Newsround 12th to 18th September 2026

As we moved into mid-September, a somewhat tepid week ensued with much of the previous week’s fare lingering, albeit in smaller numbers.

Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, feral ‘C-list’ Barnacle Geese have a habit of turning up in the Nene Valley, particularly at Clifford Hill GP, where eight were present on 17th-18th. However, untainted and having travelled from much further afield, were this autumn’s first Pink-footed Geese, with a wee skein of seven flying south-east near Byfield on 16th.

At Stanford Res, the female Ferruginous Duck of uncertain origin was again present on 12th and 13th, while the following day saw three Common Scoters at Pitsford Res.

With nothing to see between wildfowl and waders, four Curlews flying west over Summer Leys LNR on 15th represented an interesting – and welcome – addition to the week’s list. In line with a rapid and severe decline across the UK, losing nearly half (around 48% to 49%) of its breeding population since the mid-1990s, they’ve become rather scarce locally and, apparently, they no longer breed in Northamptonshire.

Black-tailed Godwits were seen daily during the week, though only in small numbers. Two remained at Daventry CP throughout, while single birds were present at Pitsford from 12th until 15th and at Boddington Res on 17th. Aside from one at Pitsford on the opening day of the period, the previous week’s Turnstone at Daventry became an unusually long-stayer, still to be found there at the week’s end.

Present at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 16th, just the one Ruff represented a further drop in numbers, while this year’s fine autumn for Spotted Redshanks continued, with one in flight over Summer Leys on 15th.

Greenshanks were present at four localities, Pitsford holding the lion’s share of four on 14th-15th, falling to two on 16th and dropping further to just the one on 17th. Elsewhere, Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR produced one from 12th until at least 14th, one was at Earls Barton GP on 15th and one was present at Stanford on 16th.

With regard to the number of species, there was no change on the gull front this week with the regular adult Caspian Gull still to be seen at Naseby Res on 12th and 18th, while single juveniles were present at Daventry on 12th and at Pitsford on 13th, 16th and 17th.

And Yellow-legged Gulls were the sole preserve of Pitsford, where varying numbers were seen daily, maxing out at seven on 14th.

Belated news emerged of a Manx Shearwater found in a garden in Crick and taken into care at Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital, Kibworth Beauchamp, on 11th September. The team there spent four days tube-feeding it and ensuring it was in top condition before being taken to the Welsh coast, where it was successfully released on 16th. This wrecked individual comes hot on the heels of two found in similar circumstances in September 2025 and is approximately the 36th record for Northants. Almost 75% of records have occurred in the month of September.

The 13th saw two Bitterns at Stanford Res, while singles were seen at Summer Leys on 13th and 18th and at Titchmarsh on 14th, while the week’s only Cattle Egret was one in flight, west, over Stanford on 15th.

Aside from one at Titchmarsh on 12th, the juvenile Osprey at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) continued to prove popular, putting on a grand show daily as it extended its stay there until the end of the period.

Marsh Harriers were less obliging, with two at Summer Leys on 13th, one at Blueberry Fram, Maidwell on the same date and one at Harrington AF on 15th.

And autumn saw its first Short-eared Owls this week when single birds were found in the Brampton Valley/Blueberry Farm area on 13th-14th and at Wicksteed Park, Kettering on 18th.

On the passerine front, there was a considerable decrease in numbers of Common Redstarts in comparison to last week. Singles were present at Harrington AF on 12th and 15th, between Old and Walgrave on 12th, Blueberry Farm from 13th to 16th and at Lamport Hall on the latter date. Whinchats were also down, with one at Wicksteed Park on 12th, two in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton on 15th-16th and one at Clifford Hill GP on 17th-18th. And as Whinchats ebbed away, Stonechats moved in. A male was found on farmland west of Yardley Hastings on 15th, one was at Upton CP on the same date, two were at Pitsford on 17th and one at Sywell CP on 18th. This week’s Northern Wheatears, all singles, were at Harrington on 12th, Blueberry Farm on 13th, in the Brampton Valley on 15th and at Pitsford Res on 17th.

And with one at Harrington on 12th, it appears we’ve not yet seen the last of this year’s Tree Pipits.

Four Crossbills were at what has recently become a favourite site for them, Gamboro Plantation in the Brampton Valley, on 16th.