@bigstarbirding.bsky.social
Birds birds birds, tea and cake, the mighty Boro, Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, Avett Brothers, alt-country, love a banjo.
It's time to kick out the jams motherf*ckers.
It's time to kick out the jams motherf*ckers.
#Northantsbirds Blue skies, great birds today, with 8 White-fronted Geese among Greylags at Elinor Lake, Thrapston, plus 4 Pintail on Town Lake. On to Kinewell Lake, and a sleeping group of 24 (assumed) White-fronted Geese had an interloper, a site-tick Tundra Bean🙂; oh, and the drake RN Duck too!
February 14, 2026 at 9:47 PM
#Northantsbirds Blue skies, great birds today, with 8 White-fronted Geese among Greylags at Elinor Lake, Thrapston, plus 4 Pintail on Town Lake. On to Kinewell Lake, and a sleeping group of 24 (assumed) White-fronted Geese had an interloper, a site-tick Tundra Bean🙂; oh, and the drake RN Duck too!
#Northantsbirds A cold,wet, muddy slog around Ravensthorpe Res today, but worth it for decent views of the highly mobile Red-throated Diver, my first in the county for probably 30 years! A brief stop at Hollowell Res on the way home for distant views of the 2 drake Common Scoters🙂
February 13, 2026 at 9:28 PM
#Northantsbirds A cold,wet, muddy slog around Ravensthorpe Res today, but worth it for decent views of the highly mobile Red-throated Diver, my first in the county for probably 30 years! A brief stop at Hollowell Res on the way home for distant views of the 2 drake Common Scoters🙂
#Northantsbirds Water, water everywhere at Ringstead, with extensive flooding along the Valley and the road under water. Highlight was some blue sky and a very brief drake Ring-necked Duck (presumably the Thrapston bird), also a very respectable 55+ Pochard, 2 pr Goldeneye and 6 'redhead' Goosander.
February 7, 2026 at 5:18 PM
#Northantsbirds Water, water everywhere at Ringstead, with extensive flooding along the Valley and the road under water. Highlight was some blue sky and a very brief drake Ring-necked Duck (presumably the Thrapston bird), also a very respectable 55+ Pochard, 2 pr Goldeneye and 6 'redhead' Goosander.
Now that would be an amazing sight😮
February 6, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Now that would be an amazing sight😮
#Northantsbirds Very limited birding time today, so just a short walk from Wellingborough Embankment to Chester House and back. The Glossy Ibis was still loving life on its grubby pool, whilst the Chester House Lake held single drake Goldeneye, Great Egret and 54 Tufted Duck🙂
February 1, 2026 at 6:51 PM
#Northantsbirds Very limited birding time today, so just a short walk from Wellingborough Embankment to Chester House and back. The Glossy Ibis was still loving life on its grubby pool, whilst the Chester House Lake held single drake Goldeneye, Great Egret and 54 Tufted Duck🙂
#Northantsbirds A dull start gave way to pleasant sunshine today, and nice to get a couple of year-ticks. At Clifford Hill, the drake Smew showed well, also 35-40 Pochard; at Summerleys the adult Caspian Gull still present (nice 'sinensis' Cormorant in the photo), also 13 Golden Plover, 6 Gt Egret.
January 30, 2026 at 9:44 PM
#Northantsbirds A dull start gave way to pleasant sunshine today, and nice to get a couple of year-ticks. At Clifford Hill, the drake Smew showed well, also 35-40 Pochard; at Summerleys the adult Caspian Gull still present (nice 'sinensis' Cormorant in the photo), also 13 Golden Plover, 6 Gt Egret.
#Northantsbirds Million-to-one shot for the county, but there was that Midlands drake...🙂
Rarity finders: Redhead in Co Kerry
After a morning's gulling in south Co Kerry, a quick stop at Lough Yganavan produced a monumental discovery for Brian Power:
After a morning's gulling in south Co Kerry, a quick stop at Lough Yganavan produced a monumental discovery for Brian Power:
Rarity finders: Redhead in Co Kerry
After a morning's gulling in south Co Kerry, a quick stop at Lough Yganavan produced a monumental discovery for Brian Power when he clapped eyes on a female Redhead.
