Category: Weekly Reports

Strong westerly winds at the beginning of the period eventually gave way to a more northerly airstream by mid-week, bringing with it lower temperatures and overnight frosts. Local winter visitors remained firmly in place and few new birds were found during the week.

The Ruddy Shelduck remained at Pitsford Res until at least 24th and, suggesting an early spring movement, Pintails appeared at three sites, with five at Summer Leys and eight at Daventry CP on 20th plus two more at Ditchford GP on 22nd. Causing some momentary excitement, the smart drake Chiloe Wigeon x Eurasian Wigeon hybrid, first found at Summer leys LNR last November, was back there again on 20th while, unusually scarce this winter, four Red-crested Pochards were found at nearby Sywell CP on 23rd.

Back at Summer Leys the female Scaup remained on the main lake all week and a drake – presumably last week’s Hardingstone GP bird – was found on adjacent Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP on 24th. A drake Smew remained at Ravensthorpe Res until 21st and two were still at Stanwick GP throughout the week.

A Great White Egret remained at Summer Leys throughout – with two there on 20th – one was at Ditchford GP on 20th with two there the next day, two were at Thrapston GP on 21st and one flew east, then back west, at Stanwick GP on 25th, where there was also a Bittern on 24th.

Peregrines were the only raptors noted during the period, with singles at Summer Leys on 20th and 24th and on the latter date at Boddington Res and at Stanwick GP on 24th and 26th. Waders were thin on the ground this week with Golden Plovers at Harrington AF, Summer Leys and Scaldwell with a maximum count of just fifty at the latter locality on 26th.  A Redshank was still at Pitsford Res on 20th and two were at Summer Leys on 20th-22nd while the only Green Sandpiper was one at Pitsford Res on 23rd and the only Common Snipe were just two at Harrington AF between 20th and 22nd.

The 24th saw an adult and a first-winter Mediterranean Gull in the roost at Boddington Res and one or two first-winters in the Pitsford Res roost, where there was also an adult Caspian Gull on 25th, while a third-winter visited Stanwick GP on 24th and three were there on 26th. Stanwick also produced an adult Glaucous Gull on the afternoons of 22nd-24th and 26th. This individual had a red ring and seems likely to be last year’s Pitsea bird again visiting the site. The only Yellow-legged Gulls were seen on 22nd, when a first-winter visited Boddington Res roost and a third-winter was at Daventry CP, and 26th, when one was at Stanwick GP.

The Brixworth Firecrest was again reported in the border hedge at the sewage treatment works on 20th, although it continued to prove elusive, while a male Central European Blackcap remained throughout in a Barton Seagrave garden, occasionally joined there by a female and a female continued to visit a Duston garden all week. The Black Redstart was again in a Northampton garden on 20th and the Summer Leys Stonechat appears to have been the only one reported, remaining there all week. Aside from this, the Mealy Redpoll continued to pay sporadic visits to an East Hunsbury (Northampton) garden feeder throughout the week, while a Brambling was at Oundle on 21st, two visited a Hanging Houghton garden on 22nd when two were also in the nearby Brampton Valley and up to nine visited feeders in Warmington between 22nd and 25th.

Mild conditions ensued, broken only briefly by cold northerlies over the mid-point of the period with the coldest night of the winter so far on 15th/16th.

A Pink-footed Goose discovered with Greylags at Summer Leys LNR on 14th has not been reported subsequently, while the Ruddy Shelduck remained at Pitsford Res

throughout, as did the drake Green-winged Teal at Daventry CP. A drake Scaup appeared at Hardingstone GP on 16th and a female was located on the main lake at

Summer Leys LNR two days later, remaining until 19th, while Smews graced Ravensthorpe Res, where there were two on 7th, Stanwick GP, where up to four were present between 11th and 17th, and Pitsford Res, where up to three lingered between 12th and 17th.

The long-staying Ravensthorpe Great White Egret ceased to be reported beyond 8th, while up to two were at Thrapston GP throughout the period, one was still at Summer Leys until 19th – with two there on 11th – and one was at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows Reserve on 17th (where there was also a Bittern the following day) and three were within the Ditchford GP complex on 19th.

