Category: Weekly Reports

The first two weeks of May proved to be particularly rewarding for migration-watchers, the highlight of which occurred during the period 4th to 9th when high pressure over north-east Europe combined with a central European low produced a prolonged spell of south-easterly winds stretching to the UK. These conditions proved conducive to opening the gates for a significant influx of Black Terns while, at the same time, delivering higher than average numbers of waders, both in terms of quantity and diversity. Summer Leys received the lion’s share – primarily as a result of habitat management through the control of water levels. It was also understandably an exceptional period for the spread and proliferation of bird news across the county, with Twitter now seemingly the principal line of communication for much of this. By contrast, the last week of the period was particularly quiet, despite some bouts of overcast and wet conditions towards the end of it, which looked likely to ground a few more migrants. Is it all over? Only the next two weeks will tell …

A late migrant Pink-footed Goose joined the Greylags at Pitsford Res on 14th and was still present the following day and, after an apparent absence, the Ruddy Shelduck returned to the same site on 18th, sadly trailing an injured left wing.

Seven Garganeys were found, including a pair at Summer Leys LNR on 2nd followed by single drakes there on 5th and 10th and at Stanwick GP on 13th and 20th and Ditchford GP on 15th, while the female Scaup reappeared briefly at Summer Leys on 4th.

The first Quail of the year was heard at Harrington AF on 2nd, followed by another at Welford Res on 8th. Neither of these lingered beyond their discovery date. Also on the move, a Great White Egret flew over Hardwater Crossing at Earls Barton GP on 5th and, at adjacent Summer Leys, four Spoonbills arrived from the south on the morning of 7th, remaining on the scrape there for only forty-five minutes before heading off north-west – much to the delight of the handful of birders on site at the time. This is only the 33rd record for the county, with the May being the peak month of occurrence.

Four Marsh Harriers were logged during the period, including singles flying high north over East Hunsbury (Northampton) and in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton on 30th, one at Earls Barton GP’s Quarry Walk on 1st followed by another over Hardwater Crossing there the following day.

Ospreys were seen at Hollowell Res on 30th, 2nd, 12th-13th and 17th and one visited Ravensthorpe Res on 1st. Aside from the fifteen records of Hobbies – including ten at Quarry Walk on 12th – the only other raptors of note were single Peregrines in Northampton on 5th-6th and at Summer Leys on 5th and 10th.

One of the period’s highlights – for two observers at least – was the second appearance this spring of Common Crane in the Nene Valley with one flying east at Stanwick GP on 2nd. There have been less than twenty county records in total.

The small passage of Avocets this spring continued with another at Summer Leys on 1st but a remarkable run of waders kicked off at the same locality on 5th with the discovery there of a Grey Plover, which had become three by the next day, these birds remaining until 7th, after which two remained until the following day.

More Grey Plovers were found on floodwater at Braunston on 9th, at Stanwick GP on 9th-11th and at Clifford Hill GP on 10th-12th. Little Ringed Plovers were present at four localities, with a maximum of five at Clifford Hill GP on 10th, while Ringed Plover passage ramped up with possibly as many as seventy scattered across six localities between 1st and 18th, including one flock of twenty-four at Clifford Hill GP on 11th. Several of these were identified as belonging to the ‘arctic’ race tundrae, including four at Harrington AF on 3rd, the same number at Braunston on 9th and one at Stanwick GP on 18th, although many more – if not all – were probably of this subspecies.

There were few Whimbrels by comparison, with one lingering at Summer Leys between 30th and 6th followed by five there on 10th, three were at Stanwick GP on the latter date and singles visited Stanford Res on 11th and Clifford Hill GP on 15th. Just one Curlew was reported during the whole of the period – one at Stanford Res on 6th. After the recent record-breaking flock of Black-tailed Godwits at Summer Leys, five there on 30th followed by one on 4th seemed meagre by comparison; one also visited Stanwick GP on 1st. Bar-tailed Godwits have been scarce this spring and, if we disregard the unconfirmed report of a flock of forty-six over Aldwincle on 10th, there was just one at Stanwick GP on the same date with two there the next day and two at Clifford Hill GP on 11th-12th.

Turnstones put on a reasonable show, however, with singles visiting Stanwick GP on 2nd and 9th, two there on 11th and four on 12th, while Summer Leys produced two on 10th, four on 11th and two on 13th-14th. Elsewhere, two visited Pitsford Res on 10th and one was at Clifford Hill GP the following day.

Only one site produced any Ruff and that was Summer Leys, where up to four were present between 4th and 13th, including a rather black-looking male.

The waders continued with the first of the few migrant Sanderlings being found on Pitsford Res dam on 10th, followed the next day by two at Stanwick GP and singles at Clifford Hill GP and Summer Leys. On 12th one remained at Stanwick and another was there on 16th and a different individual arrived two days later on 18th.

Dunlins were also on the move with a total of at least seventy-four birds spread across six sites and records almost daily until 16th. Double-figure counts came from Summer Leys, where there were ten on 4th, Clifford Hill GP, with twelve on 10th and Stanford Res, where thirteen were counted the following day.

At least sixty Common Sandpipers were recorded across fourteen localities with a maximum of nine at Clifford Hill GP on 11th, while a rather late Green Sandpiper was found at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows reserve on 7th. One or two Spotted Redshanks were reported over the three-day period 6th to 8th at Summer Leys, with the same site holding up to two Greenshanks between 1st and 8th. Other Greenshanks were at Braunston on 10th, at Stanwick between 10th and 17th (with a maximum of six on 13th) and at Ditchford GP, where four were present on 14th-15th. The scrape at Summer Leys produced another Wood Sandpiper from 6th to 8th, while another visited Stanwick briefly on the latter date.

Aside from potential breeders, Redshanks were also on the move with at least twelve at Summer Leys on 6th, followed by singles at Daventry CP and Braunston on 10th, Pitsford Res and Clifford Hill GP on 11th, six at Stanwick GP on 13th and up to six – possibly eight – at Summer Leys on 20th.

