Birding in Northants (6 Viewers)

[string boozel]

A beautiful Spring day that saw me take the bus over to Earls Barton and from there a stroll to Summer Leys. Cetti's Warbler could be heard singing from Earls Barton lock while at least two Chiffchaffs were singing around the reserve. The main lake hosted three Shelduck and a horde of Black-headed Gulls. Looking from Pioneer Hide I picked out a Redshank near to the Cormorant island but not much else.

Walking around towards the feeding station I found a distant Oystercatcher and managed a pretty ropey shot. Not much to report from Mary's Lake though the neighbouring lake had two drake Red Crested Pochards. Apparently this lake is named Pete Wild's and it may be that Pete might be wilder than the ducks, you just can't tell for sure but they are very attractive birds nonetheless.

On returning to the hide that over looks the main lake I noticed that the Oystercatcher had moved much closer which means that you're spared the dubious pleasure of further dodgy record shots though the bird itself had to contend with some aggression from the gulls. Another pair of Oystercatchers were present next to the lake on the other side of the road from the reserve though not much else of note was but at least the colony of Cormorants looks to be doing well.

Five male Brimstones were on the wing today, two on the reserve and the rest in Earls Barton, if it hadn't been for the Redwings that I saw earlier I might have been fooled into thinking that winter was over.

James.

 

[markspirito]

Also heard my first Chiff Chaff at the weekend at Country Park, interesting news of a new Nature reserve ( 70 Hectares ) just in the Northants border close to Crick, this is part of the expansion of the D.I.R.F.T Industrial unit, there are plans apparently for two hides with scrapes ..etc, It is already turning up some interesting waders and Gulls and only in the very early stages of development, nice for a change to bring some positive news :
http://dirft.com/news/lilbourne-meadows-a-living-landscape/

Mark

 

[string boozel]

That does sound like an exciting and welcome project, I wonder if I could persuade Stagecoach to run the X4 that far?

James.

 

[string boozel]

A dry Sunday that broke with recent tradition though things did not quite work out as planned. My original intention was to walk along the Welland Valley but a foot injury meant that I had to call it quits after I'd managed only about a mile. During this brief sortie I did hear at least three singing Chiffchaffs including one in Coronation Park in the town centre. This is probably the earliest general arrival that I can recall of this species.

Having had a bit of a rest during which I saw a Cormorant over the garden while weeding I decided to hobble over to the old patch for a first visit of the year. At least two Chiffchaffs were singing here too and there were appearances by patch regulars such as Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Teal.

Despite a strong breeze I still managed to see a Peacock and two Small Tortoiseshells, the latter my first of the year. Other firsts included both Coltsfoot and wild Violets while bumblebees appeared to be very active feeding mainly on Sallow flowers.

James.

 

[markspirito]

That does sound like an exciting and welcome project, I wonder if I could persuade Stagecoach to run the X4 that far?

James.

Dont bother just yet James , I should wait until the reserve gets established, there was only 2 Ringed Plover there on Sunday and parking is tricky alongside the busy A5 and it just looks like another building site at the moment, I also got questioned by a local police officer as to what I was doing, which led to an interesting conversation about Bats ? !

Mark

 

[string boozel]

Thanks for the heads up Mark, I'll follow your advice and leave it for a while. With my dodgy foot still causing some discomfort I kept walking down to a minimum today and settled for a trip to Oundle. I went as far as the flood water that I had a peek at last week and it was still alive with dabbling ducks and the two Shelducks. At least three Redshanks were present including a pair with both display and copulation being noted. A few Snipe and quite a few Lapwings completed this week's wader count.

At Oundle Marina the Egyptian Geese were down to one gosling, a fellow that I spoke to seemed to think that Mink are a problem in the area. Given how protective the parents were I'm not surprised that the prime suspect is mammalian as they drove any birds away. Amongst those birds routed by the Gypos was a Canada/Greylag cross which looked rather more attractive than than many of these hybrid characters.

At Barnwell CP it was all about the Mandarins with four drakes and a duck showing very well at times. One of the drakes had staked out the ground beneath a feeder and was particularly obliging. As the grey skies finally began to release the threatened rain I limped off for a couple of medicinal pints before catching my bus back home.

James.

