All-day Pitsford

Hello,

After yesterdays three Drake Smew only one drake and a redhead could be seen today, with them was a Great White Egret and a Ruddy Shelduck was reported.

Regards,

Jacob

Teal

Pheasant

Lapwing

Smew

Hello,

This morning was spent at Pitsford Reservoir and from the Goosander Hide in the Holcot Bay I saw three Drake Smew however two were very mobile.

Regards,

Jacob

Boxing Day Pitsford

Hello,

I hope everyone had an amazing christmas and ate very well.

However today was spent down at Pitsford Reservoir and a Ruddy Shelduck was seen in fields south of the causeway but most time was spent though on the Northern side of the Reservoir, birds on this side included three Great White Egrets (one in Holcot and two Scaldwell Bay), a Drake Goosander, a Kingfisher and a Green Sandpiper.

Merry Christmas,

Jacob

Pitsford am

Hello,

At first light I was down at Pitsford Reservoir as it is due to rain this afternoon. As soon as I got to the site I heard a large flock of finches going over and then proceeded to land and drink from the waters edge along the causeway. These included at least seven Siskin, thirty Goldfinches and a Linnet. I carried along my walk into the Holcot Bay a further five Siskin and a Lesser Redpoll were in the Pines.

The Goosander hide in Holcot Bay is one of my favourite hides on the reserve. This is due to the birds coming incredibly close to the hide and letting taking photographs quite easy. The birds from this hide included a possible 3rd winter Caspian Gull which is a lifer, a pair of Smew (one drake), a Great White Egret with at least twelve Little Egrets in the same tree, two Goosanders (one drake), three Kingfishers and two Green Sandpipers.

Regards,

Jacob

Great White Egret

Lapwing

Mallard

New lens and ringing

Hello,

Yesterday I spent the morning in the Holcot Bay at Pitsford trying out my new lens and I saw a Great White Egret.

Today a ringing session took place at Sunderland Wood, Kelmarsh Estate and we caught around seventy birds. The majority being common tit species found inside the wood but highlights being five Goldcrest, four Treecreeper, four Redwing and a Nuthatch. We then visited Pitsford Reservoir at the dam and espied a Red-Necked Grebe, a Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and the colossal gull roost. The gull roost had nothing particular but it had around seven and half thousand birds.

Regards,

Jacob

Coot at Pitsford Dam

Mallard at Pitsford dam

Redwing at Sunderland Wood

Pitsford first thing

Hello,

As soon as the first glimmer of light was out, I was down at Pitsford Reservoir which is were I will be entering as my patch for Patchwork Challenge next year. Along the causeway at least a Siskin flew over and a Redshank was below the Fishing Lodge. I could see two Great White Egrets, one in the mouth of the Holcot Bay and the other further down the Holcot Bay just in view from the Goosander Hide. However the biggest treasure of all was a fine drake Smew which displayed brilliantly in front of the hide, I looked all last winter for a Smew in the same spot with no luck even with multiple sightings and on the first try this winter one pops up!

Regards,

Jacob

Afternoon Pitsford

Hello,

This afternoon I spent some time at Pitsford Reservoir and the first thing I realised was the large amount of Thrushes and Starlings lining the bushes however birds I noted were a Great White Egret, twenty one Common Snipe, eleven Golden Plover, a Redshank, a Willow Tit, two Marah Tit, two Redpoll and a Siskin.

Regards,

Jacob

Blueberry Farm

Hello,

This morning a Siskin flew over Scaldwell.

This afternoon however was spent at Blueberry Farm were it was obvious that the winds had pushed down hundreds of migrant thrushes which were preening the fields and bushes of there sweet treats, these included at least five hundred Fieldfare and one hundred Redwing. A Sparrowhawk took advantage but wasn't seen with a catch, other birds of prey included at least eight Red Kites, three Common Buzzards and a Kestrel.

The best bird was probably three fly over Pink Footed Geese at 13:15.

Regards,

Jacob

Pitsford Reservoir

Hello,

This morning was spent at Pitsford Reservoir and a large number of Fieldfares were still preening the last remaining Hawthorn berries of the bushes, with them included small numbers of Redwings, Blackbirds and Song Thrush. Siskins and Redpolls were feeding on the feeders along the Old Scaldwell Road and some went over as well. A House Sparrow was also their which is a very good record for the site.

