All Quiet On The Oundle Front

 It was a typical April day with some sunshine, some rain and a warm southerly breeze, I decided to take the bus over to Oundle hoping to catch up with some migrants. My watching began at Barnwell which was unsurprisingly much quieter than it is on my more usual Sunday visits. Mandarins  were present once again with two pairs and a singleton drake while the hybrid Mallard was also still around. A large flock of House Martins were feeding over the North Lake and I heard my first Cetti's Warbler in the park for several months. On the heron nest one rather ugly looking chick could be seen as it preened, only their mother could love them! Having seen as much as I thought I could I decided to head towards the river.

Mandarins, hybid and Grey Heronlet

About ten Sand Martins were feeding over the marina while several Swallows fed low over the horse paddocks across the road from Oundle Mill. The Cetti's was still near Barnwell Lock and I was able to watch this one moving through waterside vegetation. Unusually I also got brief though good views of the other bird near the floods, seeing two Cetti's in a day does not happen that often for me! All of the Teal have now left and there was little of interest to report apart from a pair of Mistle Thrushes until the/a pair of Oystercatchers arrived to bathe and feed. For the first time this year I managed to photograph some butterflies, two Peacocks and a Green-veined White sitting out the cloudy weather. I left the floods behind and decided to walk along the Nene towards the North Bridge in Oundle.

Song and Mistle Thrush and Oystercatcher

I checked the riverside fields for migrants as I walked, there were two Sedge Warblers and another Cetti's but overall it was a little disappointing. As I neared the Ashton Lock I found a Stonechat though it didn't stay in view for long and had gone before I could get a picture. My final sighting of note was a pair of Mandarins near the bridge before I popped into the NVB Tap and Kitchen for some refreshment. Oundle's Peregrines had the last word, although I didn't pay them a call I could hear at least one calling as I waited for my bus home.

Peacock and Green-veined White