Newsround 2nd to 8th August 2025

An array of fronts in off the Atlantic produced a mixed bag of weather with winds at their peak on the 4th as a spin off from ‘Storm Floris’, after which more settled conditions conducive to migration ensued. Of unknown origin, a White Stork in the latter part of the period obstinately refused to be pinned down and continued to play hard to get as the week came to a close.

Continuing its stay at Ravensthorpe Res, the female Ruddy Shelduck remained settled there throughout the period, surprisingly drawing in a few admirers …

And after last week’s two one-day birds at Clifford Hill GP, three new Black-necked Grebes – all juveniles – turned up for an equally short stay at Stanford Res on 6th.

There was little new on the wader front, with a single Whimbrel at Pitsford Res on 7th and two Curlews over Hollowell village the following day, while the only Black-tailed Godwits was a respectable flock of sixteen at Summer Leys LNR on 5th. The county fared better for smaller waders, though, with the second and third Wood Sandpipers of the autumn, so far, found at both Cransley Res and Clifford Hill GP on 5th – the latter individual remaining until 7th.

Greenshanks were present at six sites, with maximum numbers of three at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR on 7th and two at Boddington Res on the same date. Elsewhere, singles were at Earls Barton GP from 2nd to 6th, Hollowell Res from 3rd to 7th, Pitsford on 5th and Daventry CP on 7th.

Naseby Res welcomed back its returning adult male Caspian Gull on 4th, where it has been an annual visitor since being ringed at Gräbendorfer See, Germany in April 2021, when it was already at least four years old.

Seemingly in short supply, Yellow-legged Gulls were lower in numbers this week, with the ever-reliable Pitsford Res holding just two on 4th and three on 7th.

Pitsford also dished up two Little Terns north of the Causeway on 7th – the seventh record for 2025, which has so far turned out to be quite a decent year for them in the county.

But eliciting rather more interest was a mobile White Stork in the Moulton/Overstone area, where it was seen in the vicinity of the A43, both on the ground and in flight on 5th, 7th and 8th, following a belated report from Overstone on 1st. Perched on a house roof on 5th, it was snapped by a local resident, enabling the yellow ring, number CY03, to be read, so it’s only a matter of time before its origins become clear, but how long it will stick around is anyone’s guess …

A Cattle Egret at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR on 7th was the only one of its kind during the period.

And then there were raptors. A week without an Osprey or two is, nowadays, barely unthinkable and so it was that four localities delivered the goods, kicking off with two over Brampton Valley on 2nd, followed by singles at Hollowell Res on 3rd and 6th, Pitsford on 5th and 8th and Titchmarsh NR on 2nd and 7th. Marsh Harriers were again very much in evidence, with Stanford producing one on 4th and then holding on to two from 6th to 8th, while singles were on show at Summer Leys on 2nd, in the Brampton Valley on 2nd-4th and 7th-8th, at Harrington AF on 2nd and 5th and at Pitsford on the latter date.

On the passerine front, Common Redstarts continued to be a daily occurrence and a delight to many across the county, the hotspot being Cold Ashby, where up to three were present and readily accessible between 2nd and 6th. With potential to rival this site was Cotton End Park, Long Buckby, where there were three on 5th and a small copse between Brockhall and Little Brington at which three were also discovered on 6th. The Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton held up to two between 3rd and 8th, up to two remained at Woodford Halse between 3rd and 7th, two were between Old and Pitsford Res from 3rd to 5th and singles were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell between 3rd and 5th, at Pitsford Res on 5th and at Harrington on 8th.

Two Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley on 3rd and 8th and Crossbills continued their southerly movement, with two over Wakerley Great Wood on 2nd, a small flock over Bucknell Wood on 3rd, two over Ditchford GP on 7th and one over Hanging Houghton on 8th.