The week just gone saw a last-minute rise from below- to above-average temperatures as the wind direction swung from north-east to south-west at the end of the period. Spring migrants continued to move through, amongst which was another first for the year …
Not a record-breaker in terms of arrival date but with only three records in 2025, Quail has become somewhat scarce in the county in recent years.
With just three Garganeys to date in 2026, two more made a one-day stopover at Stanford Res on the first day of the week.
Drake Garganey, Stanford Res, 16th May 2026 (Phil West)
And a sprinkling of ‘noc mig’ went into the mix this week when two small groups of Common Scoters were heard in flight, after dark, over Kettering on 18th and at least two were heard over the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, late on 22nd.
Avocets continued to be seen at Summer Leys, where up to four were present, and in the wider reaches of Earls Barton GP, where up to three were seen on the last day of the period. Passage waders included single Whimbrels at Summer Leys from 16th to 21st and at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North) on 17th, a Ruff at Summer Leys on16th, five Sanderlings at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 18th, followed on 20th by one at Clifford Hill GP, where two Wood Sandpipers flew east on 22nd. A Greenshank also visited Summer Leys on 19th.
Whimbrel, Earls Barton GP, 17th May 2026 (Leslie Fox)
The week’s gulls were restricted to a Mediterranean Gull at Summer Leys on 22nd and the usual adult Yellow-legged Gull at Pitsford Res on 16th.
A Glossy Ibis at Stanwick GP’s Main Lake on 16th flew off north-east and the long-stayer at Summer Leys was reported only on 19th, begging the question of both sightings relating to the same individual …
At least one Bittern was present throughout the period at Summer Leys, while one was seen in flight over Barnes Meadow Roundabout, Northampton on 19th. Up to two Cattle Egrets remained at Stanwick until at least 20th.
Fishing or on the fly, Ospreys were viewed over Earls Barton GP on 16th, near Naseby Res on 17th, Hollowell Res on 18th and at Summer Leys on 19th and 22nd while, keeping up weekly appearances, Marsh Harriers were restricted to a male over Stortons GP on 20th.
A Crossbill was at Gamboro Plantation, east of Cottesbrooke on 20th.
And belated news emerged this week of a Hoopoe photographed in a Woodford Halse Garden on 19th April. All three of last year’s records were in April but that’s not to say there won’t be another one before the year’s out …
In a week ending with cold northerlies and below average temperatures, migration took a further tumble and high expectations for a mid-May crowd-puller remained to be met. But there’s still plenty of time and who knows what lies ahead …
Catching up with a Garganey has, so far this spring, been problematic in the light of their scarcity and brevity of stay but Stanwick was again instrumental in delivering another drake on 10th, staying a full three days until 12th and likely accounting for the one seen fleetingly at adjacent Ditchford GP on 11th.
And following a long-stayer at Pitsford Res in the early weeks of the year, plus two together at Daventry CP for one day only, on 25th February, arriving on cue for late spring passage were two pairs of Black-necked Grebes – the first of these at Stanford Res on 8th and the second at Summer Leys LNR on 13th. Neither pair stayed beyond the day on which they were discovered.
Black-necked Grebes, Summer Leys LNR, 13th May 2026 (Alan Coles)
Summer Leys also continued to retain to its varying number of Avocets this week, with three from 9th to 11th, one on 13th, two on 14th and one again on 15th, the same site also producing a Ringed Plover showing characteristics of the race tundrae, colloquially known as Tundra Ringed Plover, on 10th-11th. And apart from one at Braunston’s canalside flood pool on 9th, the week’s only other Whimbrel was also at Summer Leys, from 9th until at least 13th. Other than that, two Turnstones paying a short visit to Clifford Hill GP on 10th were the best of the week’s waders and constituted only the second record for the year so far.
A single Yellow-legged Gull at Pitsford seen on 9th and 13th is all that was mustered on the larid front this week.
The county’s long-staying Glossy Ibis was still sitting pretty at Summer Leys throughout the period.
Glossy Ibis, Summer Leys LNR, 15th May 2026 (Alan Coles)
And there’s no getting away from the fact that Bitterns have risen to prominence this year, being present at a minimum of six localities during spring, so far. Singles were seen at Summer Leys almost daily, at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR on 10th and 14th and in flight along the Nene Valley at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR on 15th. All set for residency and confirmation of breeding is now surely just around the corner.
