Northants birds

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.