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.