Arguably the most prominent feature of this spring has been the notable influx of Black Terns into the country – primarily as a result of the prolonged south-easterlies during the first week of the month. Records came from nine localities over a ten-day period with well over a hundred birds being logged.

Little Terns, too, were a nice addition to the mix with two arriving at Summer Leys on 10th, another there on 11th and one at Stanwick GP the following day.

Good numbers of Arctic Terns were also on the move at the same time, with Stanwick GP seeing twenty-seven over on 10th and around forty through on 11th; one was also there on 13th. Elsewhere, two visited Daventry CP on 3rd with singles there on 10th and 12th, seven on 11th and six there on 13th and at Clifford Hill GP there were two on 12th, four on 13th-14th and one on 18th.

After all the Little Gulls last month it is surprising that only one was seen during the review period – a first-summer at Stanwick GP on 30th. Stanwick also produced an adult Mediterranean Gull on 11th and two adults the following day, which were doubtless those seen there at the end of last month. Where had they been throughout the intervening period? The only other gull of note was a second calendar year Yellow-legged Gull, which flew over Harrington Airfield on 2nd.

The Turtle Dove situation is currently dire. Just four local records reflect the shocking demise of this species both nationally and in Europe. Singles were purring at Polebrook AF on 8th (but subsequent searches drew a blank) and Old Sulehay on 9th, one flew north over Stanwick on 11th and two were near Newton Bromswold on 15th. A Short-eared Owl was hunting over waterside vegetation at Pitsford Res on 11th before disappearing over adjacent fields, after a relatively poor winter for this species.

Migrant passerines included a short-staying, singing Wood Warbler at Earls Barton GP on 1st, the long-staying, singing male Ring Ouzel at Harrington AF, where it remained until 3rd and two more were found at Borough Hill on 30th, while the last migrant Common Redstarts included single females at Boddington Res, Fawsley Park and Long Buckby – all on 30th and a singing male appeared to be holding territory at Badby Wood from 8th to 15th. Northern Wheatear passage continued quite strongly into the first week of May, with 30th producing singles at Long Buckby and Earls Barton GP and ten at Borough Hill; four were at Clifford Hill GP on 1st with ten there the following day and, at Harrington AF, three to five were present on 2nd, nine on 3rd, seven on 4th and two on 5th, while a male Greenland Wheatear was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton on 2nd. There were, however, few Whinchats, with the Earls Barton GP bird from last month being joined by a second on 30th, one of which remained until 2nd, singles were at Blueberry Farm and Long Buckby on 30th and, on 4th, one was at Eastcote and two visited Harrington AF. Similarly, there were few White Wagtails with the total of four being made up of singles at Stanwick on 2nd and 11th, Pitsford Res on 3rd and Harrington AF on 5th.

Seven Crossbills flying over Denton Wood on 17th rounded off one of the busiest spring periods locally for a long time.

Unsettled and cold weather, with below average temperatures, were the hallmarks of the last week of the month, which was characterised in the main by stiff northerly winds bringing rain, sleet and snow – albeit in mercifully small quantities across the county. Spring migration continued unabated, however, with plenty of new birds turning up to keep local birders busy.

Still very much part of the furniture, Pitsford’s Ruddy Shelduck remained but rather more transient were a drake Garganey at Summer Leys LNR and a drake Common Scoter at Clifford Hill GP – both one-day wonders on 24th.

Another Great White Egret was seen around the north side of Pitsford Res on 25th but, more interestingly, a White Stork reported over Northampton on 23rd has the potential to make it on to the record as the county’s 20th – if anyone bothers to submit a description.

The 23rd also produced a couple of Marsh Harriers – one at Summer Leys and the other in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton – while another was seen moving high north-east over Thrapston GP the following day. Also on 23rd, a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier was at Lyveden but apart from this there were no more scarce raptors reported during the period.

This week, however, belonged to the waders. More specifically – Black-tailed Godwits. While we’ve had ‘big’ flocks before they have not run into triple figures, let alone triple hundreds! But this was indeed the case on the evening of 27th, when an astonishing three hundred and twenty-five descended on Summer Leys, much to the amazement of the handful of birders on site at the time.

Arriving just after 7 pm, the majority had departed by 8 pm, leaving just four or five on 28th-29th, one of which was colour-ringed. Of course, this small group may have been new, later arrivals. This remarkably short-staying flock gives rise to speculation of what else goes through the county that we must be missing. In much smaller numbers other waders included an Avocet at Clifford Hill GP on 25th and Little Ringed Plovers at three sites throughout the week, while the Whimbrel passage continued with one on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP on 23rd, two at adjacent Summer Leys from 23rd until 25th with one remaining until 29th, two at Clifford Hill GP on 24th with three there on 28th and one over Daventry CP on 26th.

Curlews were scarce by comparison with a pair at a potential breeding site on 24th. Small numbers of Dunlin included three at Stanwick GP on 25th, singles at Pitsford Res on 27th, Summer Leys on 28th and Stanford Res on 29th and four at Summer Leys on the last of these dates.

Common Sandpipers were recorded from six localities with a maximum of six at Stanford Res on 29th, while 24th saw Green Sandpipers arriving at Upton Valley (Northampton), Summer Leys and Clifford Hill GP, where there were two. Last week’s Spotted Redshank remained at Summer Leys until 24th, with the same site holding up to three Greenshanks to 27th and the relatively long-staying Wood Sandpiper until 26th. The scrape at Summer Leys provided ideal habitat for Common Snipe, where the maximum count came to at least twenty-three on 24th.

Arctic Tern passage was still very much in evidence this week with five at Summer Leys and ten at Daventry CP on 23rd – with one at the latter site on 24th-25th – fourteen at Stanwick GP and two at Clifford Hill GP on 25th and one at Earls Barton GP on 27th. Two adult Mediterranean Gulls joined the Black-headed Gull colony at Summer Leys on 28th but then chose to move to the Stanwick GP colony the next day, when they were seen displaying.

