The Bird Club Photographic Competition 2026

It's that time of year when the Club's photographers start thinking about entries into the Photographic Competition. Those of you who are organised will have set up an album with potential entries and just need to decide which 24 photos to enter into the different categories.

The deadline for entry is 24th December by email to Dave Thomas following the rules here;

https://northantsbirdclub.blogspot.com/p/photographic-competition-rules.html 

In particular, the simple rules around categories as this seems to cause many of the issues Dave has to overcome when collating entries. 

Photos must be labelled as per the following system:

Category Number - Photographer's Name - Subject Name - Where the photo was taken, for example:

C01 Bob Gill - Kingfisher - Pitsford Res.

C05 Bob Gill - African Finfoot - The Gambia

No other information is required and photos labelled differently might not be entered into the competition. 

Any questions, please ask at the December meeting or contact Dave, Bob or me. Good luck! 

Clive with one of 2 successful entries into the 2026 Nene Valley Special Protection Area calendar.

News

For the August indoor meeting, we welcomed John Fuller who'd spent 3-months in New Zealand and provided us with an engaging talk illustrated with some stunning photos from his time there. We anticipate another talk from John in future following his trip to Brazil; he does get about!

September's meeting won't be one to miss either, John Showers will be giving us a talk on 'A Day on St. Kilda' followed by Chairman Bob who'll be providing a collection of the finest images known to man, and womankind, with a twist. Not that kind of twist; they'll be no slipped discs caused by Chubby Checker and ice isn't forecast so you'll just have to wait and see...and hear.

Dave J. has been busy building a website with albums including birds, mammals, macro and more! Please feel free to take a look, all feedback welcomed. 

https://www.davejphotography.com/

July Outdoor Meeting at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.

A dozen members turned out for the evening walk at Ravensthorpe Reservoir for the July Outdoor Meeting with a slow circular meander around the Anglian Water reservoir first constructed in the 1890s by the Northampton Corporation to supply water to Northampton.

It was a breezy affair so the anticipated insects were taking cover but continual sunshine and that lovely evening summer glow was much appreciated. A mixture of common birds of woodland edge were mostly heard rather than seen with renditions from Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Blackcap and Chiffchaff emanating from hidden perches. Spotted Flycatchers called from high trees at the car park by the dam but I don't think anyone could see them!

Along the dam we enjoyed views of habituated wildfowl and Pied and Grey Wagtails, and Stock Doves and Woodpigeons wheeled around the trees below us next to the pumping station. Red Kites and Common Buzzards popped up over the tree-line regularly as we chatted and padded around the vegetated reservoir margins. A couple of the impressive Blue Emperor dragonflies defied the conditions to hunt and oviposit in the more sheltered spots. Two pairs of Mute Swans, Greylag Geese and at least two pairs of Great Crested Grebes were showing off their still dependent youngsters.

First seen by Stuart and then re-located by Helen, an Osprey tracked down the length of the reservoir before heading off in a north-westerly direction. Lesser Black-backed Gulls sauntered over the water, a single Common Tern fished the choppy waters and a fine male Bullfinch, something of a scarcity these days, flew over us. A Common Toad crossed the path in front and we mused over discarded oak apples. large bored exit holes in a dead conifer (probably the result of longhorn beetle action) and un-ripened bullace plums falling from the trees due to the extreme weather conditions of late.

In less than two hours we were back at the car park by the dam where an adult Green Woodpecker was waiting for us and we went our separate ways after a very pleasant wander and catch-up.

Neil McMahon

Great Crested Grebes.

Greylag Geese.

Great Crested Grebes.

Dubious duo in action!
Image courtesy of 
Helen Franklin.

Photo Competition

The much anticipated Club's Photographic Competition was again well supported and the winner of the Graham Soden Shield for the entry judged by the audience on the night goes to Dave Thomas for his Fieldfare photo taken in Northants. 

