Author: Mike Alibone

The high pressure system in place over the UK gave way to an Atlantic low, bringing more unsettled conditions and the early summer lull continued throughout the week.

A drake Garganey lingered at Summer Leys LNR from 9th to 14th, being joined there by what is assumed to be last week’s drake Red-crested Pochard from Stanwick GP from

12th to 14th, while the female Goldeneye at adjacent Earls Barton GP’s Mary’s Lake was still present on 8th. News of an adult Night Heron was released toward the end of its two-week stay on a private lake at Stoke Albany, emerging via a convoluted route and not in time for birders to catch up with it before it was last seen on 7th. This is only the ninth Night Heron to be recorded in Northants and it would have proved popular with local birders had it stayed longer, the previous record having been twenty-three years ago in 1990! Raptors of note this week were a Marsh Harrier flying north-east at Long Buckby on 9th and single Ospreys at Thrapston GP on 8th and over Sidegate Landfill on 14th, while passage waders included single Black-tailed Godwits at Summer Leys on 9th and 12th and at Stanwick GP on 10th and a Curlew at the latter locality on 8th. Rooftop breeding of Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls appears to have taken off in the County in recent years and the non-breeding population of immature large gulls is similarly increasing with loafing Nene Valley flocks attracting  a first-summer Caspian Gull to Stanwick GP on 9th and up to seven Yellow-legged Gulls at the same site between 8th and 10th.

With a high pressure system sitting over the UK all week the weather remained warm and dry and conditions calm. One or two new birds were discovered to keep the interest engine running …

This week’s ducks deluxe comprised the drake Red-crested Pochard still present at Stanwick GP on 2nd and 3rd and the female Goldeneye still at Earls Barton GP – reportedly with an injured wing – on 1st. The first of what will hopefully be a Juneful of Quail was heard singing late in the evening at Glapthorn on 5th and two Black-necked Grebes paid a surprise visit to Daventry CP on 7th, showing well close to the overflow there during the afternoon. The only raptor of note was an adult Peregrine over Thrapston GP on 3rd and the only passage wader a Greenshank at Summer Leys on 3rd

and 4th while up to two second-summer Yellow-legged Gulls loitered at Stanwick GP on the same dates. Scarce passerines were restricted to a couple from the chat end of the systematic list, namely a Black Redstart in an Oundle garden briefly on 4th and a

Whinchat at Wollaston on 1st.

 

A warm, dry start to the week again gave way to unsettled conditions with westerly and northerly elements to the airstream bringing few new birds to the County.

A drake Garganey at Clifford Hill GP on 31st and a drake Red-crested Pochard at Stanwick GP on 30th were the only ducks of note but a female Goldeneye at Earls Barton GP on 31st was fashionably late. Bird of the week this week, however, was without doubt an adult Gannet, which was seen in flight twice within fifteen minutes at Summer Leys LNR on 29th and over nearby Wellingborough shortly afterwards. This appears to be the 31st record for Northamptonshire with previous records this century in 2001, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Hardly a week goes by without an Osprey or two being seen and this one was no exception with singles over Thrapston GP on 26th and Summer Leys on 30th, while the only Peregrine reported was one at Desborough on 25th. Waders continued to be thin on the ground, which is only to be expected in late May. Two Ringed Plovers visited Summer Leys on 27th, two Dunlins were there on 29th with one there on 31st and single Common Sandpipers were also at this locality on 25th and at Daventry CP on 28th. Summer Leys also produced a Greenshank on the latter date and another, or the same, was there on 31st with one at Thrapston GP on 30th. The only relatively uncommon gull this week was a second-summer Yellow-legged Gull at Stanwick GP on 27th but a second-summer Common Gull at Summer Leys on 31st was unseasonal while a Black Tern – locally scarce this spring – was at Daventry CP on 28th.

Migration slowed to a mere trickle, almost drying up, during another unsettled week of average and below average temperatures coupled with periodic heavy showers on the back of a largely westerly airstream.

Six drake Mandarin Ducks were counted at Blatherwycke Lake – the long established location for this species – on 21st, a drake Garganey visited Stanwick GP on 20th and a female Common Scoter at Daventry CP on 22nd became the only one to have made it to the County so far this year. On 18th there were unconfirmed reports of Honey Buzzards over Woodford Halse and Islip, the Nene Valley produced a wandering Osprey at Thrapston GP on 20th and at nearby Oundle on 22nd and another at Chadstone on 23rd and two Peregrines were circling over Collingtree Park (Northampton) on 18th with another pair at a breeding site all week. Few waders were found during the period with three ‘Tundra’ Ringed Plovers at Stanwick GP on 23rd, a Black-tailed Godwit at Summer Leys briefly on 19th,

Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit, Summer Leys LNR, 19th May 2013 (Mike Alibone)

a Whimbrel at Clifford Hill GP on the same date and two at Summer Leys LNR on 21st being the only birds of note. An Arctic Tern appeared at Thrapston GP on 22nd followed by two at Stanwick GP the following day.

