Pitsford Birds

Hello,

A period of bird ringing in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Nature Reserve today finished with the capture of Seventy Nine birds. Fifty of these were new birds. Warblers included Sixteen Blackcaps, Four Chiffchaffs, a Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler and a Sedge Warbler. Other birds of interest were singles of Kingfisher, Spotted Flycatcher and Marsh Tit. Two re-trap Willow Tits were also caught.

Wildfowl within the bay again included Two Ruddy Shelduck and Nine Red-crested Pochard. The shelduck were again on the bund and the pochard were diving near to the tern rafts. 

Regards, 

Jacob

Pitsford and Scaldwell Excursions

Hello,

Today I did a walk round Pitsford to the Scaldwell Hides with plenty of Birds there especially on the Drought Area. Birds there were a Grey Heron, 2 Little Egrets, a Little Grebe, 8 Widgeon and at least 250 Black Headed Gulls.

As I was leaving a Osprey came over and circled over the Maytrees hide and dived for a fish but was unsuccessful. Also a juvenile Common Tern flew by the Maytrees Hide too.

A short Excursion on the Fields backing East End, Scaldwell wielded lots of Birds of Prey. These were 4 Buzzards, 4 Hobbys, 1 Kestrel and 3 Red Kites. There also were a lot of passerines moving south. This was 25 Swallows, 30 House Martins, 2 Sand Martins and a Yellow Wagtail.

Regards,

Jacob

Pitsford Ringing

Hello,

A morning ringing session at Pitsford Nature Reserve, Scaldwell Bay. It concluded of 35 birds but best birds caught were a Juvenile Green Woodpecker, a couple of Reed Warblers, a few Chiffchaffs and 7 Blackcap.

A few birds at Pitsford included a Hobby, 6 Widgeon, a Yellow Legged Gull and a Golden Plover flew over.

Regards,

Jacob

Ringing at Pitsford

Hello, 

At Pitsford Res this morning, an Osprey spent some time over the Scaldwell Bay before moving off west. A migration of hirundines which was mostly Swallows, Wagtails one Grey, at max of 20 Yellow and a few Pied. Pipits were going over in groups quite visible all morning. The pipits were made up of one Tree and a couple of Meadow Pipit. Other birds noted included Hobby, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and the two Black Swans still.

A ringing session at the Old Scaldwell Road Feeding Station became wind-affected and produced only a small catch of birds. Pick of the bunch was Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler and Tree Sparrow. A total of 22 Birds. 

There was a Spotted Flycatcher down School Lane, Scaldwell this evening catch passing Insects. 

Regards, 

Jacob

Not much Birding...

Hello,

Not much Birding took place today but three species really stranded out which were Blackcap, 4 Sea Eagles fighting for a territory, 30 odd Sanderlings on the Dervaig Estuary and 8 Goldeneye on the Croig Beach. Ten minutes later my Family and I were in the Water snorkelling and a pod of Seals came right up to us by 6ft!

Regards,

Jacob

Cool Down from Yesterday...

Hello,

Definitely a cool down from yesterday with two star birds which were a Dipper at Aros Park and a Merlin attacking Hooded Crows over the Garden in Dervaig!

A drive past the Mishnish Lochs found Buzzards, Ravens and Hooded Crows circling over a dead Red Deer.

Regards,

Jacob

The Best two Birding Days Ever!

Hello,

Sorry there was no post yesterday but yesterday birds were a White Tailed Eagle, Curlew and some Rock Dove on the Dervaig Estuary. Over Dervaig was my First Hen Harrier. Others flying over we're migrating birds going south which were Swallows and House Martin. But at Croig Beach there were Meadow and Rock Pipit, Wheatear, Grey Heron, Lapwing, White Tailed Eagle and a Redshank!

Today at The Mishnish Lochs at around 8:00 thee were 8 Red Throated Divers, a Reed Bunting, a Juvenile Cuckoo, 4 Little Grebe, about 40 Meadow Pipits!

In the Garden today was a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 8 Mistle Thrush. At Croig Beach today were my First Merlin, 3 Goosander, a Buzzard, a few Wheatear and Rock Pipit, a Grey Heron, plenty of Common Gull, Black Headed Gull, Hering Gull and Greater Blacked Back Gull. Waders were Lapwing, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Common Sandpiper.

Regards,

Jacob

Mull Birds

Hello,

There were plenty of Birds today like 8 Goosander on the Estuary on Dervaig also 3 Curlew and a Grey Heron. At the Heritage Centre there was 7 Goldcrest, and very Good Numbers of Chiffchaff and   Willow Warbler also a lone Buzzard.

At Loch Na Keal there were two White Tailed Eagles which landed on the Beach. Then there was a other Sea Eagle at Croig Beach.

