Northants birds

High pressure over the country in the early part of the week brought high temperatures and a weak southerly airstream, which turned south-westerly in the latter part of the week, delivering heavy showers and thunderstorms. With fewer migrants now in evidence the emphasis turned from quantity to quality …

The escaped Ross’s Goose continued to put in sporadic appearances at Summer Leys LNR, being seen again there on 20th but the only other wildfowl of note were Red-crested Pochards, with two drakes at Stanwick GP on 18th and a pair at Earls Barton GP on 20th, moving to Pitsford Res the following day. Otherwise, lingering Goldeneyes included a female at Earls Barton GP all week and a drake still at Thrapston GP until at least 21st.

Last week’s Quail was still singing at Stanford Res on 17th and, hot on the heels of last month’s Spoonbill, another – or possibly the same – appeared at Summer Leys on 19th, where it stayed for a mere two hours during the early evening before flying high west.

The only Osprey reported this week was one at Thrapston GP on 23rd and, similarly, the only Peregrine was one at Ditchford GP on the same date.

Topping the bill, though, a pair of Black-winged Stilts brought a touch of exotica to Summer Leys on 18th, these leggy wanderers earning a place in the annals of Northamptonshire’s avifauna as the fourth county record. Performing well for all comers, they remained on the scrape throughout but there was no sign of them the following day.

Little Ringed Plovers continued to be reported from Clifford Hill GP and Summer Leys while Ringed Plovers continued to trickle through in small numbers, with four at Clifford Hill GP on 17th and one there on 20th and two at Stanwick GP on 19th with three there on 22nd. Following heavy rain on the latter date, two Sanderlings were also found at Stanwick GP and seven appeared at Clifford Hill GP at the same time, while the only Dunlins were singles at Clifford Hill GP on 17th and at Stanwick GP on 18th, 19th and 22nd. The three long-staying Whimbrel remained at Summer Leys on 17th, dwindling to

just one on 19th while the only Common Sandpipers were singles at Summer Leys on 18th and 23rd, Stanwick GP on 19th and Clifford Hill GP on 22nd. A first-summer Caspian Gull was at Daventry CP on 23rd and another again at Stanwick GP on 19th along with two Yellow-legged Gulls, while Black Terns – uncommon this spring – were two at Earls Barton GP on 20th and one at Daventry CP on the same date. The week’s sole scarce passerine was a male Whinchat at Summer Leys on 19th.

A blustery, showery, westerly airstream persisted for the first part of the week, eventually giving way to more settled conditions and higher temperatures in the latter part as an area of high pressure moved into position over the country.

There was no major change from last week in the wildfowl camp with the long-staying Pink-footed Goose at Thrapston GP remaining until at least 13th and, also helping to maintain the status quo, ‘Rossi’ the escaped Ross’s Goose, continued to roam the Nene Valley, being seen at Summer Leys LNR again on 11th, while two Egyptian Geese were found at Stoke Doyle the next day. The scarcity of Garganey this spring endured with just one – a drake – visiting Summer Leys on 13th and a drake Goldeneye was still at Thrapston GP on the same date.

Appearing on 10th, bird of the week was quite literally a ‘biggie’, coming in the shape of a White Stork, which was first seen as it flew low toward Cottesbrooke from Blueberry Farm at around 09.30. Evidently it swung south and was later refound in a field behind the Raybell skip company, just south of Brixworth, at midday. This is about the 22nd White Stork to be recorded in Northants, following the last over Sywell AF on 5th July last year and, prior to that, one at Weldon on 3rd June 2007. Single Ospreys continued to be seen in the Blueberry Farm/Brampton Valley area on 10th, 11th and 13th, at Pitsford Res on 11th and at Thrapston GP on 13th and a Quail, present from 9th, was singing in a rape field at Stanford Res on 15th.