Half way inbetween Maytrees hide and the Bird Club hide I flushed up a Stonechat along the fence and a Green Sandpiper was also flushed along the puddled track.

Along the waters edge hundreds of Lapwings lined it including another good record for the site, twenty six Golden Plover and three Shelduck were bottom up in the middle of the Reservoir.

Regards,

Jacob

Recent Ringing

Hello,

Ringing sessions took place on Sunday and Today. Yesterday three ringing sessions took place at Kelmarsh Hall, Linford Lakes and Pitsford Feeding Station. Today a longer ringing session at Pitsford At Kelmarsh we caught one hundred and nine birds of fourteen species. These are fifty one Blue Tit, eighteen Great Tits including a control, six Coal Tits, one Treecreeper, three Wren, four Robin, eight Dunnock, three Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Nuthatch, four Blackbird, one Fieldfare, one Goldfinch, two Chaffinch and five Bullfinch including a one which was still growing its male feathers and was still brown on the breast. Two Brambling, a few Redpoll sp and around twenty Siskin were on-site. 

The ringing session at Linford Lake provided a capture of one hundred and thrirteen birds which were of sixteen species of which fourty one were new. Birds caught were three Redwing, five Goldcrest, fifteen Siskin, fourty one Blue Tit, five Song Thrush, twenty one Great Tit, one Treecreeper, one Chiffchaff, five Robin, two Long Tailed Tit, seven Dunnock, two Wren, one Reed Bunting, two Chaffinch, control Lesser Redpoll (ringed elsewhere) and a Blackbird.

The ringing sessions at Pitsford caught seventy three captures of seventeen species. These are fourteen Dunnocks, nine Tree Sparrows, eight Yellowhammer, seven Blue Tit, six Chaffinch, six Starling, five Reed Bunting, three Song Thrush, three Common Snipe, two Wren, two Great Tit, two Redwing, two Great Spotted Woodpecker, one Goldcrest, one Pied Wagtail, one Robin and a excellent record for the site House Sparrow. Birds on site included three Great White Egrets and a Redshank.

Regards,

Jacob

Thrushes Migration

Hello,

At first light I was down at Pitsford Reservoir and the first thing I noticed was a Redshank feeding next to the causeway while calling and then I realised how ladened the bushes were with berries espicailly the sloes. Then the bushes started to move with hundreds of Redwings and Fieldfare which I guess had just arrived as they were not bothered by people or a lovely fox. However the light was incredibly poor for pictures. Other birds I noticed on-site included two Great White Egret, a Stonechat and a young female Peregrine which attempted a hunt on Lapwings but then disturbed by the local Rookeries.

Recently this evening I took the dog for a walk around Scaldwell and many hundreds of Thrushes were going over still and a few are going over at night in small numbers. Birds which have been coming to our garden feeders are two Nuthatches, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and two Marsh Tits.

Regards,

Jacob

Scaldwell Ringing

Hello,

Today a Ringing session took place in my garden, the first for a couple of years caught a Lesser Redpoll, three Goldcrest, two Dunnocks, a Chaffinch and rest being Blue Tits and Great Tits. However lots of birds were going over including large numbers of thrushes and finches including 10+ Redpoll, 20+Siskin, a Crossbill and Brambling.

Regards,

Jacob

Mixed Day

Hello,

Today consisted of a ringing session at Pitsford Reservoir which caught ninety-one birds of which these were two Moorhen, sixteen Goldcrest, twelve Redwing, eleven Wren, ten Blue Tit, seven Robin, five Long-Tailed Tit, four Treecreeper, four Blackbird, four Lesser Redpoll, three Dunnock, three Coal Tit of which one was a probable continental, two Greenfinch, two Chaffchinch, one Blackcap, one Marsh Tit, one Willow Tit, one Great Tit, one Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Kingfisher.

This is a good session for the Scaldwell nets, especially with the Goldcrest, Redwing and Redpoll. However birds on-site included a Stonechat but some showed obvious movement including a handful of Lesser Redpoll, Skylark and Siskin also lots of Fieldfare. Birds which were situated on the water included a juvenile Slavonian Grebe at early afternoon close to where the Bird Club hide was five Great White Egrets, seven Red Crested Pochards, a Shelduck, two Green Sandpipers, four Common Snipe and six Pintail.

