Northants birds

An array of fronts in off the Atlantic produced a mixed bag of weather with winds at their peak on the 4th as a spin off from ‘Storm Floris’, after which more settled conditions conducive to migration ensued. Of unknown origin, a White Stork in the latter part of the period obstinately refused to be pinned down and continued to play hard to get as the week came to a close.

Continuing its stay at Ravensthorpe Res, the female Ruddy Shelduck remained settled there throughout the period, surprisingly drawing in a few admirers …

And after last week’s two one-day birds at Clifford Hill GP, three new Black-necked Grebes – all juveniles – turned up for an equally short stay at Stanford Res on 6th.

There was little new on the wader front, with a single Whimbrel at Pitsford Res on 7th and two Curlews over Hollowell village the following day, while the only Black-tailed Godwits was a respectable flock of sixteen at Summer Leys LNR on 5th. The county fared better for smaller waders, though, with the second and third Wood Sandpipers of the autumn, so far, found at both Cransley Res and Clifford Hill GP on 5th – the latter individual remaining until 7th.

Greenshanks were present at six sites, with maximum numbers of three at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR on 7th and two at Boddington Res on the same date. Elsewhere, singles were at Earls Barton GP from 2nd to 6th, Hollowell Res from 3rd to 7th, Pitsford on 5th and Daventry CP on 7th.

Naseby Res welcomed back its returning adult male Caspian Gull on 4th, where it has been an annual visitor since being ringed at Gräbendorfer See, Germany in April 2021, when it was already at least four years old.

Seemingly in short supply, Yellow-legged Gulls were lower in numbers this week, with the ever-reliable Pitsford Res holding just two on 4th and three on 7th.

Pitsford also dished up two Little Terns north of the Causeway on 7th – the seventh record for 2025, which has so far turned out to be quite a decent year for them in the county.

But eliciting rather more interest was a mobile White Stork in the Moulton/Overstone area, where it was seen in the vicinity of the A43, both on the ground and in flight on 5th, 7th and 8th, following a belated report from Overstone on 1st. Perched on a house roof on 5th, it was snapped by a local resident, enabling the yellow ring, number CY03, to be read, so it’s only a matter of time before its origins become clear, but how long it will stick around is anyone’s guess …

A Cattle Egret at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR on 7th was the only one of its kind during the period.

And then there were raptors. A week without an Osprey or two is, nowadays, barely unthinkable and so it was that four localities delivered the goods, kicking off with two over Brampton Valley on 2nd, followed by singles at Hollowell Res on 3rd and 6th, Pitsford on 5th and 8th and Titchmarsh NR on 2nd and 7th. Marsh Harriers were again very much in evidence, with Stanford producing one on 4th and then holding on to two from 6th to 8th, while singles were on show at Summer Leys on 2nd, in the Brampton Valley on 2nd-4th and 7th-8th, at Harrington AF on 2nd and 5th and at Pitsford on the latter date.

On the passerine front, Common Redstarts continued to be a daily occurrence and a delight to many across the county, the hotspot being Cold Ashby, where up to three were present and readily accessible between 2nd and 6th. With potential to rival this site was Cotton End Park, Long Buckby, where there were three on 5th and a small copse between Brockhall and Little Brington at which three were also discovered on 6th. The Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton held up to two between 3rd and 8th, up to two remained at Woodford Halse between 3rd and 7th, two were between Old and Pitsford Res from 3rd to 5th and singles were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell between 3rd and 5th, at Pitsford Res on 5th and at Harrington on 8th.

Two Whinchats were in the Brampton Valley on 3rd and 8th and Crossbills continued their southerly movement, with two over Wakerley Great Wood on 2nd, a small flock over Bucknell Wood on 3rd, two over Ditchford GP on 7th and one over Hanging Houghton on 8th.

A short wet start preceded another ‘mini heatwave’ at the week’s end, during which the local temperature hit 31°C. Save the return of the female Ruddy Shelduck for its eleventh year, the ongoing wader passage and the continuing movement of Crossbills, there was little to tickle the taste buds during the period.

