Month: January 2025

Newsround – 18th to 24th January 2025

Posted on by Mike Alibone

January was deemed, back in the day, to be the only ‘migration-free’ month of the year and this third week reflected just that. With very little winter movement evident, the focus was as much on the long-stayers as on anything else and new birds were at a premium …

Continuing to sit tight at Clifford Hill GP, the Pink-footed Goose remained throughout while, just down the Nene Valley, the single adult White-fronted Goose also extended its stay with the growing gaggle of Greylags between Cogenhoe and Earls Barton GP until at least 22nd.  

Pink-footed Goose, Clifford Hill GP, 23rd January 2025 (Mike Alibone)
Adult White-fronted Goose, Earls Barton GP, 21st January 2025 (Leslie Fox)

Now occurring with increasing frequency, Whooper Swan again made it onto the week’s menu on 18th, when two flew west over Greens Norton, followed by one on 21st at Summer Leys, the latter rapidly moving on to the adjacent waters of Earls Barton GP’s Hardwater Lake.

Adult Whooper Swan, Earls Barton GP, 21st January 2025 (Mike Alibone)

It seems hard to believe that, given it’s mid-winter, numbers of scarce ducks are at rock bottom – the best on offer being the female Red-crested Pochard at Daventry CP and the first-winter female Greater Scaup at Blatherwycke Lake, both still present on 20th. A hybrid adult drake Pochard x Tufted Duck provided some passing interest at Clifford Hill on 21st.

First-winter female Greater Scaup, Blatherwycke Lake, 18th January 2025 (James Underwood)

On the wader front, single Jack Snipes were at Barnes Meadow LNR on 19th and 22nd and at Ditchford GP on 21st, while two were at Pitsford Res on 20th.

And gulls included the usual suspects: an adult Caspian Gull in the roost at Stanford Res between 18th and 23rd and two adults at Clifford Hill on 19th, while the only Yellow-legged Gull to be had was an adult at Pitsford on 19th.

Pitsford also retained its long-staying Great Northern Diver until at least 22nd.

Also hanging on, the Summer Leys Glossy Ibis chalked up another week at and around the reserve. A little less easy to pin down, though, were the week’s Cattle Egrets, one of which flew west over Ditchford GP on 21st, while two were in and around a sheep field next to Stanwick GP’s North Lake the following day.

Cattle Egret, Stanwick GP, 22nd January 2025 (Mike Alibone)

A Marsh Harrier seen at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 18th seems likely to have accounted for the subsequent appearance of one at Summer Leys on 22nd-23rd.

And, just like last week, Short-eared Owls remained the preserve of the Maidwell locale with one to the west, on private land near Blueberry Farm on 20th, and the other to the east, at Harrington AF on 22nd.

The period’s Merlins were limited to a female reported between Abthorpe and Wappenham on 18th and a male in the seemingly regular site that is the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, on 22nd.

The latter site, along with Clifford Hill, Ditchford, Earls Barton, Harrington, Pitsford and Sulby all produced the week’s run of Stonechats, the maximum count of which was four at Pitsford on 20th.

Stonechat, Earls Barton GP, 21st January 2025 (Leslie Fox)

Newsround – 11th to 17th January 2025

Posted on by Mike Alibone

A freezing start to the week saw many bodies of water become icebound with limited resources for birds associated with wetland habitats. Fortunately, this was short-lived, temperatures having risen somewhat by the end of the period. And yes, a couple of new birds showed up to tease, if not to entertain …

After its short visit to Cogenhoe last week, the Pink-footed Goose was back with the mobile Greylag flock in its favoured locality of Clifford Hill GP from 13th to 16th.

Pink-footed Goose, Clifford Hill GP, 16th January 2025 (Leslie Fox)

The White-fronted Goose also remained in the Nene Valley, being seen in flight with Greylags over Earls Barton GP on 11th and again on the ground there on 17th, while the two at Ravensthorpe Res continued their stay until at least 12th.

Meanwhile, also on 12th, mobile Whooper Swans included one flying east over Summer Leys LNR and two north-west over Deene Lake.

Whooper Swans, Deene Lake, 12th January 2025 (James Underwood)

Daventry CP had the monopoly on Red-crested Pochards this week, its female still present until at least 16th and being joined by a drake on 12th-13th.

While we’re still in January the chances of stumbling across a first for the year remain suitably high and that was indeed the case at Ravensthorpe Res on 12th, when a drake Smew was discovered in the ice hole there. However, it turned out to be a disappointment for those who hotfooted it over to see it, having quickly vanished before their arrival. So far, it has not resurfaced elsewhere.

Single Jack Snipes were found at Pitsford Res on 11th and at Deene Lake the following day.

Whether you enjoy or endure them, scarce gulls were low in numbers this week, with what was presumably the same adult Caspian Gull in the roost at Stanford Res on 13th, 14th and 17th, out on the ice and displaying a yellow ring with the customary four black characters indicating a German origin on the middle of these three dates.

