Category: Weekly Reports

The weather for the past week was largely dry with overnight frost at the beginning of the period, although temperatures lifted as the week progressed, so much so that two Peacock butterflies were on the wing at Thrapston Gravel Pits on 16th. Attracting a host of rare gulls, the Ditchford/Sidegate area was firmly back in the limelight this week and an unseasonal Lesser Whitethroat in a Northampton garden generated both interest and debate at the week’s end.

Static wildfowl included the (probably resident) Barnacle Goose at Blatherwycke Lake until at least 13th and the two Egyptian Geese at Ditchford GP on 15th, while up to eleven Mandarin Ducks were counted at Blatherwycke Lake. A probable Marbled Duck evaded positive identification – and, most likely, recapture – at Stanwick GP on 13th. The only Pintail were at Stanwick GP, with one there on 16th and three the following day, while the two Red-crested Pochards remained at Ringstead GP on 12th, the drake Scaup was at Ditchford GP all week with another at Pitsford Res on 11th and

single Long-tailed Ducks remained on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP until 12th with the Thrapston GP bird reported again on Town Lake on 16th. Up to three Smew, including one drake, were present at Pitsford Res, while two (one drake) remained at Ravensthorpe Res all week and a ‘redhead’ was seen at Clifford Hill GP on 14th.

The wintering juvenile Great Northern Diver remained at Pitsford Res throughout the period and the Bittern at Stortons GP was seen only on 12th, while up to two Great White Egrets remained at Pitsford Res, two were also seen regularly at Earls Barton GP/Summer Leys LNR and one visited Ditchford GP on 12th.

As with last week, the only scarce raptors reported were all Peregrines with singles in the Barnes Meadow area of Northampton on 11th and 13th, Earls Barton GP on 11th, Ditchford GP on 14th, Summer Leys on 16th and Harrington AF on 17th.

On the wader front, the solitary, early returning Oystercatcher remained at Stanwick GP all week, while sizeable Golden Plover flocks were c.1000 at Stanwick GP on 17th, c.500 in the Welland Valley at Gretton on 13th and 241 on levelled building land at Pineham, Northampton also on 17th. Two Jack Snipes were found at Hollowell Res on 11th and another was at Pitsford Res on 13th, a Black-tailed Godwit put in an appearance at Stanwick GP on 15th, while up to thirteen Redshanks were there all week.

Laridophiles were on to a good thing this week with Ditchford GP and Sidegate Landfill finally producing good numbers of scarce gulls, many of which regularly visited a flooded field between Wellingborough and the landfill. Three Caspian Gulls (an adult, ringed fourth-winter and a second-winter) were there on 12th with two adults at nearby Stanwick GP on 11th, 13th and 17th, being joined by a second-winter on the latter date. Yellow-legged Gulls were thinly spread, with single adults at Stanwick GP on 11th, 13th and 17th, a near-adult at Pitsford Res on 12th and an adult at Rushton Landfill with another at Finedon and a second-winter near Wellingborough also on 12th and an adult at Ravensthorpe Res on 16th. A second-winter Iceland Gull visited Ditchford GP on 11th and a first-winter was found at Finedon the following day, being seen in the Wellingborough area throughout the week and at Stanwick GP on 17th. Three Glaucous Gulls (an adult, juvenile and second-winter) visited the flooded field near Wellingborough on 11th and 12th with just a juvenile there on 15th and an adult at Stanwick GP on 17th.

No mass accumulation of gulls would be complete without the spectre of hybrids and the Wellingborough site attracted an adult Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrid on 11th-12th and examples of both juvenile and second-winter Herring x Glaucous Gull hybrids on the same dates. Elsewhere an adult gull considered to be a Yellow-legged x Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrid visited Pitsford Res on 12th.

A Great Grey Shrike was an unexpected find near Lowick on 17th while last week’s Bearded Tits were still at Stortons GP on 11th and 12th with the male – originally ringed there last autumn – being retrapped on the latter date. Single Chiffchaffs were present at Stanford Res on 11th, Ditchford GP on 12th and Pitsford Res on 13th, while at least two were at Stanwick GP on 16th and  up to nine were at Ecton SF during the same period, the same site hosting a Siberian Chiffchaff on 11th-12th.