Further down the Nene valley a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier flew east at Stanwick GP on 12th and a Merlin had a pop at the wintering Stonechat at Summer Leys on the same date. The only other raptors of note were Peregrines at six locations during the period.

On the wader front, Golden Plovers were noted at Walgrave, Harrington AF, Stanford Res and Scaldwell with a maximum of forty-six at the latter site on 13th. The first Black-tailed Godwit of the year appeared at Stanwick GP on 12th, where nine Redshanks were counted on 11th-12th, while singles were at Summer Leys on 8th and Pitsford Res on 16th – the latter location producing single Green Sandpipers on 11th and 17th. The only Common Snipe during the period were a dozen at Harrington AF on 7th, two at Brixworth STW and nine at Stortons GP on 11th and about forty at Pitsford Res on 17th.

Following singles at Daventry CP and Pitsford Res on the first day of the month, an adult  Kittiwake appeared at Boddington Res on 10th, while the roost at Pitsford Res produced adult Mediterranean Gulls on 6th, 11th and 19th plus a first-winter on 14th and a second-winter visited Stanford Res on 7th.  Pitsford also saw the usual adult Caspian Gull visiting the roost there on 6th, 13th and 14th, a first-winter was at Stanford Res on 7th followed by an adult there on 13th and single adults visited Stanwick GP on 12th and 17th. The latter site produced an adult Yellow-legged Gull on 11th, another was at Hollowell Res on 16th and a fourth-winter visited Daventry CP on 17th .

Included in the period’s scarce passerines was the return of the Brixworth Firecrest in the border hedge at the sewage treatment works on 11th and again a week later on 18th, while a male Central European Blackcap remained throughout in a Barton Seagrave garden, another male was in a Scaldwell garden on 12th and a male and female visited a Duston garden on 13th with the female still present on 19th.

Last month’s Black Redstart returned to a Northampton garden on 13th-14th, where it was taking sunflower hearts from a feeder there.

Stonechats continued to be seen at Summer Leys, in the Brampton Valley, Pitsford Res, Ditchford GP, Thrapston GP and Hollowell Res with a maximum of six at the latter site on 16th.

A Mealy Redpoll visited a garden feeder at Byfield on 6th – a different individual to that which was present there in January – three were on feeders at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR on 14th and the East Hunsbury (Northampton) bird was seen again on 16th. Just one Brambling was still showing between Badby and Upper Catesby on 13th, a male visited a Hanging Houghton garden on 13th, 18th and 19th, four were at Woodford Halse on 13th and seven at Warmington on 19th.

Mild conditions again prevailed under the continuing influence of the Atlantic airstream and a relatively quiet week ensued on the birding front.

The Clifford Hill GP Pink-footed Goose lingered with Greylags there until at least 25th, as did the Barnacle Goose, while the Ruddy Shelduck continued to be seen – if only sporadically – at Pitsford Res. A female or first-winter Scaup was at Earls Barton GP’s

 Mary’s Lake on 23rd but it was not seen subsequently. Paying an equally brief visit to Clifford Hill GP, a drake Red-crested Pochard was a one-day bird on 24th, while Smew continued to remain both scarce and elusive with just single drakes at Pitsford Res on 23rd and Ravensthorpe Res on 26th and a ‘redhead’ at Thrapston GP on 29th.

The latter site continued to host a long-staying Great White Egret throughout the week, as did Summer Leys LNR and Ravensthorpe Res, while one flew west over Ecton SF on 24th and singles were also at Ditchford GP on 25th and Pitsford Res the following day. Pitsford’s Red-necked Grebe became more mobile, venturing north to the opposite shore of the ‘big side’, where it was seen off the gorse bushes on 23rd.

Raptors were again poorly represented this week with just two reports of Peregrines comprising one at Thrapston GP on 23rd and two between Badby and Upper Catesby on 25th, while single Merlins were seen at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) on 26th and between Walgrave and Holcot on 28th.

Meagre pickings for wader buffs included Golden Plovers at Harrington AF, Summer Leys, and Stanwick GP with a maximum of approximately five hundred at the latter site on 24th, while the only Redshanks were two at Pitsford Res on 23rd and up to nine at Stanwick GP between 26th and 28th. Two Green Sandpipers were located at Broadholme STW (Ditchford GP) on 24th and the WeBS count at Pitsford Res yielded forty Common Snipe on 23rd.