Regards,

Jacob

Rain and More Rain Coming...

Hello,

The weather today has been Terrible! There was only time for a hour at Croig Beach. This provided a Adult Buzzard feeding a Juvenile, a Curlew, a couple of Wheatear, a Common Sandpiper, a few Rock Pipits, Grey Herons and a Good amount of Greylag Geese.

In the Garden today we had a Tree Creeper also Coal, Blue and Great Tit and lots of Chaffinch and a Adult male Bullfinch!

Regards,

Jacob

Mull Chartes and more...

Hello,

I walked the Dog this morning down the Estuary to find 4 Curlews, a Greenshank, a Yellowhammer, a Meadow Pipit and good numbers of Rock Pipit.

At 13:00 I went on a trip on the Mull Chartes and saw 2 White Tailed Eagles 7 times! We also saw big Gulls like Herring and Greater Blacked Back! We also found 4 Article Terns.

For Pictures of the Eagles visit my Flickr Page -   https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildlife_boy1/

Regards,

Jacob

Nothing really...

Hello,

Today there hasn't been much to report but at Croig Beach thee were 24 Oystercatchers, 40+ Common Seals, a Skylark, 4 Shag and 6 Rock Pipit.

Afterwards a quick look at Tobermory for Gulls produced a few Pied Wagtails, some House Sparrows, a Handful of Herring Gulls and a couple of Greater Blacked Backed Gulls.

Regards,

Jacob

Wet Weather...

Hello,

It has been very Wet and Windy with Gusts of 30-40mph. There was only a small gap in the weather for us to go too Calgary Beach which provided Pied Wagtail, Hooded Crow, 14 Oystercatcher, Rock Pipit, Wheatear, Robin, Common Gull, Lesser Blacked Back Gull, Gannet and Sand Martin.

I took the Dog for a walk next to the estuary in Dervaig, Mull and found Pied Wagtail, 7 Red Breasted Merganser, Linnet, Shoveler, Grey Heron, 2 Curlew, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, 2 Greenshank, Greylag Goose, Buzzard and the first Wren!

Regards,

Jacob

Mull and Long Tailed Skua

Hello,

I have been traveling to Mull today. On the crossing there was a fair amount of birds. There were Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser and Greater Blacked Back Gull, Kittiwake, a Fulmar, Gannet, Cormerant, Shag, Black Guillemot, 30+ Manx Shearwater and a single Long Tailed Skua!

When we had arrived in Mull we had located 23 Fieldfare and Blackbird in some bushes and feeding on the floor. There wer plenty of Corvids on a carcos near the Thrushes, the Corvids were Jackdaw, Hooded and Carrion Crow also a single Raven was taking good amounts of food. We pulled over again 100 yards down the road to find Eider and Tufted Duck. Also there was a couple of Oystercatcher and Grey Heron.

When we had arrived at the House two White Tailed Eagles came over at quite a high altitude. In the meanwhile Wheatear, Whinchat and Stonechat were feeding themselves and young! These were the best species but I have reached 36 species!

Regards,

Jacob

Ringing and Red Necked Grebe

Hello,

A long period of ringing at Harrington Airfield yesterday provided 43 captures.  This was made up of 12 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, a Dunnock, 6 Robin, a Wren, a Reed Bunting, 5 Yellowhammer, a Blue Tit, a Great Tit, 3 Blackbird and 3 Linnet.  Other birds noted on-site included Hobby and singles of Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart.

Afterwards a visit to Pitsford Res immediately yielded a surprise with a summer plumage Red-necked Grebe displaying noisily to Great Crested Grebes on the reserve from the Maytrees Hide!  Two drake Red-crested Pochard and a Pintail were in the Walgrave Bay and a Goldeneye and a Snipe were in the Scaldwell Bay.  In total there were 5 adult Yellow-legged Gulls in residence and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull was again off the yacht club in inclement conditions this evening. 

Sincerely, 

Jacob

Common Bird Census

Hello,

A Common Bird Census took place at Pitsford Nature Reserve today from 6:00am to 12:30pm, we would have probably recorded about 120+ Birds but not all the Birds seen were recorded. Birds recorded were probably 4 Great Crested Grebe and 7 Coot Families. In all three different bays there was a flock of Birds, these included Goldcrest, all Different kinds of Tits, Thrushes and Warblers.

There was also two Yellow Legged Gulls. They were in the Scaldwell Bay!

Jacob

Scaldwell Birds

Hello,

Today I spent most of my day in a field next to the Scaldwell Village and the results were not as pleasing as I hoped but never the less there was still birds, instead of actually saying star birds; I am going to say every bird I noted, so here it goes: Dunnocks were bursting into song also were Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Whitethroat, Blackcap and a lone Lesser Redpoll. I do not have a clue what that Redpoll was attempting to attract!