 

[string boozel]

With the Mandarins showing so well I couldn't resist putting some pictures on, I've included one of the Egyptian Goose gosling too just for some added cuteness.

James.

 

[string boozel]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew whether the Lesser Spotteds in Lings Wood were still active?

James.

 

[string boozel]

My brother and I answered my own question this morning with a visit to a cold but sunny Lings Wood. At least two birds were present though they were far from cooperative with no views obtained but both drumming and a single burst of call being heard. The area around the house seems to be best and it was from near here that we heard the most sustained bout of drumming for a period of about five minutes though it was rather galling not to be able to pick the bird out.

Lesser Spotted Woods aside the reserve was very lively with bird activity and a pair of Sparrowhawks were watched displaying, I think my brother and I enjoyed this sight rather more than the local Carrion Crows did. Several Chiffchaffs were in song and we watched a Mistle Thrush breaking small twigs from a conifer and then flying off with them to some nearby nest site. Lings Wood seems to be a decent place if you want good views of Stock Dove too, we saw at least four birds.

A brief stop at Pitsford Res causeway produced nothing of note though a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls looked to have hit the mother lode as they breakfasted on a large fish.

Arriving back in Corby with an hour or two to spare before a Mother's Day lunch I headed over to the patch for a bit of a wander. The highlight was a second site record of Little Egret, I'm presuming that this is the bird that continues to hang around the village and which is showing little sign of heading off to breed. A fine Heron in full breeding condition made it a two heron day and Kingfisher was also seen. Brief appearances by both a Sparrowhawk and Kestrel attracted attention from an agitated Grey Wag in the first case and a Carrion Crow in the second.

The lovely conditions not surprisingly brought some butterflies out and there were several Peacocks noted as well as at least four male Brimstones. Small Tortoiseshells made up the bulk of the sightings today with over ten being noted including many nectaring on Sallow flowers.

James.

 

[string boozel]

At the moment I seem to be drawn to Oundle like some kind of bedazzled moth is to a flame and so once again I found myself boarding the X4 just before dawn this morning. My early start may have been instrumental in seeing another Otter fishing in the Nene, this time it was what appeared to be one of last years young judging by the size. I found it between the A605 bridge and Ashton footbridge, the ripples and bubbles caused by its activity showed well against the mirror smooth surface of the river. I couldn't manage any shots of it though I did see a Kingfisher at the same time. At nearby Ashton Lock a drake Mandarin was again present while a Snipe was flushed from near Ashton Mill.

The walk along the river from here was mostly a case of m and m's, by that I mean Mallards and Moorhens though a pair of Grey Wagtails showed well. On reaching the flooded area I was pleased to see that the wildfowl was still present and also that a few waders were feeding there. A minimum of eight Redshanks, a Little Ringed Plover and two Snipe joined a respectable number of Lapwings, the aggressive manner of the latter towards any corvids suggests that some at least may be settling down for the duration. A few overflying Fieldfares hinted that the winter still has some business left with us despite the mass arrival of Chiffies.

At the marina the Egyptian Geese seem to have lost their remaining youngster though they appeared to be in the process of working on the next batch. Nearby at Barnwell CP a pair of Mandarins were showing again while the feeders at Lowlands hide were attracting a nice variety of passerines. From here a Cetti's Warbler was heard singing too in that species typically loud fashion. Checking through a flock of Chaffinches feeding next to the river I was pleased to find two fine Bramblings, always good to see them in breeding plumage. As has become normal on my Oundle sorties I finished my trip in the Rose and Crown though on this occasion I felt as if I'd earned a pint.

Two lots of pictures today, apologies if some are grainier than a Greenfinch's breakfast but hopefully the quality of the birds will make up for that.

James.

 

[string boozel]

The second set of pics, hopefully a little sharper than the others.

James.

 

[string boozel]

As someone that grew up in the seventies and eighties when the county and indeed most of England were Otter free zones I thoroughly enjoy every encounter that I have with these sleek and charismatic creatures. My recent observations near Oundle prompted me to do a little research into their return to Northamptonshire's waters.