Wintering Central European Blackcaps included two singles in gardens in Wellingborough on 15th and two in a Northampton garden all week

but potentially more interesting was a Lesser Whitethroat discovered in a Northampton garden on 17th, possibly having been seen there two weeks previously. As well as this being likely to constitute the first winter record of this species in Northants its racial identity is yet to be resolved, with ‘Siberian’ blythi being mooted as a possible candidate. The two wintering Stonechats were still in residence at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 16th and Bramblings were seen at just three localities, with a maximum of approximately thirty at East Carlton CP on 16th and a Hawfinch was reported at Fermyn Woods CP on 12th.

Continuing on a theme, an established south-westerly airstream brought intermittent showers and occasional heavy rain throughout the week. Water levels rose at reservoirs and gravel pits and localised flooding occurred, particularly in the Nene Valley, although a significant amount had drained away by the week’s end. Northamptonshire again failed to attract any Glossy Ibises from the ongoing national influx, estimated to involve at least thirty-five mobile individuals, despite occurrences in the neighbouring counties of Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire. There is still time …

The blistering Barnacle Goose remained at Blatherwycke Lake until at least 7th, two Egyptian Geese visited Pitsford Res on 4th while the usual two were still mobile around Ditchford GP the following day. The only Pintail were one at Stanwick GP and two at Pitsford Res on 4th with just one at the latter locality again on 6th, where up to six Red-crested Pochards remained throughout the week with two more at Ringstead GP on 10th and the drake Scaup still at Ditchford GP on the same date. The three Long-tailed Ducks remained on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP

throughout the week, up to eight Smew, including three drakes, were present at Pitsford Res, while two visited Clifford Hill GP on 9th and Goosanders were reported from five localities with a maximum of eight at Abington Park Lakes, Northampton and Hardingstone GP on 6th.

The wintering juvenile Great Northern Diver remained at Pitsford Res throughout the period and the elusive Bittern at Stortons GP was seen on 6th and 10th, while up to two Great White Egrets were still at Pitsford between 4th and 8th and one remained at Earls Barton GP all week with two present there on 5th. The only scarce raptors reported this week all happened to be Peregrines with singles at Earls Barton GP on 7th, Harrington AF on 7th-8th, Clifford Hill GP on 9th and Great Brington and Ditchford GP on 10th.

Waders were similarly in short supply with Golden Plovers recorded at three localities, a Jack Snipe at Pitsford Res on 10th, Green Sandpiper at Ditchford GP on 10th and ten Redshanks at Stanwick GP on 4th was a reasonable total. Stanwick GP produced the majority of the rarest gulls – albeit in small numbers – with an adult Glaucous Gull and an adult Caspian Gull on 10th plus 3 Yellow-legged Gulls on 4th and 10th, while a  Mediterranean Gull was at Ditchford GP on 8th and single Caspian Gulls there on 4th and 5th.

The only Chiffchaffs this week were three at Ecton SF on 5th and one at Pitsford Res on 10th, two female Central European Blackcaps were in a Sywell garden on 4th and males were in two Northampton gardens all week, while two or three Bearded Tits were still at Stortons GP on 5th-6th and 10th. The two wintering Stonechats were still in residence at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 10th and Bramblings were seen at five localities with a maximum of twenty to twenty-five near Badby Wood on 5th.

For two weeks Britain has been in the grip of a series of low pressure systems which raced across the Atlantic bringing with them periods of strong south-westerly winds and rain. The deepest of these, a near-record low, occurred on 23rd although it had little influence on local birding.

A Barnacle Goose was again at Blatherwycke Lake on 21st and two Egyptian Geese were at Ditchford GP the following day while the only Pintail recorded during the period were at Pitsford Res, where there were up to two between 22nd and 2nd. The same site continued to host a sizeable Red-crested Pochard flock, the highest count of which was thirteen on 22nd, while a drake was at Stanwick GP between 26th and 28th. ‘Horrible hybrids’ included a Red-crested Pochard x Mallard also at Pitsford Res on 22nd and a drake Pochard x Ferruginous Duck at Stortons GP on 30th-31st. The drake Scaup remained at Ditchford GP, west of Ditchford Lane, until at least 1st and a female was at the other end of the complex, west of the A6 road bridge, on 27th with another female at Stortons GP on 30th. The three Long-tailed Ducks remained on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP throughout the period.

