Yellow-browed Warbler – Northants birds

Newsround 11th to 17th October 2025

Posted on October 18, 2025 by Mike Alibone

An ‘omega block’ saw high pressure stationed over the country for much of the week, with virtually no wind, some light rain and predominantly dull and murky conditions, resulting in the much welcomed arrival of some ‘must see’ species …

Rubber-stamping the autumn/winter period, the first Pink-footed Geese were incoming when a skein of five was seen flying north-east over Lilbourne Meadows NR on 17th. Last week’s five Whooper Swans remained at Clifford Hill GP into the early part of the morning of the first day of the period, while two more flew east along the Nene Valley at Ditchford GP on 17th.

The early part of the week saw an arrival of Common Scoters, with four at Clifford Hill and two at Thrapston GP’s Town Lake on 13th, followed by one at Hollowell Res the next day – the latter remaining until 16th.

Common Scoter, Hollowell Res, 16th October 2025 (Jon Cook)

Other wildfowl were also available in the shape of Red-crested Pochards, five of which appeared at Hollowell on 12th, six at Stanford Res on 13th and one at Ravensthorpe Res on 14th, while two remained at Daventry CP from 13th until the week’s end.

Drake Red-crested Pochards, Daventry CP, 15th October 2025 (Gary Pullan)

Looking at waders, one in particular continued to delight and that was Hollowell’s crisp, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, still in residence at close of play on 17th.

Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Hollowell Res, 14th October 2025 (Jon Cook)

Not a million miles away, a Grey Plover was reported at Pitsford Res on 16th, the same site having produced a Ruff the day before, while one of the latter remained from last week at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh NR until 13th. Pitsford also delivered a Greenshank on 14th, while the long-lingering bird was still present at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (North) the next day. And following the season’s first, last week, a Jack Snipe remained at Summer Leys LNR from 11th until 13th and another was found at Ditchford on 17th.

It wouldn’t be October without, at some point, a decent surge in Mediterranean Gulls and this week experienced just that, with Hollowell producing an adult and a first-winter on 12th and, presumably, the same first-winter again present on 14th. Elsewhere, an adult turned up in Stanford’s gull roost on 13th, followed there by a second-winter on 16th, another second-winter was a brief visitor to Earls Barton GP’s Mary’s Lake on 13th and Titchmarsh produced an adult on 15th.

Adult Mediterranean Gull, Stanford Res, 13th October 2025 (Chris Hubbard)

Caspian Gulls were also out there to be found, five localities producing birds this week which included an adult at Stanford on 12th, two adults at Naseby Res on 13th with one there on 16th, single adults at Pitsford on 13th and 16th, at Ravensthorpe Res on 13th and at Earls Barton GP on 15th. And the highest number of Yellow-legged Gulls occurred at the favoured locality of Pitsford, where five were present in the gull roost on 16th, with two there on 13th, 14th and 17th. Elsewhere, three adults were at Earls Barton GP’s Mary’s Lake on 15th following one there on 13th and singles visited Hollowell on 12th and both Naseby and Thrapston on 13th.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull, Pitsford Res, 17th October 2025 (Mike Alibone)

Meanwhile, last week’s Glossy Ibises were this week’s Glossy Ibises – three remaining at Summer Leys, two dropping in daily at Stanford and one at Titchmarsh. No longer the centre of attention as they were in days gone by …

Glossy Ibises, Summer Leys LNR, 14th October 2025 (Leslie Fox)

Juvenile Glossy Ibises, Summer Leys LNR, 14th October 2025 (Leslie Fox)

Up for grabs and stealing the limelight this week, however, was an immature Spoonbill found north of the Causeway at Pitsford late in the afternoon of 15th, remaining until early afternoon on 17th. One was also reported flying west over the Brampton Valley toward Cottesbrooke on 16th. Earlier this year there had been four records – all in the Nene Valley and all of which were fairly short-stayers.

Immature Spoonbill, Pitsford Res, 16th October 2025 (Tony Stanford)

Two Bitterns were again present at Stanford and, again, they were predominantly seen on the Leicestershire side of the reservoir.

Bittern, Stanford Res, 14th October 2025 (Barry Silverman)

The week’s raptors were thin on the ground – and in the air, for that matter – with single Marsh Harriers at Titchmarsh on 11th and in the Brampton Valley between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton on 14th and 17th. A male Hen Harrier flew north-east over Harrington AF on 16th.

The weekly Short-eared Owl report came from Blueberry Farm, Maidwell, while single Merlins were at Stanwick GP on 12th and Harrington on 12th-13th.

