Author: Mike Alibone

The overall south to south-westerly airflow was maintained throughout the week as a series of low pressure systems swept in off the Atlantic, hastening the arrival of more summer visitors.

Indeed, the first day saw three out of the period’s seven new arrivals that made it onto the clock this week, one of which was a record-breaker.

The male Common Redstart found at Clifford Hill GP on 30th pipped the previous earliest records, on 31st March in 1990, 2009 and 2021, by one day.

The arrival dates for the other six species, though, were largely unremarkable and a steady trickle ensued with the next Sedge Warbler at Earls Barton GP on 1st, further Yellow Wagtails at both Earls Barton and Harrington AF – also on 1st – while the next Common Tern checked in at Summer Leys on 4th.

With wildfowl on the wane, Hollowell Res hung on to its Pink-footed Goose – found there last week – until 1st, while at least two White-fronted Geese were still present at Wadenhoe Meadows until 30th. Back on the block this week was the female Ruddy Shelduck – this time dropping into Foxholes Fisheries, Crick on 1st. She was last seen previously at Hollowell Res on 19th January. Down in the Nene Valley, the mobile drake Red-crested Pochard again visited Earls Barton GPs New Workings (North) on 4th, while the female Ring-necked Duck saw another week out at Ditchford GP.

Making it into the new week was the Grey Plover at Summer Leys LNR but it was nowhere to be seen after 30th while, joining the Summer Leys wader club for one day only, on 3rd, was the year’s first Greenshank. Following last week’s run at the same locality, one Black-tailed Godwit remained on 30th, Stanwick GP produced one on 30th and two on 31st and, on 1st, one dropped into Ditchford GP and two visited Clifford Hill GP. Elsewhere, remnants of the wintering Jack Snipe population included one at Hollowell on 30th and two in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton on 4th.

Maintaining this year’s earlier than usual passage, more Little Gulls came through, starting with one at Thrapston on 31st, followed by one at Stanwick and three at Pitsford on 1st and two at the latter site the next day. All were adults. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was also mobile around said reservoir throughout the week. The prospect of running into any scarce larid is now fast slipping away.

Not so with Cattle Egrets, though. Aside from one paying almost daily visits to Summer Leys, seven congregated on Big Lake at Ditchford on 31st while, just west of there, five were among Alpacas at Ditchford Lane on 2nd. Two also visited Stanwick on 3rd. It seems unlikely there are more than eight birds in total.

Further east along the Nene, a White Stork was seen flying low over the A605, north-east of Oundle, on 31st. The origin our storks is unknown. Factor in that twenty-six chicks fledged from eleven nests across the Knepp Estate in West Sussex last year as part of the ongoing UK reintroduction scheme and it’s odds on that, these days, they are not truly wild birds.

Two of the week’s raptors were unsurprising. Single Ospreys were seen over Summer Leys on 31st, Deene Lake on 2nd and the Brampton Valley, Pitsford and Stanford Res on 5th and, in line with recent weeks, single Marsh Harriers were logged at Stanwick on 30th and Summer Leys on 5th. The third – a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier flying east over suburban Stortons GP on 2nd – was unexpected. It’s only the second of the year, following one at Harrington AF on three dates between 14th and 30th January.

And, talking of Harrington, the site featured well in the news for viewable Short-eared Owls this week with up to two seen daily while, conversely, four apparently remained in the Brampton Valley below Lamport at a site said to be inaccessible to the hoi polloi. Nearby, three were still around Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 1st, with two there on 4th. Seemingly having tailed off in popularity in recent weeks, Neville’s Lodge, Finedon still held on to at least one bird on 1st.

Following the early bird at Clifford Hill on 30th, more Common Redstarts found their way to the county this week. One was reported as heard only at Stanford on 1st and single males appeared at Honey Hill and Pitsford on 4th and 5th, respectively.

Northern Wheatears also continued to trickle through in the form of single birds at Harrington on 30th, 1st and 5th, Clifford Hill on 31st and Borough Hill on 5th.

The period’s White Wagtails, however, were limited to singles at Summer Leys on 1st and Pitsford on 2nd.

And then there were Mealy Redpolls. Summer Leys Feeding Station attracted a female on 1st while, on the same date, at least three were with Lesser Repolls on the Barton Seagrave periphery of Wicksteed Park.

Given the capricious taxonomic history of this species, it’s being widely touted that Mealy Redpoll will be re-lumped with Lesser Redpoll – and possibly Arctic Redpoll – in the not-too-distant future. A disappointing prospect …

Another week in which the action ramped up, the second half of which was dominated by hefty showers and a strong southerly airflow off the near continent. Unsurprisingly, these migrationally-conducive conditions delivered more summer visitors … and a very Good Friday.