Heading the cast of waders this week was an Avocet, which spent the day at Summer Leys on 15th. Little Ringed Plovers were reported from Thrapston GP, Clifford Hill GP, and Summer Leys, with a maximum of five at the latter site on 10th while Ringed Plovers occurred at the last two of these sites, peaking at fourteen at Summer Leys on 10th. D-day, where ‘D’ stands for Dunlin, was 11th when twenty-six were counted at Summer Leys and twenty-two at Clifford Hill GP; smaller numbers continued to be reported at Summer Leys throughout the week and one was at Thrapston GP on 13th.

A Black-tailed Godwit visited Summer Leys briefly on 14th, while the same site continued to host three Whimbrels, present since 7th, throughout the week

Whimbrels, Summer Leys LNR, 11th May 2014 (Mike Alibone). [click cogwheel and select 1080 for HD viewing]

and two Curlews were at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 11th. Other waders included single Common Sandpipers at Thenford on 11th, at Sywell CP and Summer Leys on 13th and at Thrapston GP on 16th, while a Wood Sandpiper visited the latter site on 13th, a Turnstone was there on 10th and a first-summer Mediterranean Gull on 11th, while a Caspian Gull of the same age visited Stanwick GP on 15th.Single Turtle Doves – the only ones reported so far this year – were at Blueberry Farm on 11th and Harrington AF the following day, while a Firecrest was reported singing in a Wellingborough garden briefly on 13th and a Wood Warbler was singing in Cottesbrooke on 12th. The first Spotted Flycatcher of the spring was also in Cottesbrooke at the same time and the week’s only Whinchat was nearby – with a Northern Wheatear – at Blueberry Farm on 10th, while another Northern Wheatear was at Harrington AF the following day.

For the first part of the week, the UK was sandwiched between a low pressure system to the west and high pressure to the east, resulting in a warm, southerly airstream off the near continent. Things changed mid-week, however, as winds swung westerly, heralding a period of showery and unsettled conditions, which persisted until the week’s end. The bank holiday, 5th May, took the crown for the best day in terms of both rarity and diversity of species recorded.

Now ensconced within the resident Greylag flock, the long-staying Pink-footed Goose continued to find Thrapston GP to its liking, remaining there until at least 6th, while Clifford Hill GP’s Egyptian Goose was still present on 9th. Also on 6th – and perhaps surprising for the time of year – a Ruddy Shelduck appeared by the yacht club at Pitsford Res, while a late drake Goosander was found at Thrapston GP. The first Quail of the year was heard singing at Harrington Airfield on 4th, quickly to be followed by the second at Draughton Crossing in the nearby Brampton Valley on 7th. The latter site notched up a fly-over Osprey on the same two dates and another was seen at Stanwick GP on 5th.

It shouldn’t have happened again … but this week it did. What was potentially Northamptonshire’s fourth-ever Glossy Ibis put in a tantalisingly brief appearance at Summer Leys, showing itself only to one observer as it flew east over the reserve, just before two o’clock on the afternoon of 5th. This species has carved out a local reputation for being the subject of single observer sightings and limiting its Northamptonshire visits to a matter of minutes. Will one ever stay long enough to be seen by the masses?

Fly-over Glossy Ibis notwithstanding, one rarity that did make itself available to most of those who made the trip to look for it was a female Dotterel, which was found between Hemington and Lutton – also on 5th. Distant and camera-dodging, it remained a shimmering vision in the heat haze at the centre of a pea field for most of the morning but appeared to go AWOL during the afternoon. With only ten previous records, this species remains a true rarity in Northants, the last one being in 1996. Interestingly, 50% of all previously accepted records have come from this same area of the county and 80% of these have fallen within the ten-day period 26th April to 5th May.

Not quite matching the latter’s celebrity status, a Grey Plover dropped in at Summer Leys on the same date, while Little Ringed Plovers continued to be reported from four locations and Ringed Plovers occurred at Clifford Hill GP and Summer Leys with site maxima of sixteen on 6th and seven on 7th respectively. The same two sites produced all of this week’s Dunlins, which were present daily at both, with maxima of  five at Clifford Hill GP on 7th and thirteen at Summer Leys on 9th. Three Whimbrels arrived at the latter site on the evening of 7th and were still present on 9th and single Curlews were also found here and in the Brampton Valley – both on 7th. Other waders included single Common Sandpipers at Stanwick GP, Summer Leys and Thrapston GP while four were counted at Clifford Hill GP on 5th and Summer Leys produced two Greenshanks on 4th-5th, with one remaining until 9th. The same site hosted a Wood Sandpiper on 5th, while two Turnstones visited Clifford Hill GP on the same date.