Another year, another Yellow-browed Warbler – this time not in a mist net, although it might as well have been as it was both heard and seen fleetingly with a mobile tit flock at Daventry CP on 13th, after which there was no further sign. Also wrapped up in a tit flock, a Firecrest was flagged up at Summer Leys on 15th. The autumn’s second Ring Ouzel was ultra brief, and like the last one, seen at Harrington AF, on 13th.

But what’s going on with Black Redstarts this year? One at Rectory Farm, Old on 13th was inaccessible, blocked by the ‘private site’ caveat and therefore out of bounds. The six previous records this year – two in winter and four in spring – have all been one-day birds and, like this one, they have been unavailable to the masses. The 2025 clock continues to tick but time is running out …

There were, however, Stonechats aplenty. Blueberry Farm, Brampton Valley, Clifford Hill, Ditchford, Harrington, Hollowell, Lilbourne Meadows, Pitsford and Upton CP all produced birds with top counts on the last day of the period, when six were in the Brampton Valley and the same number at Hollowell. Northern Wheatears were, this week, down to just the one, this being at Hollowell on 17th.

In the wake of one last week and two the week before – all exclusive to Daventry CP – a rush of Rock Pipits ensued, allowing other localities to get in on the action. First up was one at Boddington and three at Hollowell on 12th, followed on 14th by another at Boddington and two again at Daventry. One was then found at the unusual locality of the Brampton Valley on 16th and one – possibly two – appeared at Hollowell on 17th. Representing a welcome return, these are the highest numbers to be recorded in the county in recent years and formed part of a sizeable inland movement across the UK, including an impressive fifteen at Farmoor Res in Oxfordshire on 14th.

Rock Pipit, Boddington Res, 12th October 2025 (Mike Alibone)

The week’s Crossbills comprised five at Ashton Wold on 11th and, on 16th, three over Penvale Park, East Hunsbury, Northampton and two at Hollowell.

And a species still proving not so easy to catch up with locally at present, a Corn Bunting was again in the Brampton Valley on 15th.

Newsround – 19th to 25th October 2024

Posted on October 26, 2024 by Mike Alibone

The week kicked off with Storm Ashley, of which we were on the periphery and, while hopes were high for a wrecked seabird or two, there was no such luck, with the short term occurrence of a Shag the day after seemingly coincidental. Otherwise, it was down to another Yellow-browed Warbler – amongst other fare – to keep the autumn pot bubbling …

Stanford Res was the locality for producing the majority of this week’s wildfowl with, once again, what was presumably the same bird as last week’s Pink-footed Goose dropping in on 19th-20th. A new adult Whooper Swan also appeared there on 21st remaining until 25th, although it was not seen on 23rd.

Adult Whooper Swan, Stanford Res, 22nd October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

Following its absence from Stanford, where it was last seen on 9th September, the female Ruddy Shelduck was relocated at its recently favoured winter haunt, Winwick Pools on 24th, after having visited Ravensthorpe Res on 15th and 22nd September.

Female Ruddy Shelduck, Winwick Pools, 24th October 2024 (James Urwin)

Aside from the first-winter drake at Boddington Res, where it remained until at least 24th and a drake at Pitsford Res on 21st, the period’s Red-crested Pochards had peaked at no more than five at Stanford by the week’s end.

After some absence, waders were back on the menu – albeit on a very short term basis – with a Black-tailed Godwit at Elton GP and a fleetingly late Wood Sandpiper at Summer Leys LNR, both on 23rd. Prime wader habitat remains at a premium, however.

More Mediterranean Gulls appeared on the scene during the period, doubling last week’s total (which wasn’t difficult). Boddington’s first-winter continued to appear there in the roost intermittently until 22nd, with an adult gracing the Stanford roost on the latter date, while Summer Leys delivered a second-winter on 23rd and a first-winter on 25th.

First-winter Mediterranean Gull, Summer Leys LNR, 25th October 2024 (Julie Roe)

Numbers of Caspian Gulls were limited to an adult and a first-winter in the Boddington roost on 22nd-23rd and two adults at Hollowell Res on 24th. Yellow-legged Gulls fared better, pushing into double figures at Boddington where the roost produced up to twelve on 22nd-23rd. Elsewhere, three were at Summer Leys on 23rd, followed by two there on 25th, while single adults were seen at Pitsford Res on 21st and Clifford Hill GP on 24th.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull, Pitsford Res, 21st October 2024 (Mike Alibone)

Often turning up in remarkably calm conditions, so unlikely to be weather-related, new in for 2024 was a juvenile Shag at Ravensthorpe on 21st. Unfortunately, it failed to stick and show, being subjected to disturbance by fishing boats shortly after its discovery. Shag is a near-annual visitor having been recorded in fourteen out of the last twenty years.