Migrant passerines included the long-staying male Ring Ouzel at Harrington AF, where it was observed singing on 29th. Common Redstarts were thin on the ground this week with a female at Daventry CP from 24th to 26th, two near Walgrave on 25th, and singles at Stanwick GP on 27th and Summer Leys on 29th, while Northern Wheatears again maintained their presence all week at Harrington AF with the site attracting up to eight on 24th, the same date seeing six at Clifford Hill GP, while two were at Chelveston AF on 26th. The first migrant Whinchat was discovered at Earls Barton GP on 25th, remaining there until 29th and another appeared at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) on 27th, while single Bramblings in gardens at Hanging Houghton on 25th and 27th and at Kettering on 26th-29th represented the last remnants of winter …

The week commenced with cold northerlies and biting rain on 16th, when observers at Harrington Airfield also experienced snow showers. Following overnight frost, the 17th dawned bright and sunny and occasionally relatively warm, dry weather ensued for the remainder of the week, with the wind taking on an easterly element. Migrants – it seems – were undeterred and both new arrivals and fly-overs were logged in numbers throughout the county.

The law of diminishing ducks kicked in this week and, aside from Pitsford’s Ruddy Shelduck, the female Scaup remained at Summer Leys LNR until 20th, after which it promptly disappeared. Speculation it is incubating eggs containing Tufted Duck DNA has been running high …

Just when we thought we’d seen the back of them, another Great White Egret was seen flying north-east along the River Nene Valley at Summer Leys on 17th; it did not linger.

There was a better showing of raptors this week with a Marsh Harrier between Wollaston and Strixton on 21st, the immature male Goshawk again in Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res on 18th and an Osprey at the same location on 16th-17th, while reports of

Peregrines were limited to one at Stanford Res on 16th and a pair at a potential breeding site all week. The first Hobbies of the spring were singles between Pitsford Res and Holcot on 19th and at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell two days later.

Preceding a flurry of wader activity at Summer Leys later in the week, three Common Cranes were picked up flying low north-east along the River Nene Valley there late in the morning on 17th. This species remains a scarce visitor and, following the fourteenth county record in 2013, four reports in 2015 have yet to be assessed.

Reports of Ringed Plovers were limited to singles at Pitsford Res on 20th-21st and Summer Leys on 22nd, while Little Ringed Plovers were present at Summer Leys, Stanwick GP and near Northampton, with a fly-over at Harrington AF on 18th. Following the first Whimbrel of the spring at Pitsford Res on 15th, more appeared with singles at Thrapston GP on 17th, Pitsford Res on 18th and 22nd and three at both Summer Leys and

Stanwick GP on 20th, while single Curlews visited both Summer Leys and Stanford Res on 16th and single Bar-tailed Godwits appeared at both Summer Leys and Stanwick GP

on 20th. The latter site held the week’s only Ruff for one day, on 17th, and half of the week’s Dunlin, with three there on 16th – the others being two at Clifford Hill GP on the same date and one at Pitsford Res on 18th.

Common Sandpipers were recorded throughout the week at Pitsford Res, Stanford Res, Stanwick GP and Summer Leys with no more than two at any one site, while single Green Sandpipers were still at the Northampton end of the Brampton Valley on 16th, Pitsford Res between 16th and 20th and at Ditchford GP on 20th. Two splendid full summer-plumaged Spotted Redshanks arrived at Summer Leys on 20th, with one remaining

there until the week’s end and being joined by up to two Greenshanks and a Wood Sandpiper from 21st. The only Common Snipe reported were two at Stanford Res on 16th.

Following last week’s influx of Little Gulls, this week seemed strangely quiet with just a first-winter at Pitsford Res on 16th and it, or another, there on 18th.

The latter date saw the arrival at Stanwick GP of an adult Kittiwake but the only other gulls of note were a second-summer Yellow-legged Gull at Stanwick on 16th and one at Pitsford Res on the same date.

A Black Tern visited Hollowell Res on 19th and Arctic Terns continued to move through with 16th seeing eight at Stanwick GP, five at Boddington Res and one at Hollowell Res, while eleven were at Stanwick and one at Stortons GP the next day, followed by singles at Clifford Hill GP on 21st and Stanwick again on 22nd.

Ring Ouzels continued to be seen at Harrington AF until 21st with up to three there on the latter date, including a male which often showed well in a ploughed field adjacent to the shooting wall. One was also found at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 17th. Harrington also attracted migrant Common Redstarts with three there on 17th and one on 21st, while two were at Fawsley Park on 16th and one at Brackley on 21st.

Harrington AF again proved to be the principal location for Northern Wheatears with the site attracting up to six between 16th and 21st. Interestingly four were trapped and ringed on 17th with two of these proving to be of the Greenland race leucorhoa – colloquially known as Greenland Wheatear. Elsewhere, single Northerns were at both Pitsford Res and Hollowell Res on 16th with four at Blueberry Farm the following day. Similarly northbound, White Wagtails again occurred in small numbers which included two at Pitsford Res on 16th with one there on 20th, two at Summer Leys on 17th, three at Clifford Hill GP on 18th and one at Hollowell Res on 22nd, while single Tree Pipits flew over Harrington AF on 18th and Hollowell Res the following day.

 

 

 

Heavy showers combined with an intermittent southerly airstream did much to both further the northward movement of migrants while at the same time grounding many of them. The most prominent event of the week was the passage of Little Gulls, which was most obvious in, though not restricted to, locations in the Nene Valley.

‘Old faithful’ – Pitsford’s Ruddy Shelduck – remained present throughout but the only other notable wildfowl were two Garganeys at Daventry CP on 12th and the Summer Leys Scaup, which remained throughout the period and appeared to be paired with a male Tufted Duck at the week’s end.