One of the week’s surprises came in the shape of a smart, second calendar year Iceland Gull,which visited Daventry CP for thirty-five minutes on 5th. This was the first record of this species for the site and probably the latest in spring to be recorded in the county.

A first-winter Mediterranean Gull was at the same site the following day and a third-year Yellow-legged Gull was found at Stanwick GP on 8th. In contrast to last week, only two Little Gulls were reported – both second calendar years, including one at Summer Leys from 3rd until 6th and one at Stanwick GP on 5th. Tern numbers also dwindled with just one Black Tern at Pitsford Res on 5th, while Arctic Terns totalled just three with singles at Daventry CP on 6th and 9th and one at Clifford Hill GP on 7th.

Scarce passerines were again in short supply this week with a Black Redstart at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 4th, single Whinchats at Harrington AF on the same date and at Clifford Hill GP on 6th and Northern Wheatears at Blueberry Farm/Brampton Valley with 2 on 4th and 7th and 4 on 6th plus one at Clifford Hill GP on the latter date.

A generally mild and dry week with low pressure to the south initially delivering a southerly/easterly airstream, later giving way to a high pressure system bringing north-easterly winds at the week’s end.

The Pink-footed Goose, which joined the resident Greylag flock at Thrapston GP in early April, was still there, appearing very settled, at the month’s end, while the Egyptian Goose remained at Clifford Hill GP until 26th and a pair with nine goslings was discovered at a locality in the north of the county on 30th. Garganeys have remained scarce so far this spring but a drake at Pitsford Res broke the six-week block on 2nd, while the drake Scaup found there on 19th was still present on 26th. A drake Goldeneye lingered at Thrapston GP until 2nd.

Heading the cast of rarities this week – well, the only rarity this week, in fact – was the immature Spoonbill which flew into Summer Leys in the early afternoon of 27th and stayed for forty minutes before continuing its journey up the Nene Valley. It was later discovered at Clifford Hill GP, where it remained for just over two hours before being flushed by fishermen.

This is the first in Northants since October 2011, when one was at Stanford Res. The only scarce raptor of the week was an Osprey reported fishing in the Elinor Trout Lake at Thrapston GP on 1st.

Little Ringed Plovers were reported from three locations in the Nene Valley, two Dunlins were at Clifford Hill GP on 27th, ten were present on 1st and six there on 2nd, while Summer Leys held two on 27th and four on 1st. Two Black-tailed Godwits were at the latter site on 26th and two Bar-tailed Godwits visited Clifford Hill GP on 29th and the week’s only Whimbrels were nine in the Brampton Valley on 27th. Other waders included single Common Sandpipers at Summer Leys on 1st and Daventry CP the following day while a Turnstone visited Clifford Hill GP on 27th.

Apart from three first-summers at Clifford Hill GP on 29th, this week’s Little Gulls were all at Summer Leys, where at least four different birds occurred during the period, with a maximum of three on 29th-30th.

The same site hosted a Black Tern briefly on 26th, while Arctic Terns were found at Pitsford Res, where there were three on 26th, Clifford Hill GP, where there were two on 27th, one on 1st and four on 2nd, Summer Leys, with two on 29th and Daventry CP, with seven on 2nd.

Passerines were thinner on the ground this week with a male Black Redstart in an area with no public access in Burton Latimer on 28th, a male Common Redstart at Harrington AF on 30th with a Whinchat there at the same time, another Whinchat at Sywell CP on 2nd and two Northern Wheatears at Hemington on 26th, two in the Brampton Valley on 26th-27th and one at Hardingstone GP on 28th.