Dave also wins the Wendy Gossage Trophy for Photographer of the Year for his cumulative points total for photos placed in the top 3 across the categories. Well done Dave!

Thanks also to the judge, Peter Walmsley who commented on the high quality of shots and how difficult his decision was in choosing the top 3 from so many excellent photos. 

Well done to all who entered for making the night successful and enjoyable for photographers and non-photographers alike. 

The winning photos will be uploaded in due course. 

Fieldfare - Dave Thomas

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Robin courtesy of
Robin Gossage.

 

Next Indoor Meeting

Wednesday 4th December with a presentation on 'Spurn - Britain's best all round bird observatory and migration hotspot?' by Jacob Spinks, Spurn's Assistant Warden for this year. 'A year through the lens looking at the migration and birding at Spurn Bird Observatory, situated at the mouth of the River Humber on the East Yorkshire coast. The talk details all the fantastic rarities and recorded passage of commoner migrant birds, as well as how to stay and when to get the most out of your visit.'

Yellow-browed Warbler (Dave Jackson)

Change of Speaker

Our speaker for the meeting this Wednesday has, unfortunately, come down with Covid. Instead we're hastily putting together a presentation from last year's Bird Club trip to The Gambia, unmissable for those who went and for those who didn't. 😎

Hope to see you all there. 

Bird Club Photographic Competition - New Rules

It's the time of year when some of our keen photographers start thinking about their images to be entered into the Club's photographic competition in February. Some organised folk will have a folder with photos edited for their final choice nearer the deadline.

To encourage more members to enter we've relaxed the rules to allow photos taken since 2021 and not just the current year in any category. This will allow those who haven't travelled abroad in 2024 to enter photos in the relevant categories going back over the last 3 years. I'm sure some of you may have wished you'd entered a different photo or two having seen the winning category entries and this will allow more flexibility in your final choice.

We've decided to move with technology and allow HDR and stacked photos to be entered across the categories although it's assumed this will be more suited to landscapes, plants & fungi and insects rather than birds. The cloning and editing rules remain the same.

There will be an additional trophy, Bird Club Photographer of the Year for the photographer who has the highest score based on positions gained e.g. if a member entered just 5 or 6 photos and they were all placed in the top 3 positions they would achieve a higher score than someone who'd entered the maximum 24 photos and only achieved one 1st place and one 2nd place.

The rules on the Digital Photographic Competition page will be updated before the next meeting along with a reminder of how to submit entries following a few issues last year, the main ones being;

1. Entries must be emailed as attachments to the email, not imbedded within the mail.
2. The individual entries should be titled to indicate the category they are entered for. Or, a separate text list be included, listing the details of the photo and the intended category.

The 1.5mb file size limit will remain as higher files sizes might not send by email although files slightly oversize won't be rejected from entering. If you have any doubt about how your images will look on the big screen download a few onto a USB stick and try it on the TV at the next Bird Club meeting you attend, (providing it doesn't hold up proceedings) or on your own smart TV. 

For anyone who hasn't entered before, for whatever reason, remember - it's not the winning it's the taking part that counts!

August Indoor Meeting

Nik Shelton from Wildlife Trust BCN gave an inspiring talk about a potential new reserve just over the border in Bedfordshire - Strawberry Hill. Some members may have visited during its early years when the land owner decided to cease farming and leave it to nature which in turn attracted Short-eared and Barn Owls amongst many other species.

More recently the habitat has attracted Nightingales and Turtle Doves in good numbers and Nik told of the enormous potential that this type of habitat could bring - but there's a catch. Part of the area has been secured through funding but 74 hectares remain at risk. The Trust need to raise 1.5 million to purchase the remainder and they're asking for help.

Any members wishing to help this very worthwhile cause can donate here;

https://www.wildlifebcn.org/strawberryhillappeal

Turtle Dove courtesy
of Dave Jackson.