An immature male Goshawk appeared briefly in Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res on 9th and was again there equally briefly on 15th. Despite ‘healthy’ populations located not too distantly elsewhere in the UK, this species remains rare and difficult to catch up with in Northants. The only Ospreys reported were singles at Pitsford Res on 11th and flying west at Summer Leys on 14th, while reports of Peregrines were limited to just three, all at Summer Leys, on 11th, 13th and 15th.

The week produced two more Avocets, which included one at Clifford Hill GP late in the evening on 11th and one at Summer Leys, which remained all day on 14th. Just one report of Golden Plovers comprised approximately forty at Clifford Hill GP on 12th, while reports of Ringed Plovers were limited to one near Corby on 11th, two at Stanwick GP on 12th and one at Clifford Hill GP on 15th. Little Ringed Plovers numbered no more than two at each of Clifford Hill GP, Stanwick GP and Summer Leys during the week. Last week’s Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit remained at Summer Leys until 11th, probably making it into the record books as the most photographed godwit in Northants, ever.

Following this, there were five at Earls Barton GP on 12th, while a Black-tailed Godwit at Stanwick GP on the same date was identified as being of the nominate, European race, limosa. The first Whimbrel of the spring flew over Pitsford Res on 15th. Numbers of Dunlin ramped up this week with records from Earls Barton GP/Summer Leys LNR, Stanwick GP and Clifford Hill GP, where fifteen were counted on 15th and the first Common Sandpiper appeared at Stanwick on 10th, followed by no more than two at Daventry CP, Pitsford Res, Stanford Res and Wicksteed Park Lake. The only Green Sandpipers were one at the Northampton end of the Brampton Valley on 11th and the Pitsford Res individual below the dam until at least 13th, while the only Redshanks reported were two at Stanwick GP on 12th, four at Summer Leys on 13th and one at Stanford Res the following day. A Jack Snipe was again seen at Boddington Res on 10th along with ten Common Snipe on the same date, while one was at Stanwick GP on 11th-12th and another at Summer Leys on 14th.

Little Gull is now very much to be expected – and often in some numbers – in early to mid-April and this year did not disappoint. They arrived en masse between 11th and 13th with possibly as many as eighty-six individuals involved in the three-day passage, the highest count being a flock of twenty-two at Stanwick GP on 11th.

The only other gulls of note were a second-summer Yellow-legged Gull at Stanwick on 11th-13th and one at Pitsford Res on 13th. Black Terns arrived a little earlier than normal with two at Pitsford Res on 12th and one at Summer Leys on the same date, while the maximum count of Common Terns was at least twenty-five at Stanwick GP on 11th.

Arctic Terns also arrived on the latter date, when seven were at Stanwick GP, followed by two at Pitsford Res and singles at Summer Leys and Boddington Res on 12th, singles at Daventry CP and Stanwick on 14th and, on 15th, five were at Clifford Hill GP, at least three at Summer Leys and two at Thrapston GP. Sandwich Tern appeared at three localities which included one at Clifford Hill GP on 11th, two at Stanford Res on 12th and three at Summer Leys on 15th.

The first Cuckoo was discovered at Wakerley Great Wood on 13th and, although only a scarce resident, a particularly showy Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Lings Wood during the week drew an appreciative crowd as it performed close to the on-site Wildlife Trust offices. Others were seen at Pitsford Res, near Kelmarsh and in Salcey Forest.

Arriving in exactly the same location as last year, a male Wood Warbler was singing in trees by the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Res on 15th, while the second singing male Siberian Chiffchaff of the spring was discovered at Cotton Park, Long Buckby on 9th. Neither of these scarce phylloscs stayed beyond the date of their discovery. Three more species of warbler arrived this week with a Lesser Whitethroat at Clifford Hill GP on 12th, a Common Whitethroat at Summer Leys on 9th and a Reed Warbler at Stanwick GP on 11th. The first Nightingale was also logged at Wakerley Great Wood on 13th. One of the traditional sites for Ring Ouzel – Harrington AF – attracted a male between 12th and 15th while a female was in a field between Blisworth and Milton Malsor

on 9th and a female or first-summer Black Redstart was a brief visitor to a Byfield garden on 14th. Byfield also produced a male Common Redstart on 13th, the same date that three more arrived at Harrington AF, the latter site producing the week’s maximum count of five Northern Wheatears on the same date. More Northern Wheatears included singles at Borough Hill on 10th and Stanford Res on 12th plus three at Clifford Hill GP the next day. The only White Wagtails during the period were three at Stanwick GP on 12th, while lingering Bramblings included singles at both Harrington AF and Hanging Houghton on 9th and two near Walgrave the following day.

With a southerly airstream and temperatures reaching the mid- to high teens, the first two days of the period felt like spring but this was short-lived. Temperatures fell away mid-week, showers ensued and the winds were on the verge of becoming easterly at the end of the period. This was not enough to deter more migrants, though, and the first Common Swift, Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler had been logged by the week’s end.

A potentially ‘new’ Barnacle Goose appeared at Thrapston GP on 6th and the Pitsford Ruddy Shelduck was still present until at least the same date, while just one drake Garganey remained at Earls Barton GP/Summer Leys LNR until 2nd. On the brink of qualifying as a long-stayer, the Summer Leys Scaup remained throughout the period.

A single Great White Egret made it into this week, when it was seen at Summer Leys on 2nd and flying over the main Earls Barton GP complex the following day. Two rare grebes – both short-stayers – were found at the weekend. A Slavonian Grebe spent most of the day at Daventry CP on 2nd and a Black-necked Grebe made a brief appearance in Pintail Bay at Pitsford Res the following day.

Although the diversity of raptors was at a low point, at least three Ospreys were around to hold the interest with singles visiting Pitsford Res on 2nd and 5th, while reports of fly-overs at Clifford Hill GP and Summer Leys on the morning of 4th are likely to refer to the same individual and, in addition to this, one flew north-west at Boddington Res on 8th.

Aside from potential breeders, reports of Peregrines dwindled to just three, with singles at Borough Hill on 3rd and at Summer Leys on 5th and 8th.

