Month: October 2020

Unseasonally high temperatures borne out of prolonged and blustery south-westerlies resulted in little change to the birdscape … unless, of course, you were a golfer.

Only time will surely tell but it’s looking like at least seven Pink-footed Geese have opted for Hollowell Res as a favoured wintering area this year and if the female Ruddy Shelduck follows last year’s tack she, too, looks set to remain there into the winter months. Another Pink-footed Goose was seen flying west with a sizeable flock of Greylags over Ecton SF on 30th. This week also saw the arrival of a number of Red-crested Pochards at three localities, with five visiting Summer Leys LNR on 27th, eight at Pitsford on 28th increasing to fifteen the following day and at least eleven still present on 30th. A drake was also at Stanwick GP on the last of these dates.

Over the years, the number of scarce and rare birds found on golf courses is legend – a prime example in more recent times appearing in the shape of an invitingly attractive Cream-coloured Courser – an apt name, if ever there was – at Herefordshire’s Kington GC, in May 2012, many local birders making the trip to see it. While Northants is unable to lay any comparable claims, what appears to have been a flock of five Glossy Ibises flying south-west over Kingsthorpe GC, last week, on the morning of 22nd, almost qualifies at a local level. Appearing at the height of a late autumn influx, which saw up to forty across southern Britain, including a flock of five in Hampshire on 20th, they would constitute the 6th county record, if accepted. Perhaps more of us should take up golf …

Back down to earth, up to six Cattle Egrets remained at Stanwick throughout, while Great Egrets maxed out with four at Hollowell on 26th and between one and two were seen at each of seven further localities. There was only one sighting of the wandering red wing-tagged juvenile female Marsh Harrier this week – again at Summer Leys on 26th.

In a the first waderless week for months and with only gulls to fall back on, Summer Leys also produced a Mediterranean Gull on 30th, the same date an adult Caspian Gull was found at Hollowell, the latter site also producing a Yellow-legged Gull on 26th and 30th, while another was also in the gull roost at Stanford Res on the first of these two dates.

Back over at Stanwick, a Jackdaw showing characteristics of the nominate race monedula – a white collar worker from Scandinavia, colloquially know as Nordic Jackdaw – appeared among around one thousand ‘regular’ Jackdaws on 30th. The last one reported locally was at Stanford on Avon in February.

Stanwick was also one of five sites to hold between one and three Stonechats, with a further site, Hollowell, claiming the week’s maximum of five on 28th.

 

With winds predominantly from the south and sporadic heavy showers, one bird stood head and shoulders above the crowd, however, its visit to the county was short-lived …

Last week’s newly arrived mini-flocks of eight and four Pink-footed Geese at both Hollowell Res and Thrapston GP, respectively, remained throughout the period, while the re-emergence of the female Ruddy Shelduck at Hollowell on 20th broke a three-week absence from the site. Once again, Thrapston produced more Common Scoters, a female and two drakes on Town Lake, briefly, on 19th.

Up to ten Cattle Egrets lingered at their favoured locality, Stanwick GP, throughout, while Great Egrets were found at nine sites, with a maximum of five at Summer Leys LNR on 18th.

Summer Leys also hung on to its red wing-tagged juvenile female Marsh Harrier until at least 22nd.

Waders were down to just single Black-tailed Godwits visiting Summer Leys on 17th and Hollowell Res the following day, the latter site also producing a third-winter  Caspian Gull on 23rd, while another, or the same, visited Daventry CP on 18th. One to two Yellow-legged Gulls were found at three sites which included Hollowell Res, Priors Hall and Willowbrook Industrial Estate (both Corby), while at least ten were present at Thrapston GP on 19th.

Back on dry land, this week’s token Merlin, a juvenile, was hunting farmland between Quinton and Preston Deanery on 22nd. However, the period’s biggest bombshell was the discovery of a first-winter Dartford Warbler in a private garden in Blakesley, where it remained for no longer than ten minutes, on 17th. This is only the fifth record for the county and the first for ten years (full details here).

And autumn wouldn’t be autumn without at least one Ring Ouzel but the one arriving this week was not at any of the traditional localities. Discovered eating Rowan berries in Brampton Ash on 22nd and remaining secretive, it was believed to have been present in the area for a few days prior to this date.

Stonechats maintained a high profile, being seen at seven localities, with no more than three birds at any one of these. And in what has turned out to be an extremely good autumn for Crossbills, four sites produced birds this week, with twelve seen flying south near Kirby Hall, Deene, on 18th, one at Weldon on 19th, fifteen in Bucknell Wood on 22nd and one flying west over Tiffield the following day.

While things were hot on the coast from a birding perspective, a period of unsettled weather, backed largely by north-easterly winds, likely contributed to a gamut of goodies at a local level.

With flocks streaming south over coastal locations, the arrival of 8 Pink-footed Geese at Hollowell Res on 13th and three or four at Thrapston GP two days later, on 15th, was perhaps unsurprising but both were welcome discoveries, nonetheless.

