Newsround – 8th to 14th February 2025

As we entered the second week of February, the cool, easterly influence carried over from the week before continued to keep temperatures low, while rain remained never too far away, with frequent, sporadic showers. Just what influence this had on the period’s avian mix may well remain the subject of conjecture but, whatever it was, the week kicked off nicely with the discovery of a splendid drake Red-breasted Merganser in the north of the county.

And it would seem that the focus this week was very much on wildfowl, whichever way you cut it, kicking off again with the lone Pink-footed Goose remaining in the thick of it among the sizeable Greylag and Canada Goose flock in the Cogenhoe Mill/Earls Barton GP area.

The same flock clearly proved attractive to more White-fronted Geese, numbers of which had increased to eight by the week’s end, although there were no reports of the previously long-staying two at Ravensthorpe Res during the period.

At Winwick Pools, the female Ruddy Shelduck was still present on 9th but there were no subsequent reports, while the county’s only known Red-crested Pochard, the female at Daventry CP, extended its presence there until at least 12th. And after appearing settled at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR through until the end of the previous week, the drake Ring-necked Duck was nowhere to be seen as the week opened on 8th. It subsequently resurfaced there on 12th, before moving up the Nene Valley to nearby Ringstead GP the following day – after which it again disappeared …

There were no reports of the first-winter female Greater Scaup at Blatherwycke Lake during the previous week but there she was again on 9th, remaining on site throughout the period.

And we’re not done with ducks just yet – far from it, in fact – as down in the Nene Valley it was the turn of Clifford Hill GP to offer up something new. Discovered first thing in the morning, the year’s first Common Scoters – three of them – spent the greater part of the day on 9th asleep on the Main Barrage Lake, clearly a short stopover before having moved on by the next day.

Clifford Hill also continued to host last week’s drake Smew throughout the period but, saving the best until last, it was a bird which is, arguably, the most flamboyant of its tribe, that left all others in the shade this week. Conjuring up thoughts of a daft punk, a drake Red-breasted Merganser found at Blatherwycke on 9th put on the best show in recent history for this dapper duck in the county. Seemingly oblivious to its many observers, it remained throughout the week, sometimes showing at point-blank range. With just six records over the past five years (none in both 2020 and 2022), Red-breasted Merganser remains a scarce visitor to the county.

The week’s waders comprised a Black-tailed Godwit at Clifford Hill GP on 12th and single Jack Snipes at both Hollowell Res and Stanford Res on 9th, followed by four at the first of these two sites on 11th and two-three at Pitsford Res on 12th.

Scarce gulls remained just that, with an adult Caspian Gull at Clifford Hill on 10th and an adult plus a third-winter at Hollowell the following day. Yellow-legged Gulls were down to single adults at Clifford Hill on 9th-10th, Stanford on 11th and Pitsford on 12th.

Meanwhile, Pitsford retained its long-staying Great Northern Diver throughout the period.

Summer Leys, too, held on to its Glossy Ibis …

Also hanging on were our now depressed numbers of Cattle Egrets, with single birds at Blatherwycke Lake throughout the week, Ditchford GP on 10th and Stanwick GP the next day, the latter site hosting three on 14th.

Thrapston GP’s Marsh Harrier continued to be seen intermittently during the period while, similarly, a single Short-eared Owl remained on private land near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Passerines continued their backseat ride with two Stonechats apiece at Earls Barton GP on 8th, Hollowell on 9th and Clifford Hill on 11th, while Earls Barton produced three on 14th.

And a single Hawfinch remained at Cottesbrooke on 8th.