Early April is traditionally the best time to find an Avocet and this year is no exception. Two appeared, both on 3rd, both were in the Nene Valley and both were characteristically short-stayers. The first was at Stanwick GP, where it was found on the A45 Lay-by Pit first thing in the morning and the second was seen later at Summer Leys. On 2nd,

approximately four hundred and fifty Golden Plovers were counted at Stanford Res and twenty were at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell), while a Ringed Plover plus three pairs of Little Ringed Plovers were at a Nene Valley breeding site on 3rd and single Little Ringeds were at Stanwick GP and Summer Leys up to 8th. Lone Curlews visited Pitsford Res on 1st, Bozenham Mill and Hanging Houghton on 2nd and two were at a potential breeding site in the Nene Valley on 3rd, while an Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit was at Summer Leys on 7th-8th.

After an absence last week, single Dunlins visited Stanwick GP and Summer Leys on 4th and the only Green Sandpiper was the malingerer at Pitsford Res on 2nd-4th, while the only Redshanks reported were six at Stanwick GP on the last of these dates. A Jack Snipe was flushed at Harrington AF on 5th and Common Snipe numbers were pegged to three at Stanford Res on 2nd and one at Stanwick GP on 6th.

If it had not been for an adult Little Gull at Sywell CP on 3rd there would have been no rare gulls this week but an arrival of terns went some way to make up for this with the first

of the year’s Common Terns found on Thrapston GP’s Town Lake on 2nd, followed next day by two at Stanwick GP. The latter site also produced a fly-over Sandwich Tern on 4th.

The first Common Swift – the second earliest ever by a day – was at nearby Finedon on 6th, the first Grasshopper Warbler of the spring was singing behind Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP on 8th and the first Sedge Warbler was at adjacent Summer Leys on 8th. After a relative paucity of Northern Wheatears last week this species was recorded from nine localities during the period, with a maximum of five at Borough Hill on 4th.

More White Wagtails came through, although only in small numbers, which included two at Thrapston GP on 3rd and singles at Clifford Hill GP and Stanwick GP on 4th and 6th respectively, while lingering Bramblings remained at Maidwell, where there were two on 2nd and in gardens in Hanging Houghton, where there were two on 2nd and one on 5th and in Geddington, where seven were present on 3rd, dwindling to one on 7th.

A long bank holiday weekend – the first of the year – provided more than ample opportunity for birders to get out into the field at the beginning of the period and experience the spring migration in its ascendancy. A number of early migrants arrived, with House Martins and many more Sand Martins, the first Willow Warblers and Yellow Wagtail all putting in an appearance as the airstream swung southerly at the week’s end.

The Clifford Hill Barnacle Goose was still present with Greylags and Canadas on 28th.

Seemingly now a permanent fixture, the Pitsford Ruddy Shelduck remained throughout and Garganeys were seen daily at Earls Barton GP, peaking at four (three drakes) on 31st and another was found on floodwater at the Northampton end of the Brampton Valley on 1st.

Last week’s three Red-crested Pochards were still at Sywell CP on 26th, while the Summer Leys Scaup was also still in residence on the main lake there on 31st and two Common Scoters appeared at Daventry CP on 27th.

The Summer Leys Bittern was again seen briefly on 29th, while at least one Great White Egret was still in evidence there until 31st, with the one at Thrapston GP remaining until at least 30th. With so many individuals wintering and lingering into spring it is tempting to believe that someday they will remain to breed.

Following the first Osprey of the year on 12th, five more were seen commencing with a belated report of one at Pitsford Res on 20th and further singles at Boddington Res on 27th, Daventry CP on 29th, Summer Leys on 30th and again at Pitsford Res the following day.

Meanwhile, Peregrines continued to be seen at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell), Earls Barton GP/Summer Leys, Higham Ferrers and Northampton with further individuals at Daventry CP, Hellidon and Kettering.

Wader numbers fell back compared with last week with between one hundred and one hundred and fifty Golden Plovers near Walgrave, in the Brampton Valley and at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) during the week and up to two hundred between Scaldwell and Brixworth on 26th, while a Ringed Plover was at Pitsford Res on 31st and a pair plus three pairs of Little Ringed Plovers were at a Nene Valley breeding site on 28th and the count of the latter species at Stanwick GP had reached four by 30th.

Other waders included single Curlews at Chacombe on 29th and Pitsford Res on 1st, a Black-tailed Godwit at Summer Leys on 26th and a Ruff at Stanwick GP on the same date. Perhaps surprisingly there were no Dunlins this week and the only Green Sandpipers were singles at Pitsford Res on 26th-28th and on floodwater at the Northampton end of the Brampton Valley on 1st, while the only Redshanks were five at Summer Leys on 30th and three at Stanwick GP the following day. The end of the week produced stripy waders  in the form of a Jack Snipe with thirteen Common Snipe at Boddington Res on 30th, one Common Snipe at Stanwick GP the following day and three at Daventry CP on 1st.

Scarce, large larids were in short supply with only a third-year Yellow-legged Gull at Daventry CP also on 1st and, further down the size scale, a first-winter Mediterranean Gull was found at Summer Leys on 28th. An adult Little Gull spent a few minutes at Daventry CP early on 28th before heading off north and an adult Kittiwake spent most of the day on the roadside A45 Lay-by Pit at Stanwick GP on 31st.

Double-figure counts of Sand Martins were made at several localities this week, Swallows were seen at seven localities and the first House Martins appeared on 26th, when one or two were at Daventry CP, followed by more at four further sites before the end of March. The first Willow Warbler was singing at Thrapston GP on 30th, quickly followed by others at Ditchford GP and Summer Leys the next day and a singing male Siberian Chiffchaff was found behind the dam at Daventry CP on 30th, although it did not linger. Single Blackcaps at Pitsford Res on 26th and Pitsford Res on 1st are likely to have been new arrivals from south-west Europe but a long-staying, wintering Central European female was still frequenting a garden at Barton Seagrave until 31st. Surprisingly few Northern Wheatears were discovered with two in Brampton Valley on 26th and one at Foxley on 30th, while the last of the wintering Stonechats was one still at Pitsford Res on 30th. Two more White Wagtails were located on 31st – at Stanwick GP and Clifford Hill GP and the first of the year’s Yellow Wagtails was on the dam at Boddington Res on 30th. Wintering Bramblings remained in gardens in Hanging Houghton, where there was one until 30th, at Geddington, where two were present on 31st-1st and at Warmington, where six were seen regularly all week.

