Newsround – 15th to 21st March 2025

The week just gone saw a flip back to warmer conditions as a southerly airmass moved in from the continent, giving rise to the UK’s warmest day of the year so far, with local temperatures reaching 18°C, while the wind took on an easterly vector during the final two days. Perfect conditions for northbound migrants … and in they came.

There were, however, some winter visitors that were simply refusing to budge and we’re referring here to the Pink-footed Goose, still with the Nene Valley Greylags in the Cogenhoe Mill/Earls Barton GP area all week, although there were no further reports of the two at Thrapston GP/Titchmarsh NR beyond 15th.

Also seeing the week out were the seven (eight on 18th) White-fronted Geese with the above Greylags, as did the two at Ravensthorpe Res, while last week’s three remained at Titchmarsh until at least 17th.

Seemingly settled, too, was the drake Red-crested Pochard at Earls Barton GP and on the River Nene between Cogenhoe and Whiston Lock, where it was still to be found at the period’s end.

Greater Scaup was still on the radar this week, with the first-winter female remaining at Blatherwycke Lake until at least 15th and the drake continued to rub along with the Tufted Ducks on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton throughout.

Perhaps having now vacated the area, the drake Smew was still to be seen at Clifford Hill GP until 19th, after which there were no further reports.

Following three in flight over Stanford Res the previous week, a Crane was reported flying west at Titchmarsh NR on 16th, although no further details were forthcoming.

However, the waders on offer during the period served to lift the spirits, underlining that spring is now firmly established, if not yet in full flow. Four Avocets dropped into Clifford Hill early in the morning of 18th before swiftly moving east, after which they also paid a brief visit to Summer Leys LNR, some fifteen minutes later. For those – and that’s nigh on everyone – unable to catch up with them, two more were found on floodwater at Lower Barnwell Lock, Oundle, where they spent at least two and a half hours on 20th. More were still to follow, two subsequently being located at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South), mid-afternoon on 21st, seeing the rest of the day out asleep and choosing to extend their roost there. These are, so far, only the second, third and fourth records of the year, following one at Summer Leys on the unusually early date of 26th February.

Other waders were, of course, available and three Black-tailed Godwits dropped in at Summer Leys for a brief spell on 20th, followed by two at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR the next day.

Summer Leys also produced a couple of Ruffs – one on 17th-18th, joined by a second bird on 19th-20th.

Aside from up to three Jack Snipes seeing out the back end of winter at Hollowell this week, two additional localities produced further singles, these being at Pitsford Res on 16th and Summer Leys on 19th.

And we were to be treated to a new wave of Little Gulls as the week drew to a close on 21st. Ditchford produced at least three, while a respectable six turned up at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South), mid-afternoon, providing some prime viewing opportunities before choosing to roost there.

Though arguably less entertaining, other scarce larids showed up in the form of four transient adult Caspian Gulls – considered two be two pairs – at Ravensthorpe on 17th, followed by another adult at Summer Leys the following day. And aside from a first-summer at Hollowell on 21st, Yellow-legged Gulls were down to just the one adult at Pitsford between 17th and 20th.

Pitsford also continued to play host to the wintering Great Northern Diver, the latter clearly in no hurry to move on.

And the same applied to the Summer Leys Glossy Ibis … still there at the week’s end.

Bitterns are booming, or so it seems, with one heard on several days at an undisclosed locality and one was seen again at Hollowell Res, where it’s clearly keeping a low profile, on 17th. The same cannot be said for Cattle Egrets, numbers of which remain low in comparison to a couple of years ago. Aside from singles extending their stays at Blatherwycke and Clifford Hill, until at least 15th and 21st, respectively, up to four were seen exiting a roost site at Stanwick GP, early doors on 15th and on 19th-21st.

What was set to have been the county’s first Osprey of the year, at Pitsford on 17th, was superseded by belated news of an earlier one at Fawsley Park Lakes on 11th. One was also seen at Hollowell on 18th and on 20th-21st.

The period’s Marsh Harriers were limited to localities beginning with ‘S’, with one at Stortons GP on 15th, what was presumably last week’s individual continuing to put in appearances at Stanwick on 17th and 21st, and one also visiting Summer Leys on the last of these dates.

And another summer visitor crossed the line to become the first of its kind to enter the county this year in the shape of a Swallow at Hollowell on 21st.

The year’s second Northern Wheatear was also found on the same date at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South), a location which has more than proven itself attractive to wetland species of late and is becoming increasingly popular with birds and birders alike.

And in common with many of the winter visitors stubbornly refusing to up sticks and go, two Hawfinches remained in Cottesbrooke until at least 16th.