Wall to wall Wheatears!!

The old April showers cliché really has become reality this year...with avengance! This week in particular has seen non-stop rain with the sun only peeking out briefly before the next onslaught!  This April has rapidly become the wettest month since records began!!


Birding-wise, the cold wet and at times windy weather does have its advantages, as long as you're wearing your wellies, a big raincoat as well as having some shelter at close-hand.


My first birds of the week came from Summer Leys on the afternoon of Tuesday 25th. I had some exams to envigulate at the Weetabix factory and I couldn't resist popping in to Mary's on the way back, having heard of both Little Gull and Arctic Terns there earlier on. Sure enough a 2nd-summer Little Gull with his black hood was sitting there on the island, as well as around 10 Arctic Terns dozing, but showing off their short legs, long tail streamers projecting beyond the tail and a distinct lack of black in the the tip of the wings, ruling out Common Terns. In the rush I was in I failed to get a pic but was chuffed to see them both so quickly, with the Little Gull my first of the year.
The next day I popped in for an hour and a half again to Summer Leys. There were 6 Little Gulls present on or around Round Island which had finally emerged from the depths. there were 4 adults and 2 1st-summers on show for a short while before they eventually flew off to the east. The pic below shows 4 out of the 6 on show:

Mary's held plenty of Common Terns as well as a single Arctic Tern swooping around with them. On leaving, there was a Canada Goose X Greylag Goose hybrid showing well in the field just west of the lane. I couldn't resist getting a pic:

Friday 27th saw a big movement of birds into the county and with the weather as bad as it was, a dog walker-free Clifford Hill came up trumps with at least an incredible 80 odd Wheatears, Turnstone, Garganey, Whimbrel and plenty of Yellow Wagtails and other grounded migrants. I had a couple of house viewings planned so there was no chance I was going to get to see the spectacle. I would however be going down there first thing Saturday morning.
Saturday (28/04) was, shock horror, a right old damp one and it duly rained the whole way there. On arrival at Clifford Hill (07:30am) the rain had temporarily eased off however it was still very grey and bloody freezing! Walking along the bank it quickly became clear there were still good numbers of Wheatear around  with at least 20 in the SW corner. Mike Alibone pointed out 2 Egyptian Geese on the far side too, which were a year tick for me. Moving on to the East end, there were plenty more Wheatears with about 30-35 at the SE end, many of which were 'Greenland-type' birds, looking big and orangey. Here there were also several Yellow & White Wagtail, my first Common Sandpiper of the year and a LRP briefly.

There were plenty of hirundines being blown around with the majority being Swallows and House Martins, as well as a few Sand Martins thrown in for good measure. Many of the birds sat on the edge of the lake to rest out of the wind. My first Swift of the year swooped around 6 feet from me. Several in fact began to cruise through.

At around 08:15am a Whimbrel flew through heading East and on the North side of the lake, a mixed flock of 5 Dunlin and 5 Ringed Plover were on show. Here there were several Yellow Wagtail, at least 16 Wheatear the 2 Egyptian Geese and a female 'Channel Wagtail' feeding on its own. The last bird of note to be found was the Pink Footed Goose which had been present a fair while. It was seen feeding with Greylags on the big central grassy spit that goes out into the lake. By this time the rain had started to lash down and I therefore hot-footed it back to the car to dry off. Unsurprisingly, I got soaked!!


After this it was on to Summer Leys, in the hope that the bad weather had turned something up here too! On arrival from the main hide around the wader bay/bund area were a single Sanderling, a Black Tailed Godwit, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Ruff and 7 Dunlin. As if I hadn't seen enough Wheatear already, 4 more were on the grass between the main lake and the old railway line. A Reed Warbler was singing a small distance away and was my first of the year.


Round the other side I quickly came across at least 2 male Whitethroat in the vacinity of the Feeding Station. One in particular showed really well right next to the feeding station, as well a very vocal Sedge Warbler and several Willow Warblers and Blackcaps.