The period kicked off with chilly north-easterlies but became milder after the first three days as warmer weather systems pushed in from the Atlantic. More summer visitors appeared as migration visibly ramped up over the seven days.

A Pink-footed Goose visited Summer Leys LNR briefly early on 25th, the Clifford Hill GP Barnacle Goose remained on station all week, as did Pitsford Reservoir’s Ruddy Shelduck, while the female Pintail was still at Stanwick GP on 21st. The year’s first Garganey arrived fleetingly in the form of a dapper drake at Summer Leys LNR on 20th,

quickly followed by three more (two of which were also drakes) at adjacent Earls Barton GP on 24th, at least one of which remained until the following day. Sywell CP produced a drake Red-crested Pochard on 20th, which was joined by a female there on 24th and another drake on 25th, while the Summer Leys Scaup was also still in residence on the main lake there on 24th.

A flock of eleven Common Scoters dropped into Pitsford Res early in the afternoon on 19th, remaining there into the early evening but they were nowhere to be seen the following morning. A drake Common Scoter found at Daventry CP during the morning of 23rd was seen to depart high to the north-west in the early evening.

Two out of last week’s three Nene valley Bitterns remained this week, with one at Summer Leys on 21st-22nd, while the Stanwick individual was seen to come into roost in the reedbed there just before dusk on 24th. Not to be outdone, Great White Egrets were still in evidence with the Thrapston GP bird making a reappearance on 20th and two returning to Summer Leys on 24th.

This week’s raptors included a male Marsh Harrier – the first since the almost wintering bird at Summer Leys – at Stanwick GP on 23rd with the latter site also producing a male Merlin on 20th. Other than that, the usual Peregrines were at large at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell), Earls Barton GP/Summer Leys, Harrington AF, near Holcot, Northampton, Stanwick GP and Thrapston GP.

Continuing last week’s build-up, wader numbers again rose. Golden Plovers were logged at five sites with a maximum of between two hundred and fifty and three hundred between Scaldwell and Brixworth on 24th – the same date that the first Little Ringed Plovers appeared at Stanwick GP and at another breeding site in central Northants. Stanwick GP also produced a Curlew on 21st, four more on 23rd and a Black-tailed Godwit on 22nd with two there the following day. Ten Black-tailed Godwits spent the day at Summer Leys on 20th with one remaining there until 22nd and another was present on 25th.

Although both Pitsford Res and Stanwick produced five Dunlins on 19th, and the same number was reported from Ditchford GP the following day, it was Stanwick which delivered the highest count of fifteen on 20th, with one remaining until 24th. The only Green Sandpipers this week were singles at Pitsford Res on 19th and by the River Nene at Upton Way (Northampton) on 25th, while eight Redshanks were at Stanwick GP from 19th to 22nd and six were counted at Summer Leys on 20th. This week’s Jack Snipe included four at Boddington Res on 22nd and two at Hollowell Res the following day, while Common Snipe were reported from Brixworth, Hollowell Res, Stanford Res, Stanwick GP Summer Leys but the maximum count consisted of approximately forty at Boddington Res on 22nd.

Scarce gulls were clearly on the menu this week with a first-winter Mediterranean Gull at Stanwick on 19th and an adult at Pitsford the same day, a second-summer at Summer Leys on 20th-21st and single first-winters at Boddington on 22nd and Daventry CP on 24th. The only Yellow-legged Gull reported this week was a first-winter at Daventry CP on 23rd-24th. On 21st an adult Caspian Gull visited Stanwick GP, which also played host again to the visiting adult Iceland Gull which flew east over the A45 Lay-by Pit there the same day. Arguably for some, though, bird of the week was an adult Kumlien’s Gull which spent twenty minutes bathing at Daventry CP during the early afternoon of 24th before flying off south. This would be only the second county record of this highly variable race of Iceland Gull and, despite searching for the remainder of the day, it was not relocated.

On 19th a ‘new’ Short-eared Owl was discovered at Harrington AF and the two from last week remained at Blueberry Farm until 20th. Anyone who though last week’s Woodford Starling murmuration was spectacular might be interested to know that another – estimated to number one hundred thousand birds – has built this week near Ford at Daventry. Does anyone have any images? After the first on 13th March, more Sand Martins arrived this week with one at Stanwick and two at Pitsford on 22nd and fourteen at Daventry CP and twenty-one at Pitsford on 24th. Swallows, too, made an appearance with one at Clifford Hill GP on 22nd preceding an arrival on 24th of singles at Daventry CP, Ditchford GP and Stanwick GP with two at Pitsford on the same date. And the first Northern Wheatear – a male – arrived at Clifford Hill GP on 25th. The only Stonechats appearing to remain this week were two at Sywell CP on 22nd but the at times very confiding Pitsford Res Rock Pipit, first discovered on the dam on 18th, took centre-stage, sparking a mini-twitch of local admirers on 19th-20th before last being seen on 23rd.

Another was also at Hollowell Res on the latter date and the first spring White Wagtail was located – again at Pitsford – on 19th. Wintering Bramblings continued their presence in gardens in Thornby until 21st, Hanging Houghton, where there were four on 21st-22nd and at Warmington, where up to seven remained all week.  The East Hunsbury (Northampton) Mealy Redpoll continued to visit garden feeders there until at least 24th and, additionally, one was at Stanford Res on 19th and three at Yelvertoft on 20th, while four Crossbills were seen at Kelmarsh on 22nd.

