With autumn cooling down, on the penultimate day of the period, Storm Benjamin bore down on the country as it moved from the English Channel to the North Sea. There were high hopes for a wrecked seabird or two although, in this respect, nothing materialised in any way, shape or form … but the county did land another first for the year.
And we’re still at that time when wildfowl numbers are gradually building, including transient migrants such as Whooper Swans, three more of which appeared on 22nd, comprising two adults at Stanford Res and a juvenile at Pitsford Res.
Two drake Red-crested Pochards remained at Daventry CP until at least 23rd and a female was at Ravensthorpe Res on 22nd, while last week’s Common Scoter at Hollowell was seen there again on 18th.
Once more heading the cast of the week’s waders was the now long-staying, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, successfully chalking up another full seven days at Hollowell, although becoming increasing difficult to see as a result of its recent habit of lurking in vegetation away from the waterline.
Unsurprisingly, numbers of other waders continued to fall, with Ruffs now down to just one at Pitsford between 18th and 23rd, while the long-staying Greenshank at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North) stayed put until at least 22nd.
In addition to this, the Norwegian-ringed bird seen at New Workings (South) on 8th October appears to have remained in the area, being seen again at Summer Leys on 21st and 23rd before moving to nearby New Workings (North) the following day.
Roger Eads’ images of the bird’s tag enabled him to identify it as a first calendar year individual which was ringed at Havika, Farsund, Norway, 797 km distant, on 19th August.
Three Jack Snipes were present at Summer Leys on 18th, one being seen regularly until 21st, and another was found at Clifford Hill GP on the latter date.
Another good week for Caspian Gulls saw them present at seven localities, kicking off with a second-winter at Wicksteed Park Lakes, Kettering on 18th (the same bird having been present there on 8th), single adults at Pitsford, Stanford and Summer Leys on 19th, a third-winter at Hollowell on 21st, an adult at Naseby Res on 22nd, an adult at Hollowell on 23rd plus a second-winter at Pitsford on the same date and an adult at Earls Barton GP on 24th.
In contrast, there were only two reports of Yellow-legged Gulls – an adult at Pitsford on 23rd and two at Earls Barton GP the following day.
Seemingly bidding for residency, Summer Leys retained its three Glossy Ibises throughout the period, while one remained at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR until at least 18th and, becoming less reliable, two were seen again at Stanford on 18th and 21st.
The two Bitterns at Stanford continued their occupancy at Stanford throughout the period, although, again, predominantly on the Leicestershire side, while one was seen at Summer Leys on 18th and 21st. And, keeping a low profile of late, four Cattle Egrets were seen to leave a roost site at Stanwick GP’s Main Lake, heading off north-east, at first light on 18th.
There were even fewer raptors out there to be had than last week, with a late Osprey over Stanford on 18th and as Goshawk over Crick on the same date.
This week’s Short-eared Owl report came, unusually, from an unspecific location near Wootton, also on 18th, while the weekly Merlin was at Boddington Res on 24th.
Once again, the period’s passerines were of an admirable standard and included a couple of the scarcer phylloscs. A Northern Willow Warbler – showing characteristics of the race acredula – was trapped and ringed at Stanford on 18th, the same date on which a Siberian Chiffchaff – tristis – was found at Wicksteed Park Lakes. It did not hang around.
Similarly not staying put, a Firecrest was a brief visitor to Boddington Res on 23rd, while news emerged of a Ring Ouzel ‘on private land’ near Long Buckby the following day.
Respectable numbers of Stonechats came from the seven sites of Brampton Valley, Harrington AF, Hollowell, Pitsford, Stanford, Summer Leys and Wicksteed Park Lakes, the first of these producing the highest site total of six on 20th.
And it’s now getting late for Northern Wheatears, singles of which were found at Clifford Hill GP on 21st and between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton in the Brampton Valley on 22nd.
Another first for the year turned up this week in the shape of a Water Pipit at Summer Leys, on 22nd. Found on the Scrape during the morning, its presence there was short-lived … and it was nowhere to be seen during the afternoon.
Over the last decade, including two blank years, Water Pipit records have averaged two per annum, of which 55% have been in autumn, 30% in spring and 15% in winter, making it a nice bird to catch up with.
The recent run of Rock Pipits spilled over into this week, with two at Hollowell on 18th, one there on 21st and another at Pitsford on 20th all contributing to a local standout year for this species.
Approaching the above in terms of a ‘good year’ are, of course, Crossbills, which have been in the running for some time now. This week’s quota included a maximum of fifteen over Salcey Forest on 20th, while several were at New Covert, Kelmarsh on 19th, three at Pitsford and one over Harrington on 18th and singles over Stanford on 19th and Harrington again on 24th.
And five days on from last week’s sighting, the Corn Bunting resurfaced between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton in the Brampton Valley on 20th.
Northants birds 