Familiar Territory

 I am still plugging away at the Oundle area on Sundays although at the moment it's a bit of a slog, I'm still hoping that things will pick up as spring progresses - fingers crossed!. It was certainly greyer than yesterday but mercifully the wind had eased making things a little more comfortable. While the forecast rain did eventually arrive  it was long after I'd got home and caused me no trouble at all.

Tufted Duck and Mandarin

On the north lake at Barnwell CP the Mandarins were for once not the centre of attention, a visit from four park scarcity Tufted Ducks stole their thunder. Also of interest was the arrival of a third Great Crested Grebe which did not go down well at all with the regular pair. I rather enjoyed the sight and the sound of them attempting to drive the interloper away. There was just the one pair of Mandarins on the lake today though I saw two singleton drakes in the area around Kingfisher Hide which could mean that the ducks might be sitting on eggs. As the park got busier I decided to cut my losses and head towards the river.

Chaffinch and Kingfisher

A male Kingfisher was noted from the bridge near Oundle Mill and I got a couple of pics before he sped off down the river, I had a glimpse of it or another near the marina. There was little between the marina and the floods where numbers of wildfowl have dropped considerably since last week. Most of the Wigeon and Shovellers have gone leaving Teal as the commonest species. Waders were few and far between with just the now regular pair of Oystercatchers on view. The only newcomers were a pristine looking pair of adult Herring Gulls which dropped in for two minutes before moving on. My  wildlife spotting day ended in the town where I enjoyed watching the resident Peregrines for half an hour before my bus took me back to Corby.

Oystercatcher and Peregrine porn!

Into The Valley

 Mr Shorrock and I took a trip along to the Nene Valley today and if our day didn't quite hit the skids it was not one of our most successful either. We started at Earls Barton gravel pits and chose the new workings near Whiston Lock to kick things off. Although it was mostly sunny a very cool wind meant that temperatures belonged more to winter rather than spring.

RCP with partner and kids?

A cream-crowned Marsh Harrier was our first bird of note as it moved through the site heading towards Northampton. Waders were represented by Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Little Ringed Plover while the most memorable ducks were initially the seventy or more Shovellers dotted around the site. I didn't spend too long looking at the north workings as the wind was too uncomfortable but did at least hear my first Blackcap of the year singing. A walk along the river towards Cogenhoe produced a brief sighting of my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year and also a male and two female Goosanders on the western end of the workings. On the river a drake Red crested Pochard was keeping close company with a duck Mallard and some ducklings, these might cause some head scratching later if they reach adulthood! One final first of the year was of a Bee-fly basking on a sheltered spot next to the Nene.

Bee-fly and Snipe trio

Our travels then took us to a very quiet Summer Leys where we failed to see the Ruff that had been reported earlier in the day. Highlights were few and far between and a sextet of Snipe seen from Paul Britten Hide were the only things of note. Not for the first time a pit stop at the Coach and Horses in Wellingborough ensured that the day came to a most agreeable conclusion!

Motacilla Killer

 It was my one day weekend today and somewhat predictably the mild and sunny conditions of the last few days had evaporated and turned into something rather more seasonal. In the week I saw Peacock and Brimstone on my walk into work while a Tawny Mining Bee paid my garden a visit, today there were no insects of note to report. After a cool and misty start the sun did eventually emerge though it was often rather hazy and it never really felt that warm. I repeated my Sunday routine of the last few weeks and took the X4 to Oundle.

Mandarin and Great Crested Grebe

Barnwell CP hosted the now familiar Mandarins with at least two pairs present on the North Lake but there was little else to report. My walk along the river did not add much to my list while the Oundle floods near the A605 held on to reasonable numbers of wildfowl with the highlight being a snoozing drake Pintail. Waders were limited to a pair of Oystercatchers and half a dozen Lapwings, I hope that other species may drop in as Spring progresses. Satisfied that I'd seen all that I could I opted to head into town for a look at the Peregrines.

Barnwell selection

Initially I managed to see the male Peregrine, I only saw the female when he flew up to strengthen the pair bond with his mate. She remained while the male disappeared and I watched her for a while though she wasn't doing that much. Some calls announced the return of the male who appeared to be carrying prey. He began to pluck the unfortunate victim and paused only to call up to his mate, I wonder if it was some kind of gift for her? To begin with I couldn't work out which species was on the breakfast menu, it was a small passerine but which one? My photos helped me to solve the mystery - it was a Pied Wagtail. I evenyually left the Peregrines and headed towards the bus stop where a punctual X4 arrived to take me home.

Pintail, Peregrine and Pied Wagtail (R.I.P)

That Lieu Day Wasn't Bog Standard

 It's back shift week again and today was my lieu day off, in decidedly springlike conditions Alan and I ventured over to Summer Leys. After a lengthy slog through the rush hour traffic we did eventually get to the Leys and began our watching from Rotary Hide.

Little Ringed Plover and bigger ringed Black-headed Gull!

