Northants birds

The week continued cold with further snowfall and few new birds being discovered. Two Mandarin Ducks were at Astwell Mill on 19th and the only Pintail were two at Stanwick GP on 24th, and the three wintering Scaup were still present at Ditchford GP on 19th with two there on 24th.  The same site also held an Aythya hybrid resembling a drake Lesser Scaup on 19th. Last week’s ‘redhead’ Smew remained at Stortons GP until at least 21st, another was at Clifford Hill GP to 23^rd, while Pitsford Res held six on the same date and eight or nine on 25th.  Single-figure counts of Goosanders were made at Abington Park Lake (Northampton), Clifford Hill GP, Ditchford GP, Hardingstone GP, Pitsford Res, Shelfley’s Lake (Northampton) and Stortons GP but the only double-figure total came from Stanwick GP, where there were fifteen on 24th.

The Pitsford Great White Egret was seen just once, on 23rd and the Slavonian Grebe was still at the same locality on the same date. At nearby Harrington AF the female Merlin was seen almost daily and another appeared at Hartwell on 24th, while single Peregrines were at Ditchford GP on 22nd and 24th and at Pitsford Res on 23rd. The only Golden Plovers this week were approximately thirty flying south over Ditchford GP on 19th and six at Harrington AF on 23rd, while two Jack Snipe were discovered at Thorpe Waterville on 22nd and one was at Ditchford GP on 24th. The Green Sandpiper was still at Ecton SF on 25th and seven Redshanks continued to be seen at Stanwick GP on 24th while one was at Pitsford Res on 19th and a single Dunlin was at Pitsford Res on 20th.

On 24th, the adult and fourth-winter Glaucous Gulls were seen together at Ditchford GP where two adult Caspian Gulls were also present on 19th and 24th, while two adult Yellow-legged Gulls were there on 23rd and three on 24th. Of interest is a Black-headed Gull found dead at Harlestone Lake on 20th which had been ringed as a juvenile at Fiskeholm, Hårby, Denmark on 4th June 2003, 791 km distant.

Short-eared Owl numbers at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell were higher this week with three there on 24th and five on 25th and, nearby, a flock of approximately two hundred Skylarks was at nearby Harrington AF on 21st with one hundred there on 23rd and another two hundred were at Hartwell on 24th. Single Chiffchaffs were found at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 20th and at Moulton on 22nd while a high total of twelve was counted at Ecton SF on 25th and a total of eight Central European Blackcaps was seen during the week in gardens in Northampton, Polebrook and Wellingborough. Waxwings were seen in lower numbers than last week, the highest totals being sixty at Brixworth on 23rd, twenty-eight opposite Northampton Garden Centre in Northampton on 22nd, twenty-six at Pineham (Northampton) on 21st and the same number at Desborough on 19th with at least twenty-five in Corby on the same date. Smaller numbers were seen in Barton Seagrave, Hanging Houghton, Moulton, Northampton, Stortons GP and Wellingborough.

The only Stonechat of the week was one at Ditchford GP on 19th while Bramblings continued to be seen at Harrington AF, with a maximum of approximately ten there on 19^th but more than eighteen were at Fawsley on 25th and smaller numbers were recorded at Blakesley, Hanging Houghton, Hartwell, Kelmarsh, Northampton and Pitsford Res. Up to four Crossbills were at Harlestone Heath on 20th and 21st and a high count of three hundred Yellowhammers was made at Hartwell on 20th.

The first real snow of winter did not appear to give rise to any of the much hoped for significant hard weather movements this week. An adult White-fronted Goose visited Stanwick GP briefly on 12th but it did not linger and up to thirty Mandarin Ducks were counted at Blatherwycke Lake during the weekend of 12th-13th, clearly dispelling an earlier report that the entire population there had been shot! The only Pintail this week were two at Ditchford GP on 13th, when the three wintering Scaup were also still present there. The first-winter drake remained at Stanwick GP until at least 14th and another first-winter drake was found at Hollowell Res on 12th – presumably the individual from nearby Ravensthorpe Res which went missing after being found on 1st.

