31st Jan 2019

A very cold day today, so much so most of the reservoir surface was frozen leaving some open water only at the northern end. That where all the birds were and where John found four Wigeon and nine Tufted Ducks this morning.

30th Jan 2019

A late update from Colin regarding sightings from the afternoon on Friday (25th) confirmed a drake Pochard was seen at the Borrow Pit. He also pointed out I hadn't added Buzzard to the year list! That puts the year list up to 64 so far, which is a fantastic start to the year.

Highlights this morning were a pair of Peregrines over and three Red Kites together over the Lockheed Close area. At least one Marsh Tit still in the wood.

Photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

27th Jan 2019

It's been a fairly quiet week again with very little to report.

Last Friday (18th) and this Wednesday (23rd) John had a Yellow-legged Gull at the reservoir.

Thursday (24th) John had a drake Wigeon at the Reservoir and on Friday (25th) Mike had two Marsh Tits in the wood. The latter pretty much confirming my sighting of two the other day.

This morning there were four Wigeon (three drakes) at the reservoir and a Marsh Tit and two Jays in the wood. 

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

17th Jan 2019

John and I were out this morning. Nothing new to report but a near adult Yellow-legged Gull was at the reservoir harassing the Cormorants (32 this morning) and Black-headed Gulls.

In the woodland there was Marsh Tit (just the one bird) and Sparrowhawks displaying again. I thought I heard a Chiffchaff calling but that turned out to be a Great Tit doing a pretty good impression!

16th Jan 2019

Courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller

Lunch time today John had two Mistle Thrushes fly over north. First of the year and good to get on the list.

13th Jan 2019

It was a fairly quiet week really. John had a Red Kite and Peregrine over on Tuesday.

On Wednesday John had eight Greylag Geese (a good count for here), a drake Tufted Duck and a Siskin in the morning. There was also pair of Sparrowhawks displaying over the wood.

Greenfinch was new to the year list on Friday morning when four were flying around over the cattle fields. Also Friday morning there was 38 (surely a patch record!) Cormorants at the reservoir and a Marsh Tit in the wood. It was joined very briefly by a second bird, that I could not identify as Marsh or Willow but my gut feeling was it was a second Marsh Tit.

All photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

6th Jan 2019

Colin was out this afternoon and recorded our first Yellow-legged Gull of the year. There was an adult at the Borrow Pit pool at around 3 pm in amongst a good number of gulls, also including at least 10 Herring gulls.

Also of local interest, an adult Yellow-legged Gull was also recorded at the cattle sheds in Chacombe at around the same time (possibly the same bird) and at the Boddington roost an adult Caspian Gull and a 2CY (first winter) Yellow-legged Gull were recorded (https://northantsbirds.com/latest-reports/).

3rd Jan 2019

John and I were both out this morning. A drake Goosander on the reservoir was a nice addition to the year list and our first of this winter. I also saw a Kingfisher along the river, north of the railway bridge, bringing the year list to 59 species.

There was a single Lapwing in the cattle field that flew up to join a second bird flying over to the west.

2nd Jan 2019

John was out this morning and at lunch time and added a few things to the year list. Most notable were Wigeon (two drakes on the reservoir), Ring-necked Parakeet and Jay.

As I compile the year list, please let me know if you have any additions to make.

1st Jan 2019: Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone! Let's hope it's another good one.

I was out reasonably early today to make a start on the year list. Admittedly, not as early I planned to be though! I didn't see a huge amount of interest with my highlights being a Marsh Tit in the woodland and  17 Lapwings flying over the Upper Cherwell Valley. I did manage to tick off most of the common stuff though.

I bumped into Colin and Steve for a quick catch up and as Steve and I left we had a single Siskin along the river. Colin managed to find a few more bit's after we left. Including Chiffchaff in scrub along the river in the U.C.V. and two Snipe and a female Stonechat in the wet field in the U.C.V. Also, he added a Red Kite to the year list by scanning and seeing one drifting over the western end of town.

Not a bad start at all.