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 5:00 PM
#Northantsbirds Million-to-one shot for the county, but there was that Midlands drake...🙂
Away for a long weekend at the in-laws in Hunstanton; with the Bw Kite being a touch too far for Vicky, we headed for Sheringham, and had excellent views of the Eastern Black Redstart, feeding in the ornamental gardens by the boating lake. With sunnier weather tomorrow, we may go back for more🙂
January 23, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Away for a long weekend at the in-laws in Hunstanton; with the Bw Kite being a touch too far for Vicky, we headed for Sheringham, and had excellent views of the Eastern Black Redstart, feeding in the ornamental gardens by the boating lake. With sunnier weather tomorrow, we may go back for more🙂
#Northantsbirds Operation Firecrest today at Thrapston GP, and,despite standing in the wrong spot for a while, we eventually had some decent views of this hyperactive little beauty🙂. Other birds seen incl drake Scaup, 4 Goosander, pair RC Pochard, Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Stonechat.
January 18, 2026 at 9:27 PM
#Northantsbirds Operation Firecrest today at Thrapston GP, and,despite standing in the wrong spot for a while, we eventually had some decent views of this hyperactive little beauty🙂. Other birds seen incl drake Scaup, 4 Goosander, pair RC Pochard, Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Stonechat.
Reposted
More musings www.grahamcatley.com/blog-1/great-grey-shrikes
The Fillingham Great Grey Shrike and other large grey shrike conundrums including Steppe Grey Shrike a taxonomic bafflement — Graham Catley Photography
From my first retrospective bird at Klondike in Goxhill Marsh on April 2nd 1970 confirmed after vastly improved views of one along the same hedgerow on October 31st 1970, a bird that subsequently wint...
www.grahamcatley.com
January 18, 2026 at 11:37 AM
More musings www.grahamcatley.com/blog-1/great-grey-shrikes
Reposted
Here is the review of the 2025 butterfly season in Northamptonshire. It was certainly an interesting year, and it was fantastic to see records from two species that were considered extinct in the county making an appearance!
www.northantsbutterflies.com/the-butterfl...
www.northantsbutterflies.com/the-butterfl...
A review of the butterfly season in Northamptonshire during 2025 — Northants Butterflies
A review of the butterfly season in Northamptonshire during 2025
www.northantsbutterflies.com
January 17, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Here is the review of the 2025 butterfly season in Northamptonshire. It was certainly an interesting year, and it was fantastic to see records from two species that were considered extinct in the county making an appearance!
www.northantsbutterflies.com/the-butterfl...
www.northantsbutterflies.com/the-butterfl...
#Northantsbirds A shorter than expected visit to Thrapston, paths flooded/impassable to Titchmarsh LNR, with water levels still rising, so just Town Lake! Pr Scaup & pr RC Pochard all still present, min 170 Pochard, 4 (1 drake, 1 1st-winter drake) Goosander. Kinewell Lake held 5 (1 drake) Goosander.
January 16, 2026 at 9:53 PM
#Northantsbirds A shorter than expected visit to Thrapston, paths flooded/impassable to Titchmarsh LNR, with water levels still rising, so just Town Lake! Pr Scaup & pr RC Pochard all still present, min 170 Pochard, 4 (1 drake, 1 1st-winter drake) Goosander. Kinewell Lake held 5 (1 drake) Goosander.
#Northantsbirds Good to catch up with the Wellingborough Embankment Glossy Ibis again (phone photo!), and plenty of waterbirds on nearby Chester House Lake and Viaduct Pit; combined total of min 245 Gadwall, plus min 43 Gbb Gull. Group of 10 Little Grebe, 2 Gt Egret and a pair of Stonechat too🙂
January 11, 2026 at 9:27 PM
#Northantsbirds Good to catch up with the Wellingborough Embankment Glossy Ibis again (phone photo!), and plenty of waterbirds on nearby Chester House Lake and Viaduct Pit; combined total of min 245 Gadwall, plus min 43 Gbb Gull. Group of 10 Little Grebe, 2 Gt Egret and a pair of Stonechat too🙂
#Northantsbirds Loving this grey goose influx, with good views of the Tundra Bean and 14 White-fronts at Islip/Thrapston today, plus 2 Scaup, 4 Goosander, 8+ Gt Egret on Town Lake, distant American Wigeon, 2 cc Marsh Harrier & a Black-tailed Godwit on Aldwincle Lake; no sign of the Ring-necked Duck.