There was nothing too interesting in view from Rotary and we made our way to Pioneer from where my first Little Ringed Plover of the year was seen. Also on view was a colour ringed Black-headed Gull which may be from a scheme in the north west of England, I'll update things when I know more. I walked from here to Paul Britten Hide where I met up again with Shozzer who had chosen to drive. New additions to our day list from here included three Dunlins and a Snipe. As we were leaving some calls alerted us to a flock of Black-tailed Godwits flying past, they looked as if they might land but I couldn't see them from the hide. News came through that they had landed out of sight from me on Round Island and I marched back towards Pioneer Hide at a pace that defied my age!

Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwits

Luckily the godwits were still on the island though rather than the twenty that we originally estimated there were actually sixteen. There were a variety of plumages on show and the birds looked stunning in the sunshine. My first Brimstone of the year was a welcome bonus, I saw another four during the rest of my walk. Having taken a few record shots of the blackwits I moved off to re-join Alan at the Screen Hide. There wasn't much to add from here and we set off to look for the long staying Glossy Ibis. I had a few unsatisfactory views of the bird from near the Toad Pond but we pressed on hoping for better. From the railway track a distant cream-crowned Marsh harrier was noted, apparently two were present today. Patience or perhaps persistence eventually paid off as we were treated to very good views of the ibis feeding in a field close to the Sand Martin colony. After a good few photos had been taken we returned to the car before heading to the Coach and Horses in Wellingborough. A decent pint was a fine way to bring the day to a close.

Glossy Ibis

Familiar Territory

 I was catching up with an old school friend yesterday so didn't manage to get out for any nature spotting. Today was a different matter however and I made the now familiar journey over to Oundle on the X4. The morning was mostly sunny though a cold wind did its best to keep temperatures down. My route was pretty much like last weekend though receding flood waters meant that I could walk along the riverbank rather than heading back into town.

Mandarins

Barnwell Country Park was once again very busy and I  only did a quick circuit before moving on. Highlights were three pairs of Mandarin Ducks, they looked stunning in the spring sunshine. Plenty of Chiffchaffs are now singing and I also heard a small number of Siskins before my travels took me towards the marina. A male Kingfisher was seen from the bridge close to Barnwell Mill but he was flushed by a passer by. In the flooded field at the back of Barnwell Lock a pair of Oystercatchers were feeding and I had some good views of them as I walked past.

Kingfisher and Oystercatcher

At the A605 floods another Oystercatcher arrived when I was there  though all of the Pintails appear to have departed. A drake Shelduck dropped in for a brief visit but the only waders that were present other than the Oyc were a couple of Lapwings. My search for Peregrines resulted in failure and I headed back to Corby in time for a Mother's Day meal.

Shelduck

Oundle Oiks

 Today's weather was not unlike yesterday's though it was a little less cold and the grey skies were a couple of shades lighter. On my bus ride over to Oundle there was plenty of mist but I was delighted to encounter pretty clear conditions when I arrived. My walk mirrored the one that I did last Sunday in that I began at Barnwell CP before checking out the floods and finishing with the Peregrines.

Grey Heron and Great White Egret

There was an increase in the human traffic at the country park with plenty of joggers doing circuits of the perimeter as well as the usual mix of strollers and dog walkers. Singing Chiffchaffs hinted at the spring to come while large numbers of Redwings were a nod to the waning winter. I had several brief views of a Water Rail on the edges of one of the ponds, the park's becoming a fairly reliable site to see them. During an unsuccessful stint in Kingfisher Hide I heard Oystercatchers calling but didn't manage to see them. As the park got busier my urge to stay diminished and I headed off towards the marina. Three Oystercatchers were present on the grass close to the clubhouse before they departed noisily, a Kingfisher was seen close by near Barnwell Mill.

Oystercatchers and dabblers

My travels then took me to the area that overlooks the A605 floods where numbers of Pintail remain high. Growing numbers of Shovellers were also present while both Wigeons and Teal are maintaining their presence. Two Great White Egrets were again noted while at least four Littles were also seen. Presumably the same three Oystercatchers then dropped in and remained for the duration of my stay, the only other waders were a dozen or so Lapwings. A singing Cetti's Warbler was the only other bird of note but I'm sure as the spring develops more interesting stuff will appear. My efforts to see the local Peregrines initially came to nothing but were eventually rewarded when the female appeared and posed for some pics. I then left to catch my bus home, I'm sure more visits will follow soon.

Pintail and Peregrine

Ravensthorpe Return

 On Thursday afternoon in the mild and sunny conditions I saw my first butterfly of the year, a Peacock, from the window at work. No chance of that on Saturday when the weather took on a far more wintery feel with grey skies and much cooler conditions prevailing. Alan and I made a second visit to Ravensthorpe reservoir where a Slavonian Grebe has been present for several weeks and then popped into nearby Hollowell for a second look at the Red-throated Diver.

Slavonian Grebe

It took a while to catch up with the grebe but eventually Shozzer found it off the reedbed on the eastern side of the res. We watched it on and off for some time though it remained distant and my record shots were correspondingly poor. Other birds noted on our visit included a Tawny Owl, several Ravens, Siskin and a Grey Wagtail. If the grebe turned out to be a little tricky to find the diver was anything but as it slept off Guilsborough Point. Once again it was rather distant but we had reasonable views through the scope and at least it was a dryer experience than last time! Eventually we decided that we had seen enough and opted to return to Corby for a pint in the 'spoons. Not a great day for photography but two very decent county birds and well worth the effort.

Red-throated Diver