We then moved on to Brixworth Sewage Works which held very little in terms of birds.

Regards,

Jacob

NBC Car Trip

Hello,

Today was spent on a Northants Bird Club car trip around the northern part of our wonderful county Northamptonshire, typically these areas are very under watched but can hold a good variety of species as shown in a respectable day list of eighty two species including a American Golden Plover which was at Eyebrooke Reservoir in Leicestershire. This was our third site of the day, the bird was not present until 09:30 until it flew with a large number of Golden Plover, this bird showed very well feeding and flying low over the mud, two Dunlin and at least one hundred Golden Plover were present.

Our first site however was East Carlton Country Park which held views of common woodland birds which were Mistle Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Nuthatch and Sparrowhawk. There were also some finches including Siskin and Redpoll sp in good numbers.

We the moved on to Wire Lane which was quiet but held a male Brambling and also some other finches over and Skylarks.

Then after visiting Eyebrooke for the American Golden Plover we visited three sites all in a similar area, these were Welland Valley, Harringworth Airfield and Wakerly Wood in one hit. The latter site produced a Little Egret, a Kingfisher, two hundred Golden Plover and the same for Lapwing. Harringworth Airfield was blank and similar to Wakely Wood.

Then we went to Blatherwycke Lake which produced four Little Egrets, a handful of Grey Partridge, twenty or so Linnets, three Black Swans and two escape Chinese Geese. There were also large numbers of finches and thrushes in the trees around the lake.

Then a last minute viewing at Blueberry Farm below Hanging Houghton saw five Stonechats three of which are males.

Regards,

Jacob

Red Kite

Autumn Migration

Hello,

Today was spent at Pitsford Reservoir seeing a lot of Autumnal Migrants piling in including over two hundred Redwing, thirty Fieldfare, couple of Grey Wagtail, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Siskin and Redpoll also around fifty Starling.

Water birds included three Great White Egret (two in Scaldwell bay and one in Walgrave bay), a Ruddy Shelduck, a Red Crested Pochard, six Pintail, two Dunlin, three Common Snipe and two Yellow Legged Gull.

Other birds are a Raven also Willow and Marsh Tit.

Regards,

Jacob

Great White Egrets

Hello,

In recent years our county Northamptonshire has been providing views of Great White Egrets regulary for nearly all year round but however you we have a influx during the Autumn months. Today at Pitsford Reservoir three Great White Egrets were on show, two in the Scaldwell Bay and one in the Walgrave Bay.

Other birds of note were multiple Skylarks and Meadow Pipits over also a Marsh Tit, a Siskin, two Red Crested Pochard, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Snipe.

Regards,

Jacob

Ringing at Pitsford

Hello,

A Ringing session at Pitsford Reservior this morning. The captures are: twelve Tree Sparrows, eight Great Tit, six Blue Tit, six Chaffinch, six Dunnock, four Chiffchaff, three Starling, two Goldcrest, two Wren and a Pied Wagtail.

Regards,

Jacob

Saturday Ringing

Hello,

A ringing session today took place at Pitsford Reservoir catching one-hundred and one birds. Including one Collard Dove, eleven Dunnock, one Blackbird, one Blackcap, four Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest, eight Long Tailed Tit, eleven Blue Tit, seven Great Tit, forty two Tree Sparrows, eleven Chaffinch, one Greenfinch, one Goldfinch, one Yellowhammer and a Reed Bunting. Passerines were obviously on passage, birds noted were a fly-over Tree Pipit, lots of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits also a few Siskins, Pied Wagtail and Grey Wagtail. However birds on-site included three Common Snipe, seven Red Crested Pochard including the leustic bird and a couple of Pintail.

Another session took place at Linford Lakes, highlights included a British ringed Blackcap, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Reed Bunting, four Meadow Pipits, a Goldfinch and a Lesser Redpoll.

Regards,

Jacob

Weekend update!

Hello,

Yesterday was spent at Pitsford Reservoir which provided views of two Great White Egrets, five Red Crested Pochard, a Green Sandpiper. Also a Marsh Tit, few Siskin and three Ravens.