It would appear that we owe the good people of the Otter Trust our thanks for at least part of this renaissance as they were responsible for the release of some animals along the Nene including several at Ashton Mill. These releases along with others in neighbouring counties and an increase in surviving populations has given us the opportunity to watch these magnificent animals without having to travel too far. Unfortunately my internet trawl also revealed that not all people embrace this recovery, indeed some would seek to reverse it. While I don't have any anti-angling agenda, I know far too many people that enjoy the sport, it seems there is a vociferous faction amongst the fishing community who want to see the Otter population "controlled". Obviously people that have a different point of view to mine are neither wrong nor bad but it does sadden me that the solution to these sorts of situations is nearly always to reach for a gun, a snare or poison. Hopefully our Buzzard and Cormorant hating friends at Natural England can resist the urge to give in to such pressure and delay sanctioning any such means of control and we can continue to enjoy this conservation success story.

If you would like to try to see the Oundle Otters I can offer you the benefit of my vast experience (two sightings!). Just after dawn seems to be the optimum time and it might be coincidence but both of my encounters were on a week day when presumably disturbance is minimal. The Nene around Oundle runs very sluggishly and the often mirror smooth surface betrays any movements and makes it easier to see any little Otter heads that may peek out. I normally follow the Nene Way from the town's north bridge, the gate's next to Oundle Wharf, and I would imagine the animals could show anywhere along the river. My most recent sighting was between the A605 bridge which passes over the path and Ashton footbridge while the other was a little further along near New Lodge Farm.

A little cautionary note before you set off on any potential otter spotting jaunts, the cows have now been released from their winter incarceration and are grazing in many of the riverside fields. As well as posing a potential pat problem in the grey light of predawn you are also likely to be the most interesting thing that they see all day so you should be prepared for a close approach. I almost made a pat or two of my own last year when looking for dragonflies! Either way good luck if you decide to look for them here or elsewhere and don't forget to post those sightings.

James.

 

[string boozel]

Probably one of my best if not the best birding days of the year began with a change of plan. Originally I'd decided to explore the Nene around Wellingborough but an opportunity to get a lift over to Blatherwycke meant a walk around that area instead. My first bird of the day was a male Osprey passing through and some loud calling soon afterwards drew my attention to a pair of Oystercatchers. A singing Willow Warbler was a first of the year and several Sand Martins were too. Aside from small numbers of Wigeon grazing around the lake wildfowl numbers were low, eight Shelduck and two Egyptian Geese were the highlights.

Whenever I'm in this neck of the woods I can't resist the urge to peek at the animal collection that live in a village garden, the sight of wallabies and rheas in Northants always tickles me. A small flock of Fieldfares were chacking in the surrounding trees, I found some more later in the day near Deenethorpe. Walking along through Bulwick a singing Blackcap turned out to be the first of four noted today and there was a pair of Shelduck in parkland on the edge of the village. Continuing on I found a Brown Hare near to the A43 before I reached Deene Lake. The walk from Blatherwycke to here along the old road is one of my favourites and if the birdsong is occasionally interrupted by snippets of cyclist conversation (Tom is settling into his new job in Accounts very well in case you were worried) it doesn't ruin the experience.

At Deene a pair of Grey Wagtails were very obliging at the stream while on the main lake nine Shelduck were the only wildfowl of note. The inflow had a Green Sandpiper and rather a lot of Teal while a Little Egret in full breeding attire was hunting in the shallows at the WBT. Over the road at Deenethorpe a displaying Raven took time off to mob a Red Kite though this didn't appear to work out too well as the kite seemed to get the upper hand. Between here and Burnt Coppice I was to enjoy some of my most sustained views of Ravens with a total of five being seen. Displaying Ravens sometimes seem to me to be doing things for the simple joie de vie as they stoop and turn upside town before climbing again uttering a series of soft calls and are always good to watch. The microlights from the airfield were totally upstaged at one point by a single binocular view containing a Raven, a Sparrowhawk and two each of Buzzard and Red Kite, hard to believe that this was Northants and not Wales.

The barns near to Burnt Coppice were still attracting some seed eaters, mainly Linnets and Yellowhammers though with a few Tree Sparrows too. From here to Glapthorn there was not much to report, lots of singing Skylarks and rather a lot of Meadow Pipits and Chaffinches moving through. Before I got on the bus at Lower Benefield I found a drake Mandarin which appeared to have paired up with a Mallard.