A short while later I was suprised to find a 1st-summer Kittiwake flying straight through east. I was just by the entrance to the screen hide when it cruised past, over the lane and out of sight. Despite scanning both Pete Wilde's and Mary's Lakes, I failed to relocate it. A decent find though. In checking if anything had dropped in before I left, it was a suprise to find a flock of 24 Black Tailed Godwit on the grass to the right of the feeding station. They were a handsome bunch, all of the icelandic race (with their rufous underparts extending further down the belly than the limosa race).

  














I then decided to head home. The miserable weather had got the better of me and I had had enough!!

Drought...what drought!

This week will be largely remembered for classic April shower conditions with the current hosepipe ban a seemingly ridiculous idea! All the same, despite the weather and the hindrance of having to go to work, I did pretty good for birds to be honest!
Tuesday (17/04) I spent a while at Summer Leys in the hope something might be lurking around. As I got out of the car, my first Sedge Warbler of the year was singing loudly in the hedgerow nearby and a Common Tern went over. The reserve held several more Common Terns, a smart looking summer plumaged Golden Plover and 2 Ruff on the spit opposite the feeding station. Other than that though there was very little about.


The next day (18/04) was a wet one. Looking at what was about around the Midlands, there appeared to be Arctic Terns nearly everywhere. So after work I thought I would initially go to Summer Leys. I was in luck! It wasn't long before I had at least 5 Arctic Terns flying around the main lake from the main hide. Nice when a plan comes together! Also present were 3 Yellow Wagtails on the far side on grass in front of the old railway line, my first ones of the year. The 2 Ruff were again present on the nearby bund. Round the other side from the Feeding Station, it was apparent there were quite a few more Arctic Terns than just 5. It looked like something around 20 was more likely. They spent their time either sitting as a group on the Gull Island spit or flying around the main lake. There were at least 5 Common Terns also around.

Thursday (19/04) evening I had things to do and there was no chance I'd get a chance to go and see anything. It was my luck then that a Pied Flycatcher was found at Daventry Resevoir with a Black Redstart also at nearby Borough Hill! Typical!
These two surely wouldn't still be around by Friday. However around lunchtime on Friday (20/04) the Pied Fly was again reported and there was only one place I was heading too after work! Having been let off slightly early from work I managed to get to Daventry Resevoir around 17:15. I had no change for the car park but I thought f**k it, I'll take the risk. I didn't really know where to look other than the hedgerow by the visitor centre and an oak tree with a nestbox. There were another couple of birders looking for it. There was no initial sign, however a little way along the dam and about 100m from the visitor centre I found the tree with the nestbox. I lingered round there for a couple of minutes. Then out of nowhere the Pied Flycatcher flew out of the hedge, looped round and back into the hedge in classic Flycatcher behaviour. It was still there, Brilliant!! After a couple of minutes it showed again and this time was visible. For around 20 minutes it showed amazingly well, always perching right out in the open. Was a cracking little chap! Further to the right, a female Redstart briefly showed too, making it a dam successful trip.

After this I went on to Borough Hill for a short while to see if the Black Redstart was still around too. Despite a mild, bright evening it failed to show around the compound area, however there were 3 male Wheatears present on the east side of the summit. These consisted of 2 big orangey Greenland birds and 1 Northern.


Today, Saturday (21/04), my cricket match got postponed due to the rather moist weather, however it did give me a chance to catch up with anything about. First stop was Summer Leys, however it was was distinctly lacking anything out of the ordinary with nothing more than the 2 Ruff, 2 Little Ringed Plovers and greater numbers of Common Terns.

A group of 3 Whimbrel had been seen up until at least 1 o'clock at Pitsford Resevoir and I ummed and ahhed on whether to see if they were still there. In the end I decided to give it a try. Around half 3 I arrived on the causeway. An initial scan of the shoreline by the feeding station with my bins appeared positive with 3 brown waders there. So I popped the wellies on and headed down the path to the feeding station. I got the scope on the spit and sure enough the 3 Whimbrel were rather suprisingly still there!

Whimbrels in Northants are usually a very fleeting experience with them either flying through or stopping for a matter of minutes, so these 3 were a right bonus. A male Yellow Wagtail showed briefly on the same shoreline, however was flushed by a passing Sparrowhawk. A Oystercatcher was present in the same area and a Ringed Plover flew through, heading in the Scaldwell Bay direction.

