The Week in Focus: 1st to 7th December 2012

This is the first in a new series of weekly reports which picks out the highlights from the past seven days – in this case 1^st-7^th December.

This month usually sees the beginning of a build up of scarcer wintering wildfowl but eight Dark-bellied Brent Geese which flew over Haselbech on 2^nd was a great, unexpected record for a species which normally only occurs as singles in late autumn. A first-winter drake Scaup was discovered on the fishing lake at Ditchford GP on the same date, being joined by another there on 5^th while an adult drake was seen off the dam at Pitsford Res the following day. Three ‘redhead’ Smew were found on the ‘small side’ at Ravensthorpe Res on 1^st and a drake had joined them by 7^th, while the highest count of the more common Goosander was eighteen at the now well established urban wintering site of Abington Park Lake, Northampton on 1^st.

A Bittern was found at Summer Leys on 2^nd and last month’s Great White Egret continued to show sporadically at Pitsford Res (and on adjacent floodwater at Holcot) throughout the week. The long-staying Black-necked Grebe, present since September, remained in the vicinity of the yacht club at Pitsford Res until at least 3^rd and a ‘ringtail’

Hen Harrier was watched hunting south of Weston on 1^st but subsequent searches failed to relocate it. Other scarce raptors included single Merlins at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 4^th and at Fineshade Wood and near Firmyn Woods CP the following day, while two Peregrines were at Fineshade Wood on 5^th with two more at Ditchford GP on the same date. A count of 17 Common Snipe at Ditchford GP on 2^nd was noteworthy when a single Redshank was also present there.

A first-winter Mediterranean Gull visited Pitsford Res roost on 4^th and an adult was at Ravensthorpe Res the following day, while an adult Caspian Gull was found at Sidegate Landfill an 5^th and a third-winter roosted at Pitsford Res on 6^th. The only Short-eared

Owl of the week was one at Harrington AF on 6^th and, braving the falling temperatures, a Chiffchaff was seen at Ravensthorpe Res on 5^th and 7^th and a male Central European Blackcap was feeding on crab apples in a Northampton garden throughout the week while a Stonechat – locally scarce this winter – was at Ditchford GP on 2nd.

As the week drew to a close, however, Waxwings began to move in in force. Twos were seen at Hanging Houghton and Sywell on 1^st and at Pitsford Res on 3^rd, with one at the latter site on 4^th when at least fourteen were found in Corby. Five were in Daventry on 5^th with, the next day, four or five at Byfield and one at Daventry CP but the week ended with thirty-one at Oundle, approximately thirty in Kettering (at Sainsburys supermarket) and ten in Wellingborough at Appleby Lodge Farm.

A Hawfinch was reported from Firmyn Woods CP on 2^nd and, apart from one at Hanging Houghton on 1^st, up to ten Bramblings were visiting Harrington AF to feed on wild bird food throughout the week.