An area of low pressure to the south-east ensured a north-easterly airstream in the early part of the week, with outbreaks of rain and misty/murky conditions slowing and lowering a number of northbound migrants, particularly Arctic Terns, which were seen in some numbers on 20th.

Thrapston Gravel Pits continued to host the Pink-footed Goose until at least 21st, while the roving, escaped Ross’s Goose was seen again at Pitsford Res on the same date.

Considered by some to be fighting a losing battle with aesthetics, an Egyptian Goose was at Clifford Hill GP also on 21st, remaining there until at least 24th and a female Red-crested Pochard was discovered at the largely underwatched site of Thorpe Malsor Res – again on 21st. A drake Scaup found at Pitsford Res on 19th was still present there on 24th, the wintering Long-tailed Duck remained at Earls Barton GP all week and a female Common Scoter appeared at Thrapston GP on 24th. Other remnants of winter hung on in the form of 2 Goldeneyes at Thrapston GP on 21st and two were at Pitsford Res on 23rd and one at Summer Leys on 25th, while a drake Goosander was also at Thrapston GP on 21st and a female remained at Daventry CP on 20th.

Three fine, summer-plumaged Black-necked Grebes found their way to Pitsford Res on 19th but did not linger and a dip into the almost empty raptor bag pulled out only single Peregrines from Pitsford Res on 19th, Hardingstone on 20th and Hemington on 20th-21st.

Wader passage began to gain momentum but failed to produce anything to match the quality of last week’s Harrington Stone-curlew. Little Ringed Plovers were reported from four Nene Valley localities and dwindling Golden Plover numbers included two at Hemington on 20th and six in the Brampton Valley on 22nd. Six Bar-tailed Godwits spent the day at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows Reserve on 20th with two Black-tailed Godwits at Summer Leys on 25th and the week’s only Whimbrel – which was also the first of the year – flew over Summer Leys on 22nd, while the same Green Sandpiper remained at Kislingbury Meadows on 19th, a lonely Common Sandpiper visited Clifford Hill GP on 22nd-23rd and the spring’s first Turnstone lingered at Summer Leys on 20th-21st.

On 20th, a second-summer Yellow-legged Gull was again at Stanwick GP among ninety-two loafing Greater Black-backed Gulls but the only other gulls of note were single Little Gulls at Daventry CP on 21st and Summer Leys on 25th.

The spring’s first Black Terns, three, were at Daventry CP on 21st and the same site hosted twenty-four Arctic Terns on 20th, several went through Clifford Hill GP and two or three were at Summer Leys on the same date with two there again on 22nd.

A Ring-necked Parakeet was at Stoke Bruerne on 20th, the spring’s first Common Swift appeared at Pitsford Res two days later and a Firecrest was discovered at Pitsford Res on 21st. With almost all the common summer warblers already in, the first Garden Warbler was found at Pitsford Res on 19th, quickly followed by others at Summer Leys on 21st and Daventry CP on 22nd but only one Grasshopper Warbler was located, a singing male at Stortons GP on 19th.

Up to three Ring Ouzels performed at Harrington AF between 19th and 24th and a male Black Redstart was discovered nearby in the Brampton Valley on 22nd, while

Common Redstarts, all males, were at Clifford Hill GP on 22nd, Harrington AF on 23rd and in the Brampton Valley on 25th. Northern Wheatears were reported from four localities with a maximum of at nine at Hemington on 21st. Again, only two  White Wagtails were found at this week – one at Hemington on 21st and one at Earls Barton GP on 22nd, while the only Brambling was one on a feeder in a Kettering garden on 20th.

Dominated by the presence of a slowly moving area of high pressure, the week remained dry and settled with variable light winds, initially from the west then north and southerly for a short time mid-week. The influx of summer visitors continued with one or two surprises among some notably early arrivals.

