With a new week, a new month and a mounting backdrop of migrants, there can be little doubt that we are now in ‘ornithological autumn’ …
Just one bird keeping wildfowl afloat this week was the drake Common Scoter that dropped into Stanford Res on 3rd, no doubt a component of this species’ moult migration that takes place annually at this time of the year.
Drake Common Scoter, Stanford Res, 3rd July 2024 (Steve Nichols)
North of Walgrave at least one male Common Quail was still present, singing until at least 2nd.
But it’s now July and more waders are on the move. In terms of numbers, Black-tailed Godwits were, unsurprisingly, well in evidence with, chronologically, two at Ditchford GP on 29th, eight at Summer Leys LNR on 30th and two at Stanwick GP on the same date, two at Summer Leys on 2nd followed by one there on 5th, the latter date seeing six at Clifford Hill GP and one at Pitsford Res. Single Greenshanks visited Stanwick on 30th and Summer Leys on 5th.
Black-tailed Godwits, Clifford Hill GP, 5th July 2024 (Tyler Atkinson)
The week’s larids were represented by lone Yellow-legged Gulls at Pitsford on 30th and Stanwick on 4th.
And bird of the week? Well, that accolade fell firmly to the Spoonbill that paid a brief, early morning visit to Summer Leys on 4th. Following an unconfirmed report of one in flight over Wood Burcote on 17th April and another short-stayer at Clifford Hill GP four days later, this week’s is only the third to grace the county so far this year.
Juvenile Spoonbill, Summer Leys LNR, 4th July 2024 (Ricky Sinfield)Juvenile Spoonbill, Summer Leys LNR, 4th July 2024 (Ricky Sinfield)Juvenile Spoonbill, Summer Leys LNR, 4th July 2024 (Ricky Sinfield)
Bitterns were again at one site, while single Cattle Egrets were at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North) on 29th and Summer Leys the following day, with four at Stanwick GP on 2nd.
The week’s fly-over Ospreys were widely spread across four localities in the county, namely Irthlingborough on 29th, Pitsford on 2nd, Stanford on 3rd and Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR on 4th.
And they’re back! We’re talking Common Redstarts. It was late April since we last saw one but this week Lilbourne Meadows NR dished up the first one of the autumn on 29th-30th and three males had accrued there by 4th.
Male Common Redstart, Lilbourne Meadows NR, 29th June 2024 (Jon Cook)Male Common Redstart, Lilbourne Meadows NR, 4th July 2024 (Jon Cook)
The same date also delivered one apiece to Harrington AF and Pitsford, the latter site also producing a juvenile Stonechat,which was trapped and ringed there on 29th.
The movement of the jet stream to the north of the UK brought us a settled and dry week with temperatures reaching the high twenties for three consecutive days, thereby designated a heatwave. But one bird in particular generated heat of a different kind in the northern reaches of the county, up on the border with Leicestershire …
And it certainly wasn’t the female Ruddy Shelduck which, after its usual protracted absence at this time of the year, was back at Hollowell Res on 28th. Nor was it the Red-crested Pochard at Pitsford Res on the same date.
Following last week’s call for a Common Quail in the county, and after the suggestion that there may potentially be a long wait in the offing, as if by magic, three came along at once. Unlike buses, though, they were not easy to catch up with, or so it seems. On the evening of 25th, two males were singing north of Walgrave with one reportedly still present the following evening and two again on 28th. Meanwhile, another was discovered singing less than 5 km to the north-west, at Harrington AF, also on 26th.
A quick review of past occurrences suggests they are holding steady after a sharp peak in records between the late ‘80s and late ‘90s and there have been only four blank years in the last 55 years, namely 1985 and a run in 1973-75.
And while the aforementioned species is arriving, waders are on their way back. Against a countywide backcloth of smaller numbers of Green Sandpipers, Common Sandpipers and Dunlin, an impressive flock of thirty summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwits dropped in at Stanwick GP’s Main Lake on the last day of the week.
Sticking with Stanwick, three Mediterranean Gulls – two adults and a first-summer – flew south-west over the site on 25th, while a sub-adult Yellow-legged Gull visited Stanford Res on the same date.
It’s not too late for a spring Little Tern and, to prove it, one was found mobile around Hollowell on 22nd – the fifth for the county this year.
Little Tern, Hollowell Res, 22nd June 2024 (Jon Cook)Little Tern, Hollowell Res, 22nd June 2024 (Jon Cook)
Bitterns continued to be seen at two sites, while Cattle Egrets maintained a low profile with singles at Stanwick on 27th and Earls Barton GP the following day.
It was all quiet on the Osprey front, too, with singles at Pitsford on 25th-26th and 28th, and at Hollowell on the latter date, while a total of six young birds from nests in the county were ringed on 26th. This week’s Marsh Harrier was last week’s Marsh Harrier – a standout, abraded individual that again visited Stanwick GP on 24th.