Any views of butterflies were rather brief today though included a Comma while a distant white was probably a female Brimstone. The usual collection of pictures today split over two posts with the normal mix of the good, the bad and the blurry.

James.

 

[string boozel]

A mixed bag including a couple from the Blatherwycke menagerie where they will see Alice's puny white rabbit and raise it one of these and anyone that doubts that birds and dinosaurs are related should look at this Rhea. Clearly it's very bad form to be taking pictures of someone's rhea without their knowledge but I hope you'll forgive me this once.

James

 

[string boozel]

Was over at Oundle again walking along the Nene though thick mist interfered with my spotting, at some points you could just about see the river! Happily conditions improved though it did take some time.

Blackcaps are well established with many singing and there was a Cetti's singing near to Ashton Mill. Aside from the usual Mandarins not too much to report, a Fieldfare flying over but little of interest. At the flooded area a pair of Oystercatchers were new and there are now two Little Ringed Plovers. The Redshank count stood at seven and I finally managed an OK picture of them. Quite a few Snipe and Lapwings though wildfowl numbers are dropping.

Reports of the Egyptian gosling's demise at the marina were premature as I saw it today which makes me think that there is a second pair in the area. My first Common Tern of the year passed through here as well. Nearby Barnwell CP was busy today but at least one Brambling was present in streamside trees.

Only a Small Tortoiseshell seen today but I was that bit earlier today.

James.

 

[string boozel]

With the weather being so fine I was like a kid at school waiting for the bell to ring and it seemed to take ages before two o'clock came around. As soon as I reached home it was quick turn around time, on with the shorts (and with my legs looking like something that would normally have a silver BTO ring on them that's not a pretty sight) and out over to the patch.

Any chance of seeing much in the way of birds was somewhat ruined by two kids driving a petrol driven go-kart and a quad around the area. Sadly it's one of those things you can almost expect if you bird in an urban area but it's the first time that I've seen it here before. I did manage to find a Willow Warbler and there were rather a lot of Blackcaps including a year first female. A pair of Kingfishers were noisy and active along the stream and I enjoyed some rather good flight views.

Quite a few butterflies were fluttering about with two firsts, Orange-tip and Red Admiral. There were four or five males of the former around and a single of the latter. Two Commas, at least five Brimstones, six or seven Small Torties and three Peacocks completed the list. Life in the world of butterflies can be surprisingly combative with one Peacock that had found itself a nice sun trap seeing off first a spirited assault from a Comma and then a passing Orange-tip, I've included a picture of the victor. Several Bee-flies were also active and I got a picture of a coupled pair.

Two Muntjacs were a nice sighting and the first that I've seen for a couple of months. Back in the village the local Starlings were looking striking in the evening sunshine though they and most of the other birds were put to flight by a passing orange parade ( a legacy of Corby's Scottish connections).

I was optimistic enough to look for early emerging Large Red Damsels but perhaps not surprisingly didn't find any, that will not stop me looking again tomorrow though.

James.

 

[string boozel]

Well as the song said "Oh what a beautiful morning" and it's only fair to add that the afternoon was none too shoddy either. With clear and cloudless blue skies it felt more like June than April. Boarding the X4 I headed over to Oundle again hoping that the favourable winds might bring a few migrants in.

Normally I walk around Barnwell CP at the end of my birding session but I popped in at the beginning as I fully expected the place to be heaving later. The now to be expected Mandarin had been showing from the south bridge while the park itself had a Kingfisher. Just the normal stuff on my way to the flooded area where ten Redshanks were feeding. Both Little Ringed Plovers remained and over twenty Lapwings were giving any passing raptors or corvids a hard time. A single Snipe was noted while wildfowl numbers have been reduced to a few Gadwall and Teal.

I was beginning to think that the day was going to be a bit of a duffer migrant wise until on my walk back I found a Yellow Wagtail near to the marina feeding in a field of horses. A little bit later my first Swallow of the year was found perched on an excavator at the marina itself. Barnwell CP was indeed very busy with a full car park and a fug of barbecue smoke hanging about the place so my earlier decision was probably right.