The county’s reservoirs produced an adult Mediterranean Gull at Ravensthorpe on 26th and a third-winter Caspian Gull flew south over Pitsford on 23rd, while an adult visited the roost there later the same day.

In what is proving so far to be a good winter for Firecrests another was found by the main observation hide overlooking the A45 Lay-by Pit at Stanwick GP on 24th, along with a Siberian Chiffchaff near to the visitor centre there on the same date. Just occasionally in winter a Black Redstart will put in an appearance but visits tend to be brief and long stays rare, so conforming to this pattern was one in Kingsthorpe (Northampton) on 23rd, which was not accessible to the public and it had departed by the following day.  Easier to get to grips with, however, were Stonechats which continued to be seen at Blueberry Farm, in the Brampton Valley, Summer Leys and Pitsford Res. The Mealy Redpoll making sporadic visits to a garden feeder at East Hunsbury (Northampton) was seen again on 23rd and 25th, while single Bramblings were at Harrington AF on 25th and in Hanging Houghton on 26th-27th with at least six still showing between 23rd and 28th between Badby and Upper Catesby, where the two Corn Buntings continued to be seen until 28th.

The mini cold snap, which delivered some snow locally on 17th, proved to be short-lived and it was back to the influence of an Atlantic airstream and unseasonally mild temperatures by the week’s end. One or two new birds were discovered during the period, while the same long-staying scarcities stayed put.

New in – and on the ground for once – single Pink-footed Geese joined local Greylags at Weston Mill/Clifford Hill GP from 19th to 22nd and Deene Lake on 20th, the first of these two sites continuing to host a solitary Barnacle Goose throughout. The Pitsford Ruddy Shelduck was still present there on 18th and up to three Pintails were at Ravensthorpe Res mid-week, while the first-winter drake Scaup paid one of its occasional visits to Stortons GP on 19th and it, or another, visited Clifford Hill GP on 22nd. Coinciding with the snowfall on the 17th, three Common Scoters arrived at the latter locality but had similarly melted away by the following day.

Smew remained sporadic in their appearances with a ‘redhead’ and a drake at Ravensthorpe Res on 18th – the drake still present on 20th – and another drake was close to the causeway at Pitsford Res the following day. The 16th saw a ‘redhead’ Red-breasted Merganser come in to roost with Goosanders on the main lake at Stanwick GP, although it has not been seen since, despite searching by the locals.

The juvenile Great Northern Diver remained on the watersports pit at Ditchford GP until at least 16th and the same site hosted two Great White Egrets mobile about the complex between Viaduct Pit and Wilson’s Pit until at least 18th. More Great Whites included the Ravensthorpe Res individual all week, singles at Thrapston GP until 17th and Summer Leys LNR until 21st, while two were reported from Clifford Hill GP, along with a Slavonian Grebe on 19th. Pitsford Res hung on to its long-staying Red-necked Grebe off the dam until at least 19th.

On the rather flaccid raptor front single Peregrines were at Stanwick GP on 17th, Stortons GP on 19th and Higham Ferrers the following day and the only Merlin was a female/immature at Charwelton on 20th.

Wader numbers were similarly poor with Golden Plovers reported from Clifford Hill GP, Daventry CP, Harrington AF and Stanford Res with a rather low maximum of approximately one hundred and eighty at the latter site on 16th. The only Redshanks were five at Stanwick GP and one at Summer Leys on 17th, a Jack Snipe was found at Hollowell Res on 20th and Common Snipe were seen at Daventry CP, Ditchford GP, Harrington AF, Hollowell Res, Stanford Res, Stanwick GP and Summer Leys with a maximum of only six at Stanwick GP on 17th.

Looking for larids proved hard work for roost-watchers with a first-winter Mediterranean Gull at Boddington Res on 16th followed by an adult there on 22nd. On the first of these dates a first-winter Caspian Gull was at Stanford Res, while single adults were at Stanwick GP and Pitsford Res the following day. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Stortons GP on 18th and two more visited Hollowell Res on 20th but an adult Glaucous Gull on Stanwick’s main lake at dusk on 16th did not hang around for a repeat performance on subsequent evenings.