Although set to tantalise and tease, the birding gods smiled on Northamptonshire – albeit momentarily – this week when a female Red-backed Shrike was found in the southern extremity of Leicestershire, just north of Cottingham. Discovered early in the morning of 23rd, it remained on the wrong side of the line until mid-afternoon, when it briefly border-hopped into our own good county before promptly returning to Leicestershire.
Female Red-backed Shrike, Cottingham, 23rd June 2024 (Steve Nichols)Female Red-backed Shrike, Cottingham, 23rd June 2024 (Steve Nichols)
Following the popular 2022 juvenile at Duston, this is only the fifteenth record for the county since 1971. In some respects, the occurrence of this week’s bird is not really out of context, given the phenomenal numbers recorded in the UK during late spring. The overwhelming majority were along the east coast, from Kent to Shetland, with more than 350 being recorded during the last ten days of May alone.
The second week in June comprised a largely lacklustre seven days, with nothing new and very little to shout about. ‘Ornithological autumn’ is, however, only a couple of weeks away for those prepared to sit things out …
The Stanford Res Pink-footed Goose remained until at least 11th while, in terms of this week’s waders, the same site was the only one to pull the rabbit out of the hat by delivering a ‘Tundra’ Ringed Plover on 8th and a Whimbrel on 11th.
‘Tundra’ Ringed Plover, Stanford Res, 8th June 2024 (Chris Hubbard)Whimbrel, Stanford Res, 11th June 2024 (Chris Hubbard)
At least one locality produced a Bittern but Cattle Egrets were unusually lacking.
The same cannot be said for Ospreys this week, during which there was a surprise discovery of a new Northamptonshire breeding pair and wandering birds assumed a high profile. Individuals visited Pitsford Res on 8th, 9th, 10th and 13th, while further singles were seen over the River Nene between Achurch and Wadenhoe on 9th, over the River Ise near Desborough on 11th and flying east over the Brampton Valley below Brixworth on the same date.
Unringed female Osprey, Pitsford Res, 8th June 2024 (Tyler Atkinson)Unringed female Osprey, Pitsford Res, 8th June 2024 (Tyler Atkinson)
Back to Stanford again where some interesting information was unravelled regarding a visiting Osprey on 13th. Photographed as it drifted east during the first half of the morning, it was wearing a blue ring inscribed with ‘5H1’, making it a two-year-old female which had been seen last month in the River Usk Valley in South Wales. Later the same day, an unringed female also paid a visit to Stanford.
Blue-ringed ‘5H1’ female Osprey, Stanford Res, 13th June 2024 (Barry Silverman)Unringed female Osprey, Stanford Res, 13th June 2024 (Chris Hubbard)
Ending the Osprey week was an 8-year-old male, blue-ringed ‘T3’, successfully fishing at Hollowell Res on 14th.
Blue-ringed ‘T3’ male Osprey, Hollowell Res, 14th June 2024 (Jon Cook)Blue-ringed ‘T3’ male Osprey, Hollowell Res, 14th June 2024 (Jon Cook)
And then there was the Wood Warbler. Remaining faithful to the same spot, the popular singing male saw a third week out at Harry’s Park Wood near Weldon, although it has attracted less attention in recent days.
As we embarked upon meteorological summer, a polar airmass situated to the north delivered below-average temperatures from mid-week onwards. And with the weather a little on the dull side, this was reflected to some extent in the birding, although the first week of June is rarely awash with migrants …
At Stanford Res this week, the unseasonal, rogue Pink-footed Goose was again present on 5th and again on 7th but it was easily overshadowed by a drake Common Scoter discovered there during the evening of 3rd.
Common Scoter, Stanford Res, 3rd June 2024 (Chris Hubbard)
A stone’s throw to the southwest, last week’s drake Garganey remained at Lilbourne Meadows NR until at least 4th.
Wader passage rallied after last week’s disappointing low, with the Nene Valley unsurprisingly producing all but one of the best birds. The highlight was the appearance of two Avocets at Summer Leys LNR for a half-day on 4th.
Avocets, Summer Leys LNR, 4th June 2024 (Tony Stanford)
The same day also saw three ‘Tundra’ Ringed Plovers drop in to Stanwick GP, an early morning Whimbrel in flight over Hanging Houghton and a Ruff at Summer Leys, where a Wood Sandpiper also put in an appearance on 2nd.
Ruff, Summer Leys LNR, 4th June 2024 (Mike Alibone)
Bitterns continued to be seen in at least two locations but, this week, Cattle Egret numbers were restricted to single birds at Stanwick on 1st, Summer Leys and Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR on 2nd and between Ecton and Earls Barton on 7th.