German-ringed adult Caspian Gull, Stanford Res, 14th January 2025 (Chris Hubbard)

Three Yellow-legged Gulls were in the roost at Pitsford on 13th and an adult was present at Clifford Hill on the same date.

Pitsford again held on to its wintering juvenile Great Northern Diver, which remained there throughout the period, having now chalked up just shy of eight weeks on site.

Shunning Summer Leys for who knows where when the freezing conditions kicked in at the beginning of the week, the long-staying Glossy Ibis initially seemed to have vanished but it was back again in the nick of time to be included in the weekly round-up, reappearing there on the last day of the period. Cattle Egrets, too, remained elusive with just singles in the Nene Valley between Cogenhoe and Billing GP on 11th and at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows NR two days later, on 13th.

Cattle Egret, Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR, 13th January 2025 (Tony Vials)

And after an absence of sightings for seven weeks, Marsh Harrier made it back into the news when one was seen at Ecton SF on 11th.

Two Short-eared Owls remained in the vicinity of Blueberry Farm on 11th, with at least one still present on 13th, while one was seen not too far away at Harrington AF on 11th-12th.

In the same part of the county, one or two Merlins were present in the Brampton Valley, between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, daily between 13th and 15th.

The second ‘first’ for the year this week materialised in the form of a Black Redstart, found on the roof of the sizeable industrial complex that is Cummins Engine Plant in Daventry, on 13th. The location is not readily accessible and views from its periphery are limited, to say the least. It was not seen subsequently. While indeed an uncommon sight in January, it’s by no means the first to be seen in the winter months. Of those occurring most recently one was present at Borough Hill in December 2021, remaining there until 5th February 2022 and, later in that year, one was taken by a cat at Sywell CP on 7th December and another was discovered trapped inside Northampton General Hospital before being released on 12th December.

Not quite on the same level as the above species, Stonechats were to be found at Borough Hill, Deene Lake, Earls Barton GP, Ecton SF, Lilbourne Meadows NR, Pitsford and Stanford – the first of these producing the week’s maximum of four on 17th.

Newsround – 4th to 10th January 2025

Posted on by Mike Alibone

The week kicked off with a messy mix of precipitation – snow, quickly followed by rain and gloomy conditions – before a sinking Arctic airmass brought below-average temperatures to the country as a whole. And with it came a few new birds …

Geese were very much in evidence this week with the occurrence of a Barnacle Goose on floodwater at Oundle on 9th and the reappearance on 4th and 7th of the Pink-footed Goose at Clifford Hill GP, following its initial discovery there last year on 16th December. What was clearly the same individual subsequently appeared within spitting distance accompanying the sizeable Greylag flock further down the Nene Valley, at Cogenhoe Mill, on 9th.

Pink-footed Goose, Clifford Hill GP, 4th January 2025 (Tyler Atkinson)
Pink-footed Goose, Clifford Hill GP, 7th January 2025 (Bob Bullock)
Pink-footed Goose, Cogenhoe Mill, 9th January 2025 (Mike Alibone)

The long staying adult and first-winter White-fronted Geese saw another week out at Ravensthorpe Res but their exclusivity came to an end with the discovery on 9th of a new bird – an adult – again with the Greylags at Cogenhoe, where it was still present the following day.

Adult White-fronted Goose, Cogenhoe Mill, 9th January 2025 (Mike Alibone)
Adult White-fronted Goose, Cogenhoe Mill, 10th January 2025 (Leslie Fox)

Stanford Reservoir’s run of Whooper Swans continued this week when two adults dropped in on 9th.

Whooper Swans, Stanford Res, 9th January 2025 (Barry Silverman)

After a week with no reports, the female Ruddy Shelduck was seen daily at Winwick Pools until 9th, after which it moved to Hollowell Res following the freezing over of its highly favoured site.

Female Ruddy Shelduck, Winwick Pools, 9th January 2025 (Phil West)

Diving ducks were in short supply with the female Red-crested Pochard seeing out another week at Daventry CP, while a ‘new’ drake was found at Barnwell CP on 5th.

Scarce waders hit rock bottom with a Jack Snipe at Stortons GP on 4th.

The gull roost at Stanford continued to attract a first-winter Mediterranean Gull, which was also present briefly on the reservoir’s partly frozen surface first thing in the morning on 10th. The roost there also produced a first-winter Caspian Gull on 4th, while single adult Caspians were present at Hollowell on the same date and at Summer Leys LNR and Earls Barton GP on 10th. Two Yellow-legged Gulls were at Pitsford Res on 5th, followed by one there on 9th and one was present at Daventry CP on 6th.

Pitsford also held on to its wintering juvenile Great Northern Diver, which remained there throughout the period.

Copy that for the Summer Leys Glossy Ibis, although it seems to have become a little more flighty since the colder weather kicked in. With just the one reported at Stanwick GP on 4th, Cattle Egret numbers now appear to be at a low ebb.

It’s been a while – exactly seven weeks, in fact – since we’ve seen a local Marsh Harrier and that situation remains unchanged, but single ‘ringtail’ Hen Harriers at Summer Leys on 4th and at Harrington AF on 4th and 10th represented rather more typical winter fare.  