A walk down to the Scaldwell Bay revealed several Shelduck, at least 5 as well as at least 5 White Wagtails with several Pied. There were quite a few very vocal Common Terns about and several times they came to rest on the old road spit by the feeding station - I counted at least 11 there at one point. By the time I left at around 18:00pm, the Whimbrels were still present. It was then time to get home for my gammon and eggs!

More great spring birding

Thursday (12.04.12) afternoon I got a call from Dave saying there was a male Redstart showing really well just beyond the feeding station at Pitsford Resevoir. Redstart was well and truely my Northants bogey bird and it was long overdue that I caught up with one. Added to the fact that male Redstarts are just flipping stunning bits of kit, I had to go to see it after work.


Walking the path from the causeway to the feeding station was an experience in shiny shoes and smart trousers. I tried but pretty much failed to not get muddy, woops! But it was worth it!
I met up with Dave half way up the old lane beyond the feeding station and walked into the field on the right hand side. Dave had seen it several times in the last 10 minutes. Eventually a gorgeous male Redstart flits into view along the perimeter hedgerow. It was very active and didn't stay still for too long catching flies. Was a real gem of a bird. I would add a photo but it was pretty dam distant and the photos of it I did get were horrific!


Saturday (14.04.12) I had the morning to go looking for stuff. I ummed and ahhed whether to go to Borough Hill, but instead decided to head back to the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker site to have another shot at them early doors. It was dissapointing to find that several Ring Ouzels had been found at Borough Hill that morning, however I was determined to find a Lesser Pecker, a bird I hadn't seen in years.
I arrived around 07:45am. It wasn't looking too promising and after a good hour and a bit patrolling the woods and lingering round the areas they'd been seen, I had absolutely nout to show for it. I thought I'd have one last look in trees on the edge of the wood. To my suprise a rather weak-sounding call gave it away, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, get in!! After 30 seconds or so I managed to find it in the tree tops, it was a female. It showed well but for no more than 15 seconds before flying off deeper into the woods. I attempted to track it but lost it. Would have loved to have had longer views but was dead chuffed to catch up with it.
A brief trip to Summer leys afterwards produced nothing of any note. It was then time to head to cricket training.


After a heavy night on the town and forgetting to set my alarm I failed to join Dave in going to Borough Hill first thing Sunday morning (15.04.12). I was though keen to catch up with some Ring Ouzels. He'd had around 20 in Norfolk Saturday and they appeared to be everywhere in the country, however he hadn't seen any at Borough Hill during his morning visit.
Looking at birdguides I decided to have a bash and seeing some at Aston Rowant NR in Oxfordshire, right next to the M40, right in the middle of the Chilterns. It took about an hour to get there and by 15:00pm I had arrived. It was a gorgeous place, really high up and was right slap bang in the middle of Red Kite country...they were everywhere!
I parked up and headed onto the reserve down to Linkey Down where the Rouzels had been showing. Walking down there I could see several people with scopes and tripods...it was looking promising! I arrived to been told there had been up to 7 showing but they were currently hiding in gorse bushes just below us in the 'combe' or valley below. Sure enough after several minutes a gorgeous male Ring Ouzel showed itself and gradually several more appeared, feeding below and showing really nicely.

While watching one of the Rouzels a bird flew across my scope up onto the fence below. It was a stunning male Redstart, a right good bonus! It showed well, though just like the bird at Pitsford a few days before, it was very very active and didn't stay still for too long. 2 male Wheatears were also in exactly the same area, 1 a big orangey Greenland-type bird, the other a standard Northern Wheatear.
One of the male Ring Ouzels had a blotchey-white patch on his head making him look a little different. They did show great and it was good to get more familiar with their calls. Eventually they were all right out in the open and I managed to count 7 in total, I'm pretty certain there were 3 males and 4 females

I really enjoyed myself to be honest and I had some of the best views of Red Kites too as a further bonus, however my iphone did run out of battery which was a right pain in the arse. This meant while I still managed to get some decent photos, I could have got so many more! Still, once I decided to head home I was feeling bloody chuffed with my afternoons work!