The latter site also produced a female Common Scoter from 12th to 13th and – for the record, as well as something to keep an eye on – a Pochard x Ferruginous Duck hybrid on 16th. Although not overly scarce, there were many more Pintails around this autumn, particularly at Stanford Res, where sixteen were present at one point.

Further up the Nene Valley, Cattle Egrets hit an all-time high with eleven at Stanwick GP on 12th – a new Northants record. Great Egrets, too, raised their profile, doubling the number of sites they were reported from last week to ten, with Stanwick claiming the lion’s share of four on 15th.

Seemingly enjoying its prolonged stay, the red wing-tagged juvenile female Marsh Harrier moved south-west to Summer Leys, where it was seen on 11th and 14th, being joined there by a second individual on 16th. An unidentified ‘ringtail’ harrier sp., believed probably to be a Hen Harrier, was seen in flight over Harrington AF on 10th as it drifted north-west.

The proximity of the growing numbers of Common Cranes on the Nene Washes in Cambridgeshire recently (up to sixty-six in recent days), inspires hope that we will be seeing more locally as time advances. In this respect, two flying south over Crick on 14th becomes the fourth sighting this year, following records in the consecutive months of May, June and July.

Waders were understandably at a low ebb as we go deeper into the latter part of autumn, with just a single Black-tailed Godwit visiting Summer Leys on 11th and a Ruff at Clifford Hill GP the following day. So, too, the scarcer gulls were less frequently encountered, with a Yellow-legged Gull at Pitsford Res on 11th and a second-winter Caspian Gull at Hollowell on 13th, while no autumn would be complete without at least one late Arctic Tern. It duly flew east through Stanwick on 15th.

Away from the water, a Short-eared Owl was seen from an automobile passing close to Moulton Park on 15th – both were on the move at the time – and a Merlin flew low east over Harrington AF on 11th.

But if one species stole the award for ‘passerine of the week’, it was Woodlark. After a belated report of one in flight over Yardley Chase on 9th, another was seen flying over Cotton End Park, Long Buckby two days later, on 11th. Despite breeding no further away than Nottinghamshire and The Brecks, this species remains a truly difficult bird to catch up with in Northamptonshire and, offering the best chance, October is probably the prime month in which to try.

Meanwhile, at Borough Hill, the first-winter Black Redstart continued to remain faithful to the eastern yard area and fenceline of the summit compound until at least 14th, the same location producing the period’s maximum tally of six Stonechats on the same date, while seven further localities produced between one and four birds.

Borough Hill also produced what was surely a Northern Bullfinch – also on 14th. Despite the size and structure, along with those cool plumage features of pallid mantle and pinkish underparts, it was not heard to call and disappeared within minutes of its discovery.

Other ‘big’ finches are, of course, available and filling this slot, a Hawfinch was logged flying over Yardley Chase on 15th. Continuing the Fringillidae grand theme, a Mealy Redpoll was seen by the ringing group at Stanford Res on 10th but managed to evade capture. A second individual on 12th was not so lucky, subsequently departing the processing area sporting its own unique, shiny band, as well as leaving a trail of controversy in its wake.

Images published on social media had sceptics ‘dissing’ it as a pale Lesser Redpoll, without being in full possession of the biometric data, including size, weight, bill depth, as well as various plumage features not revealed in the photographs. Misidentify from photos in haste, repent at leisure, as they say. We’ve all been there … This week’s Crossbills were, unsurprisingly, all fly-overs and included a dozen or so moving west over Pitsford Res on 11th, twelve south over Stanwick on 12th and two north-east over Brackley on 14th. Autumn is far from over …

Backed by Atlantic westerlies, heavy rain was the order of the first part of the week, leaving its mark in the form of floodwater in many lowland areas. Temperatures dropped to below average and with the arrival of the first Whooper Swans, the county took another step closer toward winter …

In fact, this week’s wildfowl line-up took on a whole new identity with a distinctly coastal feel as five Dark-bellied Brent Geese touched down at Clifford Hill GP on 4th and an adult Whooper Swan arrived at Stanwick GP on 3rd, before quickly moving off east. Four more adults arrived at Summer Leys LNR on the afternoon of 7th but had departed by the following morning.

On 4th, it was clear that a sizeable movement of Common Scoters was taking place across the Midlands, with the landlocked counties of Derbyshire, Hertfordshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire each enjoying a slice of the cake. In Northants, we, too, received our own share when a drake splashed down on the main lake at Stanwick and four were mobile north of the dam at Pitsford Res.

Varying numbers of Cattle Egrets remained throughout at Stanwick, where the highest total of nine left their roost site early on 4th, while no more than two Great Egrets were seen at each of Ditchford GP, Pitsford, Stanford Res, Stanwick and Summer Leys.

A minor resurgence of Ospreys occurred this week, with singles reported at Stanford on 4th and at both Hollowell Res and Kislingbury GP on 8th and, completing the raptor line-up, the wing-tagged juvenile female Marsh Harrier was again at Ditchford on 5th and at Stanwick the following day.

