Month: March 2025

A largely dry week, weatherwise, delivered more inbound migrants which included another set of firsts for the year. While some winter visitors stubbornly refused to shift, however, there was the first hint that a number had upped sticks and moved on by the week’s end …

This week’s new summer visitors comprised White Wagtail, House Martin, Sedge Warbler, Yellow Wagtail and Willow Warbler.

While a Pink-footed Goose was seen at Stanford Res on 24th, the Nene Valley’s geese remained for different durations – the regular Pinkfoot in the Cogenhoe Mill/Earls Barton GP area extended its stay throughout the period but the seven wintering White-fronted Geese in the same area went unreported after 24th, as did the two at Ravensthorpe Res.

The drake Red-crested Pochard at Earls Barton GP and on the River Nene between Cogenhoe and Whiston Lock remained throughout the period but the drake Greater Scaup on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP was not seen after 25th.

Though not a summer visitor, a new bird for the year was the Black-necked Grebe that turned up on 25th at Clifford Hill GP, where it was still to be found the following day.

The week’s waders were limited to three species, top of which again were Avocets at three gravel pit locations in the Nene Valley. Last week’s duo remained settled at Earls Barton throughout the period, while Clifford Hill GP hosted another two new arrivals on 22nd and one on 24th.

Summer Leys was the prime site for Black-tailed Godwits, with five there on 23rd and one on 27th-28th, while two visited floodwater at Lower Barnwell Lock, Oundle on 24th.

Aside from one at Ditchford GP on 24th, Jack Snipes continued to be seen at Hollowell Res, where up to two were present throughout the week.

In the scarce larid category, last week’s six Little Gulls at Earls Barton GP roosted overnight and were still to be found there, on New Workings (South), mid-afternoon on 22nd. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew east at Clifford Hill on 24th, while more typical fare in the shape of Yellow-legged Gulls included up to three at Pitsford Res between 22nd and 25th and an adult at Clifford Hill on 28th. Single first-winter Caspian Gulls visited Stanford on 23rd and Hollowell on 25th.

Long stayers from last year included the Great Northern Diver still at Pitsford on 25th and the somewhat relaxed Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys for yet another week …

Apparently having decided to move on after spending the last two and a half weeks at Clifford Hill, the Cattle Egret was nowhere to be seen after 26th. Elsewhere, four flew north-east from Stanwick GP’s Main Lake early on 25th.

And so to raptors, with Osprey sightings coming thick and fast from the Hollowell area, where one was seen daily from 26th to 28th and one flew east between Ravensthorpe and the Guilsborough to Teeton road on 25th. Another flew north over Boddington Res on 26th. The period’s Marsh Harriers were about par for the course, with singles at Stanwick on 22nd, Earls Barton on 24th and Summer Leys on 27th, while a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier spent some time at Boddington Res on 24th.

On the passerine front … Single Northern Wheatears occurred in four locations with the Brampton Valley producing one on 22nd and 28th, Borough Hill hosting one on 24th, Clifford Hill retaining one from 24th to 28th, and Harrington AF delivering one on 22nd and 26th. And in addition to the aforementioned individuals on 22nd, single White Wagtails were found at Stanford and Summer Leys – both on 23rd. A Crossbill was present at Irchester CP on 28th.

As a postscript, first-ever record for Northants in the shape of a Northern Treecreeper (the north and east European nominate race, familiaris which also extends well into western Siberia) was present at Summer Leys during the preceding week. It transpires it was also first seen (and photographed) there on 23rd December 2024 and so has overwintered on site under the radar. It may still be present …

In a striking about-turn, the week’s main weather feature consisted of a considerable drop in temperature, the wind direction doing a one-eighty as a significantly cold airstream slid down from the high Arctic in a bid to engulf the country. While this did not completely put the mockers on migration, there were no new summer visitors and although Sand Martins and Little Ringed Plovers continued to trickle through in small numbers, two much larger birds were to make the week’s headlines …

The regular collection of wildfowl remained in place and their numbers swelled this week, commencing with Pink-footed Geese, which saw two new individuals arrive on the scene – one at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR on 8th, remaining throughout the period and the other at Stanford Res on 8th-10th.

The long-staying individual saw another week out in the Cogenhoe Mill/Whiston/Earls Barton GP area, alongside the seven White-fronted Geese amid the local Greylag flock there. Three new Whitefronts were also found at Titchmarsh on 13th and were still present the following day, while the Ravensthorpe Res duo extended their stay there by another week.

While the drake Red-crested Pochard from the previous week spent most of its time on the River Nene between Cogenhoe and Whiston Lock throughout, another drake turned up at Daventry CP on 10th.

The drake Ring-necked Duck again remained at Titchmarsh until the period’s end, while the ever-popular drake Smew extended its stay by another week at Clifford Hill GP.

Eclipsing all of the above by size alone, though, were the three Cranes (no, not the pub in Cransley) that flew low over Stanford Res during the late morning of 9th. A subsequent search of the surrounding area unfortunately drew a blank. These were the first to be recorded since 2023, a year when there were three records, including two very accommodating birds at Summer Leys LNR.

Aside from a further dusting of migrant Little Ringed Plovers, waders were limited to up to four Jack Snipes at Hollowell Res between 10th and 14th and the wintering Common Sandpiper that remained at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North), where it was seen on 8th, 9th and 14th.

