Newsround – 2nd to 8th December 2023

In an about-turn in the weather this week, a series of low-pressure systems off the Atlantic brought a rise in temperatures, accompanied by overall wet and windy conditions, curtailing a fair proportion of birding activity. Despite this, new birds were still being pulled out of the bag, including a few surprises …

A decent flock of forty-six Barnacle Geese arrived at Stanford Res on 5th but their stay was a short one, having departed by the next day. British ferals or from lands further north, their origin is open to debate.

Conversely, Hollowell Reservoir’s Pink-footed Goose remained settled throughout the period, the mixed goose flock there also being joined by the female Ruddy Shelduck on 6th, after being seen on 4th at Winwick Pools and returning there by the week’s end.

Two drake Red-crested Pochards appeared at Daventry CP on 4th, two visited Stanford Res the following day and last week’s trio of two drakes and a female remained at Pitsford Res until at least 6th. Also at the latter site, the first-winter drake Greater Scaup resurfaced on 5th-6th, having not been reported there for a week.

Clearly seeking pastures new, last week’s Common Scoter moved on from Pitsford, reappearing on 5th at Ravensthorpe Res, where it remained on show off the dam until the end of the period.

On the Larid front, an unseasonal visitor – at least to the county – was a first-winter Little Gull that arrived late in the day on 8th at DIRFT 3, where it briefly circled the area before departing to the east. The same date also saw a first-winter Mediterranean Gull turn up in the roost at Stanford. The usual two adult Caspian Gulls remained at Hollowell Res all week, while single adults were found at Daventry on 4th and in the roost at Boddington Res on 8th. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was also in the Boddington roost on the same date, following an adult and a first-winter at Pitsford on 5th and an adult there on 7th.

Sticking with Pitsford, the juvenile Great Northern Diver extended its stay, again remaining faithful to the area between The Narrows and the dam, until at least 7th.

Similarly settled, or so it would appear, Stanwick GP’s six Cattle Egrets were still in place at the end of the week, while another spotted at Wicksteed Water Meadows on 5th was again seen there on 8th.

Single Marsh Harriers flew east over Wellingborough Embankment on 2nd and north-east over Stanwick on 4th – in all likelihood, both sightings referring to the same individual.

While scarcer passerines were understandably few and far between, a Firecrest was discovered within a mobile tit flock at Summer Leys LNR on 3rd. Aside from any potential breeders during the summer, this would appear to be the only record in the county this year.

Borough Hill, Earls Barton GP, Hollowell, Pitsford, Summer Leys and Upton CP were the only localities to produce Stonechats this week, the single site maximum being eight at Hollowell on 3rd.

And, as for Crossbills, the number of sites was down from three adjacent woodland last week to just the one, Fineshade Wood, which held a respectable minimum of twenty birds in the vicinity of the Wildlife Hide on 25th.