The same cannot be said with regard to Glossy Ibis, for which the opposite applies in both instances. It’s still a local and national rarity but in the current circumstances the Summer Leys bird has further extended its stay by another seven days to five weeks, frequently showing well to all comers.

Glossy Ibis, Summer Leys LNR, 24th October 2024 (Alan Coles)

This week it was the turn of Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR to produce the period’s Bittern sightings, with one on 21st and 23rd and two on 24th. A cattle field adjacent to nearby Ringstead GP continued to prove attractive to Cattle Egrets, the week starting with two there on 19th, increasing to six on 20th and finishing with two again on 25th. Three were also found in a field west of Chacombe in south-west Northants on 19th.

Back at Titchmarsh, one of the week’s two Marsh Harriers was seen on 21st, Summer Leys enjoying one on the same date, while last week’s Hen Harrier at Stanford also made it into this week on 19th.

Juvenile female Hen Harrier, Stanford Res, 19th October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

It’s been quiet at Harrington AF for some time now but, following the autumn’s first Short-eared Owl there on 3rd, another – or perhaps the same – was present this week on 19th. October is a prime month for the movement of this species through the UK.

Short-eared Owl, Harrington AF, 19th October 2024 (Steve Pugh)

And as for passerines? Stanford, ever effervescent as Northamptonshire’s premier ringing site – and thank the gods it’s on our side of the county boundary – did it again this week with another Yellow-browed Warbler out of the nets on 23rd, quickly followed by a Firecrest the next day. What else might be in the offing there before the autumn’s out?

Yellow-browed Warbler, Stanford Res, 23rd October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

Male Firecrest, Stanford Res, 24th October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

Stonechats continued to be seen across the county at Boddington, Earls Barton GP, Elton, Hollowell, Orlingbury, Stanford and Warmington with a maximum of four at Hollowell on 24th.

Newsround – 12th to 18th October 2024

Posted on October 20, 2024 by Mike Alibone

Edging that little bit closer to late autumn saw the arrival of large waves of winter thrushes pushing through the county, as well as the first Whooper Swans this side of the last winter period. Reluctant to move on, the Glossy Ibis dug its heels in, while yet more Yellow-browed Warblers seemed intent on making further advances on their already record high numbers.

Stanford was the top performing reservoir this week, with the birds on offer there including the locally roaming Pink-footed Goose again dropping in on 17th. Prior to this, four Whooper Swans flew east early on 13th, followed by what was believed to be a different quartet on the water there later in the afternoon. This latter herd remained overnight and was seen to depart to the east early the next day. Thrapston GP also got in on the action with four on Titchmarsh LNR on 13th, one of which bore rings – a white ‘65L’ on its right leg and a metal ring on its left. Observer research revealed it had been ringed as an adult male at Lake Sandvatn, Iceland on 8th August this year and that the Titchmarsh sighting was the first anywhere since this date.

Whooper Swan, Stanford Res, 13th October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

Back at Stanford, Red-crested Pochard numbers fell from seven to four, all of which were still present at the week’s end. Elsewhere, the first-winter drake remained settled at Boddington Res throughout the period and two were present at Earls Barton GP’s New Workings (South) on 13th.

Red-crested Pochards, Earls Barton GP, 13th October 2024 (Bob Bullock)

With waders well and truly off the radar, it fell to gulls to provide a little waterfront entertainment. Boddington Res and Stanwick GP were to carve up the Mediterranean Gulls between them, Boddington regularly producing a first-winter between 14th and 18th and Stanwick a second-winter on 14th-15th.

First-winter Mediterranean Gull, Boddington Res, 15th October 2024 (Gary Pullan)

Stanwick also produced a first-winter Caspian Gull on 12th, while single adults visited both Boddington and Stanford on 15th and Hollowell Res held two adults on the latter date and one on 17th. The week’s Yellow-legged Gulls were found at three widely separated localities with singles at Stanwick on 12th, Boddington on 12th and 14th and Ravensthorpe Res on 17th, while five joined the roost at Boddington on 15th.

A late Black Tern was found at Pitsford Res, also on 15th.

Continuing its protracted stay, the Glossy Ibis notched up another week at Summer Leys LNR and surrounding area, where it has now been present for a solid 28 days. Interestingly, one was reported by a biodiversity survey team at Stanwick on 13th, which seems likely to be a different individual as the Summer Leys bird was being reported at, or about, the same time.