With the vast majority of winter wildfowl well on their way back to their summer breeding grounds we are now left with a handful of hangers-on and a few late passage birds stopping over briefly to break their journeys ‘up north’. Falling into the latter category a Pink-footed Goose joined the resident Greylag flock at Thrapston GP on 12th and was still present there on 18th. This species has been unusually scarce this year with no previous records this side of the New Year but its appearance at Thrapston is no great surprise as this site has an established track record for attracting small numbers of pinkfeet in spring.

Falling into the malingerers category, the wintering Long-tailed Duck remained at Earls Barton GP until at least 14th, three Goldeneyes were still at Thrapston GP on 13th with one still there on 18th and a drake Goosander was beside the River Nene at Oundle on 15th.

Raptors were in short supply this week with the most notable of the predatory elite being a male Goshawk flying over Woodford Halse in the direction of Eydon on 15th. This species remains an enigma in Northants. Believed to have bred here in the past, it is no longer being seen at localities favoured in the 80s and 90s so it’s a real local rarity these days, remaining a very difficult bird to catch up with in the county. Making less of a splash but still an essential piece in the summer jigsaw, the first Hobby was reported from Scaldwell on 15th, while single Peregrines were seen over Isham and Little Irchester on 13th and at Summer Leys LNR on 18th.

With the main thrust of passage waders still a couple of weeks away, the lack of quantity was amply made up for by quality in the shape of Northamptonshire’s twelfth-ever Stone-curlew, which was discovered at Harrington AF during the morning of 17th. Flighty and true to form, however, it did not stay long and promptly went AWOL after lunch.

Little Ringed Plovers were found at just three Nene Valley localities, the only Dunlin were five at Clifford Hill GP on 12th with four remaining on 17th-18th and the only Curlews were singles at the latter site on 12th and at Daventry CP on 17th. A Black-tailed Godwit was found at Summer Leys on 18th, while another flew northeast at Thrapston GP on the same date and single Green Sandpipers remained faithful to Pitsford Res on 13th-14th and Kislingbury Meadows on 15th.

With wintering gulls all but gone the only species of note were a second-summer Yellow-legged Gull at Stanwick GP on 13th and four Little Gulls which visited Daventry CP on 17th. With Common Terns rapidly becoming established back at traditional sites in the Nene Valley, transient Arctic Terns were a welcome addition to the local menu with two picked up heading northeast at Earls Barton GP on 14th.

An early Lesser Whitethroat was found at Harrington Airfield on 12th, rapidly followed by others at Denton Wood, Scaldwell and Summer Leys during the course of the next four days. Common Whitethroats also put in an appearance from 13th, with a male at Old, while the first Grasshopper Warbler was heard reeling at Earls Barton GP on the same day (the average date of first arrival for this species in the UK), quickly followed by others at Stortons GP on 15th and Salcey Forest on 18th. This species has been recorded as arriving as early as 1st April in the county but it is undergoing a long term decline in population and is now red-listed in conservation terms. The first Reed Warblers were heard singing at Thrapston GP also on 13th.

Two Ring Ouzels were located at Harrington AF on 14th, three were there the following day, remaining until at least 17th. One was also found at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 15th and another was seen at Borough Hill on 17th. The year’s first Nightingale was singing in a Blackthorn thicket alongside the River Nene at Thrapston on 17th, while more Common Redstarts continued to pour in with males located at Borough Hill and Clifford Hill GP on 12th, Foxholes Fisheries, Crick on 14th, Hellidon on 14th with two there on 18th, two at Blueberry Farm on 15th and one again at Clifford Hill GP on 18th. A male Whinchat put in a relatively early appearance at Borough Hill on 17th and was still present the following day, while Northern Wheatears were reported from seven localities with a maximum of at least eight (possibly ten) at Harrington AF on 17th.

Only two  White Wagtails were found at this week – both at Clifford Hill GP on 12th, while a Tree Pipit – now relegated (or promoted, depending upon your viewpoint) to a scarce local passage migrant, not having bred in the county for a couple of years. Most Bramblings have now departed but four were still at Harrington AF on 14th, one there on 15th and six still at Hellidon on 18th.