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England Northamptonshire

Little Owl Athene noctue ŠRichard Bedford http://www.richardbedford.co.uk

Although as far from the sea as any county in Britain, most of the birding in Northamptonshire and the surrounding area revolves around water. A large percentage of the major reserves in Northamptonshire are man made reservoirs, hosting thousands of wildfowl in the winter months.

The main sites that are worth visiting when you are in Northants or the surrounding area include, Pitsford reservoir, Hollowell reservoir, Stanford reservoir, Thrapston gravel pits and Summerleys Nature reserve.

There is also a variety of woodland that is worth visiting, Crossbills, Hawfinches and Treecreepers can be found in the woods at the right time of the year. Rare and scarce birds that have appeared in the past include Bohemian waxwing, Eurasian Thick-knee, Sociable Plover, Bridled Tern, Pallas's Sandgrouse, Parrot Crossbill and Woodchat Shrike.

top sites

Badby Wood and Fawsley Park

Comprising of largely deciduous trees, near the wood is Fawsley Park, comprising of two lakes attracting large number of Mute Swans in the winter. In spring the wooded areas host Redstarts and Wood Warblers as well as all the common woodland species.

Boddington Reservoir

(SP498534)A medium sized lake with mature trees, reed beds and scrub attractive to Sylvia warblers. Winter is productive for the large numbers of wildfowl. In spring and autumn waders and terns are likely to be seen.

Daventry Reservoir Country Park and Borough Hill

(SP577642)Residents include Great Crested Grebe, Shoveler, Canada Geese, Pochard and Tufted Ducks. In the winter sea ducks are likely to occur including Long tailed Duck , Eider, Common and Velvet Scoter. Large plover flocks in winter.

Ditchford Gravel Pits

(SP930684)Possible the best birding site in Northants, the site has attracted Sooty Tern, Red Rumped Swallow, Alpine Swift, Broad Billed sandpiper, Night Heron, Ringed Billed Gull and Sabines Gull. Reliable site for seeing Water Pipit, up to half a dozen in the winter.

Hollowell Reservoir

Attracting Scaup, Velvet Scoter, Great Northern Diver and Red Necked Grebe in the deep water near the dam. The winter gull roost can be productive, Mediterranean Gull, Iceland and Glaucous gull may be found in amongst the large numbers of Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls.

Pitsford Reservoir

(SP780708)A man made lake attracting a large number of wildfowl in the winter, Waders in spring and autumn. Red Breasted Merganser and Smew regularly turn up in the winter months. The gull roost can hold rarer species. Such as Yellow-legged, Mediterranean and Iceland Gull.

Summerleys Nature reserve and Earls Barton Gravel Pits

(SP885634)Around half a dozen Smew annually visit the reserve every winter. Long tailed Duck and Ferruginous Duck have occurred including the three rarer grebes, Red- necked, Slavonian and Black-necked, Great Northern Diver are also likely to turn up.

Thrapston Gravel Pits and Titchmarsh Reserve

(TL008804)Hosting nearly five thousand wildfowl every winter, including Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Goosanders and lesser Numbers of Goldeneye. There is the chance of seeing American Wigeon and Blue winged Teal if you are lucky.

contributor

Thomas Barker
thomasbarker81@hotmail.com

county recorder

Gary Pullan
21 Banbury Lane, Byfield, Daventry, Northants NN11 6UX
01327 262671

numbers

Number of bird species:315 species + 16 races
County Bird - Little Owl Athene noctua
[because of the UK introduction scheme commenced by Lord Lilford in Northants in the 1880s]

useful reading

Bird Report Northamptonshire

Bird report available from Alan Coles, 99 Rickyard Road, Northampton NN3 3RR.

Where to Watch Birds in the East Midlands

by Rob Fray, Christopher Helm 2006 See Fatbirder Review
ISBN: 0713675306
Buy this book from NHBS.com

useful information

Proact

Coordinator: none (why not apply?)
see http://www.proact-campaigns.net/coordinators
Members: None!
Join us now at http://www.proact-campaigns.net/team

clubs

Banbury Ornithological Society

http://www.banburyornithologicalsociety.org.uk/
Founded in 1952, the Society studies the bird life in the twelve 10km squares surrounding Banbury and includes parts of Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. Fieldwork is the core of BOS activity, however, the Society also holds regular monthly meetings, publishes a monthly newsletter and Annual Reports, manages 5 bird reserves and is pro-active in local conservation matters...

Northamptonshire Bird Club

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/northantsbirds/
Mrs Eleanor McMahan, Oriole House, 5 The Croft, Hanging Houghton, Northants NN6 9HW. 01604 880009 - The bird club was formed over 20 years ago as a forum for birders in and around Northamptonshire. The little owl (Athene noctua) was adopted as the bird club`s emblem as it was introduced into Britain by Lord Lilford, a renowned local ornithologist in the 19th century. We have about 100 members, whose interests cover all aspects of wild birds and birding, including twitching, world birding, surveys, ringing, photography, art and conservation. We hold a meeting on the first Wednesday of every month. (See programme). Most of these meetings are held at the Moulton Community Centre just North of Northampton where the usual format consists of announcements, recent records and a slide presentation and talk on some aspect of birding or ornithology.

