Newsround 11th to 17th April 2026

Another week and another set of summer visitors which, along with a sprinkling of scarcer migrants, moved us another step along the road toward the spring peak … and further high expectations of what might shortly be in the offing.  

A modest four new summer visitors clocked in during the period and the number of species in this respect is exactly the same as it was to this date in 2025.

Remnants of winter were still with us, however, with a White-fronted Goose putting in a brief appearance at Lilbourne Meadows NR on 11th and a Whooper Swan flying north-east over Stanwick GP on the same date, followed by two more of the latter over the Brampton Valley on 17th.

The drake Red-crested Pochard remained at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) until at least 13th, while the long-staying, though mobile, drake Ring-necked Duck was still to be seen at the Thrapston GP complex throughout the period.

This week’s top waders begin with twos of Avocets – all in the Nene Valley – at Clifford Hill GP on 13th, Summer Leys LNR on 15th and Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR on 17th. Proving particularly popular, however, were Whimbrels, kicking off with one at Daventry CP on 11th, followed by another being remarkably accommodating at Clifford Hill from 12th until the week’s end. One dropping in to Summer Leys on 16th put on an outstandingly decent show from the Screen Hide there, becoming the very essence of photographic low-hanging fruit …

Summer Leys also produced five Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits on 11th and one, a potential candidate for the continental race limosa, visited Earls Barton’s New Workings (South) on 16th.

Left over from last week, a lingering Ruff at Summer Leys was present up until 13th, while more Greenshanks adding to the year’s tally comprised single birds at Clifford Hill on 11th, Summer Leys on 14th and Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR on 14th and 16th.

Back at Summer Leys, the pick of the period’s gulls were two adult Mediterranean Gulls on 13th, ahead of a single adult on 14th-15th and a Caspian Gull on 11th. Pitsford Res continued to host an adult Yellow-legged Gull until at least 12th, while another visited Clifford Hill the following day.

Hot on the heels of last week’s fly-through at the latter locality, more Sandwich Terns arrived – three putting in an appearance at Summer Leys on 11th, followed by three at Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows on 14th.

In addition to the aforementioned Arctic Terns on 11th, there were more to come. One at Pitsford on 14th preceded twos at Ravensthorpe on 15th and Clifford Hill on 16th, plus four at Summer Leys on the latter date and one at Stanford on the final day of the week.

And the departure gate finally opened for Hollowell’s Red-throated Diver. It was nowhere to be seen after the 12th …

Not so for the Glossy Ibis which, seemingly more settled than last week, remained in the immediate area of Summer Leys throughout.

Single Bitterns were again located at Summer Leys on 13th and at Titchmarsh on 16th-17th, while the weekly Cattle Egret scraped in at Stanwick GP on 11th.

On the raptor front, single Ospreys were seen at five localities which included Hollowell on 12th and 14th, with the individual on the latter date being identified as a male bearing a blue ring ‘T3’. This bird fledged at Rutland Water in 2016 and has been a regular visitor to Hollowell in recent years. Sightings elsewhere came from Pitsford on 12th, both Rothwell and Oundle on 14th and over Earls Barton’s New Workings (South) on 17th.

At the same time, Marsh Harriers were down to just singles at Summer Leys on 11th and Thrapston on 13th, while a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier was found at Kingsthorpe Meadows, Northampton before drifting off north-west toward Brampton Heath Golf Centre on 16th.

There were passerines aplenty as more migrants continued to move through and, safely away from any breeding locality, a Firecrest joined the ivy league along the fencing by Weston Mill Lock at Clifford Hill as the week opened on 11th.

And, favouring a recently-tilled field immediately east of Summer Leys, a female Ring Ouzel drew in a steady procession of local observers over the four days 12th-15th. The fifth of the year, it was the only one so far which has been obligingly easy to connect with. A male was also seen at Harrington AF on 14th.

Alongside last week’s leftovers, more Common Redstarts made landfall during the period. Ravensthorpe held on to its male on 11th, another male appeared at Pitsford on 12th, the same date seeing further singles at Harrington and Summer Leys. Other sightings came from Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 13th, Harrington on 14th and Summer Leys on 15th.

Locally unseasonal, single Stonechats were found at Oundle on 15th and Desborough AF on 16th.

And the recent flood of Northern Wheatears continued this week with reports from eleven localities, maximum single site totals being eight at Clifford Hill on 16th, seven between Bythorn and Clopton on 14th, five at both Harrington and Lilbourne Meadows on 13th and four at Polebrook AF on 17th. A male at Clifford Hill on the latter date was a potential candidate for the Greenland race leucorhoa.

More White Wagtails were also in evidence, including up to three at Clifford Hill throughout the period and singles at Stanford on 12th and in two different areas of the Earls Barton GP complex on 13th and 15th.