‘More’ in this case means, in terms of numbers, less than last week, with just the two making it onto the calendar. Of these, the star bird was the Good Friday Sandwich Tern which, during the afternoon of last day of the period, cruised straight through Summer Leys LNR pretty much without stopping – much to the chagrin of those who were quick off the blocks in their attempts to see it. March records are not without precedent but this week’s bird is a week long of beating the earliest, which appeared at Thrapston GP on 23rd March 1996.

Completing the week’s new summer arrivals, rather more standard fare turned up in the shape of a White Wagtail at Earls Barton GP on 25th-26th, quickly followed by another at Pitsford Res on 27th.

Far less likely to pique the majority interest, though, were two Barnacle Geese found at Pitsford on 28th, subsequently seen flying west over nearby Hanging Houghton early the following morning. Though overwhelmingly likely to be feral, unlike the birds themselves, the status of this species in the county is anything but back and white. A solitary Pink-footed Goose found at Hollowell Res on 27th is also not beyond the feral but birds turning up locally are usually given the benefit of the doubt and this one may well be the individual which has been doing time at Stanford Res, mainly on the Leicestershire side of the border. Unsullied and beyond question on origin is the party of four White-fronted Geese that have yo-yoed back and forth between Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR and nearby Wadenhoe Meadows since their discovery at the former site on 4th March. They were still present on 24th.

Ducks, too, featured prominently this week. A drake Red-crested Pochard was again at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North) on 25th and the female Ring-necked Duck at Ditchford GP was relocated on Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows’ Cotton Reel Lake on 27th-29th after last being seen at nearby Higham Lake on 15th March. Taking its place there, a drake Common Scoter appeared on 25th-26th before itself relocating to IL&M’s Dragonfly Lake on 27th.

Further up the Nene Valley, the long-staying ‘redhead’ Smew remained at Clifford Hill GP until at least 28th.

On the wader front, things were beginning to bubble at Summer Leys, where between one and three Black-tailed Godwits were seen daily from 26th and at least seven were present on 29th. Three were also at Stanwick GP on 28th-29th.                   

These were upstaged somewhat by the appearance of a Grey Plover on the Main Lake at Summer Leys on 28th, where it remained mobile on 29th. Although annual, the number of Grey Plovers visiting the county in recent years appears to have dropped significantly.

Summer Leys was also the venue for a drop-in, first-winter Little Gull, present only briefly, late in the day on 28th. Larger scarce gulls were on the wane, though, with just a single first-winter Caspian Gull at Hollowell on 25th, a second-winter Yellow-legged Gull at Summer Leys on 23rd and an adult Yellow-legged at Pitsford on 28th.

Compared with last week, Cattle Egrets were thin on the ground with just single birds at Summer Leys on 26th and 28th and at Ditchford GP 26th and 29th.

The period also saw more Ospreys moving through. A pair returned to an established breeding location on 25th and one was seen near Braybrooke on the same date. One also flew over Hollowell Res on 26th and one was seen south of Hollowell village, flying toward Ravensthorpe Res on 28th. The only other raptor reported was a Marsh Harrier at Summer Leys on 23rd.

Four Short-eared Owls further extended their stay in the Brampton Valley, below Lamport, until at least 25th and a Merlin went through Summer Leys on 26th.

Following last week’s showy Waxwings in Northampton it was unsurprisingly quiet, with just one seen briefly and photographed in Brackley on the last day of the period. The last of the season, perhaps? We’ll see …

And there was more to come in the way of Northern Wheatears which, this week, featured at four localities. Four were found on and around Borough Hill on 23rd, two were at Willowbrook Industrial Estate, Corby on 24th and single birds were found at Hinton AF on 24th and in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton on 25th. There’ll be more to come but will we ever again witness the massive spring fall of 2006, when an eye-watering forty-one were present at Clifford Hill GP on 21st April?

At Duston’s New Sandy Lane attenuation pond, at least one Mealy Redpoll remained with its attendant Lesser Redpolls until at least 27th, while Bucknell Wood produced a Crossbill on 26th and three were seen at Scotland Wood, Kelmarsh on 29th.

And as the first day of the new week unfolds, while writing, Common Redstart, Sedge Warbler and Yellow Wagtail have all made it to the county. What will the new week bring … ?

Spring continued to unfold nicely. Considering it was only the third week in March it was delightfully eventful, keeping birders on their toes and producing something for everyone, as well as delivering five firsts for the year – not all of which were summer visitors.

Those that were, however, did not smash any early arrival records. First up were two Northern Wheatears on agricultural land between Clipston and Great Oxendon on 18th followed, later in the day, by an Osprey moving north over Bozenham Mill. Two days on and the first Swallows were logged at Pitsford Res and Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR while, on the last day of the week, Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows LNR supplied our first Willow Warbler.

