26th Nov 2017

After the Kittiwake on Tuesday, things were pretty much back to normal. On Wednesday morning John had two Yellow-legged Gulls at the reservoir. Thursday lunchtime, John had a male Stonechat along the fence in the cattle field. It is likely to be the same bird that has been sporadically over the last few weeks, but it has stayed mostly out of sight at a safe distance from the reservoir edge.

Today I had a good walk around in search of something of interest. There was a Willow Tit in the wood, it was very vocal and I did have brief but good views. Otherwise, there were only Yellow-legged Gulls of any interest.

To start I saw a 2CY at the reservoir, terrorising all of the other gulls chasing them around or completely away. That was until the sailing boats chased all of the gulls away. Up the valley on the Borrow Pit pool there was around 100 large gulls, including what was likely the same bird I had just seen and a near adult bird. I got onto a bird that could have been a juv Caspian Gull, but all the birds flushed. Over the valley I could see hundreds of gulls, loafing in the field with the mound (just into Northants) and flocks of birds over the fields in Chacombe. There must have close to, if not over, a thousand birds in the area. Waiting around at the Borrow Pit I had good views of at least another adult Yellow-legged Gull but not a lot else. Of note, there have been Caspian Gulls seen recently at Boddington Reservoir and John saw 5-6 Yellow-legged Gulls there in today's roost. So there is a god chance we will get Caspian Gulls in this area again this winter.

21st Nov 2017: Kittiwake

A day full of gulls. It started really well when John found a 1st winter Kittiwake before work. Unfortunately, it didn't hang around and left with a group of Lesser Black-backs when they were disturbed. After that it wasn't seen for the rest of the day.

Steve was out at around 09:30 and said there was around 140 Black-headed Gulls and there was also four Common Gulls, two Yellow-legged (ad, 2cy) and nine Herring Gulls amongst 159 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 

At lunch time John and I was hugely surprised by the numbers of gulls around. The farmer had been spreading muck on the adjacent field and apparently this had drawn them in. There were at least three Yellow-legged Gulls at that time and possibly up to five. There was also several Common Gulls and Herring Gulls. It was hard to view all of them well, so I decided to go back later with the scope to have a really good look. However, when I did most of the gulls were gone and there was only one Yellow-legged Gull left. 

Both pictures courtesy and copyright of JFT

20th Nov 2017

John was out this lunch time and although not much at the reservoir, two Yellow-legged and two Herring Gulls were present.

Both photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

18th Nov 2017

A quick look at the roost this evening didn't produce much. The 'usual' Yellow-legged Gull was present amongst c.95 Lesser Black-backs, which seems to be the same near adult bird as most days. The bulk of the birds were Black-headed Gulls (c.650-700), some of which were already moulted through with full hoods. there was also three Herring Gulls and a couple of Common Gulls.

16th Nov 2017

John: I have been visiting the reservoir fairly frequently on most weekdays, however it has unfortunately been extremely quiet and so far the site has failed to join the big Hawfinch bonanza of this autumn / winter so far. However we will persevere!

Yesterday I did finally come across something a little bit different when visiting before work, stumbling across a male Stonechat along the western side of the reservoir.

The Great Crested Grebe count was down to 4, while I came across the resident female Kestrel which has proved very approachable in recent days, often found sitting on the fence along the eastern side of the reservoir.

12th Nov 2017

A fairly quiet week. There has been low single figures of Yellow-legged Gulls coming in pre-roost. John had two Red Kites over on on Friday lunchtime. Sunday midday there was eight Great Crested Grebes on the reservoir but not a lot else!

Photo above and below courtesy and copyright of JFT

Yellow-legged Gull from Friday

6th Nov 2017

John and I were out this morning. There wasn't a lot around but there were seven Great Crested Grebes and several Skylarks over. Up the valley there was a Stonechat by the Borrow Pit pool again and a good gathering of gulls, including a couple of Herring Gulls.

5th Nov 2017: Catch up

Playing catch up with the blog again. I apologise if I have missed anything of note.

24th John and I: A morning visit for us got our first Fieldfare of the autumn fly over with some Redwings and a a Yellowhammer. John had another ringed Black-headed Gull this evening, this one had a yellow ring on the leg tarsus with 2SKL in black.

25th John and Dan: The gull roost in the evening had a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls and there was a redhead Goosander too.

26th John: A good passage of Wood Pigeons, a Redpoll over and more thrushes including a group of four Blackbirds.

27th John and I: Seven Greylags in with the Canada Geese and four Siskins along the river in the morning. At least two Yellow-legged Gulls in the evening, possibly three.

29th: I had a couple of Redpolls over but not a lot else.

1st John: A Redpoll, a couple of Skylark and several Meadow Pipits, as well as thrushes and Starlings migrating over.

3rd Mike: A Stonechat along the hedgerow to the west of the reservoir.

4th Steve: A redhead Goosander at the reservoir.

Today there was a flock of Siskins in the wood possibly into double figures but hard to tell as they were very mobile. Several Skylarks over. A pair of Ravens flew over and Clive had a Stonechat up by the Borrow Pit pool.