Today was spent at Linford Nature Reserve at a Ringing Session catching a massive total for the site of one hundred and eight birds. These included sixteen Great Tit, three Robin, forty two Blue Tit, ten Goldcrest, twelve Long Tailed Tit, five Blackcap and one of which from Portugal, three Chiffchaff, six Dunnock, four Kingfisher, three Treecreeper, two Wren, Reed Warbler and a Magpie. Birds
on-site were a few Siskin, few Lesser Redpoll and a Meadow Pipit.

Regards,

Jacob

Yesterday's Ringing

Hello,

Yesterday two ringing sessions took place one being at Harrinton Airfield which caught Seventy Nine and Nineteen Species. Highlights include three Chiffchaff, nine Meadow Pipit, a Coal Tit, a Reed Bunting, four Linnet, six Goldfinches, two Whitethroat, two Blackcap, sixteen Yellowhammers and a Green Woodpecker.

Birds on-site included a Whinchat, Wheatear and a life tick for me, Honey Buzzard! Which flew over the Chipping Compound at 17:25 south bound. Also the mist pushed down many migrants including at least fifty Siskins, eight Lesser Redpoll, hundred plus Meadow Pipit, a few 'Alba' Wagtail and Yellow Wagtail.

John Woolett and a Team worked at Stortons Gravel Pits catching Seventy Six birds one being a control from elsewhere Blackcap and twenty one others, two Sedge Warbler, three Reed Warblers, a Whitethroat, a late Garden Warbler, two Cetti's Warbler and a Magpie.

Regards,

Jacob

Harrington Airfield

Hello,

This morning in Scaldwell birds noted included more Siskin going through, a Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher.

This evening was spent at Harrington Airfield which held a Wheatear, two Ravens, a Barn Owl and Grey Partridge. There was also passage going on including Meadow Pipits and Siskins. However this site tomorrow will be closed due to ringing operations.

Regards,

Jacob

Todays Birding

Hello,

A Peregrine Falcon was hunting over a field in-between Holcot and Moulton Village mid afternoon.

At Pitsford there were a Yellow Legged Gull and a Wheatear.

Regards,

Jacob

Tufted Duck

Greylag Geese

Very few birding opportunities

Hello,

A Whimbrel flew over moulton at 14:35 and over twenty-five Siskin flew over Scaldwell.

Jacob

Scaldwell Birding

Hello,

A walk to Lamport from Scaldwell this evening produced quite a few migrants flying over however the biggest count was thirty-one Yellow Wagtail flying south west also twenty-two Siskin flying in the same direction!

The following pictures were taken by Neil McMahon.

Regards,

Jacob

Pale Common Buzzards

Tree Pipit

Redstart

Migrants...

Hello,

Today a ringing session took place at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay. Migrants were passing through including a Tree Pipit which was caught at first light. Other birds caught were twelve Blackcap, ten Wren, five Dunnock, five Goldcrest which were also on Passage, three Reed Bunting, two Reed Warbler, two Treecreeper, two Robin, two Bullfinch, two Kingfisher, two Stock Dove, a Wood Pigeon, one Chiffchaff, one Willow Tit, one Blue Tit and one Green Finch. Other birds on-site were a Whinchat, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Great White Egret, two Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper. A Otter was seen hunting in the Scaldwell Bay.

A Hedgrow in-between Pitsford Reservoir and Walgrave/Cherry Hill yielded a Whinchat and five or six Redstart with at least two males.

Birds in Scaldwell included a female type Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Regards,

Jacob

Pitsford Birds

Hello,

As the water levels at Pitsford decrease even more, more birds are taking advantage of that. These birds were a Great White Egret, two Little Egrets, two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, a Redshank and two Yellow Legged Gulls. Also there were three Siskin and at least one Whinchat in the vegetation on the reserve.

Regards,

Jacob

Grey Heron

Great White Egret

Pitsford Birding

Hello,

A visit to Pitsford Reservoir today in the Scaldwell Bay produced three Shelduck, four Little Egrets, a Great White Egret, three Siskin, two Spotted Flycatcher, four Red Crested Pochard and two Yellow Legged Gull.

Regards,

Jacob

Tuesday Birding

Hello,

A visit to Clifford Hill Gravel Pits on the main barrage lake at mid-afternoon provided views of at least three Little Egrets, eleven Wigeon, a Ringed Plover, a Black Tailed Godwit and a Wood Sandpiper. However earlier in the day another birder saw a Barnacle Goose, a Marsh Harrier and a juvenile Yellow-Legged Gull on top of that.