Varying numbers of Smew were present at Pitsford Res, where the maximum was eight, including two drakes, on 27th, while single ‘redheads’ visited Stanford Res on 28th and Stortons GP on 30th and two ‘redheads’ were at Sywell CP on the latter date.

The rarest sawbill of the period was, however, a drake Red-breasted Merganser in Walgrave Bay at Pitsford Res on 26th while Goosanders were reported from seven localities with a maximum of fifteen at Stortons GP on 28th and 30th.

The juvenile Great Northern Diver found at Pitsford Res on 15th December remained throughout the period, as did up to three Great White Egrets while others put in sporadic appearances at Summer Leys LNR on 22nd and 2nd and another visited Cransley Res on 27th. A first-winter Shag was seen briefly at Stanford Res on 24th.

This week’s raptor round-up included a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 29th, female Merlins at Stortons GP on the same date and at Blueberry Farm on 2nd, while a run of Peregrines included singles at Corby on 21st, Pitsford Res on 27th, Harrington AF on 31st and 2nd, Ditchford GP on 1st, Earls Barton GP, Edgcote, Kelmarsh and Stanwick GP on 2nd and Clifford Hill GP on 3rd.

The early returning Oystercatcher was still at Stanwick GP on 1st, while Golden Plovers were recorded at five localities with a maximum of approximately two thousand at Clifford Hill GP on 3rd. Just one Dunlin was found during the period – at Pitsford Res on 22nd – two Jack Snipe were at Hollowell Res on 28th, up to three Redshanks were at Pitsford Res with eight at Stanwick GP, while a Green Sandpiper was at Pitsford Res on 22nd and 2nd-3rd and two were at Wicksteed Park Lake on 23rd.

The last two weeks have been surprisingly quiet for gulls with an adult Caspian Gull in the roost at Pitsford Res on 22nd and 26th, an adult at Stanwick GP on 31st and an adult plus a second-winter there on 1st. The rather dark juvenile Iceland Gull (image in last report) was again at Ditchford GP on 1st and the only Yellow-legged Gulls were all adults with two at Pitsford Res on 22nd and one on 26th and one at Stanwick GP on 1st.

Two Ring-necked Parakeets flew over Pitsford Res on 3rd, a ‘Nordic’ Jackdaw was seen at Hanging Houghton on 23rd and, not too far away, the Hume’s Warbler remained in residence on private land in north Northants until at least 22nd. Other warblers not shy of the (so far) mild British winter were Chiffchaffs, which were reported from Pitsford Res, Preston Deanery and Stanwick GP and Central European Blackcaps, which moved into gardens in Byfield, Northampton (East Hunsbury, Harlestone Road and Kingsthorpe) and Sywell.

Three Bearded Tits appeared again at Stortons GP on 29th but potentially the rarest new bird to be found in the period was a Dipper, of which there was an unconfirmed report on the overflow at Sywell CP on 21st. The last record of Dipper in Northants was at Deanshanger on 20th April 1996 and another one staying for any length of time would no doubt be popular with local birders. The two Stonechats remained throughout the period at Blueberry Farm and a Water Pipit was again seen at Ditchford GP on 22nd and 1st, while Bramblings were seen only at Brixworth CP and Harrington AF, with a maximum of at least ten at the latter site on 2nd and a Snow Bunting put in a brief appearance at Pitsford Res on 22nd before quickly moving off south.

The weather remained mixed and temperatures unseasonally high throughout the period, with a low pressure system centred just north of the UK bringing gale force west to south-westerly winds toward the week’s end. Another potential first for Northants was discovered on 14th, subsequently proving elusive.

Two Egyptian Geese were at Ditchford GP on 19th with a drake Red-crested Pochard there at the same time, while eight of the latter species were found at Ravensthorpe Res on 14th and eleven were still at Pitsford Res on 17th. The drake Scaup remained at Ditchford GP all week while another was discovered at Pitsford Res on 15th and was still present there on 18th and the three Long-tailed Ducks – now qualifying as ‘long stayers’ – remained on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP all week. At the beginning of the period, six Smew (two drakes) were at Pitsford Res and two ‘redheads’ were found at Ditchford GP on 19th while Goosanders were reported from just three localities.

