Newsround – 15th to 21st July 2023

While the unseasonal, topsy-turvy weather conditions persisted throughout the week, many eyes became focussed on a certain east coast Giga-rarity but Northants produced its own Mega in the shape of a fine adult Caspian Tern.

This week’s ducks deluxe, however, included the female Ruddy Shelduck remaining at Hollowell Res throughout and a Garganey at Daventry CP on 20th-21st, while last week’s female Red-crested Pochard stayed at Stanford Res until 17th. Another Red-crested Pochard – this time a drake – visited Pitsford Res on 20th.

The fourth Common Quail of the year was a male heard singing at Stanford early in the morning of 20th. Audible from the dam car park, it was still present later in the evening and, unlike the previous three, offering a sound opportunity for those who wanted to catch up with it. It was not heard the following day.

From pristine spring adults to tanned summer juveniles, this year has been pleasingly awash with Black-necked Grebes and, out of last week’s four at Thrapston GP, an adult and a juvenile stayed on until at least 17th. Another juvenile also appeared at Stanford on 15th, while an adult turned up at Pitsford for the last two days of the week.

In contrast to last week, wader numbers were slightly down, and included just a single Black-tailed Godwit at Summer Leys on 16th-17th. Remarkably, feathers from both a juvenile and an adult Black-tailed Godwit were identified as remnants of a Peregrine’s prey at a site in north Northamptonshire during the week, as were tail feathers from a Bar-tailed Godwit.

In at the eleventh hour, a Ruff was found at Summer Leys on the evening of 21st, a Greenshank visited Hollowell Res on 20th-21st and two Sanderlings were reported from Clifford Hill GP on 19th.

Larids this week were restricted to Yellow-legged Gulls with one at Ditchford GP on 15th and two visiting Stanwick on 18th. On past form, numbers appear likely to build at the latter site as we move further into the autumn.

But never mind gulls as bird of the week, by a country mile, was the county’s seventh-ever Caspian Tern – a well-earned discovery by the County Recorder at Hollowell Res on the evening of 18th. Unfortunately for everyone else, the bird took to the air within a minute of its discovery and headed off high north. Alas, it did not return. Despite a wide gap in occurrence dates for the last one, in 2020, it was considered to be the same individual wide-ranging across the UK. The current year has proven to be a good one as far as this species occurring in the UK is concerned.

On the raptor front, Marsh Harriers came squarely to the fore with singles at Clifford Hill GP on 19th, Summer Leys on 19th-20th and at Harrington AF on 21st.

Propping up the passerines this week was Common Redstart, a series of sightings comprising singles at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 15th, Woodford Halse NR on 17th and at both Harrington AF and Stanford Res the following day – the latter trapped and ringed. Multiples included three at the traditional site around the Percy Pilcher Monument at Stanford on Avon on 20th, three at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 21st and two at Harrington AF on the same date.