoir which took some five hours with three observers. South of the causeway the Great Northern Diver was present but rather elusive today, the female/immature Common Scoter was present in The Narrows again, plus eight Little Egrets, two Grey Wagtails, two Redpolls, a pair of Stonechats and three Chiffchaffs. It was quieter north of the causeway but there was a Great White Egret, a female Stonechat, at least eight Siskins, eight Pintails, eleven Common Snipe and a Grey Wagtail.

Two showy Glossy Ibis showed up at Stanwick Pits today plus the six Cattle Egrets were there too.

At Hollowell Reservoir there were three adult Caspian Gulls, a first year Yellow-legged Gull, a pair of Mandarin Ducks, a Goosander, a good count of seventy-one Cormorants and four Stonechats with a Chiffchaff at nearby Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

An Oystercatcher was at Clifford Hill Pits this morning plus a Great White Egret and two Stonechats and a Cattle Egret was at Stanford Reservoir. Eyebrook Reservoir hosted a 'redhead' Smew and a Black-necked Grebe.

Regards

Neil M

The Glossy Ibis at
Stanwick Pits today
courtesy of Jim Dunkley.

Black-headed Gull.

Siskin.

Above two images taken at
Pitsford Reservoir today
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Sunrise across the nation

Hello

A quieter day in the county for birds but just like many areas of the country we enjoyed an absolutely stunning sunrise! The mild days of the last week has stimulated Song Thrushes to sing in the early mornings but they will quieten again once the cooler temperatures arrive.

Steve Fisher's daily early morning patrol of Stanwick Pits yielded six Cattle Egrets, two Redshanks, four Stonechats and a Ring-necked Parakeet.

At Stanford Reservoir today the two Cattle Egrets were seen again as was a Great White Egret and a Water Rail and at Eyebrook Reservoir the Red-throated Diver remained and a 'redhead' Smew was present.

Birds at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon included the Great Northern Diver again off the dam area plus a female/immature Common Scoter just a little further north at the confluence of the Pines and the Narrows. A Redpoll and a Grey Wagtail were there too.

Harrington Airfield was again full of berry-gobbling Fieldfares plus a covey of five Grey Partridges and a Redpoll with a Siskin at nearby Scotland Wood, Kelmarsh. Two Barn Owls were active at dusk in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this evening.

Regards

Neil M

Sunrise in the Brampton Valley
below Hanging Houghton this
morning.

Cetti's Warbler.

Female Stonechat.

Male Stonechat.

Male Lesser Redpoll.

Goldfinch.

Shoveler.

Red Kite.

Above seven images
courtesy of Tony Stanford
depicting birds photographed
locally.

Ringing at Pitsford Reservoir

Hello

Some ringing in the Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Reservoir yielded some one hundred and sixty-five birds processed amounting to seventy-one Blue Tits, forty-five Great Tits, three Coal Tits, two Marsh Tits, seven Long-tailed Tits, six Wrens, a Dunnock, a Robin, a Treecreeper, sixteen Goldcrests, a Chiffchaff, two Redwings, two Blackbirds, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Chaffinches, three Bullfinches and almost the last bird of the session was a first year male Sparrowhawk.

Other birds present at Pitsford Reservoir today included the Great Northern Diver off the dam in the afternoon, a flying female-type Common Scoter north of the causeway early in the morning, two Woodcock north of the causeway, Ravens, several Redpolls and Siskins, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and a Grey Wagtail.

A Cattle Egret was reportedly in Rothwell this morning and two more flew south-west at Stanford Reservoir where there was also a first winter Mediterranean Gull, eighty-one Great Black-backed Gulls (at roost) and a Water Rail.

The female-type Common Scoter was still at Kinewell Lake at Ringstead Pits this afternoon and a Goosander was at Barnwell Country Park. There was a murmuration of Starlings at Summer Leys LNR late this afternoon and fifteen Golden Plovers were at Clifford Hill Pits this morning with a Barnacle Goose at Kislingbury Pits.

At Fineshade Wood today a Crossbill was present plus an impressive flock of ninety Lesser Redpolls, three Siskins and two Bramblings and nearby there were twenty-three Mandarin Ducks at Blatherwycke Lake, two Egyptian Geese and a Great White Egret.