Cattle Egret, Summer Leys LNR, 2nd June 2024 (Matt Cottrell)
Reports of Ospreys were down, with two birds at Pitsford Res on 3rd, followed by one there on 7th, while the Marsh Harrier slot was filled this week by one over Summer Leys on the last day of the period.
And still the Short-eared Owls rumble on. Making it into summer, one lingered in the Brampton Valley, mobile between Cottesbrooke, Hanging Houghton and Blueberry Farm from 1st to 5th and another remained at Harrington AF until at least 3rd.
Unsurprisingly, the sole representative of this week’s passerines was the singing male Wood Warbler, now having completed a two-week stint at Harry’s Park Wood. Will it remain throughout the summer? We’ll see …
Wood Warbler, Harry’s Park Wood, 1st June 2024 (James Underwood)
Singing male Wood Warbler, Harry’s Park Wood, 3rd June 2024 (Dave James)
While stuck mournfully under a slow-moving low pressure system, there were still birds out there to brighten up an otherwise dull week. Among these were two at opposite ends of the spectrum: a settled, singing male Wood Warbler throughout the period and, by contrast, a fleeting visit by Britain’s rarest breeding raptor – if it can still be called that …
We can, however, afford to gloss over the well out of season appearance of a Pink-footed Goose at Stanford Res on 28th and move swiftly on to the discovery on 25th of a smart drake Garganey at Lilbourne Meadows NR, where it remained throughout the week. Another – or perhaps the same individual on an awayday – visited Stanford, only 5.5 km distant as the duck flies, on 30th.
Drake Garganey, Lilbourne Meadows NR, 29th May 2024 (Mike Alibone)
Meanwhile, Earls Barton GP’s long-staying drake Red-crested Pochard remained at the site’s New Workings (North) on 25th.
In stark contrast to the previous one, this week was left wanting, though, when it came to waders. It was down solely to just two Sanderlings at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR (IL&M) on 30th to prop up the group over the period.
Continuing to prove difficult to catch up with so far this year, another fly-through Sandwich Tern – the third for 2024 – cruised south over Hollowell Res without stopping on 26th, while late in to Stanford on 31st was a first-summer Arctic Tern.
First-summer Arctic Tern, Stanford Res, 31st May 2024 (Chris Hubbard)
Characteristically more obliging, however, were two Black Terns – one at Summer Leys LNR on 30th and the other at IL&M on 30th-31st.
Black Tern, Summer Leys LNR, 30th May 2024 (Alan Coles)
While Bitterns were again at two localities during the week, Cattle Egrets put in appearances at four, which included singles at Stanwick GP, Summer Leys and Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR – all on 27th, four over Clifford Hill GP on 29th and two again at Summer Leys on 30th. Breeding seems likely to be on the cards … somewhere.
Cattle Egrets, Clifford Hill GP, 28th May 2024 (Tyler Atkinson)
Now becoming fashionably late, Short-eared Owls maintained their unseasonally high profile as they continued to linger into the final days of spring. One was up and about at Harrington AF on 25th and 28th, another put in daily appearances at Summer Leys between 27th and 30th and a third bird was seen at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell on 28th.
Short-eared Owl, Summer Leys LNR, 27th May 2024 (Ricky Sinfield)
And this week’s raptors were thin on the ground or, more precisely, in the air. But what was missing in quantity was made up for handsomely by quality. A Marsh Harrier was an unusual site visitor to Hollowell Res on 30th.
First-summer Marsh Harrier, Hollowell Res, 30th May 2024 (Jon Cook)
While this species may seem somewhat run-of-the-mill these days, a significant turn-up for the books this week emerged in the form of a nifty Montagu’s Harrier winging its way over farmland, just east of Bozeat, on the evening of 26th. Caught on camera by just one lucky observer, it was not seen again, despite subsequent visits to the area.
First-summer female Montagu’s Harrier, Bozeat, 26th May 2024 (Andy Howell)
This bird, only the eighteenth record for Northamptonshire, ties in nicely with a number of reports of others seen in the UK this year from late April and throughout May.
The overwhelming majority of previous county records have fallen into the same fly-by category but local birders of a certain vintage will no doubt have vivid recollections and fond memories of the bird which stuck around in the vicinity of Harrington AF for a week during May 1994. The presence of a male just over the border at Juniper Hill, Oxfordshire was hushed up during its stay in 2008 but it was seen in Northants on at least 4 dates in May of that year. Montagu’s Harrier is now Britain’s rarest ‘breeding’ raptor although, despite significant conservation efforts, it has not bred in the UK since 2019.
Unlike the above species, however, the bird of the week in terms of sheer popularity was a singing male Wood Warbler, on show to all comers at Harry’s Park Wood throughout the period.