Obituaries

It is with sadness that I inform readers of the passing of two Bird Club members;

 

Chris Coe, who was a long-standing member and an active county birder for more than half a century. One of Chris’s best finds and one yet to be repeated was a Little Bittern at Hollowell Reservoir in 1973.

 

Wendy Gossage was an active member of the Bird Club and with her husband, Robin, joined many trips at home and abroad including South Africa and Northumberland where the photo of Wendy and Chris was taken in 2014. Wendy recently lost her brave fight with cancer and will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.

 

Our thoughts go out to the family and relatives of Chris and Wendy.

Outdoor Meeting 3rd July

Hello

The July outdoor meeting venue was the MOD site at Yardley Chase and on Wednesday 3rd July fifteen members met there and enjoyed a meander around ably lead by club chairman Bob Gill.

Swallows and a Kestrel met us at the entrance and Common Buzzard and a variety of common birds spiraled around during the muster.

A two hour wander on tracks admiring ancient oaks and a good deal of secondary mixed woodland interspersed with meadows and managed headlands was much enjoyed in the evening sunshine, the best part of the day.

Two Slowworms (very localised in Northants) and lots of tiny froglets entertained and Marsh Tits and Blackcaps called from the scrub and light woodland. It was the wrong time of day for butterflies but Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites were well picked out as they rested in the grasses. A pair of Bullfinches is becoming a too infrequent sighting these days and a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were flighty and vocal.

Bob was able to explain some history of the area including the buildings and numerous ponds and also the more recent habitat management in tandem with continued MOD interests and local farmers.

A Common Newt was available for examination towards the end of the walk and further birds included Jay, Goldfinch, Mistle Thrush and Song Thrush.

Our thanks to Bob for organising access to this restricted area and leading the walk.

Neil M

Muntjac.

Marbled White.

Marsh Tit.

Photographic Competition - Winners 2023

Congratulations to Pete Gilbert for his wining shot of a Eurasian Wren taken in Northants. Pete also took 1st in 2 further categories almost on his doorstep proving anyone can get their name on the shield, not just us globetrotters! 

https://northantsbirdclub.blogspot.com/p/photographic-competition-winners-2023_19.html

Photographic Competition

The annual photographic competition is one of the most anticipated and well-attended meetings in the Bird Club calendar.

This year it will be held in the usual venue on Wednesday 7th February and we will be showing the photos on a large screen television following feedback that the quality of the entries surpass the resolution of a projector and screen. I'm guessing there could be a selection of entries from the Club's recent trip to The Gambia. 

We may dig deep and purchase a TV for all our indoor meetings if deemed a success and have enough funds in our coffers. Have your say on the night - see you there. 

Merry Christmas!

With 2023 coming to a close, it is great to see that the club was again able to hold regular meetings and events and we were 'back to normal' after the complications and concerns that the Covid epidemic created during the last couple of years. This included an opportunity to re-run the annual photographic competition, car trips, the summer BBQ and summer evening excursion, our monthly presentations and recently the very successful foreign trip to the Gambia in search of exotic wildlife.

The programme for 2024 is coming together although there are still a few dates to confirm with speakers, and we hope to run events as normal in the coming year. The first presentation of the year will be a zoom presentation by globe-trotting Matt Eade, a Naturetrek staff member and tour leader who will be presenting on the Wildlife of Antarctica, the Falklands and South Georgia. This talk is on the evening of Wednesday 3rd January 2024 and all being well members will be able to enjoy the presentation on line from the comfort of home by way of an emailed link. Please do not turn up at our meeting venue of the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Reservoir as it will be shut!

With Christmas nearly upon us and the New Year just around the corner, the committee would like to wish the membership and all our supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The Gambia

The recent Bird Club trip to The Gambia, returning for the first time as a club since our inaugural visit in 2000, was a remarkable success. 

African Finfoot, Egyptian Plover and a few rarities e.g. Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Spotted Thick-knee and Spotted Honeyguide made the bird list while Patas Monkey and African Clawless Otter were unexpected sightings. 

