Birding on New Year's Day

Hello

With further cold weather ahead of us, many birds from 2025 were found again today plus a couple of newbies too!

A Firecrest found by Nigel at the New Sandy Lane Attenuation Pool on the outskirts of Duston was a great New Year find. Another excellent passerine find by Olivia was a Black Redstart at a farm between Scaldwell and Lamport, last being seen at about 2pm. Presumably it is cold weather from the continent that is pushing these insectivorous birds around.

Thrapston Pits remains the best place for rare ducks with the drake Ring-necked Duck, the drake American Wigeon and up to three Greater Scaup plus a Marsh Harrier. Beware that a birder's car was broken into whilst parked in the Wildlife Trust Aldwincle car park today. The Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck and one of the Scaup were at the south end of Aldwincle Lake on the Titchmarsh reserve.

A Caspian Gull, a Goosander and a wing-tagged Marsh Harrier were at Summer Leys LNR and ten European White-fronted Geese were at Ringstead Pits on Kinewell Lake. A Goosander flew over Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows and Stanwick Pits recorded two European White-fronted Geese and a Marsh Harrier. A flock of Siskins and a Kingfisher were at Swanhaven Pond near Lings and a Siskin was at Little Billing, Northampton.

The drake Smew and four European White-fronted Geese were at Clifford Hill Pits, a Jack Snipe was found at Hollowell Reservoir, and Ravens were at Grange Park, Northampton and Mawsley.

A Brambling and a Blackcap were at Woodford Halse today and birds noted north of the causeway at Pitsford Reservoir were ten European White-fronted Geese, a Great White Egret, a Brambling and a pair of Stonechats.

An intriguing report from East Farndon was of a Wild Boar sighting, a mammal that is not known to be residing in rural Northants.

The 'ringtail' Hen Harrier showed up again in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this afternoon plus a Golden Plover, a pair of Stonechats, about twenty Siskins (Gamboro' Plantation) and several Bramblings.

Quality birding continued at Stanford Reservoir with two Glossy Ibis, an adult Caspian Gull in the roost, an amazing seventy European White-fronted Geese, four Greater Scaup, a Shelduck, two Peregrines, three Common Snipe, six Goosanders and a Chiffchaff.

Eyebrook Reservoir provided sightings of fourteen European White-fronted Geese, nine Smew and eight Greater Scaup.

Regards

Neil M

Black-headed Gulls courtesy
of John Tilly.

Carrion Crow courtesy
of John Tilly.

Black Redstart today near
Lamport courtesy of Olivia Neilson.