An unsettled week, dominated by a westerly airstream brought more migrant waders to the Nene Valley gravel pits and the first (overdue) Black Terns of the year to Pitsford Reservoir.

Few raptors were found during the week, those of note being a male Marsh Harrier in the Brampton Valley on 16th with a ‘cream-crown’ over Harrington AF on 17th, an Osprey over Thrapston GP on 13th, and a Peregrine at Trafford Marsh on 11th.

On the wader front, in contrast to previous weeks, Ringed Plovers appeared in good numbers at several Nene Valley locations with fourteen at Clifford Hill GP on 13th, four there the next day, one at Stanwick GP on 13th with six there the next day and two there on 15th and six at Summer Leys LNR on the same date. Most, if not all, of these were likely to have been of the northern race tundrae. More Sanderlings appeared this week with two at Stanwick GP on 14th and one there on 15th, one at Daventry CP also on 15th and five or six at Summer Leys on the same date, while a Temminck’s Stint paid a disappointingly brief visit to Stanwick GP on 13th. Dunlins were up on last week with singles at Summer Leys on 11th, 12th and 14th with fifteen there on 15th and three or four on 17th, one at Pitsford Res on 13th, two at Stanwick GP on 12th to 14th with three there the next day and eight at Clifford Hill GP on 13th with ten there the next day. A Bar-tailed Godwit visited Summer Leys briefly on 15th, three Whimbrels were at the adjacent Mary’s Lake on 12th, four visited Clifford Hill GP the following day and one was at

Whimbrel, Earls Barton GP 12th May 2013 (Mike Alibone)

Boddington Res on 15th. Single Common Sandpipers visited Summer Leys on 11th-12th and 16th, Stanwick GP on 12th and Clifford Hill GP on 16th and a Turnstone was at Summer Leys on 15th.

Loafing non-breeding gulls are becoming an increasingly common sight as we go into the summer months but the only scarcity falling into this category was a second-summer Yellow-legged at Summer Leys on 12th and an adult at Stanwick GP on 13th while an adult Little Gull visited Thrapston GP on the same date and a first-summer was at Boddington Res the next day. A Little Tern flew through Summer Leys on 14th, the first Black Terns appeared at Pitsford Res with two there on 15th and three on 16th and Arctic Terns this week comprised one at Daventry CP, two at Boddington Res and two or three at Pitsford Res – all on 15th.

A singing male Firecrest in roadside trees west of Scaldwell was a nice surprise for a passing birder on a bike on 17th, a female Redstart was trapped and ringed in a Greens Norton garden on 16th, two Whinchats were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 13th while singles were at Harrington AF on 15th and 17th and three Northern Wheatears were in the Brampton Valley on 14th with one there on 16th and singles visited Harrington AF on 15th and Clifford Hill GP on 16th.

Largely dry and settled with above average temperatures at the start of the week, falling to average or below average with south-westerly gales at the week’s end.

On 6th an Egyptian Goose was at Summer Leys LNR and drake Garganeys visited Stanwick GP and Thrapston GP and another was at Summer Leys the following day. Nearby Mary’s Lake held a female Goldeneye also on 6th. Single Ospreys were seen at Thrapston GP on 5th, over Moulton on 6th, at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 8th and near Boddington Res on 10th when six Hobbies were together at Earls Barton GP.

An Avocet spent a day at Stanwick GP on 4th and the dearth of Ringed Plovers continued with again just one seen in the period – at Summer Leys on 4th. The same site hosted Sanderlings on 7th and 10th and single-figure counts of Dunlins were made at Clifford Hill GP and Stanwick GP, while twelve visited Summer Leys on 9th. Four Black-tailed Godwits at Stanwick GP on 4th was the only record of this species this week and Whimbrel numbers also remained low with singles at Summer Leys LNR on 8th and at

Daventry CP on 10th. Common Sandpipers were found at just two localities – one at Deene Lake on 7th and up to four at Summer Leys throughout the week while a single Green Sandpiper was at the latter site on 6th, a Greenshank appeared at Clifford Hill GP on 5th and Wood Sandpipers visited Stanwick GP on 7th and Summer Leys on 8th.