 

Butterflies were plentiful whilst mosquitoes, thankfully, were few and far between!

 

Full report courtesy of Chairman Bob to follow.

African Finfoot

   

Egyptian Plover

African Clawless Otter

The Gambia; Place Available 28th November - 5th December

We have a place available on the upcoming Bird Club trip to The Gambia where we will travel inland to search for specialities such as Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Bateleur and Egyptian Plover.

Please contact Bob Gill a.s.a.p. if interested.

Outdoor Evening Meeting 5th July 2023

Hello

Our outdoor meeting at Harlestone Lake was attended by sixteen members and we took a gentle walk around the village and lake on a pleasant summer evening. Birds were scarce but a Jay was spotted by the lake and the local Mute Swans and Coots had produced youngsters. Some large Common Carp lounged around in the shallows.

Song Thrushes were singing loudly and the cherry trees were fruit providers for them and the local Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes. Woodpigeons were the most high profile birds and a Treecreeper called from dark woodland with two Goldcrests singing from the canopy. Distant Red Kites and a fly-past of Jackdaws preceded a flock of Common Swifts quickly multiplying in numbers as they fed over the mature plantations. A couple of noisy Magpies were accompanying a field of bullocks and a Muntjac was on the grassy track ahead of us.

A couple of lingering Lesser Black-backed Gulls were interested in something nearby as we strolled past the traditional thatched cottages, water pump and village hall and threaded our way back over the golf course. Ancient Oaks and Sweet Chestnuts looked superb and a stand of hemlock dwarfed us all. Walking through St Andrews churchyard and back to the car park, a baby Tawny Owl called from laurels and taller trees but couldn't be seen. A quiet and serene summer's evening drew to a close and we motored home.

Neil M

Common Swift.

Muntjac.

Harlestone cow.

The Year So Far

 We started off the year with a very good turnout for a talk by club member and tour guide, Neil McMahon  as he recounted his love for the Isle of Scilly where he and Eleanor have been visiting for a good number of years finding some excellent birds over time.

February's meeting was the popular Club's photographic competition with new judge, Peter Walmsley giving expert advice and choosing the winners in each category. Those present on the night voted for the overall winner and it was that man again getting his name on the Graham Soden shield for the 5th time. ☺️

https://northantsbirdclub.blogspot.com/p/photographic-competition-winners-2023.html

In March we had the AGM and Richard Bashford entertained us with his tales from Morocco and who wouldn't agree with Richard that Hoopoe Lark is the best lark of all?

The thoughts of Chairman Bob were shared in April as he recounted the Club's trip to Extremadura and the fabulous wildlife in this unspoiled part of Spain. Most enjoyable. 

Also in April, some lucky members managed to drag themselves away from the county to sample the delights of Lesbos and a talk will surely be in the making to make us all jealous of their intrepid trip.

Ever popular with our members and a member himself, Jeff Blincow gave us an insight to the MOD site, Yardley Hastings, in May where few have dared or been allowed to tread. "I'm not allowed to talk about that" was a recurring statement making this out-of-bounds locality even more intriguing. 

Fabulous food (so the chef says) and a warm and beautiful evening made for a good turnout for our June barbecue. The sunset was as good as the food, and that's saying something, apparently. 

That's half the year gone, keep checking the programme page for events in the coming months and join in the fun. Look forward to seeing you again soon. 

Pitsford sunset with Common Coot - Dave J. 

January Meeting

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2023. 

The Bird Club calendar kicks off with the first indoor meeting of the new year with a talk by our very own Neil McMahon as he recalls his and Eleanor's many sojourns to the Isles of Scilly in autumns past. 

What do they and many other British rarity hunters find so attractive about this archipelago to make the stomach-churning boat journey 3 hours off the west coast of Cornwall? Come along and find out. 