Two Green Sandpipers were in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon and birds at a small scrape area near Blueberry Farm attracted a Jack Snipe, six Common Snipe and a pair of Stonechats. The wet fields in the valley below Hanging Houghton attracted large numbers of Fieldfares and Starlings.

Regards

Neil M

Sparrowhawk at Pitsford
Reservoir today.

Barnacle Goose.

Fieldfare.

Robin.

Above four images
courtesy of Tony Stanford.

Birds of autumn into winter

Hello

The Great Northern Diver was present off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir this morning but it had some competition with one hundred and ten Cormorants fishing near it. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was there too.

An 'asio' owl seen distantly at Harrington Airfield was unidentified but probably a dark Short-eared Owl, and a Woodcock was flushed too.

The Glossy Ibis was reported again at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows below St Peters church and the Common Scoter was again at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits. At Summer Leys LNR eight Whooper Swans flew over east early this afternoon and other birds included a Great White Egret, four Golden Plovers and several Siskins.

At Hollowell Reservoir there was an adult Caspian Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Green Sandpiper, a Goosander and four Stonechats.

A Red-throated Diver and a Black-necked Grebe were present at Eyebrook Reservoir and sightings at Stanford Reservoir included a Great White Egret and two Water Rails.

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Great Northern Diver 
courtesy of Neil Hasdell. It has
been a great autumn for inland
records of this species and this
bird was photographed at a lake
at Peterborough.

Pied Wagtail.

Grey Heron.

Bullfinch.

Above three images courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Ditchford WeBS count

Hello

An early morning check of the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton provided a Barn Owl, a Common Snipe and calling Grey Partridges. 

At Stanford Reservoir a Woodcock was caught and ringed today and other birds recorded included four Water Rails and two Chiffchaffs.

A WeBS count at Ditchford Pits today located three Egyptian Geese west of Ditchford Lane plus as many as seven Cetti's Warblers and a couple of Chiffchaffs. East of Ditchford Lane and the complex yielded a Great White Egret, a Woodcock, a Jack Snipe, twenty-six Common Snipe, a Water Rail, a pair of Stonechats, another five or so Cetti's Warblers and five Chiffchaffs. Worryingly and following a couple of years of very low numbers there were no Kingfishers recorded. The Glossy Ibis was on the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows section of the complex on grassland next to Otter Lake.

The Great Northern Diver showed very well off the dam at Pitsford Reservoir today and was taking and swallowing crayfish. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was there too.

Nick located a female/immature Common Scoter at Kinewell Lake, Ringstead Pits this afternoon where there were also three Goosanders.

Regards

Neil M

Carrion Crow.

Yellow-legged Gull.

Great Northern Diver, gulls and Crossbills

Hello

Another mild and breezy day with only light rain made it a pleasant day out.

A Great Northern Diver was discovered at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon and fishing the waters between the Catwalk Bay and the causeway - and spending far too long underwater to provide good views! An adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the same area and a Woodcock was seen in the Walgrave Bay.

Stanford Reservoir was the venue for two Great White Egrets, two Chiffchaffs, a Peregrine hunting Starlings at dusk and gulls in the afternoon roost included fifty-three Great Black-backed Gulls, an adult Mediterranean Gull and an adult Caspian Gull.

A male Marsh Harrier and two Stonechats and two Kingfishers were showing well from the hides at Summer Leys LNR this morning and twelve Goosanders were at Hardingstone Pits. Seven Little Egrets were in their traditional wet fields site near Greens Norton this morning. 

At least six Crossbills were feeding in spruce trees at Fineshade Wood this afternoon, about three hundred metres north-east of Top Lodge.

Regards

Neil M

Great Black-backed Gull.

Blackbird.

Redwing.

Another wet night

Hello

A very wet night continued with rain post dawn but then the rest of the day was mild, dull and dry.