The only scarce gulls this week were a second-summer Yellow-legged at Summer Leys on 9th with the same site hosting an adult and a first-summer Little Gull on 6th, when an adult was also at Stanwick GP.

Also at Stanwick GP was a Little Tern briefly on 4th and a Sandwich Tern paid an equally brief visit to Summer Leys on 9th, while the only Arctic Terns this week were singles at Stanford Res on 4th and Daventry CP on 10th.

A rufous morph Cuckoo was found at Summer Leys on 10th and a Short-eared Owl was seen hunting at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 5th and 6th – the same dates that singing male Wood Warblers were discovered near Badby and at Old Sulehay; needless to say they did not linger. The first Spotted Flycatcher of the year was at Duston on the early date of 4th, a Black Redstart appeared briefly in a garden in Kingsley, Northampton on 8th, single Whinchats were at Shutlanger Sewage Works on 4th and at Summer Leys on 6th while a Northern Wheatear was at Tywell Hills and Dales on 6th and a Greenland Wheatear visited Harrington AF on 10th.

A very dry and settled week with predominantly clear skies conducive to non-stop migration. The week was very quiet, the hoped-for rush of Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrels and Little Gulls, which have been the hallmark of late April/early May in recent years simply did not materialise … and neither did anything else.

A drake Garganey was at Summer Leys LNR also on 29th and again on 2nd and a pair of Goldeneye at Pitsford Res on 30th were the only ones recorded during the period. Three Marsh Harriers included a male at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 27th and single ‘cream crowns’ over Stanwick GP on the same day and at Thrapston GP on 29th while an unidentified ‘ringtail’ harrier sp. was at Harrington AF briefly on the evening of 1st.  An Osprey flew north along the River Nene at Oundle on 27th and another visited the trout lake at Thrapston GP on the evenings of 30th and 1st.

Again, just one Ringed Plover was seen in the period – at Summer Leys LNR on 29th, and the only Dunlins were two at Summer Leys LNR on 27th and up to three at Clifford Hill GP between 27th and 30th while a Black-tailed Godwit was at Summer Leys LNR on 27th, two were at Clifford Hill GP on the same date with one there until 1st and singles were at Pitsford Res on 30th and Stanwick GP on 2nd and 3rd. Just one Whimbrel paid a brief visit to Clifford Hill GP on 30th and a Curlew was at the same site on 28th. Common Sandpipers were found at seven localities and a single Green Sandpiper was at Summer Leys LNR on 2nd, while the same site hosted a Greenshank on 28th with others at Clifford Hill GP on 27th, Stanwick GP on 29th, 1st and 3rd and two visited Daventry CP briefly on 1st.

The only scarce gulls this week were an adult Mediterranean at Summer Leys LNR on 29th and an adult Yellow-legged at Ravensthorpe Res on 30th and the number of Arctic Tern records were down on last week with one at Thrapston GP on 29th followed by thirteen briefly at Pitsford Res the following day and seventeen at Stanwick GP on 2nd. A Short-eared Owl was a surprise find for one would-be Osprey watcher at Thrapston GP on the latter date and another surprise was the winter’s final fling of Waxwings with eight present in Wootton on 30th and 1st.

The long-staying male Ring Ouzel at Harrington AF made it into this week by still being present there on 27th, the same date producing the week’s only Common Redstart – a female at Quinton. Two Whinchats were at Hollowell Res on 30th but more interesting was a male Stonechat possibly of the continental race rubicola at Boddington Res on 2nd, while Northern Wheatears were found at five localities with a maximum of nine – two of which showed characteristics of the Greenland race leucorhoa at Borough Hill on 30th. A Tree Pipit was also present there briefly at the same time. A White Wagtail remained at Upton Valley (Northampton) from 27th to 29th and two were at Stanwick GP on 29th, while ‘finch of the week’ was a Crossbill at Kelmarsh on 27th.

The week remained relatively warm and dry with light winds predominantly from the south and west – ideal conditions for spring migrants moving through the UK.

With the wintering duck all but departed drake Mandarin Ducks were found at Ashton Wold on 24th and Salcey Forest on 26th, a drake Garganey was at Summer Leys LNR also on 26th and the pair of Red-crested Pochards remained at Hardingstone GP until at least 24th with the drake still present on 26th. Small numbers of Goldeneye remained at Hollowell, Pitsford, Ravensthorpe and Stanford Reservoirs on 20th while two Goosanders were still at Thrapston GP on 21st and another was at Stanwick GP on 24th.