Bittern, Summer Leys LNR, 9th May 2026 (Clive Bowley)
Cattle Egrets come and go. This week’s consisted of up to three daily at Stanwick GP and three between Aynho and Clifton on 15th.
Raptors were limited to single Ospreys over both Pitsford and Earls Barton GP on 10th and at Stanford on 11th, plus a Marsh Harrier at Summer Leys on the latter date.
Having reached a crescendo on the migration front by the end of last week, the end of this week couldn’t have looked more different. A dramatic downturn in the number of waders and no new summer visitors suggested spring had all but finished but we’re now into a month in which the scales tend to tip in favour of quality, not quantity …
Wetland associates
Second only for the year and hot on the heels of the recent bird at Stanwick GP, a drake Garganey graced Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR on 2nd but, like last week’s, it evaded the masses, not being seen again after its initial discovery. After a cracking winter, nationally, and with at least ten still around in the UK at present, it perhaps comes as no surprise that the county pulled in another Ring-necked Duck, with a dapper drake surfacing at Stanford Res on 3rd and showing no hurry to move on until after 7th.
Drake Ring-necked Duck, Stanford Res, 3rd May 2026 (Chris Hubbard)
There was no significant change to the wader menu this week, just smaller portions to go round, with Avocets still up there as starters. Summer Leys LNR opened with four on 2nd, after which numbers dropped to three on 3rd, two on 4th-5th and one from 6th to 8th. One also visited Clifford Hill GP on 3rd, the latter location also giving rise to the county’s third Grey Plover of the year on the same date.
And sticking with Clifford Hill, it has emerged as the go-to site for Whimbrels this spring – not only producing the year’s first and the county’s earliest-ever but sightings virtually daily from 12th April to date. And so they continued this week, with two there on 2nd and one from 3rd until the end of the period. Elsewhere, one flew over Stanford on 2nd and singles were between Great Doddington and Summer Leys on 4th and at the latter site on 7th-8th.
Whimbrel, Clifford Hill GP, 6th May 2026 (Tony Stanford)
Last week’s Bar-tailed Godwit lingered at Summer Leys until 3rd but the only other to be seen this week was one at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 6th. Following the year’s first, fast disappearing from the latter locality last week, two somewhat more obliging Sanderlings made landfall at Clifford Hill on 4th.
And still with us as the week opened were nine Wood Sandpipers at New Workings (South) on 3rd, dropping to three there the next day and one only from 5th to 7th. Britain as a whole has experienced a significant influx this spring and our own fair county was generously provided with the opportunity to get in on the action.
That leaves us with Greenshanks, of which we’ve also seen decent numbers of late. The first half of the week saw eight at New Workings (South) but these subsequently dwindled to three on 7th and just one on 8th. The only other site hosting them throughout the period was Lilbourne Meadows NR, with one on 2nd-3rd and two present from 4th until at least 7th.
Greenshank, Lilbourne Meadows NR, 6th May 2026 (Mike Alibone)
Enter gulls, and the jug had not run dry as far as Kittiwakes were concerned when one flew east over Stanford on 4th.
Kittiwake, Stanford Res, 4th May 2026 (Chris Hubbard)
An adult Little Gull visiting Summer Leys on 2nd was the only one of its kind during the period and the latter locality also saw its two adult Mediterranean Gulls return after they made a flying visit to Clifford Hill on 3rd, one remaining until 4th.
Tern numbers were down on the previous week, with 3rd seeing a single Arctic Tern at Stanford and 4th giving rise to two flying north-east through Clifford Hill and three making their way in the same direction over Stanwick. Meanwhile, Black Terns were limited to singles at Summer Leys on 2nd and Stanford on 5th.
Black Tern, Stanford Res, 5th May 2026 (Chris Hubbard)
Following three in 2025, now virtually an annual visitor and, arguably, bird of the week, a White Stork soaring in a thermal near Thrapston’s Town Lake climbed to a good height before exiting south-west, on 4th.
And, further extending its dwell time, the county’s long-staying Glossy Ibis saw another week out at Summer Leys, as well as a short sojourn at New Workings (South) on 2nd.
The latter site also produced a Bittern on 3rd, while at least two were still present at Titchmarsh NR this week. Six Cattle Egrets were again at Stanwick on 2nd.