An Aythya hybrid resembling a drake Lesser Scaup was also seen at Hollowell Res on 12th after having been seen first at Ravensthorpe on 5th. Up to seven Smew (two drakes) were also at Ravensthorpe Res on 12th with at least a pair still present there on 16th, up to three were at Pitsford Res on the same date with eight (six drakes) there on 17th and single ‘redheads’ were at Clifford Hill GP on 13th and at Stortons GP on 16th and 17th. Small numbers of Goosanders continued to be seen at Clifford Hill GP, Pitsford Res, Stanford Res and Stortons GP with a maximum of twenty-five at the first of these localities on 12th.

A Bittern dropped into the reedbed at Stortons GP on 16th, while the Pitsford Great White Egret continued to be reported throughout the week. A Scared Ibis – whatever its origin – was an unexpected visitor to Summer Leys LNR, Stanwick and Ditchford GP on 13th and was seen again at Broadholme SWT at Ditchford the following day. At Pitsford Res, the Slavonian Grebe remained south of the causeway until at least 12th and a Black-necked Grebe was seen by the dam there on 15th. Merlins were at Harrington AF on 14th and at Little Irchester on 16th and Peregrines were in the Brampton Valley and at Raunds – both on 12th and an unseasonal (for Northamptonshire) Marsh Harrier flew east at Stanwick GP on 14th.

More than two hundred Golden Plovers were at Clifford Hill GP on 14th but few were reported elsewhere. The only Jack Snipe this week was at Hollowell Res on 13th and the only Green Sandpiper at Ecton SF on 12th while seven Redshanks were at Stanwick GP on 14th and one was at Clifford Hill GP on 13th and 14th.

What were undoubtedly last week’s adult and juvenile Glaucous Gulls from Stanwick GP were found together at nearby Ditchford GP on 15th and a fourth-winter was at nearby

Sidegate Landfill on 12th. Single adult Caspian Gulls visited Hollowell Res on 13th, Sidegate Landfill and Ditchford GP on the same date and one was again at the latter locality

on 15th, while adult Yellow-legged Gulls visited Stanford Res and Hollowell Res on 12th and another was near Sidegate Landfill on 13th.

A single Short-eared Owl at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 15th and 18th was in keeping with their relative scarcity so far this winter and, in the same area, the ‘Nordic’ Jackdaw was seen again on 14th and a flock of approximately 500 Skylarks at nearby Harrington AF on the same day was the largest recorded in the County for many years. At least two Chiffchaffs remained at Ecton SF on 12th and further singles were at Pitsford Res on 15th and 16th while female Central European Blackcaps were seen in two gardens in Wellingborough on 15th, 16th and 17th, a male was in an Oundle garden on the first of those three dates and male was in a Northampton garden all week, accompanied by a female on 18th.

Waxwings remained strongly in evidence throughout the week, the most reliable – and the most popular – of which were up to forty-five near Danes Camp Surgery on Rowtree Road, East Hunsbury, Northampton between 13th and 16th. Elsewhere, twenty-five were

again at Pineham, Northampton on 12th with flocks of sixty, thirty-five and twelve along a stretch of the A43 between Fineshade and Blatherwycke the same day.  On 13th six were

between Yarwell and Wansford and twenty by the canal near Sixfields Lake; on 15th at least twenty-five visited Mawsley and twenty-two were still along the A43 between Fineshade and Blatherwycke while eighteen were in Swan Valley, Northampton the following day and, on 17th, thirty were in Burton Latimer.

The only Stonechat of the week was the long-staying male at Hollowell Res, which was seen on 12th and 13th, and Bramblings kept up their appearance at Harrington AF, with a maximum of eight there on 14th, while numbers between one and five were seen at

Hanging Houghton, Kelmarsh, Pineham and Pitsford Res  throughout the week. A dozen Crossbills were still at Wakerley Great Wood on 13th but more unusual was the surprise

discovery of up to five Hawfinches by the church at Blatherwycke Lake on 12th,

drawing a steady trickle of admirers throughout the week.