Although Marsh Harriers flying west at Little Irchester on 22nd, over Brampton Heath Golf Course and near Kentle Woods (Daventry) on 26th were noteworthy, they were just outnumbered by Ospreys which were seen at Stanford Res and Stoke Albany on 20th, Thrapston GP on 23rd, over Borough Hill on 24th and at Pitsford Res the following day. The first Hobby of the year was found at Stanford Res on 20th, while Peregrines were recorded at three localities, two of which appeared to be pairs at potential breeding sites.

Two Avocets dropped in briefly at Clifford Hill GP mid-morning on 20th and, after departing, they were seen just eleven minutes later at Summer Leys LNR, where they also did not linger. Just one Ringed Plover was seen in the period – at Clifford Hill GP on 22nd, 23rd and 25th and the same site again hosted a Grey Plover, which came in to roost on the evenings of 22nd and 24th with up to 158 Golden Plovers; elsewhere, two Golden Plovers were at Chelveston AF on 20th and eighteen were near Tiffield the following day. The only Dunlins were one at Summer Leys LNR on 21st with two there on 26th, up to four at Clifford Hill GP between 22nd and 26th and one at Hollowell Res on the latter date, where surely now the last of the winter’s Jack Snipe was seen on 20th. Black-tailed Godwits were still being logged with one at Summer Leys LNR on 21st and another at Clifford Hill GP from 22nd to 25th with two there and a high count of 38 at Summer Leys LNR the following day. Just one Whimbrel also paid a brief visit to the latter site on 23rd, two Curlews flew over Stoke Albany on 21st and singles were at Thrapston GP and Pitsford Res on 21st and at Stanwick GP on 24th. Common Sandpipers were found at seven localities and single Green Sandpipers were at Upton Valley on 20th and Pitsford Res on 22nd while a Greenshank visited Summer Leys LNR on 21st.

Rarity of the week came in the shape of a first-summer Ring-billed Gull – only the 12th record for the County – at Stanwick GP on 22nd and again on 26th and an adult Little Gull visited Daventry CP on 25th. More Arctic Terns arrived this week with Hollowell Res producing one on 20th and three on 22nd and 25th, Boddington Res hosting singles on 21st and 25th with three there on 26th, Thrapston GP had two on 22nd and four were at Daventry CP on 22nd with one there on 25th.

The first of the year’s Turtle Doves was found at Polebrook AF on 24th and was quickly followed by another at Harrington AF the next day. Similarly, Common Swifts appeared to arrive en masse on 25th, being reported from Borough Hill, Clifford Hill GP, Spratton and Stanwick GP. The first Garden Warbler was at Stanwick GP on 24th and the first Grasshopper Warbler was at Summer Leys LNR on 20th – a rather late arrival date for this species. A singing male Wood Warbler was at Salcey Forest on 26th.

What was assumed to be the same long-staying male Ring Ouzel remained at Harrington AF from 20th to 26th, while the first of these dates saw two at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and further singles at Chelveston AF, Stanford Res (staying until 23rd) and Hellidon (staying until 21st) where presumably the last ten Fieldfares of the winter were also present at the same time.  In contrast to last week only two Common Redstarts were found, both on 24th and included a female at Borough Hill and a male at Fawsley Park while Whinchats were more numerous with singles at Harrington AF on 24th, Borough Hill on 26th and three at the latter locality on 25th and another at Wollaston Sewage Works on 26th.  Northern Wheatears were found this week at ten localities with a maximum of fifteen at Chelveston AF on 20th and the same number at Borough Hill on 25th.

Similarly, Yellow Wagtails were found at seven sites with a maximum of sixteen at Hollowell Res on 22nd and the same number at Upton Valley (Northampton) on 24th. Thrapston GP hosted a male Blue-headed Wagtail on 21st and an intriguing ‘grey’ individual was there the following day.

Fewer White Wagtails were in evidence than last week with singles at Thrapston GP on 20th, Upton Valley on 20th and 26th (with 2 there on 23rd-24th), Summer Leys LNR and

White Wagtail, Upton Valley, April 2013 (Mike Alibone)

Rushden on 21st and two at Hollowell Res on 22nd with one there on 25th. The last Bramblings were singles at Pitsford Res and East Hunsbury (Northampton) on 20th and two or three Crossbills were at Pitsford Res on the same date.