New in this week was a juvenile Great Northern Diver at Pitsford Res from 15th to 20th, occasionally posing well for photographers but remaining elusive for some would-be observers.

Up to three Great White Egrets remained at the same locality and another visited Summer Leys LNR on 15th and 17th. The only Merlin of the week was a male at Pitsford Res on 17th, while Peregrines were seen in the Brampton Valley on 16th and at Pitsford Res on 16th and 18th.

The same waders as last week’s were still around, including the early returning Oystercatcher at Stanwick GP on 15th-19th, the Pitsford Black-tailed Godwit reappearing on 15th, up to four Redshanks at the same locality throughout the week with seven at Stanwick GP on 19th and single Green Sandpipers at Pitsford Res on 16th and 18th and at Ditchford GP on 19th.

Ditchford GP was also the place to be for gulls this week, producing a potential County first in the shape of a probable second-winter American Herring Gull, which was found on the Watersports Pit late on 14th, reappearing there briefly the following day. The supporting cast comprised up to six different Caspian Gulls on various dates, a juvenile Glaucous Gull on 15th, 16th and 18th, a second-winter Iceland Gull on 16th and 18th and a juvenile on 19th plus three to five Yellow-legged Gulls and, for good measure, two

Glaucous x Herring Gull hybrids on 16th. Another Glaucous Gull was seen flying west at Thrapston GP’s Town Walk on 14th, while up to two adult and second-winter Caspian Gulls were at Stanwick GP between 15th and 19th, where there was also a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull on 17th.

At least one Short-eared Owl remained at Blueberry Farm on 17th and the Hume’s Warbler remained in residence on private land in north Northants all week, while Chiffchaffs were reported from Ecton SF, Ditchford GP, Kelmarsh, Pitsford Res and Stanwick GP with a maximum of three at the first of these localities on 14th. A single male Blackcap visited a garden in Kettering on 17th, two Stonechats were still at Blueberry Farm on 14th and 17th and a Water Pipit – locally very scarce this year – was located at Ditchford GP on 19th. Bramblings were seen only at Kelmarsh and Harrington AF, with a maximum of twelve at the latter site on 17th, while six Crossbills visited Brixworth CP on 18th, two were nearby at Pitsford Res and at least two at Sywell CP – both on 20th.

A potential ‘first’ for Northamptonshire was identified at the beginning of a week which remained mild and mainly dry throughout with a warm south-westerly airstream bringing damp conditions towards its end.

Two Egyptian Geese remained at Thrapston GP until at least 8th and another visited Ditchford GP on 9th while a first-winter drake Scaup was found at the former locality on 8th and the adult drake was still at Ditchford GP the following day. The three Long-tailed Ducks remained on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP until 11th with at least two of them still present on 13th, while one remained at Thrapston GP all week and two drake

plus two ‘redhead’ Smew were at Pitsford Res until at least 10th and another ‘redhead’ visited Earls Barton GP on 13th.

Up to three Great White Egrets remained at Pitsford Res until at least 10th, last week’s individual at Summer Leys LNR remained until 9th and was probably the same bird which visited Ditchford GP on 9th.

The only Merlin of the week was a female or immature at Stanwick GP on 12th, while Peregrines continued to be seen in the only to be expected localities of Blueberry Farm and Brixworth on 7th, Ditchford GP on 9th and near Maidwell on 13th.

Reports of waders dropped to a mere three: an unseasonal Oystercatcher at Stanwick GP on 8th (they do not normally return until very late winter) plus three Redshanks at Ditchford GP the following day, along with a Green Sandpiper there on 10th.

A first-winter Mediterranean Gull visited the A45 Lay-by Pit at Stanwick GP on 10th with the same site hosting an adult Caspian Gull on 8th, while another adult Caspian Gull was in the roost at Thrapston GP on 7th and an adult plus a second-winter were at Ditchford GP on 9th with a third-winter there on 13th. Ditchford also produced a juvenile Glaucous Gull on 8th and 9th plus a second-winter Iceland Gull on the latter date – which then put in a brief appearance at the Stanwick GP ‘pre-roost’ on 12th – and a juvenile on 13th. The only Yellow-legged Gulls this week were two at Stanwick GP on 8th and five at Ditchford GP the following day with one there on 13th.

