Northants birds

A high pressure system over eastern Europe and a low over the North Atlantic between them delivered a substantial and sustained, warm southerly airstream, providing what was no doubt a considerable catalyst for northward migration. No less than three summer visitors opened the gates of spring and set the clock ticking for more to follow as we headed into March …

Before the first of these though, the usual scattering of wildfowl served as a reminder that we’re not quite done with winter, yet. All present and correct, then, were the geese we have been lucky to pull in and retain over the past few months, starting with the Pink-footed Goose with Greylags in the Cogenhoe Mill/Earls Barton GP area, which saw another week out there, along with the seven White-fronted Geese – the latter still present on 7th. The two longest staying Whitefronts also remained at Ravensthorpe Res until at least 5th.

Remaining all week within spitting distance of the of the Cogenhoe cluster, the week’s sole Red-crested Pochard – a fine drake – was mobile along the River Nene as well as on the adjacent Earls Barton GP New Workings (South). More upmarket diving ducks were still to be had throughout the week in the shape of the drake Ring-necked Duck, seemingly now settled at Titchmarsh NR, and the drake Smew tucked in at the western end of Clifford Hill GP’s Main Barrage Lake.

And now the first of those summer visitors to get a mention in this week’s lineup is Little Ringed Plover, one of which dropped into Clifford Hill GP. Its visit was brief, however, moving on shortly after its discovery there on 6th. Other waders were also available and included up to three Jack Snipes at Hollowell Res between 3rd and 7th and singles at Harrington AF on 4th and Stanford Res on 7th. The wintering Common Sandpiper was also still mobile around Earls Barton GP’s New Workings, being seen there on 4th and 7th.

A Yellow-legged Gull at Clifford Hill on 5th was the sole representative of its kind during the period.

And the Pitsford Great Northern Diver? Still there until at least 6th.

Meanwhile, back in the Nene Valley, the Glossy Ibis notched up another week at Summer Leys LNR. Its days on site must now surely be numbered …

A Bittern was an unusual site record – but not the first – for Ravensthorpe Res on 3rd. Leaning toward standard patter, though, was a Cattle Egret at Clifford Hill on 6th and 7th.

The week’s Marsh Harriers were widely spread, with single birds at Cransley Res on 6th and at both Earls Barton and Thrapston on the following day. Harrington AF delivered the week’s only Short-eared Owl on 4th and a Merlin was clocked in hot pursuit of Goldfinches over Sixfields, Northampton on 2nd.

The second of the period’s summer visitors appeared in the shape of two Sand Martins at Quarry Hall Lake, Priors Hall, Corby on 5th. There will no doubt be many more to come over the following weeks …

And with singles at Clifford Hill on 3rd and Earls Barton on 7th, Stonechats are seemingly melting away, being replaced by one of the most iconic of summer visitors, Northern Wheatear, a male of which was found at Clifford Hill on 6th. Like the Little Ringed Plover at the same site on the same date, its stay there was, however, somewhat short-lived …

And, as a final reminder of the winter’s Hawfinch invasion, at least one was still in and around Cottesbrooke on 1st.

As we entered the second week of February, the cool, easterly influence carried over from the week before continued to keep temperatures low, while rain remained never too far away, with frequent, sporadic showers. Just what influence this had on the period’s avian mix may well remain the subject of conjecture but, whatever it was, the week kicked off nicely with the discovery of a splendid drake Red-breasted Merganser in the north of the county.

And it would seem that the focus this week was very much on wildfowl, whichever way you cut it, kicking off again with the lone Pink-footed Goose remaining in the thick of it among the sizeable Greylag and Canada Goose flock in the Cogenhoe Mill/Earls Barton GP area.

The same flock clearly proved attractive to more White-fronted Geese, numbers of which had increased to eight by the week’s end, although there were no reports of the previously long-staying two at Ravensthorpe Res during the period.

At Winwick Pools, the female Ruddy Shelduck was still present on 9th but there were no subsequent reports, while the county’s only known Red-crested Pochard, the female at Daventry CP, extended its presence there until at least 12th. And after appearing settled at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR through until the end of the previous week, the drake Ring-necked Duck was nowhere to be seen as the week opened on 8th. It subsequently resurfaced there on 12th, before moving up the Nene Valley to nearby Ringstead GP the following day – after which it again disappeared …

There were no reports of the first-winter female Greater Scaup at Blatherwycke Lake during the previous week but there she was again on 9th, remaining on site throughout the period.