Members and non-members welcome.

http://northantsbirdclub.blogspot.com/p/programme.html

Yellow-browed Warbler, an arrival from Siberia and often seen on the Scillies in autumn. This one and another are currently wintering near Summer Leys, Northants.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

🎄🎅🤶⛄❆

Robin.

Digital Photographic Competition

A reminder that the closing date for entries to the Club's photographic competition is December 20th. Please make a note in your diaries for February 1st when this most anticipated meeting will be held to select the winner.

Good luck to all who enter. 

https://northantsbirdclub.blogspot.com/p/photographic-competition-rules.html

Wader Quest AGM

The on-line Wader Quest AGM held on Sunday 27th November highlighted the issues waders are facing around the world. We're very familiar with the plight of the Eurasian Curlew and its decline and Wader Quest fund several important studies for other waders including Wilson's Plover, Nordmann's Greenshank and Spoon-billed Sandpiper. 

It was particularly sad to hear that the population of Spoon-billed Sandpiper, the original Wader Quest project, is declining at a rate of 8% a year and numbers have halved in the last 5 years to fewer than 250 individuals. The captive breeding programme is no longer operational as there are no females and the likelihood of taking adult birds from the wild seem highly unlikely given the situation with Russia.

All the effort to save this species from extinction seems to have been in vain as Spoon-billed Sandpipers could be extinct in the wild by 2035 if current declines continue, a terrible state of affairs. 

On a more positive note, the Chinese government have halted all land-grabs which will help protect vital wetland habitats of Nordmann's Greenshank, one of only three tree-nesting waders and the only one to build its own nest. 

The Bird Club continues to sponsor Wader Quest and the excellent work they do and individual membership is available at just £10 a year.

https://www.waderquest.net/join-us/

Eurasian Curlew - Dave Jackson

The Bird Club Photographic Competition and Trip to The Gambia 2023

Calling all photographers - It's that time of year when we start looking ahead to 2023 and one of the most anticipated meetings is the annual photographic competition. We have a new judge and we've made some changes so please read through the rules carefully and start getting those winning shots edited! 

https://northantsbirdclub.blogspot.com/p/photographic-competition-rules.html

Great Egret - Matthew Hazleton, 2022 winner

The Gambia 2023

Our first and last Club trip to The Gambia was organised by Dave Thomas way back in the year 2000 and led by Clive Barlow who helped put this small African country on the birding map.

A few things have changed since then; they have a new president, a new river bridge and a new tarmac road all the way up country. The trip will be based on the Naturetrek tour and will include all food, water, transportation and reserve entrance fees for a shorter 8 day trip. 

Dates have yet to be finalised and will likely be end of November into December to give us the best chance of seeing what is arguably the best wader in the world, Egyptian Plover as well as many of the country's colourful rollers, bee-eaters and sunbirds.

Beautiful Sunbird - The Gambia, Dave Jackson

Places are going rapidly so if you're interested, please let Bob know at the next meeting.

Talking of which, Matthew Capper, a Naturetrek leader will be giving us a talk entitled Birding Florida on Wednesday 2nd November, see you there.

Kelmarsh Hall Evening Walk

Hello

Yesterday evening was the club's outdoor meeting at Kelmarsh Hall. Sixteen members met up for 7pm and we took a gentle stroll to look at the Orangery, the stunning Walled Garden and further afield around the trees next to the River Ise and the lake and then a walk back up to the Hall building itself. It was rather breezy and cloudy but the sun broke through on several occasions and it turned out to be a very pleasant walk. After looking at the Orangery and hearing how birding on the estate helped to finance the rebuild, we walked towards the Walled Garden and saw a small group of Purple Hairstreak butterflies battling against the breeze around tall oak trees. Once inside the garden a Scarlet Tiger moth showed nicely in flight and birds included Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Blue Tit and Chiffchaff with brief views of Nuthatch and Blackcap.