After last being seen at Titchmarsh on 11th, the White-fronted Goose quartet was rediscovered on nearby Wadenhoe Meadows on 22nd, suggesting these birds are in no hurry to depart any time soon. Other wildfowl included single drake Red-crested Pochards at Pitsford on 21st and at Clifford Hill GP the following day, the first of these two localities producing a new ‘redhead’ Smew on 18th, with the latter site hanging on to its own long-stayer throughout the period.

Following last week’s audible-only ‘noc mig’ fly-over, from a purely visual perspective another first for the year appeared at Boddington Res in the shape of a drake Common Scoter, present there on the last day of the period.

And after being somewhat spoiled for waders last week, we were back down to Jack Snipe as the sole representative in the uncommon category. Twos were at Pitsford between 18th and 21st, at Hollowell Res between 19th and 21st and at Ditchford on 22nd, while Daventry CP mustered one on 20th.

Gulls, however, were still on the radar, the best of which was a first-summer Mediterranean Gull at Boddington on 16th, followed by an adult at Daventry on 21st. Upsizing, single first-winter Caspian Gulls were reported from Summer Leys LNR on 16th and Daventry on 21st, while Yellow-legged Gulls were found at Pitsford, where up to two adults were seen between 17th and 20th and a first-winter and third-winter were present there on 18th. A first-winter Yellow-legged also visited Daventry on 21st.

Bigger and better still, and at a higher level, a little in-flight entertainment materialised in the form of two fly-over White Storks moving north over Cosgrove, seemingly along the Tove Valley, on 18th. They were not picked up again but, on 21st, another was videoed as it flew north-west over Ellands Farm, Hemington,  a trajectory which set it on course for its arrival at Rutland Water, a mere 26 km distant, before the day was out.

Topping the storks the following day, however, a Glossy Ibis flew north-west over Ravensthorpe Res, on its way to who knows where. The above two species are now pretty much annual and it seems likely there’ll be more to come …

Cattle Egrets continued to maintain a presence and this week’s birds were scattered over four localities, albeit in small numbers. Ditchford reached a high of four on 22nd, when two were also at Summer Leys/Earls Barton GP after just the one being noted at both sites earlier in the week. One visited Clifford Hill on 18th and Daventry CP was honoured by the presence of its very first on 21st.

Hot on the heels of the aforementioned first Osprey of the year, two more were clocked flying high north, on 22nd – one over Braunston and the other moving over Hollowell. Meanwhile, the roving young male Marsh Harrier continued to be seen in the Nene Valley at Earls Barton GP’s Quarry Walk on 16th and at both Summer Leys and Stanwick GP the following day.

Up to four Short-eared Owls extended their stay in the Brampton Valley, below Lamport, until the end of the week.

Merlins, too, remained available for those putting the time in – one at Harrington AF on 16th and another visiting Summer Leys the following day.

And then there were Waxwings … Last week’s Far Cotton, Northampton birds resurfaced on 16th, when the number swelled to sixteen. At least fourteen remained on 17th, when they exercised their magnetic magic, pulling local birders into their chosen urban riverside location, during which time due appreciation ran neck and neck with close examination, the latter revealing a few interesting facts about some of their movements.

Two birds – an adult and first-winter – carried a series of blue, white and metal rings and these were identified as having been ringed in Newton, Central Wales earlier this winter.

Another adult with, on its right leg, metal over red, left leg white over red over yellow is a returning bird from winter 2022-23. This bird was first ringed as a first-winter female on 20th November 2022 at Kincorth, Aberdeen. It subsequently made an early return to the continent, appearing in Denmark in late January 2023, before being resighted this winter back in the UK in North Wales on 1st January, subsequently being found a month later in Birmingham. The Far Cotton birds were still present early on 18th, before again moving on.

And as some birds depart, others arrive. On the tail of the first Northern Wheatear came two more – one at Stanford Res on 21st, followed by one at Clifford Hill on 22nd.

And, once again, two Mealy Redpolls stuck it out all week in Duston, at the New Sandy Lane attenuation pond.

The previous week’s easterly airstream continued into the early part of the week just gone before more sustained south to south-westerlies set in to shape the weather for the greater part of the period. With these conditions clearly conducive to migration, more birds found their way onto the Northamptonshire yearlist including, as expected, a small flush of summer visitors.

Kicking off then with an early Whimbrel, heard calling well after dark above the Brampton Valley on 11th, this bird narrowly missed out on equalling the earliest spring record ever – that accolade falling to one over Ravensthorpe Res on 10th March 2012.