And we’re not done with ducks just yet – far from it, in fact – as down in the Nene Valley it was the turn of Clifford Hill GP to offer up something new. Discovered first thing in the morning, the year’s first Common Scoters – three of them – spent the greater part of the day on 9th asleep on the Main Barrage Lake, clearly a short stopover before having moved on by the next day.

Clifford Hill also continued to host last week’s drake Smew throughout the period but, saving the best until last, it was a bird which is, arguably, the most flamboyant of its tribe, that left all others in the shade this week. Conjuring up thoughts of a daft punk, a drake Red-breasted Merganser found at Blatherwycke on 9th put on the best show in recent history for this dapper duck in the county. Seemingly oblivious to its many observers, it remained throughout the week, sometimes showing at point-blank range. With just six records over the past five years (none in both 2020 and 2022), Red-breasted Merganser remains a scarce visitor to the county.

The week’s waders comprised a Black-tailed Godwit at Clifford Hill GP on 12th and single Jack Snipes at both Hollowell Res and Stanford Res on 9th, followed by four at the first of these two sites on 11th and two-three at Pitsford Res on 12th.

Scarce gulls remained just that, with an adult Caspian Gull at Clifford Hill on 10th and an adult plus a third-winter at Hollowell the following day. Yellow-legged Gulls were down to single adults at Clifford Hill on 9th-10th, Stanford on 11th and Pitsford on 12th.

Meanwhile, Pitsford retained its long-staying Great Northern Diver throughout the period.

Summer Leys, too, held on to its Glossy Ibis …

Also hanging on were our now depressed numbers of Cattle Egrets, with single birds at Blatherwycke Lake throughout the week, Ditchford GP on 10th and Stanwick GP the next day, the latter site hosting three on 14th.

Thrapston GP’s Marsh Harrier continued to be seen intermittently during the period while, similarly, a single Short-eared Owl remained on private land near Blueberry Farm, Maidwell.

Passerines continued their backseat ride with two Stonechats apiece at Earls Barton GP on 8th, Hollowell on 9th and Clifford Hill on 11th, while Earls Barton produced three on 14th.

And a single Hawfinch remained at Cottesbrooke on 8th.

January was deemed, back in the day, to be the only ‘migration-free’ month of the year and this third week reflected just that. With very little winter movement evident, the focus was as much on the long-stayers as on anything else and new birds were at a premium …

Continuing to sit tight at Clifford Hill GP, the Pink-footed Goose remained throughout while, just down the Nene Valley, the single adult White-fronted Goose also extended its stay with the growing gaggle of Greylags between Cogenhoe and Earls Barton GP until at least 22nd.  

Now occurring with increasing frequency, Whooper Swan again made it onto the week’s menu on 18th, when two flew west over Greens Norton, followed by one on 21st at Summer Leys, the latter rapidly moving on to the adjacent waters of Earls Barton GP’s Hardwater Lake.

It seems hard to believe that, given it’s mid-winter, numbers of scarce ducks are at rock bottom – the best on offer being the female Red-crested Pochard at Daventry CP and the first-winter female Greater Scaup at Blatherwycke Lake, both still present on 20th. A hybrid adult drake Pochard x Tufted Duck provided some passing interest at Clifford Hill on 21st.

On the wader front, single Jack Snipes were at Barnes Meadow LNR on 19th and 22nd and at Ditchford GP on 21st, while two were at Pitsford Res on 20th.

And gulls included the usual suspects: an adult Caspian Gull in the roost at Stanford Res between 18th and 23rd and two adults at Clifford Hill on 19th, while the only Yellow-legged Gull to be had was an adult at Pitsford on 19th.

Pitsford also retained its long-staying Great Northern Diver until at least 22nd.

Also hanging on, the Summer Leys Glossy Ibis chalked up another week at and around the reserve. A little less easy to pin down, though, were the week’s Cattle Egrets, one of which flew west over Ditchford GP on 21st, while two were in and around a sheep field next to Stanwick GP’s North Lake the following day.

A Marsh Harrier seen at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 18th seems likely to have accounted for the subsequent appearance of one at Summer Leys on 22nd-23rd.

And, just like last week, Short-eared Owls remained the preserve of the Maidwell locale with one to the west, on private land near Blueberry Farm on 20th, and the other to the east, at Harrington AF on 22nd.

The period’s Merlins were limited to a female reported between Abthorpe and Wappenham on 18th and a male in the seemingly regular site that is the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, on 22nd.

The latter site, along with Clifford Hill, Ditchford, Earls Barton, Harrington, Pitsford and Sulby all produced the week’s run of Stonechats, the maximum count of which was four at Pitsford on 20th.