Other birds were a single Red Kite with a Raven attempting to mob the Kite of its prey, Carrion Crows were sitting on the nest then flying up at any sight of the nearby Sparrowhawk and Buzzards, at one point four Buzzards were over-head, a male Pheasant was displaying in a nearby field, soon after it started to display a Bird Scarer did its usual sound they make causing at least One Hundred Wood Pigeon, Twenty-Five Stock Dove and a Handful of Collard Dove. Today there was definitely a influx of Hyundins with Fifty Odd Sand Martins with lots of Good Numbers of Common Swift, Swallow and House Martin. A pair of Blackbird were busily making a nest in a Garden closely to the Field. In a local copse there was a vocal pair of Juvenile Jackdaw being busily fed by the Parents. There was a very large Tit flock going through the Bushes today with at least Thirty Long Tailed Tits,  a Large handful of Blue, Great and Coal Tits! A family group of Great Spotted Woodpeckers including the young were darting around the copse!

Then a quick look in the Garden provided the usual things of Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock and Starling!

Hope this helps with your Birding experience in Northamptonshire!

Sincerely,

Jacob

Cockington Valley

Hello,

Two short trips to Cockington Valley provided many, including a regular female Roe Deer, many Nightingales, a fair amount of Garden Warblers, ChiffChaffs and Willow Warbler. They only regular thing there was lots of Singing Blackcap and my first this year of a female one!

There was also very tame and in good numbers Jay. They seem to be nesting nearby to the stream!

Regards,

Jacob

Little Stint and more!

Hello,

Another trip down to Paignton Beach provided a variety of birds including, Manx and a Possible Sotty Shearwater, these are both firsts! Also a Little Stint, another first. Five or Six Gannets, lots of different gulls including a possible Little Gull, good numbers of Shags and Cormerants. Now last but not least, fair numbers of Arctic Terns!

Regards,

Jacob

Devon and Travels!

Hello,

Today we have spent most of our time traveling to Devon but at the station called Delemere. There was a singing male Redstart (a first for me), a Colony of Rooks, a Raven and singing Chiffchaffs. At the second station called Sedgemoor we only had time for 10mins but was a Jam-Packed 10mins! There was lots of Singing male and Responding Female Greenfinches, a couple of sing Common Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, a Buzzard and Good numbers of Rooks!

When we finally got to Devon we visited a beach called Broadsands, the only things there was 5-6 Herring Gulls, 2 Mute Swans, a Garden Warbler and a Greater Backed Black Gull. My second vist on Devon was to Paignton Beach there was 2Yellow Legged Gull, 60+ Herring Gull, few Cormerant and Shag and a fair amount of Lesser and Greater Blacked Back Gull.

Regards,

Jacob

Pitsford NR

Hello,

Today at Pitsford there was good numbers of Coot and Great Crested Grebe, All the Cormerant nests seem to be doing very well, we had put some feed down at the feeding station and Mallard, Carrion Crow, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer and Dunnock. Then after while two Stock Dove were there joining in with the feast! A skylark was singing in the Reservoir Car Park. There also had good numbers of Mallard, Greylag and Canada Geese, Coot and Mute Swan. By the Northants bird club hide there was easily twenty to twenty five Common Terns, two Grey Herons, a Oystercatcher and 2 Chaffinch singing outside. At the Scaldwell arm there was a Cormerant fishing, sixteen Coots and four Mallard. At the Maytrees hide there was a Reed Warbler and a Sedge Warbler!

Also in Scaldwell today there has been good numbers of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler. There was also a Cuckoo, two Buzzards and lots of singing Chaffinch!

Jacob,

Resivoirs

Hello,

At Ravensthorpe Resivoir there was lots of Sand and House Martins, Swallows and Swifts.  There was also good numbers of Great crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Canada goose and Greylag goose.

At Hollowell Resivoir there was at least 150 Sand Martins, 75 maximum House Martins, 30+ Common Swift and 50+ Swallow but there was not much of water birds just 7 Common Terns!

Regards,

Jacob

Cuckoo and others

Hello,

Not much apart from a cuckoo and a handful of sand and house martins and swallows, these were all in Scaldwell from around mid-day!

See ya soon,

Jacob

Swallows

Hello,

At walgrave today there was plenty of swallows and other birds attempting to eat them like Kestrels and Sparrowhawks!

See ya soon,

Jacob

Cuckoo

Hello,

Nothing much today but a cuckoo was found in Scaldwell, school lane today! But I am going back to school tommorow so there might not be much posts!

