Newsround 29th November to 5th December 2025

The move into ‘winter proper’ was a transition largely without incident but a growing assortment of seasonal goodies was out there to keep the birding fires burning.

Stoking the coals, quality ducks were on offer this week, kicking off with a drake Ring-necked Duck, first found on 24th November at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR and remaining in the general vicinity, being seen on Town Lake at the week’s end. Odds on it’s last winter’s returning bird and, if so, it seems likely it will be in it for the long haul. The same site also produced three Greater Scaups which consisted of an adult female on 28th followed by a first-winter drake from 30th to 5th, along with a first-winter female on the latter date. Scarcer than Scaup, though, was a ‘redhead’ Red-breasted Merganser found at Boddington Res on 28th. Prone to flying off and returning, it was not constantly on show but was present daily until flying north-west just prior to dusk on 2nd. This was only the second to be seen in the county this year, the previous one being a dapper drake at Blatherwycke Lake from 9th to 14th February, and so maintains the average of two (actually 1.75) per year over the 20-year period 2004 to 2023, during which there were 5 blank years.

On site since 21st, and more reliably showy, was the Black-necked Grebe extending its presence at Pitsford Res throughout the week.

Back at Boddington, a second-winter Caspian Gull joined the gull roost there on 30th, while a third-winter was at Daventry CP on 1st, single adults were at Hollowell Res on 2nd and 5th and at Ravensthorpe Res on the latter date. Fewer than of late, single Yellow-legged Gulls were present in Boddington’s roost on 2nd, at Pitsford on 2nd and at Clifford Hill GP on 5th.

And there can be little more to add to the Glossy Ibis diary this week. Three, sometimes two, remained on their favoured flooded field at Little Irchester throughout the period, one of which also put in an occasional appearance at nearby Summer Leys LNR. At Stanford Res, two dropped to one which was present for varying periods of time on 29th, 30th, 2nd, 4th and 5th.

A Bittern broke cover at Summer Leys again on 4th.

And while Summer Leys/Earls Barton GP and Thrapston produced single Marsh Harriers, on and off, throughout the week, a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier flew south at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 29th.

The 29th also produced Short-eared Owls – two at Harrington AF and one hunting alongside the Rive Nene below Great Doddington.

Once again, the week’s only Merlin was in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton on 29th, 2nd and 3rd.

And we’ve done well for Firecrests of late – one in Abington Park, Northampton making headlines on 2nd as the first for the site. What else are we missing in urban and suburban locations?

Taking a backseat, other passerines included Stonechats in the Brampton Valley, at Clifford Hill, Earls Barton GP, Hollowell Res, Thrapston and Upton CP, with a maximum of five at Hollowell on 2nd and 5th.

The week’s Crossbills were represented by single birds at Harlestone Heath on 30th and Pitsford Res on 2nd and the Brampton Valley Corn Bunting was still present in the same area, being seen on 29th and 3rd.