At 08:10 four Fieldfare flew over Scaldwell flying south-west. Calling in their characteristic chattering voice!

Regards,

Jacob

Weekend Ringing

Hello,

Four Ringing Sessions took place at four different sites over the weekend. Three of these sites were ringed at on Saturday, these were Stortons Gravel Pits, Pitsford Reservoir and Harrington Airfield. On  Sunday we ringed at Brixworth Sewage Works.

Stortons Gravel Pits is rung by John Woollett and his team of ringers, they caught one hundred-forty birds and over one hundred of which were Warblers! These were fifty-seven Blackcaps, six Garden Warblers, twenty Reed Warblers, six Whitethroats, three Cetti's Warblers, three Willow Warblers and seven Chiffchaff. They also caught two highlights which were a re-trap Kingfisher and two Sparrowhawks.

Pitsford Reservoir is owned by Anglian Water but also managed by The Wildlife Trust. However Dave Francis completes most of the ringing on this site and completes the Constant Effort Site every year. Saturday was the last CES visit for the season, he caught seventy-nine birds of which twenty-three species. He caught a control Kingfisher (ringed elsewhere and at least 5km's away) and other birds were ten Blackcaps, three Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Reed Warbler, four Tree Sparrows, a Yellowhammer, a Willow Tit, a Marsh Tit, a Green Woodpecker, three Mallard, three Pied Wagtails and four Treecreepers.

Harrington Airfield is a disused Airfield from the Second World War and The Cold War. Since then it has been used for farming again and has decided to scrub up with Blackthorn, Hawthorn etc. On Saturday we caught fifty-seven birds. The most common bird being Chaffinch as mid-morning a flock passed through, we caught fifteen Chaffinches which seemed to be attracted to the Tree Pipit tape. Other birds caught were seven Linnets, a Goldfinch, five Whitethroats, a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, seven Yellowhammers, four Reed Buntings and a new Green Woodpecker. The ringing highlights included a Tree Pipit and two Redstarts. Other birds of note were a Hobby, a juvenile Whinchat, an additional Tree Pipit, a couple of Siskins and birds of prey using the freshly cut fields were Common Buzzards, Red Kites and Kestrels.

Redstarts

The Ringing Session at Brixworth Sewage Works caught forty-three birds including seven Pied Wagtail, ten Swallows, ten Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, six Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers and a Magpie.

Regards,

Jacob

Wryneck

Hello,

Harrington Airfield is a a disused Airfield which was first created in the Second World War and was again used in the Cold War to store War Heads. Afterwards the airfield has been disused and has scrubbed up but is still an open area with fields and concrete tracks.

Birds on show there today was a Wryneck in-between the chipping compound and the bunkers but the Wryneck is the first one to be seen there in fourteen years and also there was two Redstarts.

However tomorrow the private area is closed off due to a Ringing Session.

Regards,

Jacob

Sorry for the blurry Wryneck pictures

Pitsford Birding

Hello,

This morning was spent down at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay producing some quality birds including some Little Egrets, a Great White Egret, three Red Crested Pochards, three Redshank, possibly four Ruff, two Green Sandpiper, four Common Sandpiper, a Yellow Legged Gull and a Spotted Flycatcher. Perhaps the best being a juvenile Pied Flycatcher in the bushes to the left of the Bird Club Hide.

Regards,

Jacob

Yesterdays ringing

Hello, 

Yesterday a ringing session took place at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay catching sixty one birds. Birds caught were eleven Wren, six Blackcap, five Blue Tit, five Great Tit, five Robin, three Bullfinch, three Treecreeper, three Dunnock, three Willow Warbler, two Chiffchaff, two Chaffinch, two Blackbird, two Marsh Tit, two Willow Tit, two Reed Warbler, two Whitethroat, one Reed Bunting, one Garden Warbler and a Song Thrush. 

However two birds were caught in the duck trap which were a Mallard in eclipse moult and a juvenile Moorhen. 

Regards, 

Jacob

Morning at Pitsford

Hello,

This morning was spent at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay. Birds seen there were the pair of Ruddy Shelduck, two Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpiper, two Ruff and a Yellow Legged Gull.