Then came Sand Martins. The first one was clocked at Summer Leys LNR on 12th, followed by runners-up of one at Thrapston GP and five at Hollowell Res – both on 15th. Also arriving this week was the first Little Ringed Plover, found on floodwater at Braunston on 14th with, hot on its heels, another photographed at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) the following day.

Summer visitors aside, wildfowl remained prominent during the period and with the reappearance of last week’s four White-fronted Geese at Thrapston’s Titchmarsh LNR on 11th, followed the next day by a flock of sixteen Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Clifford Hill GP, we were almost on the verge of a veritable Goosefest. Not to be sniffed at, and after a blank year in 2023, sixteen is a sizeable flock for Northants, where we are normally treated to occasional drop-ins of only ones and twos. In fact, this week’s flock is the second largest this century, following approximately twenty in flight over Earls Barton on 31st October 2003.

Having notched up at least sixteen days on site, the now long-staying drake Garganey remained occasionally on show at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows LNR (IL&M) until at least 13th. Two locations produced Red-crested Pochards – a drake was at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North) on 13th and two visited Daventry CP the following day, while the Ditchford first-winter drake Greater Scaup stayed until at least 9th, the other first-winter at Grendon Lakes was also still present on 11th.

Meanwhile, back at Ditchford, the female Ring-necked Duck saw another week out on Higham Lake and, further up the Nene Valley, the ‘redhead’ Smew remained at Clifford Hill until at least 13th. Another first for the year, invisible in the nighttime sky above the Brampton Valley, was at least one Common Scoter heard on nocturnal migration on 11th.

Topping this week’s wader bill was another first for the year in the shape of a Knot, which dropped in at Clifford Hill on 13th. It was not present the following day. This is a species which, in terms of annual appearances in the county, has been on the wane in recent years.

A Ruff at Titchmarsh LNR on the last day of the period was outnumbered by Black-tailed Godwits, which included three at IL&M on 9th-10th, up to three at Summer Leys throughout the week and one at Clifford Hill on 10th.

On the back of the recent easterlies, Little Gulls continued to trickle through, with singles at Summer Leys on 10th and Clifford Hill on 13th, followed by two at Thrapston on 15th. In line with last week, all birds were again adults. Mediterranean Gulls were again on the move, all of which appeared on 14th, when single adults visited Daventry CP and Stanwick GP and a first-winter was in the roost at Boddington Res. Two Caspian Gulls included a third-winter at Stanford Res on 13th and a first-winter at Daventry the following day, when two Yellow-legged Gulls – a first-winter and second-winter – were also present at the latter site.

Other than their numbers being somewhat down, there was little change in the distribution of this week’s Cattle Egrets. Up to two were at Ditchford on 11th-12th, two were again at Summer Leys between 12th and 15th, one was at Wicksteed Park Lakes on 13th and two were found at Titchmarsh LNR on 15th.

At least one roving Marsh Harrier was again in the Nene Valley, visiting Summer Leys on 9th and 12th, Stanwick on 9th, 11th, 12th and 15th and IL&M on 11th.

With just two Short-eared Owls remaining in the Brampton Valley below Lamport on 13th, this scarce, iconic winter visitor to the county seems to be fast melting away …

As for Merlins, Harrington AF had the monopoly, producing a female on 9th and an immature male on 15th.

And it seems we’re not quite done with Waxwings just yet as, on 15th, a wholly unconfirmed report of nine came from Priors Hall Park, where up to seven had drawn the crowds in January and early February while, on the same date, nine were also found at Far Cotton in Northampton. Although briefly caught on camera, these latter birds appeared not to stick around, being disturbed by a motorcycle passing in close proximity, too close for comfort.

A Firecrest – another first for the year – was found at Stanford Res on 9th. Initially on the Leicestershire side of the border, it finally made it into the county at the eleventh hour, albeit briefly.

And finally … at least one Mealy Redpoll hung on at Duston, at the New Sandy Lane attenuation pond, on 13th.

A wholly unanticipated early surge of spring migrants kept birders on their toes this week as a strong easterly airstream off the continent kicked in, producing a glut of birds more normally associated with April and May.

While there were no new summer visitors arriving during the period, there was still a decent sprinkling of scarcities and rarities to catch up with, starting with four White-fronted Geese which dropped into Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR on 4th. Not staying to see the day out, they had quickly moved on by the end of the afternoon. With fewer Whitefronts spending the winter in the UK these days, and 2023 constituting the first year in recent history without any in the county, it would appear this species is now on course to becoming a local rarity.

Still proving a popular draw, last week’s Garganey saw the week out at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows LNR (IL&M) while, a short hop across the A6 at Stanwick GP, the drake Green-winged Teal made it into the week on 3rd but was nowhere to be seen subsequently.