Glossy Ibis, Summer Leys LNR, 15th October 2024 (Paul Young)

Glossy Ibis, Summer Leys LNR, 17th October 2024 (Mike Alibone)

Stanwick was also the only site to record Bittern this week, with one there on 14th, while the same location saw three Cattle Egrets fly over on 12th and four on the ground there the following day. Further down the valley, fields immediately north-east of Ringstead GP produced the highest counts of the week, though, with one on 12th, eight on 15th and six on 18th, while one turning up to roost at Boddington on 14th was only the second record for the site.

Meanwhile, raptors were up on the last period with sightings of Marsh Harriers dominating. Seemingly now part of the Summer Leys furniture, one remained there throughout the week, also being seen in the wider area of the Earls Barton GP complex on 15th and 18th, while further reports came from Titchmarsh on 14th, Stanwick on 15th and Ditchford GP on 18th.

Marsh Harrier, Summer Leys LNR, 17th October 2024 (Clive Bowley)

A Hen Harrier – the fifth of the autumn, so far – was present at Stanford on 17th-18th but was not seen thereafter and a Merlin stuck around in the Brampton Valley, between Cottesbrooke and Hanging Houghton, on 14th-15th.

Juvenile female Hen Harrier, Stanford Res, 18th October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

After the last fortnight’s record-breaking four Yellow-browed Warblers, there was more to come and it seems we’re not done yet with this little Siberian gem. While the Ringstead bird was still to be had on the first day of the period, another was found at Stanford on 15th, followed by yet another at Earls Barton GP three days later, on 18th. And here’s the thing: over the last ten years (2014-2023) Yellow-broweds have outnumbered Wood Warblers in the county with a total of fourteen vs. thirteen of the latter. Throw in this year’s (2024) occurrences for both so far and Wood Warbler moves up one to fourteen, while Yellow-browed soars to nineteen – potentially twenty if this week’s individual at Stanford was indeed a new bird!

Rightly overshadowed, as well as likely overlooked, a Ring Ouzel at Harrington AF on 16th was about par for the autumn course as far as this species is concerned.

And as for other passerines, Stonechats were found in at least eight localities, comprising Brampton Valley, Ditchford, Earls Barton, Harrington, Hollowell, Pitsford, Stanford and Summer Leys, with maxima of six in the Brampton Valley and at Earls Barton.

Male Stonechat, Earls Barton GP, 15th October 2024 (Leslie Fox)

It should be said that, given the numbers seen in the UK so far this autumn, ‘Eastern Stonechat’ is not impossible and, although it’s a bit of a long shot, inland records are not unprecedented …

Newsround – 28th September to 11th October 2024

Posted on October 12, 2024 by Mike Alibone

We’re now well into October and sustained easterlies in the early part of the month have produced a veritable smorgasbord of Siberian vagrants along the eastern coast of Britain. Although situated far inland, we can’t really complain about the mid-autumn fare on offer locally. With a long-staying Glossy Ibis remaining throughout the period and a record number of Yellow-browed Warblers set to match that present on the Isles of Scilly (well, almost), there was enough out there to fuel enthusiasm and set local pulses racing.

With the provenance of a lone White-fronted Goose flying south-west over Stanford Res on 28th unestablished, it fell to the reservoir itself to produce the majority of this week’s more static wildfowl. Remaining there from the last full week of September was the flock of seven Red-crested Pochards, holding steady throughout the period, while the first-winter drake at Boddington Res also appeared similarly settled. Two more put in a one-day appearance at Daventry CP on 4th.

Red-crested Pochards, Stanford Res, 5th October 2024 (Barry Silverman)

After a visit on 3rd September, what was presumably the same female Ferruginous Duck was back again at Stanford on 11th. It seems likely this is one of the birds which has been frequenting Shawell Sandpit, Leicestershire, since early September. As the duck flies, this site is little more than 6 km from Stanford.

Ferruginous Duck, Stanford Res, 11trh October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

And after what has turned out to be a decent year for Common Scoters in the county, three more were found at Daventry CP on 9th.

Common Scoters, Daventry CP, 9th October 2024 (Gary Pullan)

Summer Leys held the pick of the period’s meagre offering of waders, with a Black-tailed Godwit there on 3rd and a Ruff on 29th, 4th and 5th, while a Jack Snipe was found at Daventry CP on 7th.

The number of scarce gulls was down to just a first-winter Mediterranean Gull at Stanford on 9th-10th and single adult Caspian Gulls at Hollowell Res on 2nd and at Stanford on 5th. Yellow-legged Gulls did not fare much better, with a second-winter at Hollowell on 29th and a near-adult at Daventry on 9th.

