The Week in Focus: 16th to 22nd May 2015

Unremarkable weather conditions, with predominantly westerly winds, contributed little to an equally unremarkable week in terms of new arrivals.

Two Garganey appeared at Stanford Res on 17th, remaining there until 21st, while the Summer Leys Great White Egret put in a likely final appearance there on 21st. Single Ospreys also visited Summer Leys on 17th and Stanford Res on 20th and there was an unconfirmed report of two at Clifford Hill GP on 18th-19th, while Peregrines overflew Stortons GP on 17th and Queen’s Park, Northampton on 20th.

Little Ringed Plovers were seen at four localities and Ringed Plovers numbered nine at Hollowell Res on 18th with six there on 21st, while twos were at Stanwick GP and Summer Leys on 19th and 20th respectively and, also in the Nene Valley, a Whimbrel visited Thrapston GP on 20th. The same date produced a Black-tailed Godwit at Summer Leys – they have been very scarce this year – but wader of the spring to date was the Temminck’s Stint which showed itself briefly to just one observer at Stanford Res on the evening of 18th. Dunlin numbers rose to ten at Hollowell Res on 21st after six there on 18th and singles at Stanford Res on the same date and at Summer Leys on 16th. The only Common Sandpiper was also at Summer Leys on 16th, three Redshanks were there on the same date and one was at Thrapton GP from 20th to 22nd.

As the vegetation grew taller and ever more dense in the Summer Leys Black-headed Gull colony, the second-summer Mediterranean Gull became more difficult to see, although it was still present on 16th. Along the valley at Stanwick, the putative second-summer Azorean Gull continued to test and tantalise a handful of observers from 18th to 20th

and three Yellow-legged Gulls were present on 19th. The week’s only scarce passerine was a singing male Wood Warbler – the second of the spring – found at Pitsford Res on 22nd.