A newly emerged Southern Hawker Dragonfly was perched on some dried bramble near the Bird Club Hide (please see images below).

On a walk in-between Pitsford Reservoir and the village of Scaldwell a small flock of Gulls containing fifty-one Black Headed Gull, four Common Gull, a Lesser Black Back Gull, another Yellow Legged Gull and a fine looking adult Mediterranean Gull. Other Birds were my first fledgling Skylark of the year, a Tree Sparrow and two Yellow Wagtail.

Regards,

Jacob

Harrington Airfield ringing

Hello,

Today a ringing session at Harrington Airfield caught around forty birds. The main caught bird of the day was Linnets with 14 caught. Other birds caught were Willow Warblers, Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers, Green Woodpeckers and Dunnocks. A Hobby was seen hunting Swallows and then plucking them on the wing and Turtle Doves were at the end of the concrete track.

After Harrington I went down to Pitsford Res and in the Scaldwell Bay there was a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpiper, a few Little Egrets, two Yellow Legged Gulls and the two Ruddy Shelduck.

After that I walked around Scaldwell finding a female Redstart eating Elderberries halfway in-between Scaldwell and Pitsford Res at 16:45.

Regards,

Jacob

Brixworth Sewage Works Ringing

Hello,

Today a ringing session at Brixworth Sewage Farm produced 85 birds, probably the most interesting bird of the day was a Hobby which was quickly ringed (please see images below). Once we caught our first Hobby a second was seen briefly chasing a small passerine. Other birds caught were a Blackbird, two Robins, a couple of Dunnocks, three Green Finches, a Chaffinch, a Bullfinch, five Goldfinches, four Chiffchaff, five Great Tits, one Blue Tit, two Great Spotted Woodpecker, three Magpie, five Swallows, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Blackcap, eleven Starling, plenty of Wagtails were caught with nineteen new Pied Wagtails, and a handful of Grey and Yellow Wagtail.

Regards,

Jacob

Rain?

Hello,

Today was forecast to be a wet day. However it wasn't till late afternoon when the rain set in. During the morning I spent time with Neil McMahon attempting to catch some waders which were situated opposite the Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir, no waders were caught but a single young Pied Wagtail was.

Waders seen included singles of Green and Common Sandpiper, eight Ringed Plover and eight Dunlin. Other birds seen were two Grey Wagtail.

Regards,

Jacob

Ruddy Shelducks

Hello,

Over the last year or so, on and off a pair of Ruddy Shelducks have been loitering at Pitsford Reservoir. There has also been records of three at Stanwick Lakes recently too. Today the Ruddy Shelducks were still present at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay fighting the local Canada Geese and almost drowning them.

There was also at least one Yellow Wagtail on the dam this morning, two Green Sandpiper and a Yellow-Legged Gull. There was around twenty Lesser Black Back Gulls most being juveniles begging for food from parents which are now starting lose their smartness.

Regards, 

Jacob

Ruddy Shelduck

Green Sandpiper

Skokholm 29.07-02.08

Hello,

We made it onto Skokholm on the 29th July which is two days later than we should of due to the strong westerly winds and the large swell around the dock. We then came off a day early too, on the 2nd August again because of the horrible foretold weather for the upcoming days.

The Wednesday night we went out to attempt to catch a small number of Manx Shearwaters which we did concluding to catch 10 birds. However Skokholm is the largest Manx Shearwater colony in the world so we hardly touched the surface on the number of birds on the island. In the morning some of us woke after only having a couple of hours sleep to catch the roosting Jackdaws in one of their Heligoland traps.

The Thursday was our first full day on the island with the 16 strong members of the ringing group which I am apart of, the Northants Ringing Group with helpers and friends along with us of which most were starting to catch and ring wild birds on the island. The weather helped as we woke to a lovely sunny day as the slowly started to stop.

We caught birds using a variety of ways including Mist Nets, Spring Traps and Heligoland traps. Birds caught included many Willow Warbler but also Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Pied Wagtail, Meadow and Rock Pipit and Wheatear.

Waders on show were a Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Ruff and Whimbrel. Island birds were Peregrine, Chough, Raven and common sea birds.

During the Afternoon some of us elected to go on a fast RIB boat, which took us on a tour around the Gannet island of Grassholm. Here we took advantage of the excellent views of the thousands of Gannets going around the boat to take large amount of pictures. The waders including three Purple Sandpipers and some Turnstones.