Back again, then, to enjoy another stayover in Northants, was the returning female Ruddy Shelduck at Stanford Res on 6th before moving on to its most favoured locality of Winwick Pools by 11th. In some people’s view, the less said the better …

More typically in line with – and again dominating – July’s wader movements, were Black-tailed Godwits, Pitsford Res again seeing the greatest numbers with seventeen there on 6th. Next up was Summer Leys LNR, where there were four on 7th and one on 10th, followed by single birds at Daventry CP on 7th and 8th and Hollowell Res on the last of these dates. A Ruff at Boddington Res on 11th was the only one of its kind this week, while Greenshanks appeared at three sites with one at Pitsford on 8th followed by two there on 10th, plus singles at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR on 8th-9th and Summer Leys on 11th.

As for larids, single Yellow-legged Gulls at Pitsford on 7th and 8th filled the slot.

A Bittern again showed at Titchmarsh on 7th while, further up the Nene Valley, four Cattle Egrets visited Stanwick GP on 5th.

Raptors fared a tad better than last week, the period’s Ospreys consisting of two at Pitsford on 5th and singles on 6th and 10th, while one flew west over Preston Capes on 7th and Stanford produced sightings on 7th and 10th. A Marsh Harrier paid a brief visit to Titchmarsh on 10th.

And passerines? The week saw the discovery of the autumn’s first Whinchat with one at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 8th, following a meagre five records in the county during the spring. More Common Redstarts were also found, comprising singles at Pitsford on 6th, Harrington AF on 7th and Blueberry Farm on 8th.

As the influx continued, very much on the up this week were Crossbills, which were seen at six localities. It was only a matter of time before the car park at Wakerley Great Wood – a much favoured location – delivered, holding at least fifteen on 9th. Ten in flight over Northampton’s Abington Park on 10th was a nifty suburban record ahead of two more over the same site the following day. Seven flew west over Pitsford on 7th, followed by two – possibly three – more there on the same day, at least two on 8th and one on 9th. Four flew over Yardley Chase’s Denton Wood on 9th, one or two flew east over Brackley on 7th and one flew over New Covert, Kelmarsh on 5th.

Local temperatures continued to climb this week, peaking at 31°C during the final day of June, on the eve of the first day of ornithological autumn. From ducks to passerines, numbers of migrants were on the up across the spectrum and out there to be found were, of course, godwits galore …

With duck numbers understandably having dipped down to the summertime low, the long-staying, static drake Red-crested Pochard, now moulting into eclipse, remained at Earls Barton GP throughout the period.

But, after at least two Common Scoters were heard on ‘noc mig’ last week, one turned up on the water at Clifford Hill GP on 1st, remaining there until the following day, constituting the fifth record for the county in 2025.

Following their partly successful breeding attempts, the sad departure of the Avocets from Earls Barton last week left us with a trickle of commoner migrant waders alongside those a little more scarce. A Whimbrel turned up at Pitsford Res on 28th, followed by two more flying south-west over the dam there on 2nd. But the week was marked by a glut of Black-tailed Godwits across six localities, Pitsford maxing out with a mobile flock of approximately twenty-five on 1st, following one there on 28th. Clifford Hill produced the next highest numbers with five on 29th, fourteen on 1st and one on 3rd, while five were all equally brief visitors to Stanford Res on 2nd, Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR held two on 3rd, when one also visited Summer Leys LNR. Finally, one made landfall at Daventry CP at the week’s end, on 4th.

A first-summer Mediterranean Gull at Hollowell Res topped the week’s larids on 1st, otherwise there was little more than the usual loafing Yellow-legged Gulls at Pitsford, where there were four on 2nd.

Back in the Nene Valley, a Bittern reappeared at Titchmarsh NR on 1st, while three new juvenile Cattle Egrets were found with an older juvenile and an adult at an undisclosed breeding site on 4th.

The Northamptonshire reservoirs were again responsible for dishing up the week’s repast of Ospreys, Pitsford being the most reliable site for providing viewings. The latter location produced multiple sightings during the period, Hollowell also added to the tally with singles on 30th, 1st, 2nd and 4th, while Stanford saw flyovers on 2nd and 3rd and one drifted over Ravensthorpe Res on 2nd.

And with single Common Redstarts – the first of the autumn – at both Harrington AF and Lilbourne Meadows NR on 2nd, it was good to know that some quality passerines were on the move, the latter also including a Crossbill over Bucknell Wood on 1st and three in Christie’s Copse at Pitsford Res, briefly, before flying off south-west on 4th.