March is traditionally the month in spring for Mediterranean Gulls moving through the county, as exemplified this week by birds found at three localities. Boddington Res produced the biggest haul with an adult on 10th, 12th and 13th, joined by a first-winter on 10th and a second-summer on 12th, while an adult visited Pitsford Res on 11th and a first-winter was at Hollowell on 14th.

Aside from a first-winter in the Boddington gull roost on 12th, the week’s Yellow-legged Gulls were restricted to Pitsford Res, where there was one on 9th, five in the gull roost there on 10th, three on 11th, four on 12th and two on 14th.

Pitsford also continued to hang on to its Great Northern Diver until at least 11th.

Seeing out yet another week at Summer Leys, the Glossy Ibis appeared to be in no hurry to move on, yet …

The period’s Cattle Egrets included last week’s individual at Clifford Hill extending its stay there for a further seven days, while two flew north-east over Stanwick GP in the early mornings of 11th and 13th.

Stanwick also appeared to be the place of choice for a roosting Marsh Harrier, first seen on 11th and again leaving the reedbed there first thing in the morning on the following day. Another was again seen further up the Nene Valley as it flew south across the A45 toward the Cogenhoe/Whiston area on 8th.

Expanding the harrier tally, a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier was present briefly at Hollowell on 13th.

And then things went decidedly large on the raptor front …

Although not 100% wild, a British born and bred White-tailed Eagle was GPS-tracked in flight over Hollowell Res on the afternoon of 10th, after having visited Rutland Water and roosting near Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire, 20 km to the north-east, the previous night. It was identified as ‘G602’, a second calendar year male translocated from a nest in the Isle of Skye to the Isle of Wight as a pullus last summer. Not travelling overly far, it subsequently roosted near Church Brampton and was seen early on 11th between there and Althorp before flying over north Northampton and then south-east to Yardley Chase, where it chose to linger for several hours. Further tracking indicated that it then left Northamptonshire and was south of Milton Keynes by early afternoon on 12th.

With very little new on offer, passerines took very much a back seat in the week’s proceedings and were limited to a single Hawfinch at Blisworth on 9th and two in the established environs of Cottesbrooke on 9th-10th, while just the one Crossbill was seen at Bucknell Wood on 9th.

A high pressure system over eastern Europe and a low over the North Atlantic between them delivered a substantial and sustained, warm southerly airstream, providing what was no doubt a considerable catalyst for northward migration. No less than three summer visitors opened the gates of spring and set the clock ticking for more to follow as we headed into March …

Before the first of these though, the usual scattering of wildfowl served as a reminder that we’re not quite done with winter, yet. All present and correct, then, were the geese we have been lucky to pull in and retain over the past few months, starting with the Pink-footed Goose with Greylags in the Cogenhoe Mill/Earls Barton GP area, which saw another week out there, along with the seven White-fronted Geese – the latter still present on 7th. The two longest staying Whitefronts also remained at Ravensthorpe Res until at least 5th.

Remaining all week within spitting distance of the of the Cogenhoe cluster, the week’s sole Red-crested Pochard – a fine drake – was mobile along the River Nene as well as on the adjacent Earls Barton GP New Workings (South). More upmarket diving ducks were still to be had throughout the week in the shape of the drake Ring-necked Duck, seemingly now settled at Titchmarsh NR, and the drake Smew tucked in at the western end of Clifford Hill GP’s Main Barrage Lake.

And now the first of those summer visitors to get a mention in this week’s lineup is Little Ringed Plover, one of which dropped into Clifford Hill GP. Its visit was brief, however, moving on shortly after its discovery there on 6th. Other waders were also available and included up to three Jack Snipes at Hollowell Res between 3rd and 7th and singles at Harrington AF on 4th and Stanford Res on 7th. The wintering Common Sandpiper was also still mobile around Earls Barton GP’s New Workings, being seen there on 4th and 7th.

A Yellow-legged Gull at Clifford Hill on 5th was the sole representative of its kind during the period.

And the Pitsford Great Northern Diver? Still there until at least 6th.

Meanwhile, back in the Nene Valley, the Glossy Ibis notched up another week at Summer Leys LNR. Its days on site must now surely be numbered …

A Bittern was an unusual site record – but not the first – for Ravensthorpe Res on 3rd. Leaning toward standard patter, though, was a Cattle Egret at Clifford Hill on 6th and 7th.

The week’s Marsh Harriers were widely spread, with single birds at Cransley Res on 6th and at both Earls Barton and Thrapston on the following day. Harrington AF delivered the week’s only Short-eared Owl on 4th and a Merlin was clocked in hot pursuit of Goldfinches over Sixfields, Northampton on 2nd.

The second of the period’s summer visitors appeared in the shape of two Sand Martins at Quarry Hall Lake, Priors Hall, Corby on 5th. There will no doubt be many more to come over the following weeks …

And with singles at Clifford Hill on 3rd and Earls Barton on 7th, Stonechats are seemingly melting away, being replaced by one of the most iconic of summer visitors, Northern Wheatear, a male of which was found at Clifford Hill on 6th. Like the Little Ringed Plover at the same site on the same date, its stay there was, however, somewhat short-lived …

And, as a final reminder of the winter’s Hawfinch invasion, at least one was still in and around Cottesbrooke on 1st.