Mild, dry conditions coincided with the discovery of a host of new birds this week. A Shelduck was at Earls Barton GP on 5th and 11th and six Mandarin Ducks were located at Blatherwycke Lake on 9th with a belated report of ten there on 2nd; another Mandarin was at Kettering Leisure Village Lake during the first week of the month. The only Pintail this week was at Foxholes Fisheries, Crick on 6th and up to three Scaup remained at Ditchford GP until at least 7th with a first-winter drake being found at Stanwick GP on 8th. Up to six Smew (two drakes) were at Ravensthorpe Res during the week, a drake and a ‘redhead’ were at Pitsford Res and another ‘redhead’ at Sywell CP at the same time, while small numbers of Goosanders were recorded at Blatherwycke Lake, Edgcote, Hardingstone GP, Pitsford Res, Stanford Res, Stanwick GP and Stortons GP with a maximum of nineteen at the latter locality on 10th.

Pitsford’s Great White Egret looks set to overwinter, still being present on 11th while, at the same locality, the Slavonian Grebe remained south of the causeway until at least 9th. More raptors were seen this week with single Merlins at Harrington AF on 6th and at Pineham (Northampton) on 9th and Peregrines at Earls Barton GP and Riverside Retail Park (Northampton) on 5th, at Ecton SF and Harrington AF on 6th and at Blueberry Farm (Maidwell), Harrington AF, Pitsford Res and Stanwick GP on 7th but raptor of the week was an adult male Hen Harrier at Harrington AF on 11th.

Four hundred Golden Plovers were at Earls Barton GP on 5th with just four at Stanford Res the same day, while one hundred and twenty-seven were roosting on ground levelled for construction at Pineham on 9th. Other waders of note were a Dunlin and a Black-tailed Godwit at Stanwick GP on 6th, with a belated report of another of the latter species at Summer Leys LNR on 2nd, a Green Sandpiper at Ecton SF from 6th to 9th and six Redshanks at Stanwick GP on 5th-6th with one at Pitsford Res on 7th.

The first of the winter’s ‘white-winged’ gulls – a juvenile Glaucous Gull – visited the gull roost at Stanwick GP from 5th to 9th where it was joined by an adult on the latter date with the adult again present on 10th. A juvenile Iceland Gull also visited the roost there on 6th while two Yellow-legged Gulls were at Stanford Res on 5th.

Three Bearded Tits were discovered in the Phragmites bed at Ecton SF on 6th and this number had grown to five by 9th with ‘several’ still present on 10th.

The same site also produced at least six wintering Chiffchaffs on 9th and another was at Earls Barton GP on 5th while presumed Central European Blackcaps continued to visit three Northampton gardens and one in Wellingborough during the week.

The week was again dominated by the continuing presence of Waxwings, the popularity of which appears never to wane. After a belated report of one hundred and ten near Blatherwycke on 2nd – with 44 there the next day and 25 there on 6th – the largest number was fifty at Pineham on 9th.

Waxwings, Pineham, Northampton, 9th January 2013 (Mike Alibone)

Elsewhere there were still thirteen remaining at Barton Seagrave on 5th, twenty at Northampton Garden Centre, Wootton on the same date with thirteen there next day and three in the vicinity on 11th, four were in an East Hunsbury garden on 5th with up to thirty at the nearby Danes Camp Surgery on the same date with twenty there the next day, singles at Fineshade Wood and Weldon on 6th with twenty-nine there the following day, dwindling to thirteen by 9th. One was in the Brampton Valley on 7th with twenty-five there the next day, four were at Harrington AF on 7th with two at nearby Hanging Houghton the next day, ten were at Harringworth AF on 9^th with twenty-eight at nearby Laxton Hall on the same date, fifteen were again at Danes Camp Surgery, East Hunsbury on 10th with up to six in the vicinity on 11th and up to thirty were still near Pineham on the same date.

