A mixed bag of weather over the past week included a predominantly south-easterly airstream off the continent and, although devoid of new summer visitors, there was a run of decent birds that oozed quality rather than quantity. Representing the first of its kind in the county this century, one stood head and shoulders above the rest …
But it was not the easiest to catch up with as, after the news of its discovery broke on 15th, local birders had barely a two-hour window to see Northamptonshire’s first Common Eider for 25 years before it headed off high east from Boddington Res. A fine adult drake, it showed outrageously well at the northern end of the reservoir before swimming toward the sailing club prior to its departure.
There have been nineteen previous records, primarily in winter, with a notable run in the 1980s. An exceptional year, 1993, saw a remarkable influx into the county involving forty-six birds across eight localities, thirty-one of which occurred at Pitsford Res on 31st October. Smaller numbers of between one and four were subsequently found at Boddington, Cotterstock/Oundle, Daventry CP, Ditchford GP, Earls Barton GP, Hollowell Res and Sywell CP. This influx formed part of a wider movement of Common Eiders across the Midlands at the time.
Notable, too, for racking up an exceptional 93-day stay, was an immature drake at Croughton Quarry between December 1998 and March 1999 – the last to be seen in Northants before this week’s bird, which was clearly long awaited … and maybe long lamented by those who missed it.
Overshadowed but not overlooked, was a/the drake Garganey at Summer Leys LNR on 11th and 17th and single drake Red-crested Pochards – or perhaps just one mobile individual – at Summer Leys on 11th, Ditchford GP on 13th and 17th and at Earls Barton on 14th.
The week proved fruitful for more uncommon waders on the move. Boddington again featured, with its sailing club jetty hosting an Avocet on 16th.
Summer Leys hung on to its – and the county’s – second Grey Plover of the year on 11th, after which another dropped in to Clifford Hill GP on 14th to be joined by a second bird there the following day.
For those up and awake in the early hours, a ‘noc mig’ listen-in produced two parties of Whimbrels moving over Kettering on 14th, while daylight hours on 11th produced two Turnstones at Clifford Hill GP, followed by singles at Summer Leys on 12th and 14th. The second Sanderling of the year was found at Clifford Hill on 12th, hot on the heels of which was one at Summer Leys on 13th-14th.
Another ‘second’ to check in this week was a Wood Sandpiper at Lilbourne Meadows NR, obligingly staying three days from 13th to 15th, in stark contrast to last week’s brief appearance put in by the bird at Summer Leys.
The latter site held the majority, such as it was, of this week’s Greenshanks, with two on 11th and 12th and one from 13th to 14th, while another was found at Thrapston GP’s Titchmarsh LNR on 12th.
Thrapston was also the venue for a showy Little Tern, present for a good 3 hours around Town Lake on 15th.
Black Terns, too, continued to filter through, numbers of which included seven at Summer Leys on 11th, two at Stanwick GP on 12th and one at Stanford Res on 15th.
Bitterns continued to be seen and/or heard at three localities this week.
Seemingly becoming more regular in the Nene Valley this year, Ospreys were seen at Thrapston GP on 12th, Summer Leys on 12th and 13th and at Earls Barton on 17th. In more traditional reservoir settings, singles were at Pitsford on 14th, Hollowell on 16th and at both Boddington and Stanford on 17th.
And after a blank week prior, Marsh Harriers were back, with one drifting high over Barton Seagrave on 11th and another mobile around Earls Barton/Summer Leys on 11th-12th.
A lingering Short-eared Owl remained at Harrington AF on 15th.
Always much scarcer in spring than in autumn, single Whinchats found in the Brampton Valley on 11th and at Clifford Hill GP on 17th, were only the sixth and seventh of the year so far, as well as being the only passerines of note during the period.
Looking ahead, there are just five summer visitors left to clock in: Common Quail, Turtle Dove, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Tree Pipit. Scarce though they are, surely one of these will make landfall in the county next week.