Two Short-eared Owls on private land near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell were present throughout the week, while single Merlins were seen nearby in the Brampton Valley on 5th and at Irthlingborough on 8th.

The week’s passerines were limited to just two species. In ones and twos, Stonechats were to be found at Borough Hill, Cogenhoe, Catesby, Deene Lake, Oundle, Stanford, Summer Leys, Towcester and Upton CP, while four were seen at both Earls Barton and Hollowell.

Female Stonechat, Summer Leys LNR, 4th January 2025 (James Underwood)

Hawfinches remained on the weekly birding agenda, the largely reliable locality of the churchyard at Blatherwycke delivering four on 4th ahead of singles found at both Greens Norton and St Lawrence Churchyard, Towcester on 7th.

Newsround – 28th December 2024 to 3rd January 2025

Posted on by Mike Alibone

With an unpleasantly wet and windy start to the New Year, the transition to 2025 was anything but smooth. Catching up with last year’s lingering leftovers was a priority for some, while the incentive to get out there and find something new was given a boost by the continuing discovery of rare and scarce birds at a national level.

Back on the radar this week were Pink-footed Geese, a fifteen-strong skein of which flew south-east over Hanging Houghton on 3rd. Meanwhile, the two White-fronted Geese chalked up a month’s stay at Ravensthorpe Res and were still present at the end of the period and the same site also produced two Whooper Swans, for one day only, on 29th.

Adult White-fronted Goose, Ravensthorpe Res, 3rd January 2025 (Phil West)
Whooper Swans, Ravensthorpe Res, 29th December 2024 (Jon Cook)

The only Red-crested Pochard in the week’s proceedings was a female remaining at Daventry CP until at least 2nd, while the first-winter female Greater Scaup also extended its stay Blatherwycke Lake until at least 2nd.

Blatherwycke also produced an apparent Slavonian Grebe on 29th and another was reported from the River Nene at Perio Mill, Fotheringhay on 28th-29th, although neither could be found during subsequent searches.

The run of Black-tailed Godwits continued into the New Year with up to two at Summer Leys LNR throughout the period and one on floodwater at Braunston on 2nd, while Jack Snipes were still to be found in the same two localities as last week – namely Hollowell Res, where there was one on 30th, and Barnes Meadow NR, Northampton, where two were present on 2nd.

Black-tailed Godwit, Summer Leys LNR, 2nd January 2025 (Bob Bullock)
Black-tailed Godwit, Summer Leys LNR, 3rd January 2025 (Alan Coles)

Scarcer gulls fared rather better than last week with a first-winter Mediterranean Gull in the roost at Stanford Res on 28th, 30th and 1st and a daytime adult in a field between Pitsford Res and Old on the latter date. The aforementioned roost also produced at least three Caspian Gulls – an adult on 30th, a near-adult on 31st and two adults on 1st while, further to the south, diurnal sightings at Hollowell included two adults on 30th plus an adult and a third-winter on 2nd. Yellow-legged Gulls appeared in the form of single adults at Summer Leys on 29th and Stanford on 1st, followed by three in the roost at Pitsford on 2nd. We’re currently thigh-deep into winter but, given the apparent nose-dive in numbers wintering in the UK, along with the closure two years back of Northamptonshire’s last remaining landfill, the prospect of coming across any Arctic ‘white-wingers’ now seems further off than ever …  

Pitsford continued to retain its juvenile Great Northern Diver into the New Year, remaining there throughout the period.

The Summer Leys Glossy Ibis similarly stayed put, while the only Cattle Egret to be reported was last week’s singleton in a field immediately north of Barnwell CP, Oundle, where it was still to be found on 1st.

Glossy Ibis, Summer Leys LNR, 2nd January 2025 (Clive Bowley)
Cattle Egret, Oundle, 29th December 2024 (James Underwood)

A Merlin was again reported between Gayton and Tiffield on 2nd, when there was also one in the Brampton Valley, between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton.

On the passerine front, a Bearded Tit was again reported from Stanwick GP on 28th, although no precise location details were forthcoming. Stonechats over the period appeared to be limited to Hollowell, Towcester and Stanford, with a peak of five at the latter locality on 2nd and twos at the other two sites on a range of different dates.

Hawfinches enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as we entered the New Year, the highly favoured, easyviewin’ localities of Blatherwycke and Cottesbrooke delivering as required, with peak counts of five at the first of these on 3rd and two at the latter between 28th and 2nd.

Hawfinch, Cottesbrooke, 30th December 2024 (Jon Cook)
Hawfinch, Blatherwycke, 3rd January 2024 (Bob Bullock)

And who would ever have thought that they’d be rushing to see a Corn Bunting in Northants? The national decline – in excess of 86% since the late 1960s – has seen this species disappear from the county in recent years, so one in the Brampton Valley on 2nd marks a good start to 2025 and is likely to become a popular draw if it is seen again.