Unusually scarce this year, a Ring-necked Parakeet paid a brief visit to a garden in Grange Park, Northampton on 13th, while Harrington Airfield produced two Short-eared Owls on 7th with one there again on 9th and another was at Blueberry Farm also on 7th. What must rank as Northamptonshire’s bird of the century so far (there are 87 years left!) was – if accepted by the British Birds Rarities Committee – the county’s first official record of Hume’s Warbler (but see further comment here), which was reidentified on 7th after being reported as a Yellow-browed Warbler last week, on 6th. The bird remained in residence on private land in north Northants all week and was seen well by numerous local visiting birders on a specially organised tour on 11th.

Only one Chiffchaff was reported this week – at Ditchford GP on 9th while the two Stonechats remained at Blueberry Farm all week, Bramblings were seen only at Harrington AF, with a maximum of twelve there on 9th, while several Crossbills were at Pitsford Res on 10th and two at Harlestone Heath on 12th.

A westerly airstream prevailed, turning northerly at the week’s end with severe gales and flooding devastating parts of east coast Britain while Northamptonshire remained relatively unscathed. A few more winter visitors and scarcities were found in the early part of the week.

Two Egyptian Geese were at Thrapston GP on 2nd with the drake Mandarin Duck still at Wicksteed Park Lake on the same date and single Pintails were at both Stanford Res and Pitsford Res on 30th with ten counted at the latter site on 2nd. Both reservoirs also hosted Red-crested Pochards with a pair at Stanford Res on 30th and at least sixteen at Pitsford on the same date with single-figure counts thereafter. A leucistic female was also at Ravensthorpe Res on 6th. This week’s ducks deluxe, however, were three Long-tailed Ducks found on Mary’s Lake at Earls Barton GP on 30th and remaining until at least 4th, along with last week’s individual at Thrapston GP, which was joined by a second bird on 1st.

Two female or first-winter Common Scoters were a surprise discovery at Ditchford GP on 30th and, on the same date, a ‘redhead’ Smew was again at Clifford Hill GP, while three ‘redheads’ were at Ravensthorpe Res the following day and two at Pitsford Res from 2nd until 4th with four and two drakes there on 6th. Single-figure counts of Goosanders were made at Pitsford Res, Stanford Res and Thrapston GP with the maximum number of eleven coming from Abington Park Lake, Northampton on 6th.

Great White Egrets maintained their high profile with up to three remaining at Pitsford Res all week and further singles at Ditchford GP on 30th-1st and at Summer Leys LNR on

6th, while the Stanford Res Black-necked Grebe performed an encore on 30th after many previous erratic stage appearances at the site over the past couple of months. Four records of Peregrines – Ditchford GP on 30th, Blueberry Farm and Hellidon on 1st and Pitsford Res on 4th – comprised the raptor count for the week.

The wader tally was not unexpectedly low. Five Jack Snipe were found at Hollowell Res on 30th, a Dunlin visited Clifford Hill GP on 6th and the lingering Black-tailed Godwit remained at Pitsford Res all week, while up to two Redshanks also remained there throughout the week with four at Stanwick GP and two at Ditchford GP on 2nd, along with a Green Sandpiper there on 1st and two at Pitsford Res on 2nd.

The first ‘white-winged’ gull of the winter proved to be an adult Iceland Gull, which put in a brief appearance at Ditchford GP on 1st, while up to three Caspian Gulls were also there on 1st and 2nd with another at Stanwick GP on the latter date.

Eight Yellow-legged Gulls were also at Ditchford GP on 30th with four there on 2nd and two at Hollowell Res on 6th when an adult Mediterranean Gull also visited Ravensthorpe Res

Although a Firecrest at Ringstead GP was a good find on 1st, the biggest surprise of the week, however, came in the form of a Yellow-browed Warbler, which was heard calling on three separate occasions on private land with no public access on 6th. Other wintering warblers included two Chiffchaffs at Summer Leys on 30th, three at Ecton SF on 1st plus two at Stanwick GP and one at Ditchford GP on 2nd, while single female Blackcaps were in gardens at both Spratton and Sywell on the same date. The two Stonechats remained at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 3rd when two were also discovered at Sywell CP and Bramblings were seen at Cottesbrooke, East Carlton CP, Fawsley Park and Harrington AF with a maximum of twelve at the latter site on 2nd, while fly-over Crossbills this week were two at Hanging Houghton on 3rd and one at Earls Barton GP on 4th.