Lingering foggy beginnings to the first two days of the period and cool east to north-east winds were not enough to deter the first real summer visitors of the year, with Osprey and Sand Martin logged heading north along with a supporting cast of ‘new in’ singing Chiffchaffs. Passerine migration was also clearly underway, being most evident in the form of substantial flocks of northbound winter thrushes and a scattering of migrant waders at local wetland hotspots.

The lone Barnacle Goose was still at Clifford Hill GP this week and, on 18th, ten Dark-bellied Brent Geese were found north of the causeway at Pitsford Res before they relocated to an area off the dam later in the day.

Also in the vicinity the Ruddy Shelduck remained all week and two drake Smews were in Moulton Grange Bay there on 13th. At Summer Leys LNR the drake Chiloe Wigeon x Eurasian Wigeon hybrid reappeared on 14th before promptly disappearing again, while a female Pintail was at Stanwick GP on 14th-16th and the female Scaup remained throughout at Summer Leys.

Three localities produced Bitterns this week, which included the rarely encountered individuals at Summer Leys on 13th and Stanwick on 18th plus a new bird at Stortons GP on 16th. The first of these two sites was the only one to produce Great White Egrets with two there on 12th-13th – both flying over nearby Little Irchester on the first of these two dates – and one on 14th-15th.

The first summer visitor appeared in the shape of an Osprey, which was seen flying toward Hollowell Res on 12th, while Peregrines were at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell), Daventry CP, Higham Ferrers, Northampton, Stortons GP and Summer Leys. No other raptors were reported during the period.

Wader numbers ramped up this week. Sixteen Golden Plovers were near Scaldwell on 12th, three hundred and fifty were at Bozenham Mill on 15th, six flew over Blueberry Farm the following day and twenty were at Pineham Industrial Estate (Northampton) on 18th, the same day that two Ringed Plovers visited Clifford Hill GP. Four Curlews included singles at Pitsford Res on 12th, Thrapston GP on 13th, Bozenham Mill on 15th and over the A5 near DIRFT on 17th, while a Ruff was found on floodwater near Braunston on 17th and four more visited Stanwick the following day. But it was Dunlin which made an impact this week with Summer Leys producing one on 14th followed by three on 16th-17th, singles at Stanwick on 14th, 15th and 18th with four there on 16th, four over Boddington Res on 15th and four more through there on 18th, one at Daventry CP on 16th and eleven at Clifford Hill GP on 18th. A Green Sandpiper was discovered on a newly excavated pool at Haselbech on 12th, while the pool below the dam at Pitsford hosted another on 18th, two Redshanks were at Earls Barton GP on 13th with three at Summer Leys the following day, Stanwick GP held up to nine between 14th and 18th and one visited Daventry CP on 16th. At Stanford Res a Jack Snipe was found on 12th and another was discovered at Boddington Res on 15th, while Common Snipe numbered seven at Stanford Res and five at Blueberry Farm on 12th, fifteen were at Pineham and fifty-five at Boddington Res on 15th and eighteen at Pitsford Res on 16th.

Another Kittiwake arrived this week – an adult spent the early part of the afternoon of 12th on the main lake at Summer Leys before flying off west, while an adult

Mediterranean Gull was found at Fawsley Park on 12th, before relocating to a field at nearby Preston Capes later in the day; staying in the west of the county, a first-winter visited Daventry CP on 16th. A first-winter Caspian Gull visited Stanford Res on 12th while, back at Stanwick, a third-winter on 15th was joined by a second-winter the next day when an adult Iceland Gull also dropped in to roost there on 16th.

After a winter with below average records, two Short-eared Owls were found at Blueberry Farm on 16th, remaining until 18th, while the first spring Sand Martin appeared at Earls Barton GP on 13th and Chiffchaffs – several of them in song – were at six localities during the period. Two Central European Blackcaps continued to visit a garden in Barton Seagrave and one was in a Duston (Northampton) garden throughout the

week but it was from the back gardens of the village of Woodford that observers were able to witness a spectacular Starling murmuration said to number ‘thousands’ of birds, with the ‘cloud’ reported to be visible from a distance of 2 miles.

A Stonechat was at Bozenham Mill on 14th, twos were in Brampton Valley and Sywell CP the following day and up to four were still at Blueberry Farm on 16th-17th.  Further evidence that spring migration was under way came in the form of three Rock Pipits, which included singles at Pitsford Res on 16th and 18th and one at Hollowell Res on the

second of these two dates. Wintering Bramblings hung on, though, with singles in gardens at Thornby on 12th and 17th, Scaldwell and Pitsford Res on 12th, up to two in

Hanging Houghton between 14th and 18th and six in Warmington all week, while the East Hunsbury (Northampton) Mealy Redpoll continued to visit garden feeders there until at least 17th.

The early part of the week saw a northerly airstream, which depressed temperatures somewhat, resulting in overnight frosts for the first two days. This subsequently gave way to a rain-laden Atlantic low moving east across the country on 9th, delivering persistent heavy rain throughout the day, which ultimately resulted in significant flooding along the entire River Nene Valley. Despite parts of it resembling scenes from the Ouse Washes, the birds were unfortunately not there to match. Clifford Hill Gravel Pits lived up to its more recent moniker of Northampton Washlands, with the main barrage lake there disappearing entirely under water, while Hardwater Crossing along the access road to Summer Leys main car park was closed on 11th.

Showing no signs of returning to wherever it originated, the Ruddy Shelduck remained at Pitsford Res until at least 8th, as did the two Smew at Stanwick GP, while the female Scaup at Summer Leys LNR stuck it out for the duration.

At Stanwick the Bittern was seen only in flight again on 5th and 7th, while the Summer Leys individual – after posing nicely for photographers last week – put in a single brief appearance again on 6th. Two Great White Egrets were at the latter locality on 5th with just one remaining on 6th and 11th and one was still at Thrapston GP until 6th – the low number of records indicating that our small, local wintering population is now on the move.