Back on the birding menu this week was Short-eared Owl with one at Harrington AF on 16th; surely there are more to be found in suitable habitats across the county. Considering they are on the up, only two reports of Central European Blackcaps were received including a male in a garden in Scaldwell on 16th and a male and female in a Barton Seagrave garden all week.

The usual Stonechats continued to occupy winter territories at Brampton Valley, Clifford Hill GP, Summer Leys LNR and Hollowell Res, with new birds at Thrapston GP and Barnes Meadow (Northampton) and a maximum of seven at Hollowell Res on 18th. The Mealy Redpoll at East Hunsbury (Northampton) was seen only once this week, on 16th, and another appeared on a garden feeder in Byfield on 21st. This week’s Bramblings were singles at Stanford Res on 16th and Hanging Houghton on 17th-18th, up to ten between Badby and Upper Catesby between 19th and 22nd and 3 visiting a garden feeder in Warmington on 22nd, while two Corn Buntings were with the Bramblings between Badby and Upper Catesby on 19th.

This summary covers the first two weeks of the New Year, a period which saw much of the same unusually mild and wet weather conditions prevail until the middle of the second week when the winds swung northerly, allowing an airstream with a more Arctic element to cover the UK, delivering much lower temperatures more akin to the seasonal norm. Can we at last look forward to some fresh arrivals from north-east Europe?

Still present from the end of last year was the Barnacle Goose at Clifford Hill GP with the Greylags and Canadas there during the first week and the Pitsford Ruddy Shelduck was still mobile around the reservoir until at least 9th. The first day of the New Year produced two Red-crested Pochards at Ringstead GP and, on 15th, the first-winter drake Scaup from the last day of 2015 reappeared at Stortons GP.

Smew continued to remain scarce with up to two drakes at Pitsford Res until 3rd and one at Ravensthorpe Res on 6th and one – possibly two – ‘redheads’ were at Pitsford until at least 13th.

The juvenile Great Northern Diver remained on the watersports pit at Ditchford GP until at least 10th but it was not seen during a one-hour search there on 14th, although it has been known to give observers the slip from time to time. Birders visiting the site are requested not to enter the grounds of the watersports pit as it is private and the landowner has made it unequivocally clear that trespassers will be dealt with harshly. View only from the north bank of the River Nene or more distantly from the pull-in by the gate at the top of Ditchford Lane, just off the slip road from the A45. You have been warned!

Always elusive and typically seen only in flight, two Bitterns were glimpsed during the first week – one at Stanwick GP on 4th and the other at Summer Leys LNR two days later. The opposite is true of Great White Egrets, of course. This sore thumb former rarity now occurs anywhere and everywhere in Northants during winter, with rising water levels at some localities no doubt responsible for local movements between sites. In summary, then, Ravensthorpe Res hung on to its long-stayer throughout, two were at Pitsford Res on 5th with one there the following day and singles were at Stanwick GP on 1st, Ditchford GP on 1st, 10th and 14th, Summer Leys on 3rd-4th, 10th and 14th, Clifford Hill GP on 4th, Stanford Res on 9th and Thrapston GP on 10th-11th. The long-staying Red-necked Grebe remained at Pitsford Res, off the dam or in Moulton Grange Bay, until at least 13th.

Raptors were again scarce – the two week period producing a monster local rare in the form of a Goshawk west of Welford on 9th, while single Peregrines were at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) on 1st, 3rd and 8th, Kelmarsh and Stortons GP on 1st, Trafford Marsh and Summer Leys on 3rd, at Guilsborough on 4th and Northampton on 15th. The only Merlin was at Harrington AF on 7th.

Golden Plovers were reported from Brixworth, Chacombe, Clifford Hill GP, Harrington AF, Summer Leys and Stanwick GP with a maximum count of approximately eight hundred at the latter site on 6th. A lone Dunlin at Stanwick GP on 6th was the only one during the period, Green Sandpipers were limited to singles at Pitsford Res on 2nd and 9th and Ravensthorpe Res on 4th and the only Redshanks reported were four at Stanwick GP on 1st and nine there on 6th. For those intrepid enough to brave the bogs of Barnes Meadow (Northampton) the rewards came in the form of twelve Jack Snipe on 7th – the highest single site count in recent years – at least two still being present there on 10th.   The highest count of forty-six Common Snipe was also made at this site on 7th with eighteen there on 10th, while up to twelve were at Trafford Marsh on 3rd and one was at Pitsford Res on 13th.