Back at Ditchford proper, another New World duck was making headlines as the day unfolded on 5th. Almost considered run-of-the-mill these days, a female Ring-necked Duck was discovered on Higham Lake – the site’s ‘main lake’ of old until, back in 1985, the then new A45 dual carriageway ploughed through the middle of it. It was still present at the week’s end. This may well be the same individual which visited Stanwick on 17th-18th January and/or the same bird present at Titchmarsh LNR from 25th to 28th January. On the other hand, it could be a completely different bird. How long it’s been on Higham Lake is obviously unknown but, clearly, said lake is a body of water which deserves more attention.

And as if to labour the point, we’re not done with Higham Lake yet, as a first-winter drake Greater Scaup was found there at the same time as the above duck, also staying put until the end of the period. Meanwhile, further upriver at Earls Barton GP’s Grendon Lakes the other, longer-staying, first-winter Greater Scaup remained throughout the week.

At Clifford Hill GP, last week’s ‘redhead’ Smew also saw another week out.

The Nene Valley continued to turn up trumps when three Avocets dropped in at Summer Leys on 7th, although a short spell of unavoidable on-site maintenance led to their visit being curtailed and they headed off east within forty minutes of their arrival.

With the Avocets clearly the icing on the wader cake, a decent number of Black-tailed Godwits were also in the mix. This year’s first was found at Stanwick GP on 4th, quickly followed later in the day by another, different, bird across the road at IL&M. Numbers ramped up on 8th, when twelve were found on floodwater at Barnwell Lock near Oundle, five appeared at IL&M, two flew north over Daventry CP and singles were seen at Summer Leys and in flight at Titchmarsh LNR.

Three Ruffs also dropped into Summer Leys on 7th and the week’s only Jack Snipe was at Hollowell Res on 7th-8th. Not a bad haul for the first week of March …

And then came the Little Gulls. A local mini-influx of six birds across four locations was part of a wider inland movement that included a gathering of twenty-three at Netherfield Lagoons in Nottinghamshire – quite extraordinary for so early in the spring’s proceedings. Five of our six were found on 7th, when one arrived at Summer Leys, two spent a short spell at Stanwick and two were found at Pitsford Res. The following day, one spent the best part of three hours at Wicksteed Park Lakes, Kettering. All birds were adults.

March, traditionally, is when Mediterranean Gulls start to move and this week’s included single adults at Hollowell Res on 4th, Daventry CP on 7th and in the roost at Stanford Res on 7th-8th, while a first-winter visited Hollowell on 8th. Hollowell also continued to host its regular adult Caspian Gulls, with one there on 7th and two the following day. The week’s Yellow-legged Gulls consisted of an adult and a third-winter at Boddington Res on 7th and an adult at Pitsford on 8th.

Keeping a low profile so far this year, no Bitterns had been reported until this week, when one was seen in flight before dropping into reeds at Stanwick on 6th. The same cannot be said for Cattle Egrets, of course, and this week’s cohort included up to seven at Ditchford, various numbers of which were mobile between Wellingborough Embankment and Rushden Lakes, up to three were at Summer Leys on 2nd-3rd, three were reported from Brancey Bridge, Aldwincle on 4th and one remained at Stanford on Avon on 2nd.

Marsh Harrier reports came from Titchmarsh on 4th, Stanwick on 4th-5th and from Summer Leys on 8th, with all sightings likely attributable to the same roving, immature male.

Short-eared Owls were in short supply, the Blueberry four apparently having moved to nearby private land, with no public access, on 6th, while a female Merlin was seen over Ravensthorpe Res on 3rd.

Following lower numbers last week, Stonechats continued their early spring clear-out, the end of the period having seen only two at both Long Buckby and Hollowell on 4th with one remaining at the latter site on 7th. Rarer passerine fare was on offer, though, with the discovery, at Duston, of the year’s third Mealy Redpoll within a small flock of Lesser Redpolls, on 8th. Given the number of reports of this ‘species’ in the UK this winter, it’s surprising how few have been discovered locally.

Two Crossbills were found in a small wood, east of Creaton, also on 8th.

An interesting week, culminating in the first day of meteorological spring, rewrote the statistics in terms of both weather and birds. While it was confirmed that the eastern region of the UK, of which Northants is a part, ‘enjoyed’ the warmest and wettest February on record, a certain duck also swam into the record books as the earliest ever spring migrant of its kind.

And we’re off! Yes indeed, the summer visitor arrivals clock started ticking this week with the appearance of a smart drake Garganey at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows LNR on 27th.

Although still present at the end of the period, it remained stubbornly elusive, on view for only short periods during the mornings of two of the four days it was present, leaving many would-be observers returning home empty-handed.

