RUNNERS UP 5

Some more commended images from the N B Club Photographic competition.

This time some great shots from Dave Thomas.

Beefly

Bee eater

Whooper

Griffon Vulture

Super Squirrel

Hyena

Subscriptions Due!

Our membership year runs from April to March so subscriptions are now due. Rates are the same as last year:
Single membership £20
Family membership £30
Please make cheques out to 'Northants Bird Club'

Next Indoor Meeting 6th April

Hello

The next indoor meeting of the Northants Bird Club is on Wednesday 6th April 2016, our speaker being Paddy Jackson who will be presenting his subject on Barn Owl Biology/Ecology and the Northamptonshire Population.

With the intervention of enthusiasts to provide nesting sites and continuing a monitoring programme, the Barn Owl population locally has steadily grown in numbers. Paddy will be introducing us to some of the techniques employed and provide us with information on this iconic ghost of the countryside.

As usual the venue is the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Reservoir, situated just outside Holcot village on the Brixworth Road. We start the meeting at 7.30pm and hot drinks and biscuits will be available.

We would be delighted if non-members would like to join us!

Regards

Neil McMahon

Runners up 4

Some more fine Entries from the N B C photographic Competition.

Firstly from Dave Jackson, our overall Winner.

Spoonbill

Greenshank

Darter

Skylark

Starling

Tipula paludosa (Daddy Long Legs)

Hadley the Wood Mouse

And a force to be reckoned with in the future 14 year old Jacob Spinks...

Cirl Bunting

Gannet

Green Sandpiper

Mute Swan

And some Gripping stuff from Jeff Blincow.

Crested Lark

Diadem Sandpiper Plover

PUMA

Chilean Magnificent Beetle

Green Tortoise Beetle

Starred Agama

Orchis Troodii

BTO House Martin Survey

Hello

Ben Reeve has recently come on-board to assist the British Trust for Ornithology Northants representative Barrie Galpin, and one of his first tasks is to publicise the 2016 BTO House Martin Survey. This follows on from the preliminary work completed by volunteers last year, and again volunteers are sought to complete work within this fair county of ours.

http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/house-martin-survey

Ben can be contacted by email - benreeve@outlook.com - should you be able to assist...

Regards

Neil M

House Martin

DIVERSE AFRICA pt 2 The MAMMALS

This list compiled by Bob Bullock of the Top five favourite Mammals voted by the participants on the recent N B Club Trip to South Africa.

01 YELLOW MONGOOSE...............................................................................................29 VOTES

Robin Gossage

02 GEMSBOK.....................................................................................................................27 VOTES

Barry Boswell

03 LION................................................................................................................................24 VOTES

Bob Gill

Robin Gossage

04 LITTLE SPOTTED GENET.........................................................................................15 VOTES

05 BAT EARED FOX..........................................................................................................11 VOTES

06 CAPE FOX......................................................................................................................11 VOTES

Dave Jackson

07 LEOPARD.......................................................................................................................10 VOTES 

08 GIRAFFE........................................................................................................................05 VOTES

Barry Boswell

09 BLUE WILDEBEAST...................................................................................................05 VOTES

Barry Boswell

Robin Gossage

10 SPOTTED HYENA........................................................................................................04 VOTES

Bob Gill

11 GROUND SQUIRREL..................................................................................................04 VOTES

Bob Gill

Dave Jackson

12 BROWN HYENA...........................................................................................................03 VOTES

13 SPRINGBOK................................................................................................................. 03 VOTES

Bob Gill

Stotting  Robin Gossage

14 BRYDES WHALE..........................................................................................................02 VOTES

Bob Bullock

15 MOUNTAIN ZEBRA.....................................................................................................01 VOTES

16 SPRING HARE..............................................................................................................01 VOTES

17 BLACK BACKED JACKAL........................................................................................01 VOTES

Robin Gossage

Thank you Bob, for compiling these lists.

Thanks to all on the trip for you companionship and camaraderie .

Tour participants,

Barry Boswell, Bob Gill, Bob Bullock, David Arden, Dave Jackson, Dave Thomas, Julie Thomas,  John Price-Stephens, Ken Scales, Phill Horsenail, Tricia Woods, Wendy Gossage, Robin Gossage.

And what could have been

Aardvark pug print.

NBC Car Trip to Gloucestershire

Hello

Five of us migrated down to Gloucestershire today on the monthly car trip, starting with a brief stop to catch some views of the two Penduline Tits on the outskirts of Gloucester. Moving on to the Forest of Dean we encountered some Hawfinches at Parkend, three displaying Goshawks at New Fancy View and small numbers of Mandarin Ducks at Cannop Ponds. We drove to the nearby Symonds Yat Rock and watched plenty of Common Buzzards, Ravens and a Peregrine enjoying the weak sunshine and breeze.

We finished the day at Crabtree Hill back in the forest where we watched a Great Grey Shrike predating newts, a couple of pairs of Stonechat, a Goosander and several Crossbills.

Regards

Neil M

Penduline Tits

Hawfinch

Common Buzzard.

Displaying Raven.

Mandarin Ducks