In line with a national sprinkling, an adult Little Gull appeared at Fawsley Park Lake on 2nd, quickly followed by seven at Pitsford Res on 4th, three of which remained in the gull roost. Two Mediterranean Gulls were found during the period comprising an adult at Daventry CP on 5th and a second-winter at Hardingstone GP on 14th, while the adult

Caspian Gull continued to visit the gull roost at Pitsford Res, where it was seen on 1st, 4th, 8th and 9th and another adult visited Daventry CP on 6th. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Clifford Hill GP on 2nd while, on 4th, singles visited Pitsford Res and Daventry CP and two were at Hollowell Res.

On the passerine front the county experienced a ‘glut’ of Firecrests, with one trapped and ringed at Brixworth STW on 6th remaining there until 8th, another at nearby Hanging Houghton also on 8th, one at Rushden between Washbrook Road Bridge and Waitrose on 9th and another at nearby Ditchford GP the following day. In addition to those four, a ‘probable’ was reported along the entrance track to Ravensthorpe STW on 8th.

Just four Central European Blackcaps were seen in gardens at Wellingborough on 4th, Overstone on 6th, Barton Seagrave on 8th and Woodford Halse on 10th. Stonechats, enjoying a good winter, were reported from Blueberry Farm (Maidwell) and the wider Brampton Valley, Clifford Hill GP, Ditchford GP, Pitsford Res, Summer Leys LNR and Hollowell Res, with a maximum of five at the latter site on 4th. The Mealy Redpoll present in December 2015 continued to make irregular visits to feeders in an East Hunsbury (Northampton) garden where it was seen on 6th, 7th, 12th and 14th,

while Bramblings were found at four localities with one at Fawsley Park on 2nd, up to twelve nearby along the minor road between Badby and Upper Catesby on 2nd and 13th, one at Trafford Marsh on 3rd and two at Sywell CP on 4th. Staying in the west of the county, two Crossbills were at Staverton on 3rd and a Corn Bunting – now sadly a local rarity – was with the Bramblings between Badby and Upper Catesby on 2nd and 13th.

Sunshine, showers, heavy rain and gale-force winds, still from the south-west, were the hallmarks of the last week of the year.

A  Barnacle Goose at Clifford Hill GP on 27th and two with the Greylags at Cransley Res the following day failed to make up for the lack of any truly wild geese during the period, while the Ruddy Shelduck returned from Sywell CP to Pitsford Res, where it was

present again from 26th. The striking-looking drake Chiloe x Eurasian Wigeon hybrid was again at Summer Leys LNR on 29th. The only other ducks of note were a first-winter drake Scaup at Stortons GP on 31st and three drake Smew at Pitsford Res on 27th, two

of which had relocated to Ravensthorpe Res two days later, remaining there until 31st. One drake remained at Pitsford and a ‘redhead’ was also there on 28th.

The juvenile Great Northern Diver remained throughout on the watersports pit at Ditchford GP as did a Great White Egret on Viaduct Pit until at least 29th. Three Great Whites were present at Pitsford on 26th with one until 29th and four on 31st, while one at

Summer Leys LNR on 28th was joined by a second individual the following day. The Red-necked Grebe remained off the dam at Pitsford Res all week, although it roamed as far east as ‘The Holly Tree’, beyond Moulton Grange Bay on 29th.

Raptors this week were few and far between with, for the first time in three months, the long-staying second calendar year male Marsh Harrier not being reported from Summer Leys, while single Peregrines were in the Brampton Valley on 29th and at Pineham, Northampton on 31st and a male Merlin was seen at Stanford Res on the first of these two dates.