Flags and tags
There were slim pickings on the raptor front, with just a single Osprey at Pitsford Res on 6th but Summer Leys saw the return of a wing-tagged Marsh Harrier on 5th-6th. ‘Yellow DP’ – a first summer female – had previously visited the reserve on 28th March after being ringed and tagged near Hardley, Norfolk in 2025. Since its initial visit, it was recently seen at Marbury in Cheshire on 29th April before its return to Summer Leys, where there was also a non-tagged Marsh Harrier on 6th.
Flagged, not tagged, a Curlew, ‘yellow H3’ that was released as part of a re-introduction project in southern England dropped into Summer Leys on the 30th April. It was released as part of a re-introduction project in southern England, which involves eggs being taken from ‘at-risk’ nests within stable populations in Northern England, then incubated, hatched and reared in captivity. The young birds are released at three sites in the south: Cranborne in Dorset, Peppering in West Sussex, and Elmley in Kent. The project has been running since 2022. ‘H3’ was released at the Peppering Estate on 17th August 2024 and this is the first sighting since its release (per Roger Eads).
Curlew ‘H3’, Summer Leys LNR, 30th April 2026 (Roger Eads)
Passerines
Scarcer passerines were in the minority this week but there was enough to keep the home fires burning in this respect. A male Firecrest was still singing at an undisclosed locality on 2nd. Also featuring strongly this spring are Nightingales which, although annual county breeders, have been present at notably many more sites than in recent years, including some not previously recognised as breeding localities. Although this species has seen a dramatic national population decline of 34% between 1995 and 2024, the numbers of singing males on RSPB reserves have increased over the last two summers.
Nightingale, Stortons GP, 3rd May 2026 (Tony Stanford)
Other passerines were available, including a Whinchat at Lilbourne Meadows on 4th, a Northern Wheatear at New Workings (South) on 2nd, followed by two in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton on the last day of the week.
Whinchat, Lilbourne Meadows NR, 4th May 2026 (Mike Alibone)Female Northern Wheatear, Earls Barton GP, 2nd May 2026 (Leslie Fox)
A Blue-headed Wagtail was present at Clifford Hill on 2nd.
With rising temperatures, persistent easterlies and migrational momentum moving up a gear, there was no doubt that the week belonged to waders, the Nene Valley being the prime producer in this respect.
Four new summer visitors clocked in this week and, although no new records were set in terms of early arrivals, it seems highly likely that one will have been created by possibly the latest-ever Garganey to appear in the county. And, as we move into May, the latter looks set to become a rare spring commodity this year …
But, as already indicated, waders made up the lion’s share of the week’s best birds on offer. Avocets were again to be found in the Nene Valley, with two showing up at Summer Leys LNR on 26th and again from 29th until the end of the period.
Avocets, Summer Leys LNR, 29th April 2026 (Tony Stanford)
And the second Grey Plover of the year put in a very brief appearance at the latter locality on 29th. Clifford Hill GP remained the prime location for Whimbrel, up to three of which were seen there daily throughout the week, in addition to one flying east there on 28th. Elsewhere, two were at, and around, Summer Leys on 25th and 29th with one there on 27th-28th and 30th-1st, while further singles were picked up flying east over Hanging Houghton on 25th and Stanford Res on 30th, and on the ground at Stanwick GP on 30th and Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 30th-1st.
Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrel, Clifford Hill GP, 28th April 2026 (Tyler Atkinson)
A hike in numbers saw Bar-tailed Godwits hit double figures when ten were present at New Workings (South) on 29th-30th after five having been there on 28th and one subsequently on 30th. Clifford Hill saw nine flying east on 28th, while singles were present at Stanwick on 30th and at Summer Leys on 30th-1st. With the bulk of Black-tailed Godwits passing through earlier in the spring, the week’s tally was restricted to singles at Summer Leys on 28th and 30th.
A small number of Ruffs comprised two at New Workings (South) on 25th and 30th and singles at Summer Leys on 25th, 27th and 30th and at Stanwick on 28th.
Moving into the latter part of the spring traditionally sees the likes of Turnstone and Sanderling turning up and the week duly obliged with singles of the former at Summer Leys, briefly, on 28th and at New Workings (South), equally briefly, on 30th. With May now upon us there should be more to come …
And after the first Wood Sandpiper of the year last week, the floodgates opened and in they came, giving us what is undoubtedly the best spring for this popular little wader in living memory. Running over into this week, the Clifford Hill individual remained until 25th after which there were further sightings there on 27th and 30th and one also visited Lilbourne Meadows NR on 26th. Numbers then ramped up with the arrival of four at New Workings (South) the following day, the same site subsequently producing seven on 28th, rising to nine on 30th, before peaking at a mighty ten on 1st. One found at Summer Leys on 29th increased briefly to four on 30th, followed by one on 1st, while Stanwick got in on the action with two on 28th.