Great White Stunner

Early in the week a Great White Egret had been knocking around Summer Leys/Earls Barton GP complex. Wednesday (11.04.12) I managed to get over there after work in the hope of seeing it. I thought I'd try Summer Leys first before heading to the western end of the complex where it had also been seen. I managed to find my first Common Tern of the year on the bund opposite the main hide. From the feeding station a (or the) Ruff was knocking around on spit opposite the feeding station. I then got a call from Dave saying the Egret was showing at the Western end so I bombed it round to there through Grendon and parked up by Earls Barton pocket park.
From there it was a 10 ish minute stroll alongside the river. I came across Dave. he said it had flown out of sight which I have to say got me a little concerned! A short way along on the right handside was 'Mill Lake'. After a fair old bit of scanning the beast finally revealed itself in reeds on the far side of the lake. This was my first Great White Egret for Earls Barton GPs so I was pretty dam chuffed! We watched it for around 40 minutes as it had a bit of a feed before giving us a bit of a flypast, I'd forgotten how big they look in flight. Once I'd got my fill, it was time to head home for dinner feeling very satisfied!

Easter Bits & Bobs

So for Easter I had a total of 6 days off so this was a great chance to catch up some spring migrants, plus anything else that might be knocking around.

Wedesday 4th April I decided to head for Summer Leys for the afternoon. It was a tad grey and the wind chill was bloody horrible! Half an hour in a male Marsh Harrier flew straight through heading east, seen from the main hide. A good start!

The other side of the reserve held a total of 7 Little Ringed Plover (a flock of 6 on Mary's Island & 1 on Gull Island), the Curlew still showing by the screen hide, a single Ruff on spit opposite the feeding station and 1-2 Little Egrets about too.

There was a large flock of around 100 hirundines over Mary's. The flock was made up of Swallows and Sand Martins. There had to be a House Martin in with them and, sure enough one showed amongst the masses.

As I got back to the car I heard some Golden Plovers. They soon showed and circled around for a while before eventually landing in the first field left of the lane. Several were looking dead smart in their Summer black bellies. I watched them for a bit before heading home.

The next day (Thursday 5th April) I went bright an early over to Borough Hill in the hope of catching up with a Redstart or a Ring Ouzel. Sadly nothing outrageous, however there were 5 very showy Wheatears (male and 4 females). There was also several Meadow Pipits singing away and still around 50 Fieldfares knocking around.

After this it was off to Summer Leys again. There wasn't really anything new with the Curlew, the Ruff and 5 LRPs all present. My first Willow Warbler of the spring was in song close to the double-decker hide. Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were in good numbers. A small flock of House Martins were over Mary's along with Swallows and Sand Martins. After this I went for lunch with Ma & Da which was lurvely. Then I went to Pitsford for a brief look for a Fulmar that had appeared that morning opposite the feeding station. Sadly it had left before I got there. Wasn't too much else there other than good numbers of hirundines.

On Sunday 8th April I headed to central Milton Keynes first thing to see a male Black Redstart that had been on wasteland the previous day. Sadly it had moved on plus it tipped it down with rain and I really needed the loo. Grumpy Jonty! I then met up with Dave James at Borough Hill again. It again drew a bit of a blank with just 3 Wheatear (a pair and a single female) and around 30 Fieldfare.

At nearby Daventry Resevoir I was hoping to catch up with a 1st-summer Kittiwake that had turned up the previous day. Unsuprisingly it appeared to have moved on. The bird though somehow escaped our searches until one last scan where it showed out on the water. A handy year tick and in fact the third time I've seen them in the county having seen 3 adults and another adult, also in April and both times on Mary's Lake, by Summer Leys.

After a sneaky Reggae Reggae box meal at KFC (which went down very nicely by the way), we went looking for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers in woods on the edge of Northampton. Sadly despite a dam good search we couldn't track one down despite seeing both Green and Great Spotted. After that it was home time.