There no raptors of note other than Peregrines, singles of which were at Northampton on 5th, 7th and 8th, Broughton on 6th and Summer Leys on 11th but the appearance of some ‘new’ waders provided further evidence of spring migration. Up to five Golden Plovers were at Harrington AF on 5th and 9th with fifty counted there on 10th, while four Ringed Plovers flew north over Stanwick GP on 9th. Two Curlews flew south over Walgrave on 10th, two were on floodwater in the River Tove Valley near Grafton Regis the following day and two Dunlin visited the flooded Clifford Hill GP also on 10th.

Pitsford’s Green Sandpiper, on the pool below the dam, remained until at least 8th and, on 5th, five Redshanks were at Stanwick GP and two at Summer Leys, eight were at Stanwick again on 11th, with four Common Snipe at Upton on 9th representing the sole record of this species during the period.

Right on cue more Kittiwakes arrived in what is indisputably the peak month for this species locally. Five – all adults – included singles at Stanwick GP on 6th and in the gull roost at Pitsford Res on 8th followed by three again at the latter site the following evening. The same gull roost contained a first-winter Mediterranean Gull on 8th and a near-adult Caspian Gull was there again on 5th, the same date a first-winter visited Stanwick GP, followed by two third-winters on 7th-8th. Another Mediterranean Gull – an adult – was in the Boddington Res gull roost on 11th.

On 5th, a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull was at Pitsford Res and a second-winter visited Stanwick GP, while some interesting news relating to the red-ringed (G1NT) adult Glaucous Gull which had been visiting Stanwick until 2nd was received this week: it was seen at Sandbach Flashes in Cheshire on 8th and 10th, clearly on its way back up north.

And staying with Stanwick … the Firecrest was still in the willow scrub by the A45 Lay-by Pit hide on 8th, up to three Central European Blackcaps were visiting a garden in Barton Seagrave until 6th, a female was still in a Duston (Northampton) garden all week and a Siberian Chiffchaff was found by the River Nene at Earls Barton GP on 5th, although it appeared to have moved on by the next day.

Single Stonechats were at Summer Leys between 5th and 7th and at Fawsley Park on 6th, while two were at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) and four near Grendon on 7th.

Brambling numbers included just one in a Hanging Houghton garden on 5th, eight still in Warmington and one or two in gardens in Oundle throughout the week while, after an apparent ten-day absence, the East Hunsbury (Northampton) Mealy Redpoll reappeared on garden feeders on 5th and again on 11th.

The week in which meteorological spring fell commenced with cold easterlies but remained largely dry and partly sunny, with light snow showers on the final day. While no true summer visitors have yet arrived, a number of species have returned to breeding territories in some parts of the county.

Four Bewick’s Swans flew north over Pitsford Res on 4th and a Pink-footed Goose at Clifford Hill GP on 3rd may have been a new bird but was more likely to have been the same individual from late January, which also visited Summer Leys on 14th February. The Ruddy Shelduck remained at Pitsford Res all week, as did the female Scaup at Summer Leys LNR, while a drake Smew was still at Ravensthorpe Res on 28th and up to three remained at Stanwick GP throughout the period.

A Bittern was found at Summer Leys on 28th, remaining until at least 3rd and occasionally showing well from Pioneer Hide. Another was seen in flight over the reedbed at Stanwick GP on 1st.

The two Great White Egrets continued to be reported at Thrapston GP until 27th, two were still at Ditchford GP on 28th and, after three weeks’ absence from Ravensthorpe Res, one was back again on 1st-3rd, while the long-staying Summer Leys individual remained there throughout. New for the week – and seemingly a one-day wonder – was a Black-necked Grebe on the main barrage lake at Clifford Hill GP on 28th.

A Merlin was at Pineham, Northampton on 2nd-3rd but the only other raptors of note were Peregrines at Higham Ferrers on 27th-28th and 2nd-3rd, Grafton Regis and Boddington Res on 29th, Stanwick GP on 2nd, Stortons GP and Daventry CP on 3rd and Summer Leys and Hollowell Res on 4th, while two adults at Boddington Res on 3rd were seen at nearby Woodford Halse, where they were joined by an immature on the same date.

The only Golden Plovers reported this week were fifty between Scaldwell and Brixworth on 4th, the same date on which a pair of Ringed Plovers returned to the only site where breeding was proven last year. Two Redshanks continued to be reported at Summer Leys until 27th while the only Green Sandpiper was the one on the pool below the dam at Pitsford Res, which remained until at least 2nd, and the only Common Snipe were just one at Harrington AF on 2nd and seven at Hollowell Res on 4th.

An adult Kittiwake arrived in the Boddington Res gull roost late in the afternoon of 2nd but was quickly harassed by Common Gulls, resulting in its apparent departure to the north at dusk. The same gull roost produced a run of Mediterranean Gulls with an adult and a first-winter there on 29th, a different adult and a first-winter on 1st, two first-winters on 2nd and one first-winter on 3rd-4th. In fact, it wasn’t a bad week for gulls at all with the Pitsford Res roost producing a near-adult Caspian Gull on 27th and a second-winter there the following evening, while an adult and a first-winter were at Stanwick GP on 28th and 3rd, an adult there on 29th and a first-winter on 4th.

The latter site also delivered a juvenile Iceland Gull on 3rd and the adult Glaucous Gull again on 2nd, while a juvenile Glaucous was discovered in the roost at Pitsford on 27th. Two Yellow-legged Gulls – an adult and a first-winter – were at Hollowell Res on 4th.

After a notable absence the Stanwick GP Firecrest was again in the willow scrub by the A45 Lay-by Pit hide on 2nd, a male Central European Blackcap visited a garden in East Hunsbury (Northampton) on 27th and a female was in a Duston garden throughout, and the Summer Leys Stonechat remained there all week, three were at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) on 28th and two at Hollowell Res on 4th. Two Bramblings were in a Hanging Houghton garden on 27th with one there on 2nd and 4th, one was in a Scaldwell garden on 29th, one at Sywell CP on 4th and up to six continued to visit feeders in Warmington all week.