A male Black Redstart was seen briefly in Wellingborough on 10th and Stonechats were at Ditchford GP on 4th and Blueberry Farm on 7th and 8th, while small numbers of Bramblings were seen at Harrington AF throughout the week, increasing sharply to more than thirty on 11th. One was also at Badby Wood on 5th, two at Kelmarsh on 7th and one or two at Hanging Houghton and in the Brampton Valley on 11th. Up to fifteen Crossbills were at Wakerley Great Wood on between 6th and 9th, with seventeen seen flying over nearby Fineshade Wood on 6th and five at Harlestone Heath on 11th while three Hawfinches were found at Harringworth Airfield, on the edge of Wakerley Great Wood, on 9th.

A mild week with lower rainfall saw the momentary return of the Dark-bellied Brent Goose to Clifford Hill GP on 30th while two Shelducks were at Blatherwycke Lake on the same date and two paid an unseasonal visit to Pitsford Res on 2nd. Five Mandarin Ducks were found among flooded poplars in the R. Nene valley at Tansor on 29th and eight were counted at the same locality the following day. This species is now scarce in the County following the demise of the hitherto long established population at Blatherwycke Lake. The only Pintail to be found during the week was a drake at Kislingbury GP on 1st, while the tally of wintering Scaup at Ditchford GP reached three (two first-winter drakes and a female) by 30th with at least two of these still present on 3rd; another first-winter drake visited Ravensthorpe Res from 30th to 1st. Goosanders were recorded at Blatherwycke Lake, Clifford Hill GP, Pitsford Res, Stanford Res and Stortons GP with a maximum of sixteen at the latter site on 1st, where a ‘redhead’ Smew was also present on the same date; another ‘redhead’ was at Pitsford Res on 2nd and one or two at Sywell CP on 4th.

A Bittern was again seen briefly at Summer Leys LNR on 1st and the wintering Great White Egret remained throughout the week at Pitsford Res, commuting between Holcot Bay and the flooded marsh at the junction of Hannington Road and Walgrave Road, just outside Holcot. At the same locality, the Slavonian Grebe remained south of the causeway all week, being joined there briefly by a Black-necked Grebe on 1st; another Slavonian Grebe was reported briefly at Stortons GP on the same date.

Raptors again remained scarce with a male Merlin at Stanwick GP on 1st and single Peregrines at Clifford Hill GP on 1st and at Ditchford GP and Boddington Res on 3rd.

Following the receding floods, approximately two thousand Golden Plovers were back at the traditional roosting site of Clifford Hill GP on 30th with more than one thousand there the next day and approximately nine hundred there on 3rd. The same site hosted approximately five hundred Lapwings on 31st and perhaps the same flock was seen flying over nearby Kislingbury GP on 1st. Other waders of note were a flock of eleven Black-tailed Godwits flying west over Summer Leys LNR on 4th, a Redshank at Clifford Hill GP and a Green Sandpiper at Ditchford GP – both on 3rd.

Two Mediterranean Gulls (an adult and a first-winter) were at Pitsford Res gull roost on 29th and single first-winters were present there on 2nd and at Boddington Res on 3rd, while an adult Yellow-legged Gull visited Stanford Res on 30th and a first-winter was again at Pitsford Res on 2nd.

The Hanging Houghton ‘Nordic’ Jackdaw was seen again on 31st, as was the Stanford Res Cetti’s Warbler on 30th, while the pair of presumed Central European Blackcaps continued to visit a Northampton garden during the week, being joined by an additional male to at least 2nd; further singles visited gardens in Northampton on 1st and Polebrook on 2nd. A Firecrest was found at Bucknell Wood on 1st and Stonechats were at Hollowell Res on 30th and 2nd, Harringworth Airfield on 30^th, Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 1st and Ditchford GP on 3rd.

Waxwings were back in force this week following a late record from last week of at least fifty in Duston on 28th, with at least thirty in Barton Seagrave/Burton Latimer the following day. Numbers in this area continued to increase, peaking at 120 on 3rd – the

largest local flock of the winter so far. Elsewhere, singles were at Harringworth Airfield and Ise Valley Industrial Estate, Wellingborough, two in Irthlingborough and four in Hanging Houghton – all on 30th, two were by Northampton Garden Centre, Wootton also on 30th with approximately 12 there on 31st, fifteen on 2nd and 35 on 4th. Five were in East Hunsbury, Northampton on 30th with twenty-five there on 2nd and, on 1st, at least eighteen were in Upton Country Park, Northampton and between fifteen and twenty were at Fineshade Wood.

