Newsround – 6th to 12th April 2024

The new week opened up with Storm Kathleen which, although not designated high impact, shot strong south to south-westerly winds across our bows over the first two days. Immediately in its wake came Storm Pierrick, which was harsher than predicted, ushering in widespread heavy showers and a crop of new birds.

In fact, eight new summer visitors clocked in this week, of which the Lesser Whitethroat set a new record for the earliest arrival date in the county, the previous earliest having been on 10th April 2020.

At the same time, winter wildfowl numbers continued to diminish, although the first Garganeys since the Ditchford bird in February showed up, with a drake at Titchmarsh LNR on 7th, quickly followed by two at Stanwick GP the next day. Meanwhile, the female Ring-necked Duck chalked up another week on Ditchford’s Cotton Reel Lake and the drake Red-crested Pochard was still present at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North) at the week’s end.

While it was arguably slim pickings for waders this week, an Avocet remained throughout the day at Stanwick on 12th, offering a second bite of the cherry for those who missed out on the three short-stayers at Summer Leys last month.

Otherwise, it was left to single Black-tailed Godwits at Titchmarsh on 7th and 10th and at Clifford Hill GP and Summer Leys on 8th to keep spring wader passage afloat. Single Jack Snipes remained at Hollowell Res on 8th and in the Brampton Valley below Lamport on 8th and 10th.

Gulls, unsurprisingly, were at a low ebb. Single adult Yellow-legged Gulls were at Pitsford on 7th and 9th and an adult plus a first-summer were there on 10th. A Little Gull dropped into Summer Leys late in the day on 9th – probably a fallout from Storm Pierrick, as was the year’s first Arctic Tern at Clifford Hill GP on the same date. Keeping company with two Common Terns, it departed mid-afternoon and it seems logical to assume that these were the same three birds found further down the Nene Valley, at Thrapston GP, later in the day.

Only the second this year, a Sandwich Tern flew east, non-stop, over Stanford Res on 6th.

Cattle Egrets continued to be seen but only in ones and twos. One flew north-east over Stanwick on 6th and one was seen intermittently at Summer Leys between 7th and 11th, being joined by a second bird on the latter date. Two were found on Sladebrook Flood Works at Wicksteed Park, Kettering on 7th, while singles were seen flying west at Clifford Hill GP and – likely the same bird later – at Upton CP on 8th and one was at the Alpaca farm off Ditchford Lane on 12th.

However, nothing else this week measured up to the rarity that was the adult Purple Heron found at Stanford Res on the afternoon of 9th. Although initially unsettled, it spent a good deal of time out in the open the following day, providing decent views for anyone keen to catch up with it. Special dispensation was kindly granted to non-permit holders by Severn Trent Water Authority to access the reservoir grounds on the day it was found. This bird represents the 22nd Northamptonshire record, hot on the heels of the popular first-summer present at Summer Leys in June last year.

On the raptor front, Ospreys continued to loom large – at least for those in the right place at the right time. Singles were seen at Summer Leys on 6th, Hollowell on 6th and 11th, Loddington on 7th and Pitsford on 7th, 10th and 12th. And for the second week running, two species of harrier were logged, with a Marsh Harrier visiting Titchmarsh on 6th and a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier flying east past the dam at Boddington Res on 8th.

Short-eared Owls remained at three locations in one small region of north-central Northants. Harrington AF held on to one between 6th and 11th, up to two remained at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell during the same period while, in the Brampton Valley, one was between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton on 12th and last week’s four at l‘endroit inaccessible below Lamport had reduced to two by the week’s end.

And, just when we’d relaxed, left winter behind and taken our eyes off many a depleted berry tree, there they were again. Waxwings. It all happened on 8th when, early in the morning, nine were found on the western periphery of Clifford Hill GP. They did not stay for any appreciable length of time. Six were then located on the Warth Park Industrial Estate the same morning, remaining there well into early evening.

The second Ring Ouzel of the year checked into the now well-established stop-off location for the species, Newnham Hill, on 6th, remaining late into the afternoon for those quick off the mark. A far less obliging bird put in the briefest of appearances in the Brampton Valley on the same date and another – or the same – was present there on 12th. All sightings related to males.

One was also seen fleetingly at Honey Hill on 8th but a far more accommodating female remained on show, hugging the bunkers at Harrington AF, between 9th and 12th.

Harrington was also the venue for two male Common Redstarts, one appearing there on 6th, the other on 10th-11th, while a female was found on the summit of Newnham Hill on 8th. Northern Wheatears, however, turned up in higher numbers than last week. Top to bottom, fields between Old and Walgrave held four on 8th, three appeared at Harrington on the same date with two there on 9th and one on 10th, two were at Lilbourne Meadows NR on 7th, at Blueberry Farm on 7th and 11th, plus two at Clifford Hill on 10th-11th, while singles were present in the Brampton Valley and at Borough Hill on 7th and at Willowbrook Industrial Estate, Corby on 12th.

The period’s White Wagtails, however, were again in short supply with three at Clifford Hill GP on 9th and one there on 10th.

Finches feature fleetingly in spring but a Hawfinch flying north-west over Cottesbrook on 6th and the ongoing presence of several Mealy Redpolls on the eastern periphery of Wicksteed Park kept the boat afloat, so to speak.

Finches aside, there’s a shedload of possibilities to look forward to as spring further unfolds over the coming weeks.