First-winter Mediterranean Gull, Stanford Res, 9th October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

And a late juvenile Arctic Tern at Thrapston GP’s Town Lake, from 30th until 2nd, was about par for the course for local records at this time of the year. Black Terns continued to appear throughout the period, though, with the four late September juveniles lingering at Clifford Hill GP until 1st and new birds turning up at Thrapston GP’s Town Lake, where there were three on 29th, followed by singles at Ravensthorpe Res on 30th, Hollowell from 10th to 11th and at Pitsford Res on the latter date.

Juvenile Black Tern, Hollowell Res, 11th October 2024 (Jon Cook)

And sticking more or less with seabirds, it’s been a while since the last Gannet was recorded in the county – 7th October 2021, to be precise – so two together in flight over Ditchford GP’s Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows LNR on 2nd was a boon for one local observer. They flew south-west but, perhaps surprisingly, they were not picked up by any other observers further up the Nene Valley in the same way that some have been in previous years.

Juvenile Gannets, Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows LNR, Ditchford GP, 2nd October 2024 (Tony Vials)

Now seemingly settled, the Glossy Ibis, first found on 21st September, was seen daily on and around Summer Leys, although it was mobile between Earls Barton GP’s Hardwater Lake area and, at one point, Wellingborough Embankment. Not the crowd-puller it once was, we can no doubt expect more to come as ‘Cambridgeshire overspill’ following recent breeding in that county, where the species seems nigh on gaining residential status.

Glossy Ibis, Summer Leys LNR, 6th October 2024 (Ricky Sinfield)

Glossy Ibis, Earls Barton GP, 10th October 2024 (Leslie Fox)

Glossy Ibis, Summer Leys LNR, 11th October 2024 (Clive Bowley)

While Summer Leys held on to its Bittern, which was seen sporadically up until 9th, there was neither sight nor sound of the one at Stanford after 28th.

Bittern, Summer Leys LNR, 29th September 2024 (Aamir Aziz Mughal)

The number of Cattle Egrets in the Nene Valley looked like it was beginning, once again, to approach double figures when eight were located in water meadows immediately east of Woodford on 4th. At least seven were still present the following day. One also visited Irthlingborough Lakes & Meadows LNR on 3rd.

Cattle Egret, Woodford, 5th October 2024 (Nick Parker)

And have we now seen the last of this year’s Ospreys? Single birds were watched flying purposefully over Stanford on 3rd and south-east over Lowick on 9th. To demonstrate just how quickly they make tracks for their winter quarters, a ringed individual that was present at Belvide Res, Staffordshire on the 25th September was back at the Palmarin Reserve in Senegal 14 days later, on 9th October (per Tim Mackrill).

Other raptors were also available – namely Marsh Harriers. As well as being seen almost daily at Summer Leys, singles appeared at Pitsford Res on 28th, in the River Tove Valley below Grafton Regis, on 4th and at Thrapston on 7th-8th.

Also out quartering rough ground was the autumn’s first Short-eared Owl, at Harrington AF on 3rd.

But the classic jewel in the autumn crown for many of us is Yellow-browed Warbler and with another major UK influx underway it would have been surprising if we had not picked up at least one. And so it came as no surprise when one was pulled from the hallowed nets of the Stanford Ringing Group on 28th, when it was ringed and immediately released it back into the nearby scrub from whence it came.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Stanford Res, 28th September 2024 (Barry Silverman)

What was a surprise, though, was the trapping of a second Yellow-browed at the same site the following day! Could things get any better? Well, in fact, yes. A third, unringed, individual was found only a few hundred metres away along the reservoir periphery, on 30th, this third bird remaining in the area until 4th.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Stanford Res, 29th September 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

Meanwhile, the individual trapped and ringed on 29th was retrapped on 3rd and upon weighing, it was discovered that it had increased its weight from 7.1 grams to 7.8 grams – a weight gain of almost 10%.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Stanford Res, 3rd October 2024 (Chris Hubbard)

Before the period was out, though, another was discovered at Ringstead GP, alongside Kinewell Lake, on 11th, giving rise to a record four Yellow-broweds in one Northamptonshire autumn – and it’s not over yet …

Other passerines were available, of course, and a late Common Redstart was trapped and ringed at Pitsford Res on 4th, while Stonechats were found at Earls Barton, Grafton Regis, Hollowell and Stanford, with no more than two at each locality.

In Northampton, a Hawfinch was reported briefly at Dallington Cemetery on 5th.