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Take a little time to browse our pages and discover what goes on where and when in our area. Within our pages you can also find out who does what locally. If you would like to contribute anything to any of our pages, including your favourite picture from where you live in our area, please follow the links on the Contact Us page. We would love to carry all the info for your local club or association and best of all, it’s all for free!

The map on the left is fully navigable plus you can zoom in and out by using the controls in the top left corner and if you view the larger map you can enter street view by dragging the little yellow person onto the map to where you want to view and go for a virtual walk around our streets and lanes.

Show Time!

HOLLOWELL BIRDING NOTES – THE MARSH HARRIER

Marsh Harriers breed almost exclusively in large reed beds, but they can be seen in very varied habitats and widespread locations. In Northamptonshire, Marsh Harriers are scarce or uncommon visitors in most years, but records are increasing in frequency and becoming more widespread, with birds now often seen regularly away from more typical large wetland sites. In recent weeks I have seen them on several occasions at Hollowell Reservoir. At Borough Hill near Daventry a couple of weeks ago, I watched one drift high over the hill heading south and I recently saw a male bird from my back garden as it flew over Hollowell village towards Creaton.

Across Europe there is a migratory population of Marsh Harriers which breed in late spring across the continent and into Russia, moving south to spend the winter in Africa. There is also a resident population in western Europe and the British Isles. Immature and non-breeding birds from this population can be nomadic in their movements and therefore appear away from typical wetland reedbed habitats. They will often feed in cultivated areas and in open, dry country; I have seen them in recent years in late summer on recently mowed meadows, often associating with commoner raptors such as Buzzards and Kestrels.

Marsh Harriers have two main distinct plumage types. Adult males usually appear multi-coloured and contrasting, with separate areas of brown, silver-grey and black feathers. Female and juvenile birds are chocolate brown overall, with cream on the crown, chin and upper forewings. Juvenile birds may appear very dark brown overall: good views will also reveal pale feather fringes. There can be some variation within these types, as there are pale and dark morphs or forms. Birds moulting between juvenile and adult plumage can show characteristics of both main types. An extreme example of this plumage variation has been evident locally this year, with two young leucistic birds being seen in many locations across our region after fledging at the Otmoor RSPB reserve in Oxfordshire. These birds exhibit a remarkable combination of black and white plumage. One of these striking individuals was seen recently in Northamptonshire at the Wildlife Trust reserve at Lilbourne Meadows.

Marsh Harriers can be mistaken for other medium to large raptors, but with experience of the combination of plumage types and structural differences they are usually distinctive. Often as large as a Buzzard, but with relatively longer and slimmer wings and tail; and a different flight action, often quartering low over their hunting grounds with sudden changes of direction and height, or gliding or soaring with their wings held in a shallow ‘V’.

Marsh Harriers are not known to have recently bred in Northamptonshire, but with plenty of suitable habitat along the Nene Valley, it seems likely that they will do before long. Meanwhile, it’s worth keeping an eye out, these impressive birds can turn up across the year almost anywhere in our region.

Jon Cook  https://joncookbirding.wordpress.com

The SSPPG is a collaborative team of Patients and Practice Staff, including GPs and Practice Management. Our meetings are held quarterly and alternate between Brixworth and Guilsborough Surgeries. We meet to review issues and identify ways of assisting the practice in its effort to improve the services available. The next meeting will be held at Guilsborough Surgery on Wednesday 20th November at 5.30pm. New members are always welcome.

Health Walks will take place on the third Monday of each month. The October Health Walk is on Monday 21st.at Brampton Halt, Pitsford Road, Chapel Brampton, Northampton NN6 8BA.November Health Walk is on Monday 18th.at The Stag, Harborough Road, Maidwell, Northampton NN6 9JA.Both walks will be 60 mins, starting at 11.00am.To order food for lunch please select your menu choice in the pub from 10.30am. The Walk Leader will be Leader Rosemary Ward.

Flu Jabs and Covid Boosters will be available from October 3rd and will be given at Guilsborough and Brixworth Surgeries to eligible groups. Saxon Spires website will have the details and dates of the sessions offered.

www.saxonspires.co.u

Cottesbrooke resident Aimee Cole was presented with the inaugural Yvonne Daws Trophy by show organiser Derek Daws for her stunning Dahlia 'Labyrinth'. The trophy is in memory of Yvonne, who was known for her love of flowers and who sadly passed away earlier this year. More show news on Cottesbrooke’s Village News page.