Male Wood Warbler, Harry’s Park Wood, 25th May 2024 (James Underwood)Male Wood Warbler, Harry’s Park Wood, 25th May 2024 (Bob Bullock)Male Wood Warbler, Harry’s Park Wood, 29th May 2024 (Alan Coles)Male Wood Warbler, Harry’s Park Wood, 29th May 2024 (Nick Parker)
Having bred locally on occasions in the past, records over the last quarter century throw up a pattern of occurrence depicting a bird of consistent rarity, averaging less than two per year in the county.
Furthermore, the outlook for this species is bleak. The national Breeding Birds Survey shows a considerable and continuing decline, with a 76% decrease in the UK breeding population between 1995 and 2020 and declines also evident across northern and western Europe since 1980. It is now red-listed in the UK (BTO).
Ending with the winter solstice, above average temperatures, and ‘Storm Pia’ packing a punch through its delivery of strong north-westerly gales, the week just gone turned out to be one of somewhat diminishing returns.
In fact, we were well down on wildfowl this week with just the first-winter drake Greater Scaup at Pitsford Res standing as the sole representative of the period.
In the Nene Valley, a Jack Snipe at Ditchford GP on 18th was the only wader of note.
Gulls continued to provide a staple source of interest with one of the two previous day’s first-winter Mediterranean Gulls again in the roost at Stanford Res on 16th, while an adult visited Daventry CP on 18th and 22nd.
Adult Mediterranean Gull, Daventry CP, 22nd December 2023 (Gary Pullan)
Stanford’s roost also pulled in an adult Caspian Gull on 22nd and further adults were found at DIRFT 3 on 20th and at Rushton Recycling Centre – the site of the now defunct landfill – on 20th and 22nd. On the first of these two dates there was an apparent adult Caspian Gull x Herring Gull hybrid also present. Colloquially known in some quarters as ‘Cactus Gull’, aptly named by the derivation from cachinnans x argentatus, conclusively resolving the identification of such individuals can often present quite a thorny problem.
Apparent adult Caspian Gull x Herring Gull hybrid, Rushton Recycling Centre, 20th December 2023 (Mike Alibone)
The week’s Yellow-legged Gull slot was filled by single adults in the roost at Stanford on 16th, at Pitsford on 16th-17th and at Daventry CP on 22nd, while a second-winter was at Wicksteed Park Lakes, Kettering on 16th, two first-winters visited Pitsford on 17th and two adults were found at DIRFT 3 on 20th.
Second-winter Yellow-legged Gull, Wicksteed Park, Kettering, 16th December 2023 (James Underwood)
After apparently flying off on 10th, the (or a) juvenile Great Northern Diver was back at Pitsford on 16th, where it remained until at least 21st. With year-round disturbance through various recreational activities south of the causeway having reached an all-time high in recent years, this bird must be a glutton for punishment …
On 22nd a Bittern was found at Fawsley Park Lakes, an unusual site for this species but consistent with the gradual increase in numbers recorded in the county of late. Five sites appeared to produce Cattle Egrets this week. Eight were reported by the River Nene from Nine Arches Bridge at Thrapston on 16th, when seven were also seen at Stanwick GP and two remained at Stanford on Avon. One extended its stay at Wicksteed Water Meadows throughout the period and one was seen in flight over the A45 near Wellingborough on 18th.
Cattle Egret, Stanford on Avon, 16th December 2023 (Jon Cook)Cattle Egrets, Stanford on Avon, 16th December 2023 (Jon Cook)Cattle Egret, Wicksteed Water Meadows, Kettering, 16th December 2023 (James Underwood)
The period’s Marsh Harriers were restricted to singles at Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows NR on 18th and Thrapston’s Titchmarsh LNR two days later, on 20th. Once again, a single Nene Valley drifter may well have accounted for both sightings. Also on the harrier front, the ringtail Hen Harrier, found last week north of Irthlingborough, appeared settled and was seen daily in the vicinity of Neville’s Lodge, Finedon, where a second bird was also seen on 16th.
The same site hosted up to three Short-eared Owls throughout and a male Merlin was also there on 20th, while further Merlins were seen at Ditchford on 18th and near Lamport Hall the following day.
Male Stonechat, Summer Leys LNR, 16th December 2023 (John Bass)Female Stonechat, Earls Barton GP, 22nd December 2023 (Leslie Fox)
A paucity of passerines this week saw Stonechats down to twos at Pitsford on 16th, Ditchford on 18th, near Lamport on 19th and at Summer Leys LNR all week, while one was present at Earls Barton GP on 22nd.
Crossbills, Wakerley Great Wood, 20th December 2023 (Chris Sidebottom)Male Crossbill, Wakerley Great Wood, 20th December 2023 (Chris Sidebottom)
On 20th, two Crossbills were found at Lamport and up to twenty at Wakerley Great Wood on the same date maintained the species presence there into another week.
Northants birds 