Up to three Bramblings were seen throughout the week at each of Brampton Valley LP, Hanging Houghton, Kelmarsh, Pitsford Res, Salcey Forest and Harrington Airfield with a maximum of six at the latter locality on 30th and 1st, while ten Crossbills were at Bucknell Wood on 1st, with at least six at Salcey Forest the following day, and a Hawfinch was discovered at Harringworth Airfield on the edge of Wakerley Wood on 30th.

Another mild and largely wet week with few new discoveries, despite it being a ‘holiday week’ with presumably more birders taking to the field. Single Shelducks were seen at Blatherwycke Lake and at Deene Lake on 23^rd while other duck numbers began to build, with the maximum count of Goldeneye reaching twenty-three at Ditchford GP on 23^rd. Goosanders were recorded at Abington Park Lake, Clifford Hill GP, Ditchford GP, Pitsford Res, Stanford Res and Stortons GP with a maximum of six at the latter site on 26^th.  Pitsford Res was the only site where Smew were recorded this week with four or five at the dam end on 22^nd, dwindling to a drake and one or two ‘redheads’ by 27^th and a single ‘redhead’ by 28^th. A drake Ruddy Duck was at the same locality on 26th. Last week’s first-winter drake Scaup was still at Ditchford GP on 23^rd.

At Pitsford Res the Great White Egret remained throughout the week, favouring the flooded marsh at the junction of Hannington Road and Walgrave Road, just outside Holcot and the Slavonian Grebe remained halfway between the dam and the causeway all week.

Approximately two hundred Golden Plovers were near Oundle on 23^rd but the only other wader of note was a Redshank at Pitsford Res on 27^th and 28^th with the gull roost at the latter site holding an adult and a first-winter Mediterranean Gull plus a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull on 22^nd, the two first-winter gulls both being present there again on 24^th. On 23^rd and 24^th nearby Hanging Houghton played host to a Jackdaw showing characteristics of the southern Scandinavian race monedula, ‘Nordic Jackdaw’, which is a scarce winter visitor to the county.

A Cetti’s Warbler was found at Stanford Res on 27^th – an unusual record for this site – while a pair of presumed Central European Blackcaps continued to visit a Northampton garden during the week and another visited a garden in Potterspury on 22^nd.

A male Stonechat was found at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 28^th.  In comparison to last week, Waxwings were in relatively short supply, the regularly appearing (although frequently elusive) birds in Brackley, Chelveston, Polebrook and Sywell all having moved on. Just a handful of fleeting visits were made by five to Holcot on 23^rd, one to

Irthlingborough on 25^th with four in the Brampton Valley below Brixworth and eight to ten at Morrisons Supermarket, Kettering Road, Northampton on the same date. On 28^th eleven were in a garden at Hanging Houghton and nine were on Newport Pagnell Road, Wootton Fields, Northampton. Bramblings continued to be seen throughout the week at Harrington AF, where there was a maximum of eight on 26^th, Kelmarsh with a maximum of four on the same date, Hanging Houghton where there was one on 23^rd and two on 28^th and at Pitsford Res with singles on 24^th and 26^th.

In stark contrast to the previous week, the last seven days saw the return of relatively mild, wet and windy conditions and rising floodwater. The adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose remained at Clifford Hill GP until at least 17^th and the same site hosted this week’s maximum count of Goosanders with 13 there on 16^th while 3 were at Pitsford

Adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Clifford Hill GP, 16th December 2012 (Mike Alibone)

 Res on 17th and 8 at Daventry CP on 21st. The only Smew during the period were a ‘redhead’ at Pitsford Res on 17^th, two ‘redheads’ at Ditchford GP on 18^th and the same number at Ravensthorpe Res the following day. A first-winter Scaup was again at Ditchford GP on 18^th.