January 10, 2026 at 9:50 PM
#Northantsbirds Loving this grey goose influx, with good views of the Tundra Bean and 14 White-fronts at Islip/Thrapston today, plus 2 Scaup, 4 Goosander, 8+ Gt Egret on Town Lake, distant American Wigeon, 2 cc Marsh Harrier & a Black-tailed Godwit on Aldwincle Lake; no sign of the Ring-necked Duck.
#Northantsbirds Some distant views of the Tundra Bean Goose at Stanwick Lakes today, plus at least 7 White-fronted Geese - viewing not helped by the Goose flocks position, and Ospreys disturbing them! Earlier at a partially-frozen Kinewell Lake, 2 Goosander, 280 Gadwall and a decent 27 Pochard🙂
January 9, 2026 at 8:59 PM
#Northantsbirds Some distant views of the Tundra Bean Goose at Stanwick Lakes today, plus at least 7 White-fronted Geese - viewing not helped by the Goose flocks position, and Ospreys disturbing them! Earlier at a partially-frozen Kinewell Lake, 2 Goosander, 280 Gadwall and a decent 27 Pochard🙂
#Northantsbirds Before returning to our broken-into car, and finding £1500 worth of birding gear stolen (not on display), the US double act of American Wigeon and Ring-necked Duck showed well at the South end of Aldwincle Lake; managed some record pics of them together! Also 174 Pochard, Dunlin.
January 1, 2026 at 8:30 PM
#Northantsbirds Before returning to our broken-into car, and finding £1500 worth of birding gear stolen (not on display), the US double act of American Wigeon and Ring-necked Duck showed well at the South end of Aldwincle Lake; managed some record pics of them together! Also 174 Pochard, Dunlin.
#Northantsbirds A walk from Wellingborough Embankment to Ditchford Lane produced a very brief visit by the 2 Glossy Ibis, also 4 Gt Egret, 10 Gbb Gull, pr Goldeneye and 3 redhead Goosander - one caught a large Perch, which it kept dropping, and all 3 seemed to be 'playing' with it; a family group?
December 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM
#Northantsbirds A walk from Wellingborough Embankment to Ditchford Lane produced a very brief visit by the 2 Glossy Ibis, also 4 Gt Egret, 10 Gbb Gull, pr Goldeneye and 3 redhead Goosander - one caught a large Perch, which it kept dropping, and all 3 seemed to be 'playing' with it; a family group?
##Northantsbirds Another quality day in the county, courtesy of Nicks drake American Wigeon that showed really well at Titchmarsh LNR, along with the cc Marsh Harrier, 1st-winter drake Scaup,min 117 Pochard and 2 Stonechat; my first in Northants since one at Stanwick early '90s!🙂
December 27, 2025 at 8:20 PM
##Northantsbirds Another quality day in the county, courtesy of Nicks drake American Wigeon that showed really well at Titchmarsh LNR, along with the cc Marsh Harrier, 1st-winter drake Scaup,min 117 Pochard and 2 Stonechat; my first in Northants since one at Stanwick early '90s!🙂
#Northantsbirds A real red-letter day at Kinewell Lake today! My hunch that the Goose flock near Woodford could pull in some rarer greys paid off with a flock of 21 White-fronted Geese, a Ringstead tick🙂, then it cranked up another level with 4 stunning Bewicks Swans, another tick!!
December 26, 2025 at 8:35 PM
#Northantsbirds A real red-letter day at Kinewell Lake today! My hunch that the Goose flock near Woodford could pull in some rarer greys paid off with a flock of 21 White-fronted Geese, a Ringstead tick🙂, then it cranked up another level with 4 stunning Bewicks Swans, another tick!!