The above bird constitutes the earliest ever reported in the county, beating the previous earliest – a drake at Blatherwycke Lake on 8th March 2004 – by a fat ten days.

Other ducks were available, of course, and the reappearance of the drake Green-winged Teal at Stanwick GP on 29th and 1st was clearly not to be scoffed at. Where it had been lurking, unseen since 10th February, is anyone’s guess but, let’s face it, it’s had plenty of floodwater and resultant boggy meadows to lose itself on. Following suit, after three weeks’ absence, the first-winter drake Greater Scaup was back at Earls Barton GP’s Grendon Lakes on 28th-29th, with a few less brown feathers.

In a week of dapper ducks, then, the final slot was again filled by last week’s ‘redhead’ Smew, still present at Clifford Hill GP on 29th.

Jack Snipes continued to keep the scarce wader group afloat but numbers were low with two at Daventry CP on 26th and singles at Pitsford Res and Hollowell Res, on 26th and 27th, respectively.

Mediterranean Gulls were back in the frame this week when two adults drifted north over Kettering on 27th, the same date on which two adult Caspian Gulls were again at Hollowell Res and one was reported from Ditchford GP. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was again at Pitsford on 25th and 28th, while a first-winter visited Daventry CP on 26th.

Keeping up appearances, predominantly in the Nene Valley, Cattle Egrets continued to be seen at Ditchford until at least 27th, when six were present in one small area off Ditchford Lane, while the Summer Leys duo remained all week. The Stanford on Avon individual also saw another week out in the area between Stanford Hall and nearby Stanford Res.

The mid-Nene Valley roving male Marsh Harrier once again played hard to get, being seen at Summer Leys briefly on 29th.

For anyone intent on seeing Short-eared Owls, Blueberry Farm, Maidwell continued to produce the goods, hosting up to four, any number of which were seen daily between 27th and 1st while, nearby, one was seen at Cottesbrooke on 24th. At least one remained at Neville’s Lodge, Finedon on 25th.

A female Merlin was seen between Hanging Houghton and Scaldwell on 1st.

And we’re not quite done with Waxwings yet, so it seems, as five flew north-west over the old railway track at Stanford Res on 24th and one was reported from Brackmills CP, Northampton on 27th. This latter date also saw a return of last week’s Oundle nine – becoming ten – in the same area as before and again, nearby, the following day.

The period’s Stonechat quota saw reports from eleven localities – the same number as last week – but numbers were down to just one or two birds at nine of these, with maxima of five at Hollowell on 27th and four in the Brampton Valley on 25th.

Hints of spring faced challenging bouts of heavy rain over the week, the latter adding significantly to an already waterlogged landscape in many areas. And, as for the birds …

Stanford Reservoir’s Pink-footed Goose remained in the area until at least 21st, venturing briefly into Northants on 18th. Further down in the county, at Pitsford Res, a Whooper Swan was reported from Brixworth CP on 20th, while Clifford Hill GP delivered the week’s best duck, a ‘redhead’ Smew, from 21st to 23rd. Only the second one of this year so far, its behaviour and its favoured area of the pit were identical to the bird there during the first week of January, suggesting it may well be the same individual making a return visit.

This week’s scarce wader tally failed to progress beyond three Jack Snipes at Daventry CP on 19th and one at Hollowell Res on 23rd.

Gulls, too, were thin on the ground with a first-winter Caspian Gull at Ravensthorpe Res on 19th and two adult Caspians at nearby Hollowell on 23rd, while Pitsford unsurprisingly dished up an adult Yellow-legged Gull on 17th.

Cattle Egrets enjoyed some decent exposure across the county this week with birds present at five localities. Ditchford GP saw a peak of five on 20th with at least two still present on 23rd. At Summer Leys LNR, the two present daily since 13th February remained settled throughout the week, with a third bird reported there on 20th, while the Stanford Res/Stanford on Avon commuter was still present on 18th and further singles were at Kislingbury GP/Upton CP on 17th-18th and Stanwick GP on 20th.

A male Marsh Harrier scraped into the week’s proceedings, being seen at Summer Leys on 17th.

As with last week, Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and Neville’s Lodge, Finedon both shared Short-eared Owls with up to two at the first of these throughout the week and the same number at the latter site up to 18th. One was also trapped and ringed in the Brampton Valley, between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, on 18th – this site, alongside Blueberry Farm, continuing to hold a roving male Merlin.

The week’s passerine contingent was at a low ebb, the highlight being a group of nine Waxwings discovered flycatching from bushes alongside the A605 Oundle bypass on 18th. Now seemingly failing to generate the excitement they did at the turn of the year, this group appeared not to pull any punters.