This week’s Golden Plovers counts included two hundred at Ditchford GP and at least two hundred and fifty at Clifford Hill GP on 27th, two hundred near Chipping Warden on 29th and fifty-six at Pineham, Northampton on 31st. The only Redshanks were four at Ditchford GP on 27th and the one at Pitsford Res the following day, while the only Green Sandpiper reported was one Ravensthorpe Res on 29th – the same day that the week’s only Common Snipe was seen at Hollowell Res.

Scarce gulls were limited to single adult Caspian Gulls at Hollowell Res on 29th and at Pitsford Res in the gull roost the following evening, while the latter site produced an adult and a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull on 26th and Hollowell held two adult Yellow-leggeds on 29th.

Two Short-eared Owls were again at Stanford Res on 29th; the rough ground east of the feeder stream and visible from the minor road is still paying dividends.

The only Stonechats this week were two at Clifford Hill GP on 28th and, on the following day, two were at Hollowell Res and singles at Pitsford Res and Summer Leys. The week’s

only Brambling was at Hanging Houghton on 29th and the East Hunsbury, Northampton Mealy Redpoll again visited a garden feeder with Lesser Redpolls on 26th-27th.

The period saw a slight drop in temperature accompanying largely wet and blustery conditions, still backed by a south-westerly Atlantic airstream, still effectively blocking arrivals of numbers of wildfowl – and other potentially interesting species – from the east.No longer site faithful, the Pitsford Ruddy Shelduck went on vacation to Sywell CP

on 20th, leaving behind the drake and ‘redhead’ Smew in Holcot Bay until at least 23rd, while another drake Smew was discovered at Stanford Res on 21st and another at Earls Barton GP on 24th. Meanwhile, the juvenile Great Northern Diver remained throughout on the watersports pit at Ditchford GP

and last week’s Great White Egret was also still there on Viaduct Pit on 20th. Other long-staying Great White Egrets were one at Ravensthorpe Res and up to two still at Pitsford Res during the period. This week also saw the discovery of another Bittern – this time at Stanwick GP on 20th. The Red-necked Grebe remained off the dam at Pitsford Res until at least 20th, although it’s still likely to be present there. Is anyone looking?

This week’s raptors included the long-staying second calendar year male Marsh Harrier at Summer Leys LNR on 19th and an unidentified harrier species south of Broughton the following day, while single Peregrines were at Buckby Wharf on 19th and Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 21st, the latter site producing a Merlin on the same date and another Merlin was seen at Ditchford GP on 23rd.

Just two reports of Golden Plovers this week included ‘many’ at Summer Leys on 19th and in excess of one thousand between Yardley Gobion and Potterspury on 21st, the latter having been present in the area for the last six weeks. The only Redshanks were again the one at Pitsford Res on 19th and another at Wicksteed Park Lake on 22nd, while single Green Sandpipers were at both Daventry CP and Ravensthorpe Res on 19th and Pitsford Res from 20th to 23rd, with two there on 21st.

Winter gulling has not really got underway this year and the closure of Sidegate Landfill last January will no doubt have a severe impact on gulls visiting previously favoured roost sites in the Nene valley. Nevertheless, the Pitsford Res roost produced an adult Mediterranean Gull on 21st, while earlier in the day the same site produced a third-winter Caspian Gull and a first-winter Caspian visited Stanford Res on the same date.

North of Pitsford, a Short-eared Owl was again at Harrington AF on 21st, while the bird in the set-aside area, east of the feeder stream at Stanford Res, was still present on 23rd. On the passerine front there were single Stonechats at Summer Leys on 19th and

Ditchford GP the following day, while the usual handful of Central European Blackcaps lingered in some of the county’s favoured gardens, with a new male visiting an East Hunsbury (Northampton) garden on 20th – the same garden also producing what appears to be the county’s only 2015 Mealy Redpoll from 19th to 24th.

Bolstered by winds from the south-west and again largely dry, the unseasonally mild weather continued throughout the week, with this month on course to enter the record books as the mildest December for seventy years, if not the mildest ever.

Three Bewick’s Swans flew west over Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 12th and two – which appeared to be a pair – arrived in Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res, four days later, on 16th. In decline, it is now a rare visitor to the county, with wintering flocks regularly exceeding sixty at this site in the 1970s now sadly consigned to history. An exciting new conservation initiative for this species will be announced by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust next week.