The Pitsford Res/Holcot Great White Egret remained throughout the week and a Slavonian Grebe  was found there on 18^th and, in the raptor camp, a Peregrine was on pylons by the fishing lake at Ditchford GP on 16^th, another was at Stortons GP on 17^th and a Merlin was seen at Harrington AF the next day.

Waders were thin on the ground as is so often the case at this time of the year and, apart from small flocks of approximately fifty Golden Plovers at Clifford Hill GP on 16th and sixty at Ditchford GP on 18^th, the only one of note was a Redshank at Clifford Hill GP on the former date. The only Short-eared Owl reported was one at Harrington AF on 17^th but more unusual was a flock of nine Ring-necked Parakeets which flew over Stoke Bruerne the following day. Ditchford GP also held three Chiffchaffs on 18^th and further singles were at Clifford Hill GP on 16^th and Pitsford Res on 17^th while a pair of Central European Blackcaps was in a Northampton garden on 15^th with another in a different Northampton garden the next day.

Upholding their recent winter scarcity, two Stonechats were found at Ditchford GP on 18^th. Waxwings continued to be reported throughout the week with singles at Polebrook, Syresham and Woodford Halse on 15^th and at Byfield on 21^st and twenty-five in Brackley

on 15^th. Thirteen were in Woodford Halse the following day, up to twelve remained around Chelveston on until 21st, approximately twenty were in Finedon on 18^th and, on 19^th, at least thirty were in Brackley. Up to a dozen visited gardens in Sywell on 19^th and 20^th

while, during the same two days, up to thirty-six were feeding in gardens and showing well on TV aerials in Polebrook. Two visited Pitsford Res on 21^st and up to four Bramblings were also at there with ten at Harrington AF on 17^th.

The continuing cold snap this week saw the further arrival of more traditional winter fare as well as the discovery of a Dark-bellied Brent Goose at Clifford Hill GP on 13^th. The drake Scaup at Pitsford Res was still present there on 12^th and  the number of Smew at

Ravensthorpe Res peaked at five (one drake) on 8^th but appeared to dwindle to just one by 10^th. Six, including four drakes, were found at Pitsford Res on 13^th and two ‘redheads’ were

present at Sywell CP on the same date, while the number of Goosanders at Abington Park Lake, Northampton, had climbed to twenty-six by 9^th with at least twenty-five still

there on 12^th. Smaller number were found at Daventry Res (nine), Stortons GP (five) and Pitsford Res (two).

The Summer Leys Bittern showed again on 8^th and another was found at Stanwick GP on 13th while the Pitsford Great White Egret was seen again on 9^th and 13^th and a Black-necked Grebe – perhaps the Pitsford individual – was discovered at Sywell CP on the latter date.

In the absence of any serious contenders, a male Hen Harrier hunting briefly over setaside at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 10^th scooped the title ‘Raptor of the Week’ while an adult Mediterranean Gull in the roost at Pitsford Res on the same date was similarly the only scarce gull reported. Also on 10^th, two Chiffchaffs were found in the grounds of St Andrews Hospital, Northampton and the male Central European Blackcap was still feeding on crab apples in a Northampton garden until at least 13^th. Waxwing numbers continued to build with the Kettering flock at Sainsburys supermarket car-park peaking at fifty on 8^th and dropping to just twenty-two on 9^th before disappearing completely the

following day. Also on 8^th, thirty were seen at the George Inn, Brixworth, (with sixteen remaining on 9^th), twenty-two were at Stortons GP and twenty were feeding on apples in Blatherwycke. On 9^th, thirty were in East Hunsbury, Northampton briefly before flying

Waxwings, Sainsburys, Kettering, 8th December 2012 (Mike Alibone)

toward Wootton and approximately twenty were by the A45, close to Northampton Garden Centre, on 12^th with sixteen at Chelveston on the same date. Seven remained in Chelveston on 13^th when approximately 35 were located in Wootton and one flew over Pitsford Res on 14th.

Single-figure counts of Bramblings were made throughout the week at Hanging Houghton, Kelmarsh and Pitsford Res with a maximum of six at Harrington AF on 10^th.