A largely dry week with depressed temperatures, overnight frost on 25th and a north to north-westerly airstream saw the arrival of a few more winter visitors.

Two Egyptian Geese were at Ditchford GP on 24th, the floating drake Mandarin Duck was still at Wicksteed Park Lake on 25th and 28th and thirteen Pintail were counted at Pitsford Res on 29th. Pitsford also hosted up to twenty-four Red-crested Pochards at the beginning of the week, while a leucistic female was at Ravensthorpe Res on 27th and a bird considered to be a Red-crested Pochard x Mallard hybrid was found at Pitsford on 25th. Two Scaup appeared – a drake at Ditchford GP and a first-winter at Thrapston GP – both on 24th but the species generating the most interest this week was a female or first-winter Long-tailed Duck found in Pitsford Reservoir’s Walgrave Bay late in the day on 23rd. Unfortunately ‘coal and candlelight’ was no longer on the menu for birders who turned up to see it early the following morning but, as luck would have it, another was discovered on Town Lake at Thrapston GP later in the day – this one staying until at least 28th.

Female or first-winter Long-tailed Duck, Thrapston GP, 26th November 2013 (Mike Alibone). A slight difference in head pattern – the Thrapston individual had more extensively dark forehead and lores – confirmed this was a different individual to the bird at Pitsford.

These were the first in Northants for seven years and formed part of an inland mini-influx which saw others in Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire. The first Smew of the winter also appeared this week with a ‘redhead’ at Clifford Hill GP on 23rd and a drake at Pitsford Res on 25th-26th.

Smew, Clifford Hill GP, 23rd November 2013 (Mike Alibone)

Goosanders were reported from seven localities but struggled to reach double figures with the maximum count of just eleven coming from Pitsford Res on 25th. Great White Egrets were again very much in evidence this week with up to three, possibly four, remaining at Pitsford Res and singles at both Thrapston GP and Stanwick GP on 24th and flying west at Summer Leys on 25th and west over Geddington on 27th, while a Black-necked Grebe was found at Pitsford Res on 25th.

Reports of raptors this week were few and far between, being restricted to a juvenile Marsh Harrier at Blatherwycke Lake on 23rd and a Peregrine at Pitsford Res on 25th and, apart from two Green Sandpipers at Ditchford GP on 24th, all of this week’s notable waders were also found at Pitsford Res. These included a Grey Plover on 25th, a Dunlin on 29th, the lingering Black-tailed Godwit until at least 25th, up to five Redshanks throughout the week and the potentially wintering Common Sandpiper again on 25th.

Scarce gulls included an adult Caspian Gull at Thrapston GP on 24th and first-winter at Ditchford GP on the same date, while another adult visited Rushton Landfill the following day. Less rare were a second-winter Yellow-legged Gull at Ditchford GP on 24th and up to two adults at Pitsford Res between 25th and 29th.

Wintering warblers included single Chiffchaffs at Thrapston GP on 23rd, Pitsford Res on 25th and Harrington AF on 27th, while four were counted at Ditchford GP on 24th and three were at Ecton SF on 28th. The same site produced a Siberian Chiffchaff, seen and sound-recorded there on the same date, while a Blackcap was at Thrapston GP also on 28th and the two Stonechats remained at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell all week. Single-figure counts of Bramblings came from Blueberry Farm, Brampton Valley, Brixworth CP, Harrington AF and Kelmarsh and the only Crossbills this week were two or three at Gamboro Plantation near Cottesbrooke on 26th.

Westerly winds swung northerly during the week, bringing colder temperatures and a mixture of sunshine and showers.

A herd of twenty-four Bewick’s Swans – an impressive number by today’s standards – arrived at Clifford Hill GP prior to dusk in the afternoon on 21st but they had moved on by first light the following morning.