The Pitsford Ruddy Shelduck was still present on 16th and same site held six Pintails on the same date. Stanford Res again produced the week’s only Red-crested Pochard – a male on 13th, with the first-winter Scaup still present on the same date, and Pitsford Res’s drake Smew still on site on 14th.

After two uncharacteristically short-stayers, it would have been surprising if the larger part of the winter had passed by diverless so the discovery of another juvenile Great Northern at Ditchford GP on 13th was welcomed, if not entirely unexpected, as it remained throughout the week.

Also remaining were up to two Great White Egrets at Pitsford Res, one at Ravensthorpe Res and another in the mid-Nene Valley, which visited Wellingborough on 14th, Ditchford GP on 17th and Summer Leys LNR the following day. By comparison, Bittern is a ‘rarity’, with only one being seen at the regular wintering site of Stortons GP on 16th. The Red-necked Grebe, discovered at Pitsford Res at the end of last week, appeared settled, remaining just off the dam, by the overflow, throughout. However, it has a long way to go to equal the length of stay of the second calendar year male Marsh Harrier which was still in the Summer Leys area at the end of the week. The only other raptors on the radar during the period were Peregrines at Ditchford GP on 13th, Daventry CP on 14th (two) and Higham Ferrers on 18th.

Golden Plovers counts this week were restricted to approximately five hundred between Pitsford Res and Sywell Airfield on 16th and the same number at Summer Leys two days later. The only Redshank was again one at Pitsford Res on 12th with three Green Sandpipers there on 16th and up to two at Ravensthorpe Res on 14th-18th. Two Common Snipes were also at Ravensthorpe Res on 15th and 18th and a Curlew visited Pitsford Res the following day.

This week’s rare larids were represented by adult Caspian Gulls at Stanford Res on 13th and Pitsford Res on 14th with a first-winter at Daventry CP the following day and the only Yellow-legged Gulls were single adults at Daventry CP and Ravensthorpe Res on 14th and 15th respectively.

Two Short-eared Owls remained into the week at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell while the bird in the set-aside area, east of the feeder stream at Stanford Res, continued to be reported almost daily and was joined by another there on 16th. Feeding on halved apples and fatballs, Central European Blackcaps visited gardens in Barton Seagrave, Corby, Sywell and Wellingborough, while a Siberian Chiffchaff was found with Chiffchaffs along the outfall stream at Ecton SF on 14th and the only Stonechats reported were two at Ditchford GP on 13th and one at Thrapston GP on 18th.

Strong south-westerly winds dominated the first two days of the period as ‘Storm Desmond’ dumped significant rain on northern Britain, leaving the Midlands relatively unscathed. The following five days saw sporadic rain and continuing above average temperatures, albeit lower than those of the previous week.

Three Pink-footed Geese flew east over Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 5th; none has yet been found on the ground so far this winter. The Pitsford Ruddy Shelduck was seen twice – on 9th and 11th and the same site hosted up to four Pintails on 6th, while two were seen flying over Burton Latimer on 11th. Stanford Res produced the week’s only Red-crested Pochard – a female on 5th, along with last week’s first-winter Scaup, still present on the same date, and Pitsford Res’s drake Smew reappeared on 6th and was later joined by a ‘redhead’ from 9th.

Pitsford also continued to hold up to two – possibly three – mobile Great White Egrets throughout the period, while singles remained at Summer Leys LNR until at least 7th and at Ravensthorpe Res until 8th. The first in the county this year, a Red-necked Grebe just off the dam at Pitsford was a nice end of week find on 11th and will hopefully remain for birders to catch up with over the weekend.

Showing no signs of departing any time soon, the second calendar year male Marsh Harrier remained in the Summer Leys area until at least 9th but no other scarce raptors were reported during the week.

Approximately one thousand Golden Plovers at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows LNR on 6th represents the best count for this species so far this autumn, while the only other record for the week was eleven at Pitsford Res. The only Redshanks were one at Pitsford Res on 6th and six at Stanwick GP on 8th, while up to two Green Sandpipers were Daventry CP on 5th, singles were at Ravensthorpe Res on 5th and 8th and two were at Pitsford Res on 6th. Twenty-one Common Snipe were counted at Pitsford Res on 6th and two were at Ravensthorpe Res on 8th.