#Northantsbirds Just unpacked after a few days with the in-laws in Hunstanton when news of Jacobs goose-fest at Pitsford broke, so back out we go! Decent views of the 4 Tundra Beans, plus 3 Pink-feet and 7 White-fronted Geese, a fantastic group - surely more to come with the continuing Easterlies?🙂
December 24, 2025 at 6:53 PM
#Northantsbirds Just unpacked after a few days with the in-laws in Hunstanton when news of Jacobs goose-fest at Pitsford broke, so back out we go! Decent views of the 4 Tundra Beans, plus 3 Pink-feet and 7 White-fronted Geese, a fantastic group - surely more to come with the continuing Easterlies?🙂
#Northantsbirds Another quality few hours without going too far from home! Coffee at Nene Court, then a walk from the Embankment to the viaduct, with the 2 Glossy Ibis still showing very well. 3 Stonechat on the way to Chester House, with 3 Goosander and a pr Goldeneye, plus the cc Marsh Harrier🙂.
December 13, 2025 at 6:17 PM
#Northantsbirds Another quality few hours without going too far from home! Coffee at Nene Court, then a walk from the Embankment to the viaduct, with the 2 Glossy Ibis still showing very well. 3 Stonechat on the way to Chester House, with 3 Goosander and a pr Goldeneye, plus the cc Marsh Harrier🙂.
#Northantsbirds Started the day with a stop at Wellingborough Embankment, where the 2 Glossy Ibis were still present; amazing to see them in my home town! On to Thrapston, the 2 Scaup (adult female and 1st-winter drake) showed well on Town Lake, while the drake Ring-necked Duck was very distant🙂.
December 12, 2025 at 5:59 PM
#Northantsbirds Started the day with a stop at Wellingborough Embankment, where the 2 Glossy Ibis were still present; amazing to see them in my home town! On to Thrapston, the 2 Scaup (adult female and 1st-winter drake) showed well on Town Lake, while the drake Ring-necked Duck was very distant🙂.
#Northantsbirds A lovely day spent at Thrapston and Ringstead, with ducks to the fore. Drake Ring-necked Duck and 2 Scaup on Town Lake; the 1st-winter drake and a new-in 1st-winter female (no paler flanks and reduced white blaze cf last weeks adult female), also the cc Marsh Harrier and 8 Gt Egret.
December 5, 2025 at 8:49 PM
#Northantsbirds A lovely day spent at Thrapston and Ringstead, with ducks to the fore. Drake Ring-necked Duck and 2 Scaup on Town Lake; the 1st-winter drake and a new-in 1st-winter female (no paler flanks and reduced white blaze cf last weeks adult female), also the cc Marsh Harrier and 8 Gt Egret.
#Northantsbirds A visit to Titchmarsh LNR/Thrapston GP today, the drake Ring-necked Duck eventually showed well on both Town and Aldwinkle Lake, among good numbers of ducks (126 Pochard, c30 Goldeneye), all were skittish and mobile - the cc Marsh Harrier didn't help! Found a chonky female Scaup too🙂
November 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
#Northantsbirds A visit to Titchmarsh LNR/Thrapston GP today, the drake Ring-necked Duck eventually showed well on both Town and Aldwinkle Lake, among good numbers of ducks (126 Pochard, c30 Goldeneye), all were skittish and mobile - the cc Marsh Harrier didn't help! Found a chonky female Scaup too🙂
#Northantsbirds A few hours at Pitsford hoping to ditch my recent birding anti-Midus touch (ace Wolfhounds song🙂), but a wander from dam to Catwalk Bay failed to deliver the Black-necked Grebe or Whooper Swan - on the way back, picked up the former v. distantly in Pintail Bay; record-shot photo🤪
November 23, 2025 at 9:22 PM
#Northantsbirds A few hours at Pitsford hoping to ditch my recent birding anti-Midus touch (ace Wolfhounds song🙂), but a wander from dam to Catwalk Bay failed to deliver the Black-necked Grebe or Whooper Swan - on the way back, picked up the former v. distantly in Pintail Bay; record-shot photo🤪