Newsround 3rd to 9th May 2025

A high pressure system stationed over the UK pulled in an easterly airstream off the continent for much of the period, turning north-easterly for a time during the latter part of the week. There were no new summer visitors recorded but this was more than made up for by some quality birds, topped by the county’s eleventh ever Red-footed Falcon …

Back on the week’s agenda, though, was Pink-footed Goose, appearing at three different locations but, in reality, it’s likely only two birds were involved. The Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) individual was again present on 6th, the date on which one was also found at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR before Summer Leys LNR produced one on 9th.

Equally enthralling was the now seemingly resident drake Red-crested Pochard still at the first of these three sites throughout the period.

In what has undeniably become the best ever year for the numbers of Avocets in Northamptonshire, two more turned up, spending the day at Summer Leys on 6th.

Conversely, it’s been a poor spring so far for Bar-tailed Godwits, the year’s 6th being seen at Stanwick GP on the last day of the week. All have been single birds. A steady trickle of Whimbrels – mainly flyovers – continued throughout and included singles at Titchmarsh and Summer Leys on 4th, Stanwick GP on 5th and 8th where two also flew north-east on 6th. One flew over Clifford Hill GP on 7th and one was on the ground at Thrapston GP’s Elinor Trout Lake on 8th-9th.

And to date, it’s been a great spring for Wood Sandpipers, most of which have been at Summer Leys, which produced two on 3rd, at least four – if not five – on 4th, one on 5th and two on 6th. Greenshanks, too, have been above the usual spring level of abundance with, aside from a long staying bird at Lilbourne Meadows NR from 30th April until at least 9th and up to two at Earls Barton GP all week, three were at Stanwick on 3rd with one there on 4th, one was found at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR on 5th and another at Pitsford Res on 9th.

While we were almost running on empty this week, as far as Little Gulls were concerned, with just single first-summers at Stanford Res on 7th and at Daventry CP on 8th-9th, there were even fewer Yellow-legged Gulls, with just a second-summer at Pitsford on 6th.

This was not the case for Arctic Terns however, with, after none last week, a decent passage during the early half of the period comprising, on 5th, flocks of twenty-seven and two separate individuals at Stanford, approximately twenty at Summer Leys, eleven at Stanwick, six at Thrapston and two at Earls Barton. Two were at Summer Leys on 6th and 8th, with one at Earls Barton on the first of these two dates.

Summer Leys also produced the week’s Black Terns, with one on 4th-5th and four on 8th.

And following last week’s short-stayer, local birders were offered a second bite of the cherry when it came to catching up with a Spoonbill on the ground. After one seen flying west over Earls Barton’s New Workings during the morning of 9th, it appears the same bird surreptitiously doubled back and landed to roost awhile there, only to be discovered by visiting birders mid-afternoon. It was present for a shade over two hours before taking to the air once again, after which it wasn’t relocated.

But the story on this individual continues, as a peek at it stretching its left leg – the latter tucked up while roosting – revealed a green colour ring inscribed with the white alphanumeric code V463, identifying it as a bird from Denmark, where it was ringed as a nestling at Høje Sande, Ringkøbing Fjord on 10th June 2023. It subsequently appeared at Marazion Marsh, Cornwall on 28th September of the same year, before moving north to Potteric Carr, South Yorkshire, where it was seen on 10th-15th October, and then returning to Marazion Marsh four days later, commuting between there and the Hayle Estuary and remaining in the area until March 2024. It again returned to the Hayle in September 2024.

Single Bitterns were again seen and heard around the Summer Leys/Earls Barton area on 5th and 7th and the week’s Cattle Egrets were limited to a group of four at Stanwick on 3rd.

The period’s large raptor slot was filled by Ospreys including two together at Hollowell Res on 3rd and 9th, plus singles at Summer Leys on 3rd, Pitsford on 5th and 6th, Stanford on 8th and 9th and Earls Barton on the last of these dates.

But occupying the week’s prime slot was the first Red-footed Falcon for five years – and rightly so as the county has done nothing to deserve being excluded from the nation’s hefty influx of at least fifty birds over the last week … which makes a refreshing change for Northamptonshire. The bird, a female, was found at Clifford Hill GP early in the day on 7th and remained in the area for nearly two and a half hours, allowing those quick off the mark to reap the benefit of its presence before it spiralled up, up and away … This is only the eleventh Redfoot for Northants, following the last, at Ringstead GP, in May 2020.

And then there were passerines … just. A male Pied Flycatcher was reported fleetingly from Summer Leys on 8th and what might just turn out to be the last Common Redstart of the spring was at Cransley Res on the same date. More to come? We’ll see soon enough …