Gannets leaving Grassholm to feed on fish in the surrounding area

A flock of Gannets flying towards Grassholm probably from a large distance 

During Thursday's night and Fridays early hours we caught around 180 Storm Petrels. Our catch was probably reduced as a full moon and no cloud made our nets more visible. However we worked until 11pm and 4am. When we stopped we decided to attempt a catch some Jackdaws leading to just the one bird caught.

On Friday, during the day we went out to catch some small passerines which we did leading to a large catch of migrant Willow Warblers. We also caught the other migrants and some breeders on the island including Wheatears. During the Friday night we caught a small number of Manx Shearwaters.

On Saturday the weather was more cloudy and some sunny parts. In this we caught Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Willow Warbler and Wheatear. During Saturday night we caught another large catch of Stormies and a dozen Manxies.

Regards,

Jacob

The group from Northants who went to Skokholm

A Grey Seal at South Haven, Skokholm.

Shag

Oystercatcher

Deer Park and Wooltack Point

Hello, 

Today Neil McMahon, Lynne Barnet, Helen Franklin and I walked around the Deer Park and Wooltack Point. At first we walked at Wooltack point seeing Stonechats, Wheatear, Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Choughs, Gannets, Linnets, Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches, Linnets, Ravens, Whitethroat, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Greater Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Gannets, Shags and Puffins. Mammals were Porpoises and Grey Seal. 

Next was Deer Park, birds seen there were Lesser Black Backed Gull, Greater Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Ravens, Jays, Rooks, Coughs, Jackdaws, Crows, Common Buzzard, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Black Tailed Godwit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipits, Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtail. 

Two Sparrowhawks were chasing each other over Marloes today. Also Goldcrest, Goldfinches and Chiffchaff. 

Regards, 

Jacob

These pictures of Gannets were taken Wooltack Point.

Pembrokeshire

Hello,

Today was suppose to be our first day on Skokholm but the strong winds stopped the boat from docking on the island.

Instead we took a walk around Dale and Marlos. Birds included on this walk on the coast were my first ever Whimbrel below Dale fort, multiple Curlews, Oystercatchers, I heard some Redshank, at least four Ravens and two Little Egrets.

Birds seen by other members of the Northants Ringing Group was Stonechats, Choughs and Peregrines.

Regards,

Jacob

Bird Ringing sessions recently...

Hello, 

Yesterday a Ringing Session at Harrington Airfield caught seventy-eight birds of which seventy were new and the remaining eight were retraps. Birds caught were seven Linnet, two Goldfinches, 15 Long Tailed Tits, 10 Blue Tits, 14 Whitethroat, four Willow Warbler, four Chiffchaff, four Dunnocks, three Yellowhammer, two Reed Bunting, a Great Tit, two Blackbirds and there Green Woodpecker. 

Later that day was spent at Pitsford Reservoir seeing a Little Egret, a Shelduck, a Yellow-Legged Gull, two Ruddy Shelduck and three Dunlin. The duck trap was set catching seven Mallard, one of which was a retrap. 

Today the CES took place at Pitsford Reservoir catching another seven Mallard, a Moorhen, a Carrion Crow, four Kingfisher, a Green Woodpecker, eight Blackcap, four Blue Tit, two Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, one Great Tit, one Bullfinch, four Chaffinch, twelve Chiffchaff, four Dunnock, one Goldcrest, one Greenfinch, one Blackbird, twelve Wren, one Long Tailed Tit, six Reed Warbler, three Robin, one Sedge Warbler, one Song Thrush and five Treecreeper. Overall they caught eighty-four birds.

Jacob 

Pitsford Res - Last two days

Hello,

Yesterday two hours were spent at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay locating a number of birds including: The two Ruddy Shelduck in the mouth of the Walgrave Bay, four Black Tailed Godwits, a Dunlin and a fine looking Yellow Legged Gull.

Birds today at Pitsford Reservoir were the Ruddy Shelduck still in the mouth of the Walgrave Bay and a Yellow Legged Gull by the Bird Club Hide.

 

When I returned from Pitsford Reservoir the Vulcan was going over my house for the best part of an hour and a half. The images below what I obtained in that time.

Regards,

Jacob