A mixed bag of weather saw the country under the influence of a south-easterly airstream during the latter part of the week but, as far as new birds were concerned, it was, as they say, all quiet on the western front …
Predictably, the idling drake Red-crested Pochard remained at Earls Barton GP until at least 12th, while it – or another – paid a visit to Clifford Hill GP on 13th.
The week’s top waders were down to just three species, Avocets heading the cast with up to seven at Earls Barton throughout the period and one at Clifford Hill on 11th and 13th.
A late-running Turnstone visited Earls Barton for a short time on 9th and the week ended with a Wood Sandpiper at Lilbourne Meadows NR on the evening of 13th.
There was an upturn in gull numbers this week, which kicked off nicely with two, apparently prospecting, adult Mediterranean Gulls at Summer Leys LNR on 7th-8th and a second-summer Caspian Gull there on the first of these two dates, while an adult Yellow-legged Gull appeared at Clifford Hill at the period’s end.
Keeping up weekly appearances, the period’s only Bittern was a decent record for Ravensthorpe Res on 12th, following a surprising lack of sightings from the Nene Valley.
A steady run of Osprey reports came from Pitsford Res, where singles were seen almost daily throughout.
And once again, following two flyovers last week, passerines were limited to Crossbills with a flock of fifteen flying south-east over the above site on 11th. Recent records from elsewhere in the UK suggest the beginnings of a southerly movement on a broad front so, wherever you’re birding, it’s eyes (and ears) to the skies for the foreseeable future …
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