Two new butterfly year ticks were seen today with a Small White near the flooded area and two Holly Blues by the entrance to Barnwell Mill, these were too busy fighting to land so I couldn't manage a picture. Other species seen were Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone. Still no sign of Large Red Damsels but as it is still a couple of weeks before my earliest previous record it would perhaps have been stretching it a bit to have found any I suppose.

James.

 

[string boozel]

April weather had returned to normal with a pleasant enough but distinctly cooler sort of day. I took the bus over to Earls Barton as I fancied a wander around Summer Leys. Crossing the Nene at Earls Barton Lock I heard a Cetti's singing, there was a Sedge Warbler there on the way back. Several Swallows had been seen close to the village but these were outnumbered by the good numbers of Sand Martins feeding over the first pit.

At the reserve a Green Woodpecker was feeding next to the entrance and I had very good views of a Chiffchaff which enabled me to get my best ever picture of one. A pair of Oystercatchers were moving around the islands and there were at least four Redshanks. From the screen hide I found two Ruffs close to the Cormorant spit and although I tried to get a few pictures the results were, ahem too rough to show on here. A first of the year Sedge Warbler was singing in the hedge near to the feeder and apart from a chance to photograph a Willow Warbler that was about it as far as the morning went.

Only one butterfly today, an Orange-tip on the reserve.

James.

 

[string boozel]

As I had a gig in Derby last night I took the precaution of booking today off work. Using my liberty to best effect I got on the X4 at an ungodly hour and headed over to Oundle again. I took the longer walk today though at first there was little of interest to report.

Once again the area around Oundle seems to be something of a hub of Mandarin activity with four showing near the A605 bridge and another from the south bridge. At the flooded area the number of Little Ringed Plovers had risen to three and six Redshanks were seen. An Oystercatcher did a brief flypast while the Lapwings appeared to take offence at the presence of a cock Pheasant which was mercilessly dive bombed until it wandered away. My first Whitethroat of the year was seen near here feeding low down perhaps with an eye to avoiding the chilly wind that got quite uncomfortable whenever the sun went down.

Nearer the marina a couple of Common Terns went past and a few Swallows were feeding around the fishing lake. A search of the vegetation around here did not produce any damsels though resulted in my first Hornet of the year. Barnwell CP was quieter than last Sunday and I enjoyed my stroll around here seeing a first Reed Warbler of the year while this site remains very good if you want to photograph Nuthatches.

In a repeat of last Monday only one butterfly noted today, a male Orange-tip near the marina.

The photographs will probably have a very familiar feel to them as it's the same sort of stuff as usual. if anyone's got any piccys of anything different please share some if only for a bit of variety.

James.

 

[string boozel]

With the threat of rain hanging over proceedings I headed out early to avoid any potential soaking. A Lesser Whitethroat singing in the village was the first thing of note and also my first of the year. Meadow Pipits were song flighting at the rough ground next to Cockerell Road where there were also quite a lot of Skylarks.

Brookfield Plantation was a bit quiet though a Muntjac was seen bounding down one of the paths and a mild winter meant there were lots of Goldcrests singing. Several Siskins passed overhead, either a reminder of winter or perhaps a couple of migrants. In a field next to the plantation a male Wheatear showed distantly and Raven was heard calling. Beyond Gretton Reed Buntings were singing from Oilseed Rape fields while Red Kites ranged over the fields.

A case of kite fatigue almost cost me my bird of the day, I know it's hard to believe but when you can see ten or more in one binocular sweep you can almost start to ignore them. Anyway a raptor perched in a bare tree was almost dismissed but for some reason I gave it a check and was surprised to find myself looking at an Osprey. The bird, a female, took to the air and circled as it gained height before eventually heading off northwards. At nearby Harringworth Lodge Lake a whole gaggle of noisy geese had taken over and had been joined by my first Mute Swan at the site. A few other bits and bobs here but not much to report though a second Lesser Whitethroat was singing and two Great Black-backed Gulls may prove to be the last for a while. A rarer sight than it used to be was a good number of Bluebells in the wood nearest to the lake.

Walking back towards home the Wheatear had come a lot closer and a Kestrel became my fifth raptor of the day, I'd seen a large female Peregrine perched on a pylon earlier in the day.

Rather strangely given the mild conditions I didn't see any butterflies.

James.