The smouldering embers of shorebird migration burst briefly back into flame as waders, too, made a bit of an unexpected comeback, including three species which have put in lower than average appearances in the county this year. Two Grey Plovers were found on floodwater in the River Tove valley, near Grafton Regis, on 8th but their stay on the Northants side of the river was brief before they quickly defected to more appealing habitat on the Bucks side. At the same site, on the same date, a flock of four Spotted Redshanks – multiples being a minor miracle locally, these days – flew east and pitched down in Buckinghamshire, although their stay there was similarly brief. Further scarce, short-stayers in less contentious locations were two single Knots, which arrived and departed on the afternoon of 3rd on Summer Leys scrape and Pitsford Res dam. Runners up were five Black-tailed Godwits in flight over Stanford Res on 9th, one and then two, Ruffs at Stanwick on 5th and 9th respectively – plus one at Summer Leys on 6th – and a Greenshank at Clifford Hill GP on 4th.

The scarcer gulls continued to be in short supply, with an adult Mediterranean Gull plus a Yellow-legged Gull in the roost at Stanford on 5th, up to three Yellow-legged Gulls at Pitsford on 3rd and a third-winter Caspian Gull at Stanwick on the same date.

Turning to passerines, last week’s Borough Hill Black Redstart remained remarkably faithful to the eastern yard area and fenceline of the summit compound all week, the same location producing the period’s maximum tally of at least seven Stonechats on 9th, while between one and two of the latter were seen at Kettering, Stanford, Stanwick and Summer Leys, with the week’s only Northern Wheatear at Stanford on 5th.

Following two last week, another Rock Pipit paid an all too brief visit to the dam at Pitsford on 3rd, before being flushed. Sadly, the level of human disturbance in this area has increased significantly this year, making it far less appealing to birds and birders alike. Crossbills on the move this week included singles flying over Stanwick on 5th and 9th, five over Thrapston on 5th and one at Brookfield Plantation (Corby) on the same date.

A series of Atlantic-borne fronts brought a week of mixed, often showery, weather, culminating in a low pressure system, ‘Storm Alex’, delivering a strong easterly airstream off the continent throughout the final day of the period. The arrival of the first Redwings on 27th saw autumn enter another phase, while the week’s highlights appeared in the shapes of Black Redstart and Rock Pipit.

Now a long time part of the furniture, the female Ruddy Shelduck maintained its presence in the Hollowell/Ravensthorpe area until at least 27th and a Garganey was again at Pitsford Res on 29th. A ‘new’, or relocating, female Red-crested Pochard was found on 28th at Kislingbury GP, a site rapidly becoming engulfed by housing developments, and it was still present there on 1st.

A little deeper into suburbia and a Bittern emerged from a reedbed at Stortons GP on 29th, while up to six Cattle Egrets confined themselves to Stanwick GP until at least 30th. No doubt they will be there for a long time to come. Great Egrets were seen at Ditchford GP, Geddington, Hollowell, Naseby Res, Pitsford, Stanford, Stanwick, Summer Leys and Thrapston, with Pitsford again clocking up the maximum count of six on 28th-29th.

The wing-tagged juvenile female Marsh Harrier continued to roam the Nene Valley in the vicinity of the Ditchford/Stanwick lake complex and was still present on 30th.

Meanwhile, things looked grim on the wader front, with just a single juvenile Ruff at Pitsford on 27th and a juvenile ‘Tundra’ Ringed Plover at Daventry CP on 28th-29th. So, is it all over for another year? Time is fast running out for surprises …

Gulls, too, dwindled. A first-winter Mediterranean Gull visited Pitsford on 29th and Yellow-legged Gull numbers were down on previous periods, with one at Stanford on 26th and up to three at Pitsford all week. A Merlin was again seen at Harrington AF on 30th.

In the passerine camp, Borough Hill came up trumps with another Black Redstart on 1st – or had the last one there simply gone missing for nine days? A leap to the north-east of here, the elevated ground which is Harrington AF was one of only two localities to produce Common Redstart with one on 26th and 30th, while one was trapped at Stanford on 28th – the twenty-ninth to be ringed there this year.

In the absence of Whinchats, the number of Stonechats continued to climb, with records from Borough Hill, Bozenham Mill, Brampton Valley, Earls Barton GP, Hollowell, Kislingbury, Pitsford, Stanford and Storton’s GP, with a maximum of six at Hollowell on 29th and the same number at Borough Hill on 1st.

Northern Wheatear numbers fell further to just singles at Hollowell on 29th and Kislingbury on 30th-1st.

With a penchant for reservoir dams from late September into early October, Rock Pipits are now on the radar and the first for the year appeared briefly on the weathered concrete of Pitsford’s on 29th, followed quickly by another flying over Stanford’s the next day.  Crossbills clung on in the north of the county, with four flying over Kettering on 28th, around twenty at Wakerley Great Wood on 1st and six at nearby Fineshade Wood on the same date.