My efforts continue to slowly re-establish the dedicated bird winter feeding stations coupled with habitat management, cutting back net rides and keeping the all-year feeding stations going too. I see and hear a few birds during my efforts and at this time of the year I'm out most of the day to ensure there is some sort of progress! Cleaning suspended feeders and buying and collecting foodstuffs is a way of life for me at this time of the year as we prepare for the colder months and the spring hunger gaps when birds perish if there is insufficient food. Because I am away a great deal then I am very appreciative of the small band of volunteers who carry on in my absence. With a bumper berry crop, relative mild conditions, still active insects and the lack of severe frosts my efforts at the dedicated winter feed stations are a little later this year. We still have at least five Hedgehogs coming to our garden every night as the conditions are not yet suitable for hibernation so this at least helps the smaller of the animals put on some weight prior to their winter sleep. They seem to ignore the hedgehog food and prefer peanuts, sunflower hearts, dried calci-worms and suet insect pellets!

Bird sightings at Stanford Reservoir today included two Cattle Egrets flying SW, an adult Caspian Gull in the roost, two Great White Egrets, fifty-five Great Black-backed Gulls roosting, four Water Rails, two Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler and three Siskins.

Two Ravens were near Kelmarsh and the combination of soggy fields (with easy access to worms) and masses of hawthorn berries means the county is brim full of Redwings and Fieldfares almost everywhere you go. 

At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon there was an adult Caspian Gull off the dam that seemingly did not stay to roost and it was otherwise quiet with just a Grey Wagtail, a Siskin and a Redpoll around the dam area.

Over at the Titchmarsh Reserve at Thrapston Pits there was a Pink-footed Goose and the Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows Glossy Ibis remains. The long-staying Red-throated Diver is still at Eyebrook Reservoir and a Short-eared Owl showed briefly in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

Sparrowhawk.

Stonechat.

All images courtesy of
Tony Stanford.

Sunny November day

Hello

With calmer and brighter conditions a couple of small ringing sessions were held by Northants Ringing Group members today. One was near Greens Norton which was a specific training period for Trainees and provided captures of seven Redwings, five Lesser Redpolls and a few tits to manage and learn from. Two Ravens and several Siskins were present there too.

At Harrington Airfield it was a modest period of ringing, the bright sunshine lights up the mist nets and sharp-eyed thrushes avoid them! Forty-three birds were processed made up of two Fieldfares, two Blackbirds, fourteen Redwings, singles of Dunnock, Robin, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Goldcrest, three Wrens, three Great Tits, five Blue Tits, four Chaffinches and five Meadow Pipits.

One of the Meadow Pipits was first ringed there on 2nd October and so has remained in situ it seems for six weeks. One of the first year Redwings was bearing a Dutch ring so we await the initial ringing details.

Other birds on-site included a Common Snipe, a Woodcock, about one hundred and fifty Fieldfares, singles of Redpoll and Siskin and Raven with visible migration counts of 535 Starlings veering west and 360 Woodpigeons heading south.

At Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon the Cormorant roost totaled 185 birds north of the causeway and two Woodcock were in Christie's Copse in the Walgrave Bay.

Over at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows the Glossy Ibis showed itself again and a male Marsh Harrier provided views at Summer Leys LNR. Hollowell Reservoir hosted an adult Caspian Gull, a Goosander, a Green Sandpiper and two Stonechats and the Blackcap was still in a village garden. Nearby at Ravensthorpe Reservoir an Otter showed north of the road causeway and birds included a Pink-footed Goose and a Chiffchaff.

Sightings at Stanford Reservoir today included a fly-through Grey Plover, three Water Rails, a Great White Egret, a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler. Eyebrook Reservoir birds included a 'redhead' Smew and a Black-necked Grebe.

Sywell Country Park hosted two pairs of Stonechats, two Grey Wagtails, a Water Rail, a Cetti's Warbler and about a dozen Siskins. Birds at Desborough Airfield amounted to forty Golden Plovers, two hundred and fifty Lapwings over SW, nineteen Common Snipe and a female Stonechat.

The warm sunshine in the county brough forth quite a number of insects including Red Admiral and Peacock butterflies.

Regards

Neil M

Yellowhammer courtesy
of Steve Wilson and Jane Neill.

Fieldfare courtesy of
Jane Neill and Steve Wilson.

A well-marked Redwing courtesy
of Toby Solesbury.