See ya soon,

Jacob

Pitsford am

Hello,

There has been some nasty weather today so only a small amount of time at Pitsford but today a Black Necked Grebe, 100+ Hyondines or House Martins, Sand Martins and Swallows! A handful of Coot, Mallard, Mute Swan, Greylag and Canada Goose, Tufted Duck, 2 Common Terns and a Grey Heron.

Regards,

Jacob

Cygnet Lake

Hello,

Today there was not much time for birding but I had time to nip down to a lake called Cygnet Lake with finds of around 30 Mallard, 20 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Jays, a couple of Moorhens and Coots, a Herring Gull and a Murder of Crows!

Regards,

Jacob

Ringing

Hi,

 Despite often quite bright sunshine and a cool northerly breeze, the planned ringing session at Harrington Airfield took place this morning.  My thanks to those visiting birders who changed their plans on arriving at this disused airfield this morning, enabling us to catch 24 birds safely.  Seven Willow Warblers were among the catch as were Two Blackbird, Two Great Tit, One Goldfinch, One Robin, One Chiffchaff, Two Reed Bunting, a Common Whitethroat, Two Yellow Hammers and Five Dunnocks! We assume a combination of birds intending to breed on the old airstrip but also migrants aiming for more northern climes.

But while we were there, we saw a number of species including a male Ring Ouzel, at least a couple of Linnet and Skylark. There was 7 Wheatear at one point in the day, a good amount of Swallows and on the airstrip feeding there was plenty of Yellow Hammers, Chaffinches and Dunnocks!

In Sunderland wood we have found a raver small Red Kite nest!

Sincerely,

Jacob

Ringing, Hobby and Muntjac

Today there was a Ringing Session at Pitsford Feeding Station which contained a modest catch of 14 birds which are 6 Yellow Hammers, 1 Blackcap, 3 Tree Sparrows, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Greenfinch and 1 Goldfinch but a surprising thing was two Blue Tits had Brood Patches at stage 1 and 2.

Today the main bird at Scaldwell was a Hobby which was flying over Scaldwell park at 11:20 fly north or heading to Brixworth. But other birds included 9 Swallows, 1 House Martin, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk and around 4 Buzzards! But at Pitsford today there was 9 Stock Dove, 2 Buzzard, 2 Grey Heron, a handful of Tufted Duck, a Good amount of Mallard, Mute Swan, Greylag and Canada Goose and the Cormerant Chicks all look very healthy and nearly ready to leave the nest!

But while the Ringing Session took place, two male and female Muntjac Deer took interest in the seed which was on the floor for the Yellow Hammers!

Sincerly,

Jacob

Not Bad...

Hi,

Today I didn't have much time  so I couldn't go down to Pitsford but today in Scaldwell there was 2 Kestrels, 2 Buzzards, 1 Mallard,1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Red Kite, 1 Grey Heron, 13 Swallows, 3 House Martins, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrest and a handful of Finches.

But while I was on the way to get my camera fixed I saw a Red Kite in Holcot and a Buzzard on the A43.

Regards,

Jacob

Few things

Today in Scaldwell we had at least 4 Chiffchaffs all singing well, 4 swallows darting around in the fields, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Buzzards (nest now has young), a Raven and a large Red Kite.

Today at Pitsford there was 2 Goldeneye, 32 Greylags, 24 Canada Geese, 35 Mallard, 36 Cormerant nests which in theory is 72 Cormerants, 6 pairs of GCG, around 6 Mute Swan nests, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Black Headed Gulls, a couple of Moorhen, 2 Pied Wagtails and a good amount of breeding Coots!

Sincerly,

Jacob

In pretty overcast and cool conditions a bird ringing session at Pitsford Res this morning provided 46 captures including many Yellowhammers, eight of which were new birds.  Other new birds included ten Tree Sparrows and a Coot. 

Some trial ringing at Harrington Airfield also this morning provided a catch of 12 birds which included an early Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff.  Other migrants noted at Harrington Airfield included Swallow, redpoll sp, Siskin and Meadow Pipit, but for the second day in a row no Bramblings were seen. ( Last 2 Paragraphs in courtesy of Neil McMachon)


But general birds around at pitsford were a pair of Goldeneye still hanging around the Maytrees Hide this was about the only thing apart from a few Gadwall, Mallard, Coot and Mute Swan but as passerines go there was 7 Yellow Hammers, 3 Reed Buntings, 3 Tree Sparrows, 8 Chaffinches, 1 Green Finches and 1 Dunnock and in Scaldwell the Buzzard nest had eggs with Parents sharing incubation time, the raven nest is the same but a lone Sparrowhawk and Red Kite were around. There was plenty of Chaffinches noted on the walk to Lamport from Scaldwell so were Reed Buntings and Dunnocks. But a single Hare was on the hill with 2 Pheasents. 

Neil McMohan - http://northamptonshirebirding.blogspot.co.uk/