Bewick’s Swans, part of a herd of twenty-four at Clifford Hill GP, 21st November 2013 (Mike Alibone)

Blatherwycke Lake on continued to host a Barnacle Goose, an Egyptian Goose and four Mandarin Ducks were counted there on 19th while two more Egyptian Geese were at Thrapston GP on 17th and, in Kettering, the drake Mandarin was again present at Wicksteed Park Lake on the same date. The only Pintail reported this week were five at Pitsford Res on 16th and the same site held up to twelve Red-crested Pochards throughout the period. Much rarer, however, was one of the highlights of the year – Northamptonshire’s fourth-ever Ring-necked Duck, a female, at Stanwick GP. Found mid-afternoon on 20th, it remained until dusk and appeared to go to roost on the islands in the A45 Lay-by Pit but it could not be relocated the following day. This is the first in Northants for almost a quarter of a century. How long before the next one? Causing less of a stir were single female Scaup at Ditchford GP and Blatherwycke Lake on 21st and 22nd respectively.

A Bittern was evidently still at Stortons GP and put in a brief appearance there on 22nd while Great White Egrets continued to enjoy a run on records with singles at Thrapston GP on 16th and Blatherwycke Lake on 19th while up to three remained at Pitsford Res throughout the week and there may have been as many as four present there on 18th.

Raptors this week were limited to a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier near Lyveden New Bield on 19th with a Merlin there on the same date plus singles at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 18th and 20th and the only Peregrine was a female near Hanging Houghton on 22nd.

Eight hundred Golden Plovers were roosting at Clifford Hill GP on 21st and there were smaller numbers at three other localities while up to two Dunlins appear to be wintering at both Pitsford Res and Stanwick GP as perhaps are single Black-tailed Godwits at the same two localities. Similarly, up to four Redshanks were at these localities during the week while Pitsford Res produced a Green Sandpiper on 16th and 17th along with a late Common Sandpiper on the latter date.

Scarce gulls were limited to an adult Mediterranean Gull at Daventry CP on 18th, an adult Caspian Gull Stanwick GP on 19th, being joined there by a second-winter on 21st and up to five Yellow-legged Gulls there on the same dates while single adults of this species were at Pitsford Res on 16th-18th and at Boddington Res on 19th.

A Short-eared Owl was discovered close to East Carlton CP on 19th and the two Bearded Tits remained at Stortons GP until at least 17th, when they were trapped and ringed. Wintering warblers included two Chiffchaffs at Thrapston GP on 16th, singles at Pitsford Res on 17th and 18th and two at Daventry CP on the latter date, while a Blackcap was at East Carlton CP on 19th. The same site produced two Stonechats at the same time while the ‘Blueberry two’ remained until at least 20th. East Carlton CP also produced 10+ Bramblings on 19th and single-figure counts came from Blueberry Farm, Cottesbrooke, Fineshade Wood and Harrington AF but the only Crossbills this week were six flying over Harlestone Heath on 21st.

A cool and blustery start to the week and, with the winds remaining largely westerly, few new birds were found locally.

Two Barnacle Geese attracting the usual caveat ‘of unknown origin’ (but obviously feral) were found this week, with one at Stanford Res on 4th-6th and another at Blatherwycke Lake on 4th and twenty-two Mandarin Ducks were counted at the latter locality on the same date. The Pitsford Res Pintail count had risen and peaked at thirteen on 6th and one remained at Ravensthorpe Res until at least 5th, while both sites continued to hold Red-crested Pochards with twelve at Pitsford on 6th-8th and four at Ravensthorpe on 5th, with two there the following day. Up to three Great White Egrets remained mobile at Pitsford throughout the week while a Black-necked Grebe was seen again at Stanford Res on 2nd.

Raptors were thin on the ground (and in the air) with single Merlins continuing to be seen at Harrington AF and at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell during the week and ‘new’ ones at Ditchford GP on 4th and Wappenham on 6th while the only Peregrines were singles at Blueberry Farm on 2nd and at Stanford Res on 7th.

The autumn’s highest count so far of Golden Plovers was made at Stanwick GP with approximately eight hundred there on 7th-8th, while the same site continued to host a Black-tailed Godwit throughout the week. Green Sandpipers were present at four localities including Pitsford Res, where there were two all week, Ravensthorpe Res with one on 3rd and at College Farm, Blakesley and Sywell CP, where singles were present on 7th.