So, that just leaves Stonechats, numbers of which picked up considerably this week with birds present at eleven localities. Most notable were approximately ten at Hinton AF on 18th, nine at Daventry CP on 22nd and eight at Hollowell Res on 23rd. Elsewhere, between one and four were present in the Brampton Valley, at Clifford Hill, Ditchford, Earls Barton GP, Stanford, Stortons GP, Summer Leys and Upton.

A somewhat subdued week saw continuing high water levels, although rainfall was significantly lower than that during the week prior. Unfortunately, there was little to shout about in terms of new arrivals and more than a feeling that we are, at present, just bumping along the bottom.  For avid birders in the field, trying to find new birds was, as they say, rather like pulling teeth but Sand Martin in Kent and Swallow in Dorset this week hint that things, in general, are on the move …

Locally, though, it was back to basics, kicking off with Stanford Reservoir’s Pink-footed Goose still present on the Northants side of the border on 10th. Two Bewick’s Swans were reported at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 15th but there was no sign of any there the following day. Last week’s drake Green-winged Teal at Stanwick GP scraped in to steal the crown in this week’s lineup on 10th but there was not even a sniff of it thereafter. A drake Red-crested Pochard found at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North) on the same date was likely the bird present at nearby Billing GP’s Ecton Lake on 27th January.

This week’s waders were last week’s waders with a Ruff still at Stanwick on 10th and a Jack Snipe at Hollowell Res on the same date, plus at least four more of the latter still at Daventry CP between 12th and 15th.

Gulls were few and far between and included two second-winter Mediterranean Gulls – Stanford and Pitsford Res producing one apiece on 12th and 16th, respectively, while an adult Yellow-legged Gull was present at DIRFT 3 on 11th.

Cattle Egrets were a little more obliging this week, with one commuting between Stanford Res and nearby Stanford on Avon, on and off, throughout the week. One was also at Stanwick on 15th and two were mobile around Summer Leys LNR between 13th and 16th.

Summer Leys also produced an immature male Marsh Harrier on 10th and 12th, the same bird being present further up the valley at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on the last of these two dates. One, possibly the same individual, also visited Stanwick on 13th. It’s not so long ago that Marsh Harrier was a scarce passage migrant in the county and, in 1971, this species was Britain’s rarest breeding raptor with just one pair at Minsmere in Suffolk. Since then, after intense conservation efforts, one estimate puts the UK population at between 590 and 695 breeding pairs – undoubtedly the source of our recent wintering birds.

Short-eared Owls remained prominent in the news with Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and Neville’s Lodge, Finedon carving up this week’s quota between them, each locality producing up to four birds throughout the period.

Two Merlins comprised a male between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, in the Brampton Valley on 13th and a female/immature at Pitsford Res on 16th.

As far as this week’s Waxwings were concerned, a dozen or so were seen flying away from Dallington Cemetery (Duston, Northampton), just before dusk on 10th – and that was the first and last that was seen of them. Following the Duston Vanishers, Northamptonshire was left wanting, while, not a million miles away in suburban Milton Keynes, numbers went from strength to strength, with at least seventy-five on the eastern outskirts of the city near Kingston by the week’s end. Needless to say, the surrounding counties of Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Warwickshire all enjoyed double-figure flocks.

The Brampton Valley, Daventry, Earls Barton, Hollowell, Stanwick and Summer Leys all held Stonechats this week, with the highest count of five at Hollowell on 10th, while Crossbills scraped in with single birds over Daventry on 14th and at East Carlton CP the following day.

In contrast to the previous week, this week endured considerable precipitation over an already waterlogged landscape, resulting in rapidly developing floodwater – particularly in the Nene Valley – by the week’s end. The early part of the week, however, saw the arrival of another North American duck …

Yes, looking beyond the Pink-footed Goose that was still at Stanford Res as the week came to a close, Northamptonshire’s sixteenth Green-winged Teal was found at Stanwick GP on 6th by veteran Stanwickeer, Steve Fisher, during an early morning sortie around the site.

Stanwick (and Steve) has a track record for producing this species which, since the first county record at nearby Ditchford GP in 1980, has previously occurred there in five different years. In fact, early spring during the three consecutive years, 2007-2009, produced one that was considered to be the same returning individual and was therefore classed as only one record. It’s been an eight-year wait since the last, which was at Daventry CP in  2016 (details here and here).

Green-winged Teal was dropped from the BBRC list of species requiring submission from 1991 and it was considered a sub-species of ‘Eurasian’ Teal until 2001, when the BOU awarded it full species status.

Aside from the above, both first-winter Greater Scaups remained in place at Hollowell Res and Grendon Lakes (Earls Barton GP) on 4th and 5th, respectively.

The week’s waders were limited to a Ruff at Stanwick on 7th and seven Jack Snipes at Daventry CP on 5th.

