Dave Jackson forwarded these images he took of a Lesser Whitethroat in his Northampton garden today. A winter Lesser Whitethroat in the UK is exceptional and most – if not all – of these are likely to be birds of one of the eastern races.
Lesser Whitethroat, Northampton, 17th January 2014 (Dave Jackson)Lesser Whitethroat, Northampton, 17th January 2014 (Dave Jackson)Lesser Whitethroat, Northampton, 17th January 2014 (Dave Jackson)Lesser Whitethroat, Northampton, 17th January 2014 (Dave Jackson)
I was struggling to stretch the ID beyond nominate curruca – it’s not particularly brown above (although the 4th image in the above sequence depicts more brown), the primary projection is not particularly short and you can’t see the extent of white in the outer tail feathers.
However, Martin Garner, who saw saw the images late this afternoon, suggests the smart money is on blythi – Siberian Lesser Whitethroat. If the bird is trapped, biometrics, DNA analysis and outertail feather pattern will all play a cumulative role in assigning the bird to race, while sound recordings and sonograms of the bird’s call (Sardinian Warbler-like rattle vs. standard ‘tac’ call of nominate Lesser Whitethroat) will also add weight. We’ll see.
For the past few years Goosanders have become regular winter visitors to Abington Park Lakes in Northampton. The largest, middle lake is very shallow and provides opportunities for the Goosanders to catch fish with relative ease while offering birders the potential to capture fantastic images. In some winters more than twenty Goosanders have been present. They are a delight to watch and such close views are rarely matched elsewhere.
Pair formation can occur early in the winter with copulation taking place as early as December (for full details see BWP). Displaying males can adopt a partial neck-stretch with head feathers erected as below.
Goosanders, Abington Park Lake, Northampton, January 2014 (Dave Jackson)
Both sexes engage in pre-copulatory drinking, with heads tilted upwards before the female assumes the full prone posture inviting copulation.
Drake Goosander, Abington Park Lake, Northampton, January 2014 (Doug Goddard)Female Goosander, Abington Park Lake, Northampton, January 2014 (Doug Goddard)Female Goosander, Abington Park Lake, Northampton, January 2014 (Doug Goddard)Goosanders, Abington Park Lake, Northampton, January 2014 (Doug Goddard)
‘Redhead’ Goosanders are either females – this one showing her teeth – or first-winter
Female Goosander, Abington Park Lake, Northampton, January 2014 (Dave Jackson)
males like this one, where the generally duller brown head, indistinct whitish chin and broad blackish lower border to the brown upper neck is a clue to its sex.
First-winter male Goosander, Abington Park, 22 Dec 2011 (Keith J Smith)
Abington Park Lakes have also attracted Red-breasted Merganser and Shag in recent years – not bad for a small urban park habitat!
Many thanks to Keith J Smith, Doug Goddard and Dave Jackson for providing photos of these superb birds.
We all know what Lesser Scaup looks like, right? One of the key ID features is head shape, which shows a small peak at the rear of the crown. Well here’s a Greater Scaup which breaks the rules.
Drake Scaup, Ditchford GP, 12th January 2014 (Bob Bullock)
Photographed by Bob Bullock at Ditchford Gravel Pits yesterday, this adult drake clearly shows a peaked crown. But it’s still a Greater Scaup.
Drake Scaup, Ditchford GP, 12th January 2014 (Bob Bullock)
The head is still too bulbous and rounded, the vermiculations on the upperparts are uniformly even (coarser towards rear on Lesser Scaup) and there are no traces of faint vermiculations on the flanks, which Lesser Scaup shows to a varying degree.
Drake Scaup, Ditchford GP, 12th January 2014 (Bob Bullock)
In addition to this the bird just looks too broad and bulky. Here’s what a Lesser Scaup should look like.
Drake Lesser Scaup, in captivity, Slimbridge (Bob Bullock)
While the peak is visible it can appear equally subtle but it is often more pronounced. Note also head gloss – usually green in Scaup, purple in Lesser but it can vary with lighting.
Drake Lesser Scaup, Newquay, Cornwall, 19th February 2012 (Brian R Field)
Lesser Scaup has occurred in almost every British county except Northants, so the first record is up for grabs!
Many thanks to Bob and to Brian Field for the use of their excellent images.
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
Long-tailed Ducks, Earls Barton GP, January 2014 (Dave Jackson)
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.
Drake Smew, Pitsford Res, 10th January 2014 (Bob Bullock)Drake Smew, Pitsford Res, 10th Jan 2014 (Bob Bullock)
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.