Adult Mediterranean Gulls visited the roosts at Pitsford Res on 3rd and Stanford Res on 7th and the latter site held an adult Caspian Gull on 2nd, while four – two adults and two first-winters – were at Stanwick GP on 4th with one or two adults there on 7th-8th. Once again the elusive adult Azorean Yellow-legged Gull materialised on the main lake there on 4th and 6th, evading would-be observers on subsequent evenings. Observations of ‘standard’ Yellow-legged Gulls were restricted to just a third-year at Pitsford Res on 3rd and an adult at Ravensthorpe Res on 5th.

A Short-eared Owl was again at Blueberry Farm on 3rd while the two Bearded Tits found last week at Stortons GP were present all week and a first-winter Ring Ouzel – perhaps the same as last month’s individual – was (re)discovered at Harrington AF on 8th. At Blueberry Farm, the two Stonechats remained all week while five localities produced Bramblings with a maximum count of between ten and fourteen at Harrington AF on 2nd, and four Crossbills were counted at both Wakerley Great Wood and over Hanging Houghton on 4th and two were at both Harrington Airfield and Harlestone Heath on 6th.

The strong west to south-westerly airstream continued unabated, culminating in ‘Hurricane St Jude’, which brought devastating winds and rain to areas of southern Britain on 28th, although Northants remained unscathed. The hope of a wreck of inland seabirds went unfulfilled – a month earlier and it would likely have been a different story – but there was still plenty of interesting species around to keep local birders busy.

A Pintail was at Ravensthorpe Res on 27th and five were found at Stanwick GP on 30th but Pitsford Res produced the highest count, twelve, on 27th. On the same date the Red-crested Pochard total reached ten there, all of which remained until at least 31st with seven on 1st, while two drakes were at Stanford Res on 26th and another visited Stanwick GP on 29th. Last week’s two Great White Egrets at Pitsford Res became three on 28th, all of which were still present on 31st, although two were present on 1st and another was found at Stanwick GP on 30th.

Stanford Reservoir’s long-staying Osprey failed to make it into the record books as Northamptonshire’s latest ever as it was not seen beyond 30th. The county’s current latest record was one flying southwest over Kislingbury GP on 31st October 2008. Single Merlins were seen at Harrington AF on 26th and 29th, Stanwick GP on 30th and at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 31st, while the only Peregrines were singles at Ravensthorpe Res on 27th and Pitsford Res on 29th and 31st.

With wader passage all but over, the only Dunlin this week were three at Pitsford Res on 31st, a Jack Snipe was found at Stanwick GP on 30th with last week’s Black-tailed Godwit still present there on 31st. Pitsford Res produced a Redshank also on 31st and three Green Sandpipers on 27th, falling to two on 29th and one on 31st and 1st.

Three Caspian Gulls – two adults and a second-winter – were at Stanwick GP on 28th with just one adult there on 29th-30th and, once again, the elusive adult Azorean Yellow-legged Gull made one of its unpredictable appearances there on 26th, while single adult Yellow-legged Gulls were at Stanford Res and Pitsford Res on 26th and 31st respectively with two adults at the latter site on 28th.

A Long-eared Owl was seen briefly in the Brampton Valley between Hanging Houghton and Brixworth on 31st with Short-eared Owls at nearby Blueberry Farm on 26th and near Salcey Forest on 1st but bird of the week for many, if not all, was the obliging Hoopoe at Brickhill Farm Fisheries, between Woodford Halse and Eydon. Discovered by the landowner on 26th and easily viewable from a minor road, it performed well for all comers until 29th.

Hoopoe, Woodford Halse, 28th October 2013 (Mike Alibone)

Last week’s Great Grey Shrike was also still a popular draw at Harrington AF until at least 29th while the first Bearded Tits of the autumn, a male and female, were found at Stortons GP on 27th and another was calling from the reedbed at Ecton SF on the same date.

A late departing Swallow was seen over Church Brampton on 28th and a Ring Ouzel was discovered close to the causeway car park at Pitsford Res on 31st with a Black Redstart at the dam there on the same date. At Blueberry Farm, two Stonechats were present between 26th and 29th and the same area held twelve Bramblings on 28th with smaller numbers reported from Stanwick GP and Harrington AF and a female Crossbill flew south-west over Stanford Res on 26th.