Gull numbers were down over the period with a Caspian Gull (unaged) reported from Summer Leys LNR on 3rd, three (an adult and two first-winters) at Daventry CP on 5th and just a first-winter at the latter site on 9th. Two Yellow-legged Gulls (unaged) were reported from Summer Leys on 3rd and a first-winter was at Daventry CP on 5th.

Cattle Egrets were seen on single dates only at Ditchford GP on 4th, Wicksteed Water Meadows NR on 7th and Summer Leys on 9th, nor were there any subsequent reports of a Glossy Ibis seen in flight at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR in the fading light of 3rd.

After one there last week, Stanford produced the period’s only Marsh Harrier when one flew east on 7th.

Short-eared Owls were again in evidence with one at Harrington AF on 4th, up to three at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell between 5th and 7th and, on the latter date, three at Neville’s Lodge, Finedon and one in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton.

In line with last week, Blueberry Farm delivered a Merlin – this time a female – on 7th and a female/immature was also seen at Harrington AF on 4th.

After 5th, it was all quiet on the Waxwing front, this being the last date on which the Corby seven were seen. Still, we can’t complain after their having enjoyed a good innings, being virtually nailed down at this site for more than five weeks.

Stonechats were again found at five localities, the highest single site count being six at Earls Barton GP on 4th, while Crossbills crept back into double figures with up to twelve being seen at the ever-reliable Fineshade Wood until at least 7th.

A largely dry week – both weatherwise and new birdwise – saw higher-than-average temperatures in the latter half but there was still plenty of entertainment out there to keep the birding pace going.

There were few new wildfowl during the period and the Pink-footed Goose that appeared at Stanford Res on 2nd appears likely to be the Hollowell Res bird out on a jolly. A drake Red-crested Pochard was found on Ecton Lake, at Billing GP, on 27th, while the female Ring-necked Duck remained at Titchmarsh LNR (Thrapston GP) until 28th but was not seen thereafter. Hollowell hung on to its first-winter drake Greater Scaup throughout, as did Grendon Lakes its rather more advanced individual.

With numbers up on last week, Jack Snipe was again the only standout wader. A maximum of twelve at Daventry CP on 29th was the highest count, followed by two at Hollowell between 28th and 2nd and one at Barnes Meadow LNR, Northampton on 29th.

The scarcer gulls were still out there to be had and these included single adult Caspian Gulls in the roost at Stanford on 29th and 31st, a first-winter at Daventry on 29th and an adult roosting at Summer Leys LNR on 30th. With a notable absence of the formerly regular adult from Pitsford Res of late, the only Yellow-legged Gulls this week were a first-winter at Daventry on 29th, an adult at Summer Leys on 30th and a third-winter in the roost at Stanford on 31st.

Nowadays less engaging and often prone to playing hide and seek, Pitsford’s Great Northern Diver was seen on 27th and 31st.

Cattle Egrets kept a surprisingly low profile and while one was seen at Stanford on 27th and 1st, it spent the intervening period in a nearby sheep field, over the border, in Leicestershire. One was also reported from Summer Leys on 29th.

Keeping up appearances, Marsh Harriers maintained their winter presence in the Nene Valley, where there were three independent sightings within the Earls Barton GP complex on 28th. One also provided observers at Stanford with a locally rare winter record when it flew east over the reservoir on the following day.

A ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier was clocked over Harrington AF during the last hour of daylight on 30th, while the gathering dusk on 28th-29th also saw the emergence of four Short-eared Owls at Neville’s Lodge, near Finedon. In a bid to rival the Finedon four, Blueberry Farm, Maidwell delivered its own twilight quartet on 1st.

Blueberry and the wider environs of the Brampton Valley also delivered a male Merlin on 29th-30th.

And so to Waxwings. Having increased to five birds in the latter part of last week, the Corby clan attracted a further new recruit on the first day of this one, only to move on up again to seven birds on 2nd. During this period, however, they became more mobile and unreliable, their appearances being more sporadic, with would-be observers going home empty-handed. That’s not to say they were the only ones available this week. A nice, Sunday afternoon find of twelve at Brackmills CP, Northampton proved to be a pull for those quick off the mark on 28th but their stay extended only until 09.15 the following morning, when they headed off south-west, toward Wootton. In addition to these, a lone bird was seen briefly in the vicinity of the entrance to the Hanson gravel processing plant at Earls Barton GP on 28th.

Stonechats were found at five localities – down from last week’s eleven – the highest count being a respectable seven at Hollowell on the last day of the week.

With numbers also down, Crossbills crept into the week’s line-up with at least one bird present at Longcroft Road, Corby on 1st and a rather meagre two at Fineshade Wood the following day.