Wood Sandpiper, Earls Barton GP, 30th April 2026 (Mike Alibone)
Meanwhile, not to be left out, Greenshanks were again on the up, with New Workings (South) holding three on 28th, increasing to five on 30th and 1st. Five were also found at Clifford Hill on 28th, four flew east there the following day and one was present on 30th. Stanwick held up to two between 25th and 30th, while two were also at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR between 28th and 30th and singles were to be found in the Brampton Valley near Brixworth on 27th and at Lilbourne Meadows on 30th and 1st.
And following last week’s modest number of Little Gulls, a further trickle ensued with a first-summer at Summer Leys on 27th being followed by an adult there the next day before another adult arrived on 1st and a near-adult was present at Stanwick on 28th-29th.
Adult Little Gull, Summer Leys LNR, 1st May 2026 (Alan Coles)
Summer Leys was also the place to be for lingering adult Mediterranean Gulls with two on 26th and 28th, one or two on 30th and one on 1st, while a third-year Yellow-legged Gull was at Pitsford Res on 27th – the only one the site could muster during the period.
A flurry of Arctic Terns resulted in better numbers than in the previous week, the 28th giving rise to the majority of birds passing through. On this date, at least eight were present at Titchmarsh NR, a ‘small flock’ appeared briefly at Summer Leys, two were at Pitsford and singles visited Boddington Res and Stanwick. The 29th saw three flying east over Clifford Hill and one at Summer Leys, while one flew north over Daventry CP on 1st. But it was a dismal showing for Black Terns during the period with just single birds at Summer Leys between 28th and 1st, Clifford Hill on 29th and Ravensthorpe on 29th and 1st.
Black Tern, Summer Leys LNR, 29th April 2026 (Tony Stanford)
The county’s long-staying Glossy Ibis saw another week out at Summer Leys, visiting the wider reaches of the Earls Barton GP complex on occasions.
Bitterns seem to have dug their heels in firmly at Titchmarsh, where at least one was present throughout, while one was also discovered at Stortons GP on 27th. And Cattle Egrets rallied with a decent double-figure presence involving eleven birds together at Stanwick on 25th, four near Wappenham on 1st, two in flight over Clifford Hill on 29th, where one had been present the day before, two again at Stanwick also on 29th and one at New Workings (South) on 25th and 30th.
Cattle Egret, Earls Barton GP, 25th April 2026 (Leslie Fox)
On the raptor front, single Ospreys were seen over Hollowell, Pitsford and Stanwick on 25th, Great Oxendon on 26th, Thrapston on 28th and at both New Workings (South) and at private lake near Oundle on 1st, while clinging on to weekly appearances were Marsh Harriers at New Workings (North) on 26th and over Boddington on 30th.
And passerines? Well, finding a Wood Warbler in Northants these days is no mean feat given that they have undergone a long-term population decline equivalent to an 81% decrease from 1995 to 2023. A singing male alongside the River Nene at Clifford Hill on 29th was, therefore, a much-appreciated discovery. Although it retains its annual visitor status, how much longer will this last?
Wood Warbler, Clifford Hill GP, 29th April 2026 (Tyler Atkinson)Wood Warbler, Clifford Hill GP, 29th April 2026 (Tyler Atkinson)
A female Ring Ouzel in fields between Ecton and Earls Barton on 25th melted away immediately after having been found. And with just two – singles at both Blueberry Farm and Cotton End Park, Long Buckby, on 25th – Common Redstarts were on the wane this week. Incoming, though, were Whinchats, with the first of the year between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton in the Brampton Valley on 25th, followed by another in the same area on 1st.
Male Whinchat, Brampton Valley, 25th April 2026 (Bob Bullock)
Compared to last week, the total of Northern Wheatears was reduced to little more than a trickle. Five at Harrington AF on 30th was a decent enough number but, elsewhere, singles only were at Welford Res on 25th, Clifford Hill on 27th and at New Workings (South) on 1st, while one at Stanwick on 28th showed characteristics of the Greenland race leucorhoa.
A ‘blue-headed’ type Yellow Wagtail was at Clifford Hill on 29th, while the week’s White Wagtails were represented by three at Titchmarsh NR on 28th and one at Lilbourne Meadows on 30th.
Northants birds 