Ravens were heard calling some distance away and a family party of Spotted Flycatchers in the mature trees towards the river initially were difficult to see but then a couple of juveniles showed nicely and proved their adeptness at already catching their own insects. Down by the river and lake we heard Kingfisher, Treecreeper and Goldcrest but they remained hidden. A wary female Gadwall hid her ducklings in waterside vegetation and another female posed before flying off. A Common Buzzard and a distant Brown Hare were further wildlife on show as we walked the edge of the main lake, seeing a Grey Heron and two flying Little Egrets as we did so. The pair of Mute Swans had an excellent brood of eight cygnets. A Kingfisher shot past Richard and calling birds included more Blackcaps and Nuthatches with a couple of House Martins and a Swift overhead.

A little further on and the members ahead had the Kingfisher perched up and we were all fortunate to see it sitting in a part-submerged branch albeit at some distance. We talk a walk up the slight incline towards the Hall and one of the adult Spotted Flycatchers showed very nicely. At the Hall we saw a female Blackbird carrying food for her youngsters and one of the items in her bill was a still wriggling Scarlet Tiger moth!

I think we all enjoyed our two hour dawdle on a reasonable summer evening in the peaceful environment of Kelmarsh Hall gardens and grounds!

Regards

Neil M

Members in action courtesy
of John Hunt.

British White Cattle.

The 'Ugly Duckling'...

...and proud Dad!

Kelmarsh Church.

The Wildlife of Finnmark - our first 'live' meeting since 2020!

Hello

At last, our first 'live' meeting since 2020! Please join us at the Fishing Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir on Wednesday 4th May 2022 when club member and all round wildlife guru Jeff Blincow will be presenting his talk on 'The Wildlife of Finnmark'. This is the most northerly and easterly part of Norway and the illustrations will reflect on some of the wildlife highlights of this special region.

The meeting commences at 7.30pm and we will again be providing hot drinks and biscuits on arrival which will be available just outside our usual entrance so as not to cause a bottleneck and provide a free flow access and egress to the building (plus more ventilation than normal).

We want to be social but responsible and for everyone to feel comfortable back in our club venue surroundings. 

The club committee welcomes you back!

Neil M

Drake Eider.

Arctic Skua.

New Visitors' Centre at Summer Leys

The new Wildlife Trust BCN visitors' centre is now open, details in the link below. Amongst activities planed there will be an Opticron 'try before you buy' optics event on April 7th and with Jack Snipe and up to four Garganey there now might be a good time to visit! 

 https://www.wildlifebcn.org/news/new-summer-leys-visitor-centre

https://www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2022-04-07-try-you-buy-optics-event-summer-leys

Female Garganey, Summer Leys April 5th 2022. Dave J.

Members' Photographic Competition

For anyone who missed the Bird Club’s photographic competition or if you’d like to view again the Zoom link is here (Passcode: *hsfQx5F)

Unfortunately, not all the submitted photos were included for judging and the committee would like to apologise to anyone who entered photos that were missed from the competition. If those affected would like to send their missing images to davidjac (@) mac.com they'll be posted on the home page. We’re taking steps to ensure the same doesn’t happen next year when we should be back to our normal face-to-face meetings.

Many thanks to Jeff for judging the competition, it’s always a difficult and thankless task with so many excellent photos entered, and well done to Matt Hazleton who gets his name on the Graham Soden Shield for the second time. 

Winning entries here 

Missed photos;

Goldeneye, Black-headed Gull, Stonechat and Little Stint. Birds in Northants by Robin Gossage

Fly Agaric, Plants & Fungi by Dave Jackson

Pheasant and Fox Cub, Birds or Animals in Their Environment by Dave Jackson

Two Events For Your Diaries

Bird Club Photographic competition, Wednesday 9th February and an exhibition in Northampton Museum - 10 Years of the British Wildlife Photography Awards

https://www.northamptonmuseums.com/directory-record/434/