Scarce gulls were few and far between this week and included a first-winter Mediterranean Gull at Daventry CP on 5th, adult Caspian Gulls again it the gull roost at Pitsford Res on 5th and 9th and another adult at Daventry CP on 10th and a Yellow-legged Gull at Stanwick GP on 8th.

Four localities produced this week’s Short-eared Owls which comprised singles at Stanford Res, Harrington AF and in the Brampton Valley on 7th plus one at Stanwick GP the following day. Central European Blackcaps visited gardens in Maidwell on 6th, Wellingborough on 7th (two) and Duston, Northampton on 8th but of more interest was a Lesser Whitethroat – possibly of eastern origin – in a garden at Adstone on 11th. Two Stonechats remained at Blueberry Farm, two were nearby in the Brampton Valley and one was at Summer Leys on 8th-9th, while the only Bramblings reported were three at

Stanford Res on 5th and singles at Pitsford Res and Guilsborough on 6th and 10th respectively. Between seven and ten Crossbills were seen near the dam at Pitsford Res on 7th.

This week saw the official commencement of winter – at least in meteorological terms – although temperatures here and in northern Europe remained well above the seasonal norm, effectively delaying any new arrivals of wildfowl from the continent.

Ducking and diving, the Pitsford Ruddy Shelduck reappeared in field south of the causeway on 2nd; it has not been easy to keep track of this autumn.

The only Pintails were three at Earls Barton GP on 28th and the same date saw three Red-crested Pochards at Stanford Res, dropping to one by 3rd and four were at Pitsford Res on 30th with five there on 4th, while last week’s first-winter Scaup remained at Ravensthorpe Res until 28th, before moving to Stanford Res on 4th.

The following day produced a Bittern at Stanford Res and the count of Great White Egrets at Pitsford Res fell to just one between 28th and 30th although two were there on 4th, while singles remained throughout the week at Ravensthorpe Res and Summer Leys LNR.

At the latter site the second calendar year male Marsh Harrier made it into December, still being present there on 3rd but the only Peregrine reported was one at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 2nd and a Merlin flew west at Stanwick GP on 4th.

Golden Plover numbers were up on last week’s, however, with records from Clifford Hill GP, Daventry CP, Harrington AF, Milton Malsor, Summer Leys LNR and Stanwick GP with the latter site producing the maximum count of six hundred on 30th, 3rd and 4th. The only Redshanks were one at Pitsford Res and three at Stanwick GP on 30th and five at the latter locality on the following day, while four Green Sandpipers were at Broadholme STW (Ditchford GP) on 28th, with singles at Ecton SF and Ravensthorpe Res on the same date and at Pitsford Res on 30th, with two again at Ravensthorpe Res on 1st and 4th, where a Common Snipe was present on the same dates and one was at Hollowell Res on 4th.

Scarce gulls were more in evidence this week with a second-winter Mediterranean Gull at Daventry CP on 30th followed by an adult (complete with green ring on left leg) there on 2nd and an adult Caspian Gull was present it the gull roost at Pitsford Res on 28th-29th, another adult was at Stanford Res on 4th, while a second-winter visited Stanwick GP on 1st-3rd and a first-winter was there on 2nd. Up to two Yellow-legged Gulls were reported from Daventry CP, Hollowell Res, Stanford Res and Stanwick GP with the latter locality producing an adult Glaucous Gull on the Visitor Centre Pit on 3rd, while a fly-over adult ‘white-winged’ gull there the following evening was almost certainly the same individual.

One or two Short-eared Owls were discovered in fields immediately north of the church at Long Buckby on 1st and one remained around the southernmost field of the Blueberry Farm complex until at least 2nd.  Wintering Central European Blackcaps visited gardens in Barton Seagrave on 28th and Scaldwell on 1st and another Siberian Chiffchaff was discovered – this time at Stanwick GP – on 30th, being seen there again on 1st.

Four Stonechats remained at Blueberry Farm until at least 2nd, the same  number was at Hollowell Res on 1st and one remained at Summer Leys all week, while the only Bramblings reported were four at Hanging Houghton on 30th and one over Harrington AF on 2nd.