Newsround – 28th October to 3rd November 2023

Another week, another storm. This one, ‘Storm Ciarán’, swept across the country and out into the North Sea, bringing gale-force winds, heavy rain and disruption to many parts of southern Britain. Here, in Northants, we were lucky to avoid the mayhem but once again, though expectations were high and the English Channel was awash with Leach’s Petrels, there were no wrecked seabirds.   

There were, however, some rather smart new kids on the block this week. Firstly, though, dispensing with dodgy geese – the mentioning of which is little short of mandatory – a Barnacle Goose accompanied Canadas at Upton CP on 2nd and the Pink-footed Goose was still at Ravensthorpe Res on 28th.

The female or first-winter Ring-necked Duck remained at Thrapston GP, being seen at Titchmash LNR on 28th before temporarily disappearing and then resurfacing on Town Lake on 3rd. Pitsford Res this week was clearly making a bid to restore its former glory, producing two ‘redhead’ Red-breasted Mergansers on 3rd – just one of three top-notch birds to turn up there at the week’s end. Found in the morning, these two sufficed to offer a third bite of the cherry for local yearlisters, after two fleeting spring drake duos earlier in the year, at Daventry CP on 29th March and Pitsford on 10th April.

Also on 3rd, before the day was out, just prior to dusk Pitsford again came up trumps with the discovery of a Red-necked Grebe between Pintail Bay and The Pines. With a chequered history of appearances, Red-necked Grebe is a rare commodity these days. There was a run of records, annually, between 2014 and 2017, prior to which there was one in 2008. There has been none since.

Waders this week were, unsurprisingly, poorly represented. Aside from a late Common Sandpiper on Pitsford’s dam, on 3rd, last week’s Ruff remained at Summer Leys LNR until at least 30th.

Also keeping up appearances were Mediterranean Gulls. Last week’s adult was again in the roost at Stanford Res on 28th, while another adult was found in Boddington’s roost on 3rd. The same two roosts also produced Caspian Gulls – a first-winter in the one at Stanford on 1st and two adults at Boddington on 3rd. Elsewhere, a first-winter was in fields west of Chacombe on 28th and the regular adult remained at Hollowell Res throughout the period. Hollowell also held an adult Yellow-legged Gull on 28th, two adults visited Wicksteed Park Lake, Kettering on 1st and Pitsford – ever reliable for this species – provided sightings of an adult on 2nd and two adults and a first-winter on 3rd.

Pitsford’s run of goodies continued with another dusk discovery of a Great Northern Diver on 2nd. Alas, it was nowhere to be seen the following morning, almost mirroring the behaviour of last year’s pre-dusk drop-in on 11th November – the latter bird quickly vacating the site early the following morning.

And for the third time, our weekly one-day wonder, in the shape of the Nene Valley’s obviously highly mobile Glossy Ibis, decided on performing a tantalising flypast at Stanwick as the period drew to a close on 3rd. Where will it appear next and will it ever settle?

It also seems to be the case that Stanwick has stolen the Summer Leys crown, at least as far as Bitterns are concerned. After one was seen daily from 29th to 31st, the number rose to two there on 2nd and 3rd. The same site also held four Cattle Egrets on 28th, rising to six from 29th to 3rd. Elsewhere, one was reported at Summer Leys on 28th and another was found just west of Chacombe on the same date.

After a report of one at Summer Leys on 28th, a Marsh Harrier flew south over Titchmarsh LNR on 31st – a poor showing by recent standards.

But after none last week, Short-eared Owls were very much in the spotlight during the period. On 29th, two were at Harrington AF, one was near Blueberry Farm and one was reported near Helmdon. Following these, singles were seen near Welford and again at Harrington on 30th, at Upton CP on 2nd, and south of Naseby the next day.

Over the period, Merlin sightings came again from the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton on 1st and Hinton AF on 3rd.

Eleven localities produced Stonechats – up three on last week. These included Blueberry Farm, Brampton Valley, Clifford Hill GP, Earls Barton GP, Harrington, Hollowell, Lilbourne Meadows NR, Pitsford, Summer Leys, Sywell CP and Upton.

Last, but not least, a lone Crossbill was in Christie’s Copse at Pitsford Res on 2nd.