Another warm week, kicking off with the hottest day of the year so far, during which national temperatures exceeded 33°C and a shade under 29°C locally. While this was backed by a largely westerly airflow throughout the period, there was a hint of a southerly movement underway for some species …

One of these was at least two Common Scoters heard in flight over Byfield in the wee small hours of the 25th – a prime date for those commencing moult migration. And it goes without saying that, unsurprisingly, the idling drake Red-crested Pochard saw the first half of the week out – and probably more – at Earls Barton GP.

Also at the latter locality, at least six Avocets were still present during the same period. The ‘autumn’ saw its first Whimbrels this week, two of which flew south over Daventry CP on 26th and a Curlew – looking like it’s now rarer in Northants than the latter – flew south-west over Stanwick GP on 27th.

This week’s gulls were last week’s gulls, with an adult Yellow-legged Gull at Wicksteed Park Lake, Kettering on 22nd and two at Pitsford Res on 25th.

The Nene Valley produced two Cattle Egrets – at Stanwick on 24th and 27th and at not-too-distant Titchmarsh NR on 25th. Ospreys were more widespread than in the previous week, with Stanford Res producing one on 21st, Pitsford one on 22nd, Hollowell Res one on 22nd and two on 24th and Cransley Res one on 26th. The only other raptor of note was a Marsh Harrier which visited Stanford, briefly, on 22nd.

The third week of June and the heat was on, but was there owt to shout about? Well, not really …

Filling the period’s wildfowl slot, the idling drake Red-crested Pochard remained at Earls Barton GP throughout the week, the same site holding up to ten Avocets with one visiting Clifford Hill GP on 18th. At a time of year widely acknowledged as being in the migrational doldrums, last week’s Wood Sandpiper at Lilbourne Meadows NR stayed for two more days, until 15th.

A Yellow-legged Gull was present at Pitsford Res at the week’s end and a straggler of a Black Tern appeared at Thrapston GP on 18th, the latter site sporting a Bittern in the Titchmarsh area of the complex on the same date.

Cattle Egrets have again bred at a site in the Nene Valley, where an adult was watched feeding two juveniles on 20th.

Single Ospreys continued to be seen at Pitsford and were present on at least four dates this week but an intriguing report of an unidentified male ‘grey’ harrier sp. at Harrington AF on 16th elicited some speculation on its actual identity.

The Crossbill movement continued, with one in flight over Pitsford on 14th and, on 15th, one was heard at Bucknell Wood and two flew south-west over Hanging Houghton.

A westerly airstream off the Atlantic remained in place for much of the period, bringing in numerous heavy showers along with largely below average temperatures and few new migrants. While what is likely to be the last of this year’s new summer visitors made it onto the clock, the week’s two potentially top birds fell into the unconfirmed bracket through hearsay, and all that …

Never common, but even scarcer than they used to be, a male Quail – the year’s first – was singing in a field adjacent to Stanford Res from 2nd until 4th.

The sole representative of its tribe was, once again, the idling drake Red-crested Pochard at Earls Barton GP, remaining there until at least 4th.

Constituting the fifth report for 2025, six Common Cranes in flight over Earls Barton GP’s Grendon Lakes during the closing hours of the week remains just that until further details emerge …

On the ground, though, Avocets were still very much in evidence, with two at Summer Leys LNR on 3rd and up to eight in the wider environs of Earls Barton GP throughout the period.

Although in short supply, other waders were available and a, or the, Tundra Ringed Plover was again at Lilbourne Meadows NR on 3rd, a colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit paid a brief visit to Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 4th and a straggling Sanderling remained at Clifford Hill GP from 4th until 6th.

Gulls were few and far between with, once again, Pitsford producing the week’s Yellow-legged Gull sightings, which were down to single adults there on 2nd and 4th.

Still statistically rare, but no longer the pulse-raiser it once was, the report of a Glossy Ibis at Summer Leys on 31st passed without event, although at Bittern there on the same day was solidly caught on camera. Another Bittern was present at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR early on the same date.

The week’s only Cattle Egret was again at Stanwick GP on 5th.

And the reservoirs laid claim to the period’s Ospreys, with single birds at Pitsford on 31st and 3rd, Stanford on 4th and 6th and a blue-ringed (3AY) six-year-old male – clocked earlier in the year at Summer Leys and Hollowell – visited the latter site again, also on 6th.

Passerines this week were limited to Crossbills being heard at Pitsford on 2nd and over Irthlingborough on 4th.