Northants Ringing Group

D M Francis, 2 Brittons Drive, Billington Lane, Northampton, NN3 5DP

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough

http://www.wildlifebcnp.org/
We are the largest charity working for the conservation of wildlife and wild spaces within the three counties. Based in five offices, the Trust campaigns for the sensitive and sustainable management of wildlife in the countryside and the urban landscape, manages thousands of hectares of land for wildlife and people, and carries out extensive educational work.

reserves

Wild Woods at Rockingham Forest

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/wildwoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/EnglandNorthamptonshireRockinghamForest
Nightingales can be heard in some of these woods in summer time, as can many warblers, and you may also see various birds of prey, including the wonderful red kite...

Rockingham Forest Trust

http://www.northamptonshire.co.uk/rockinghamforest/
Rockingham Forest Trust is a registered charity which was formed to promote a thriving countryside in Rockingham Forest. Its primary concern is environmental management: explaining what makes the Forest special and working with local people to conserve its landscape, traditions and rural way of life.

Wild Woods at Top Lodge Car Park

http://www.forestry.gov.uk
Red Kite viewing...

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you cant find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page give them a try!

tour operators

Birding Pal

http://www.birdingpal.org/Unitedkingdom.htm
Local birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...

places to stay

The Old Rectory

http://www.northamptonshire.co.uk/hotels/oldrectory.htm
The Old Rectory offers bed and breakfast accommodation in a small and quiet village on the outskirts of Brackley, near the borders of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire...

White Swan

http://www.thewhite-swan.com/
A fifteenth century Coaching Inn; the White Swan provides six en suite comfortable bedrooms, each individually designed in attractive country style. All have colour television, radio alarm, tea and coffee making facilities and hairdryer. There is also full central heating. The oak carved bar offers a full range of real ales, wines and spirits and is decorated with memorabilia of trades past.

mailing lists

Birding Northants

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/birdingnorthants/
To post to list:birdingnorthants@yahoogroups.co.uk
List contact:birdingnorthants-owner@yahoogroups.co.uk
To subscribe to list:birdingnorthants-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk
This group is for birders to share bird sightings and discuss bird related topics within the county of Northamptonshire, UK.

A Biodiversity Action Plan for Northamptonshire

http://www.ukbap.org.uk/lbap.aspx?ID=387
Partners, species action plans etc.

Birds of Northamptonshire

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/jblincow/npton/nptonind.htm
The main section of this book contains a systematic review of all 306 species of birds that have been recorded in Northamptonshire. It includes references to their past and present status.

Gosling`s Corner

http://website.lineone.net/~paul_gosling/
This is the website of Paul Gosling, County Bird Recorder for Northamptonshire. Here you will find pictures and accounts of birding trips, and experiences I`ve had working. It also contains a brief biography. I hope you find my site interesting and will come and visit again.

Latest Reports of Birds in Northamptonshire

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/northantsbirds/
Welcome to the bird news page of the Northamptonshire Bird Club. This page aims to provide up to date news of all interesting birds as, and when, they occur in Northamptonshire. For full details and other aspects of the Northamptonshire Bird Club. We will endeavour to update this news regularly but cannot necessarily commit to any specified update frequency. News and information may be received from a variety of sources and it is published in good faith. The Northamptonshire Bird Club will not in any way be held responsible for incorrect or inaccurate information which may appear here or for any inconvenience caused as a result.

Northamptonshire Wildlife

http://www.northamptonshirewildlife.co.uk/wildlife/birds.htm
A selection of the 310 species of Birds to be found in Northamptonshire...

Safewings

http://www.uksafari.com/safewings
IIsham, Northants: Full time bird rescue, involved in breed and release schemes. Safewings set up the very first wild bird veterinary fund solely for the purpose of treating injured wild birds. Not open to the public, not a charity, work is self funded and covers a wide area in regard to bird rescue...

artists

Gallery - PhotoNorthampton

http://www.photonorthampton.supanet.com/
Images of Northamptonshire Wildlife.

Photographer - Phil Manning

http://www.philmanning.org.uk
Mainly UK Birds and Wildlife Photography

Photographer - Richard Bedford

http://www.richardbedford.co.uk/
Welcome to my site. Here you will see only bird images, I've tried expanding to wildlife in general but bird photography is my true passion and I have to give it 100% of my time. Although I'm quite enthusiastic, there is a serious side to my character. Conservation is important to me. I have given much of my work to the various county Wildlife Trusts, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and The National Trust. Further work has been given to various Barn Owl Trusts and local authority environmental departments...

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