Attention Christmas Creatives!

No competition this year, but the Editors would welcome your festive-themed pictures, photos, or poems for the December/January edition. Please send an email to editorial@villagelink.org by 4th November.

Mark Revitt Smith

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Mark Revitt Smith, born in Ravensthorpe, and long time resident of Guilsborough. For many years, Mark coordinated the distribution of Village Link, until ill health prevented him from continuing . Mark was both well known and well-liked in the community. His funeral was held at St Etheldreda’s Guilsborough on Wednesday 28th August. His family kindly provided us with an excerpt of the Eulogy and some of the wonderful photos shared that day.

See Guilsborough’s Village News Page.

Cold Ashby’s Andrew Bott was crowned supreme champion this year in the village produce show. He made a clean sweep winning the Best in Show Produce Cup, The Dave Penney Man Cake Cup and The Best Cake in Show. Congratulations! More show news on Cold Ashby’s Village News page.

PUZZLE SECTION

HOW MANY HIDDEN CREATURES CAN YOU FIND IN THIS STORY?

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

Last year saw our ship posted to Oslo, then on to Stockholm. After our boat had docked I went to Tornado go-karting. We can't risk unkind words but it's quite a battle, murdering each other. Russia came last!

I like humbugs and find a few ease long journeys. Winning the trophy enabled me to buy a big bag, which was good, what with the price of myrrh I now expect to pay. It was cast from a gold ingot.

Later, at last, I found a shop that does nails and screws, but I could not get the mop or cup I needed. When I'm next in Bangor I'll ask if they have a tap I require and get a pen and a new dustpan there and also buy a king size bradawl .

Unfortunately, when the smoke wisp I'd erred in not reporting earlier, got lots of oxygen, it turned into a blaze and the flaming old building was reduced to ashes.

In Meldon Keynes I was molested when passing by a drab bit of wall. A bystander had a go at me and tried to grab the rucsac owned by my brother.

I was practising my sermon key points and was loth to stop so, 'Splat!' I pushed him over and Jack also put the boot in.

Working in the church I was peeling off a coating of emulsion when I found some lost richly decorated wall paintings and I asked my mother to bring me the anti-germ spray I could do with, or send it to deal with the fungi Raf fetched up attacking.

Rather than having just oats for breakfast I enjoy a bowl of muesli. On top I like to add Eric's sliced apples and some big nuts. Both are delicious.

I find it helps if I crib exams even though I wrote an essay on how to stop igloos being built on thin ice whilst using stoves with Camping Gaz. Ellen, my teacher, suggested I change 'on' to 'at' or to 'is', even though 'on' looked fine to me.

My new farce, with a really chic Kenyan girl in, got terrific reviews, though they made er-rors in printing the programme, and round Rome Daryl went the wrong way to the thea-tre.

I had to fly to Africa this evening, and I wanted to stop and admire the new terminal build-ings. I had tried to ask if I could transfer returned tickets when someone cried, 'A bomb is on board!', and my bad German wasn't much help.

Yesterday had been my birthday. I put the lasagne in the micro, cod I left on the fridge, and we partied till late with help from Lyn, xylophonist extraordinaire. Whilst I played the ukulele, phantom dancers flitted though the bushes and a servant eloped with our local French teacher. It proved to be a very good evening.

By Roger Brandon -Jones

HOW GOOD IS YOUR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE?

Q1 In which of our local villages was Amphylis Twigden, great-great-grandmother of George Washington, first President of the United States, born?

Q2 Which of our village churches was featured in the Royal Mail’s 2020 Christmas stamp collection, with its beautiful stained glass nativity window?

Q3 Which village is home to a thriving Buddhist Centre and café?

Q4 A former resident from which village was incarcerated in the infamous Colditz prison camp during WW2, sharing a double bunk with Wing Commander Douglas Bader?

Q5 Which village’s 17th century manor house was home in 1933 to Captain Robert Treeck, a Baron and German agent, reporting directly to Hitler, who vanished abruptly in September 1939?

Q6 Which village features in Simon Jenkins’ popular book ‘England’s Thousand Best Houses’?

Answers on our Contact Us page