Bittern, Stortons GP, 10th January 2014 (Alan Coles)Great White Egret, Earls Barton GP, 6th January 2014 (Doug McFarlane)
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 EuropeanBlackcaps 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.
Long-tailed Duck, Earls Barton GP, 3rd January 2014 (Martin Dove)
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.
First-winter drake Smew, Pitsford Reservoir, 24th December 2013 (Clive Bowley). By late winter, ‘redheads’ become assignable to sex. This individual is just beginning to acquire the white crest feathers of a male.
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.
Little and Large. Little and Great White Egrets, Pitsford Reservoir, 28th December 2013 (Alan Coles)
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 stillat 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 EuropeanBlackcaps, which moved into gardens in Byfield, Northampton (East Hunsbury, Harlestone Road and Kingsthorpe) and Sywell.
Central European Blackcap, Sywell, 27th December 2013 (Jim Dunkley)
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.
While searching for the female Scaup reported from Sixfields Lake at Stortons GP yesterday, I came across this interesting-looking duck. It was obvious among the Pochards on the lake by virtue of its overall darkness compared to ‘standard’ drake Pochard, to which it bore a passing resemblance.This individual exhibits characters associated with both Pochard and Ferruginous Duck. Approximately the same size and shape as Pochard, perhaps a fraction smaller. The head, neck and breast colours are close to, and are clearly ‘borrowed’ from, Ferruginous Duck, as is the head shape and, to some extent, the bill. The latter has a dirty wash across its basal third. The golden/orange eye colour is neither Pochard (= red) nor Ferruginous Duck (= creamy-white) and the white secondary bar and dirty white undertail coverts are also lent by Ferruginous Duck although they are not as extensive or as distinctive as in that species. The body and wings (apart from the secondaries) appear to be Pochard derivatives.
Hybrids of similar appearance have been recorded before, e.g. at Alexandra Park, London in 2010 here and at Slimbridge on 21st March 2013 here with the latter individual appearing almost, if not completely, identical to the Stortons bird.
It’s been thirty-three years since I last saw a Brϋnnich’s Guillemot. The towering cliffs looking out over the cobalt-blue Barents Sea at the mouth of Varangerfjord – wild, windswept and bustling with breeding seabirds – was the location with that ‘standing on the edge of the world’ feeling. Time to get reacquainted.
It took less than three and a half hours for Gary Pullan, Frank Smith and myself to arrive at Portland Harbour, where a couple of hundred birders had already assembled.
And there it was, just bobbing about like a black and white cork, sheltering in the lee of a moored boat from the rather strong, blustery wind and rain which started lashing the area as soon as we got out of the car. At fairly close range the identification was straightforward. Aside from the obvious diagnostic features, this bird appeared to have a noticeably longer primary projection than the accompanying Common Guillemot, which shows well in the photos below.
[click on the cogwheel and change resolution to 720 HD for marginally better definition]
After a while, it moved very rapidly to another part of the harbour, where it seemed settled and continued to attract a steady stream of admirers.
Other interesting species in the harbour at the same time were Great Northern and Black-throated Divers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Shag, Razorbill and Black Guillemot – all nice to see.
On the way home we swung by Radipole Park Drive, where a Glossy Ibis has been feeding on a flooded football pitch for the past couple of days.
A cold, blustery day out with some excellent festive season birding!
The juvenile Great Northern Diver, present at Pitsford Reservoir since 15th December, has been showing rather well, presenting superb photographic opportunities for visiting birders. Here are a few.
Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 17th December 2013 (Douglas Goddard)Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 17th December 2013 (Frank Porch)Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 19th December 2013 (Phil Jackman)Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 19th December 2013 (Clive Bowley)Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 20th December 2013 (Bob Bullock)Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 20th December 2013 (Martn Dove)Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 24th December 2013 (Mike Alibone)
… and some ropey video …
Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 24th December 2013 (Mike Alibone). Click on the cogwheel and change to 720pHD to view at higher resolution.
The broad, neat pale fringes to the upperpart feathers indicate it is a juvenile (plainer upperparts with distinct spotting on coverts and more prominent neck ‘gashes’ in adult). Great Northern Divers have appeared almost annually in Northants in recent years. They are the commonest diver to occur in the County with 29 records in the last 45 years, outnumbering Red-throated and the rarer Black-throated with 23 records and 10 records in the same period respectively.
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.
Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Pitsford Res, 20th December 2013 (Bob Bullock)
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
Juvenile Iceland Gull, Ditchford GP, 19th December 2013 (John Friendship-Taylor)
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.
Northants birds 