The forecast predicted very cold weather with a high chance of sleet or snow across England, except for Cornwall. While a trip there would have been tempting, especially to see the booted eagle still lingering in the area, I had visitors on Saturday evening and couldn’t be sure I’d make it there and back in time. Instead, I arranged with Kev to pick him up later than usual (8:00am), giving us time to assess the weather and decide whether it was bad enough to call off our plans.
We settled on a flexible approach, hoping conditions wouldn’t be as bad as forecasted and that we could adapt as the day unfolded. Our first stop was Ardley Quarry Nature Reserve, near the Viridor ERF site, where a green-winged teal had been reported - Kev had seen it himself on Friday, so we were optimistic it would still be there. From there, we considered heading to Wildlife Trust BCN’s Titchmarsh reserve, where a drake ring-necked duck had been spotted recently. Reports of others of this species had mainly been females, but we were holding out for a drake.
The drive to the parking spot near the Trow Pool water tower took about 30 minutes, followed by a walk along the track past the pool to the Ardley Quarry pools and workings. The Trow Pool water tower was built in 1909 and was designed to meet the watThe Trow Pool water tower’s transition from a vital utility to a visual landmark reflects the broader evolution of infrastructure over time. Once essential for sustaining the village’s water supply, it now serves as a historical point of reference, linking Bucknell’s past to its present within the context of modern transportation and development.er demands of the local community in Bucknell village and the Manor estate. However, by the 1950s, the arrival of a centralised mains water system in Bucknell reduced its necessity.
The tower's significance evolved further in the 1990s with the construction of the M40 motorway, which opened in 1991. This major transportation route passes close by the tower, transforming it from a functional water supply structure into a recognisable landmark for passing motorists. Its historical importance, combined with its prominent position along the motorway, make it a familiar feature of the landscape.
It is a short walk from the water tower to Trow Pool, a closed coarse fishery where you can fish all year round for carp, tench, roach, perch and rudd. From there we crossed a bridge and veered left up the slope to view across the quarry pools. As we began to climb, Kev stopped and scanned the spot where he had seen the bird the previous day - there it was, resting at the water’s edge, drifting in and out of sleep. Another year tick. We continued up to the top of the slope and looked back through a gap in the trees. The light was still poor, as it was still early, but at least the rain was holding off.
The green-winged teal is a North American duck species that appears as a rare but regular winter visitor to the UK, with most records between October and March - recorded almost annually, with only a few individuals seen each winter. Most birds reaching the UK are thought to be vagrants, possibly blown off course during migration.
It is closely related to the Eurasian teal, with which it was once considered the same species. They are similar in size and shape to the Eurasian teal, but males have a distinct vertical white stripe on the breast instead of the horizontal stripe seen in Eurasian teals. Both species share the iridescent green wing patch, but this feature is more prominent in the green-winged teal - females are very difficult to distinguish from their Eurasian counterparts. Fortunately, our bird was a drake.
Kev started scanning around to see what he could find and pointed to a goose feeding between two Canada geese; it was very much smaller. Through the scope we could see it was a Russian white-fronted goose - a medium-sized goose with a white patch on the forehead and black belly markings.
The UK typically hosts a few thousand birds each winter but in recent years, warmer European winters have led to fewer birds reaching the UK, as many stay in the Netherlands and Germany. However, cold weather influxes can bring notable arrivals. They are often seen in mixed flocks with other geese, such as greylags and barnacle geese.
The Russian white-fronted goose, a subspecies of the greater white-fronted goose, is a winter visitor to the UK. They breed in Arctic Russia and migrate westward to overwinter in Western Europe, including the UK, increasing in number during severe cold spells in mainland Europe, as they seek milder conditions. They are often found in wetland areas and lowland grasslands, particularly: the Severn Estuary (Slimbridge WWT); Ouse Washes & Nene Washes (Cambridgeshire/Norfolk); the Thames Estuary (Essex/Kent); South Wales & West England (Newport Wetlands, Somerset Levels).
It’s uncommon to find them around Banbury, so we posted an update on the Banbury Birders WhatsApp group, sharing some back-of-the-camera photos and confirming that the teal was still present. Moving further along the track, we tried to get a closer view—an improvement, but still not ideal. After a short while, the three geese descended the slope and entered the water, initially staying close to their entry point before gradually moving further out into the flooded workings. We scanned through the gulls, hoping to spot a yellow-legged among them, but nothing of note stood out - later Justin Taylor would find a Caspian gull when he visited to see the goose, although the goose had already departed.
We got back to the car and headed towards our second stop, the weather playing ball - although cold. We stopped for brunch on the way.
BCN Titchmarsh is a section of the Thrapston Gravel Pits complex, situated within the Upper Nene Valley SSSI. The largest body of water, Aldwincle Lake, offers an expansive habitat for overwintering birds and features secluded islands that support breeding. The smaller lake, formerly a duck decoy, is now known as Heronry Lake and is where the ring-neck duck has been reported.
From the reserve car park a hard-surfaced track with kissing gates leads to one bird hide, while the rest of the paths are grass. Certain areas can become muddy and at times are prone to flooding.
We left the hard track and continued onto the grassy paths, and I was glad I’d opted for wellies, easier to clean later and less chance of mud splattering up my trousers. Our first stop was at a hide, where we scanned through flocks of wigeon, teal, and mallards, along with a few tufted ducks. Since reports had suggested our target bird was associating with tufties, we focused on them, but it wasn’t showing on this particular water body. However, we did spot both great white and little egrets, new additions to my year list.
Further along, we crossed a small bridge and noticed a goldcrest flitting through the trees. On another water body, we found more tufted ducks and carefully checked each one, but still no sign of our bird. As we followed the track, we came across an open area where a fallen tree had been sawn into sections, attracting a mix of tits, finches, blackbirds, and a single redwing.
Reaching the hide overlooking Heronry Lake, we stepped inside, soon joined by two other birders. With four of us squeezed into the small, musty hide, it quickly became apparent that the viewing conditions were far from ideal. The narrow slot windows made it nearly impossible to position the scope at a useful height, and Kev declared it the worst hide he’d ever been in. Worse still, there were barely any birds on the water - just five tufted ducks, but not the one we were searching for. Other sightings included shovelers, a grey heron, and the egrets again. It didn’t take long for us to abandon the hide and head back to check the other pools. We agreed to update BirdGuides if we found our duck and asked the others to do the same.
As we scanned across various pools, we enjoyed more views of great white egrets feeding along the reed edges, moving between different sections of the wetlands.
The great white egret has seen a remarkable increase in numbers across the UK in recent years. Once a rare visitor, it is now a regular sight, particularly in wetland habitats as this. The first recorded breeding attempt in Britain was in 2012 at the Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve in Somerset. Since then, breeding has become more frequent, with expanding colonies in places like the Somerset Levels and East Anglia. Strong population increases in the Netherlands and France, and milder conditions, have assisted natural range expansion into the UK. Their numbers are expected to continue rising, following a similar trend to other heron and egret species like little and cattle egrets.
We walked up onto a raised area allowing us a good vista across the water holding the most birds - we could see six little grebes, five together hunting through the closest reeds. Behind us up to four red kites roosted in the trees, all at distance.
The red kite has made a remarkable comeback in Northamptonshire and across the UK, thanks to one of the most successful reintroduction projects in conservation history. One of the main release sites was Rockingham Forest, Northamptonshire, where kites were introduced between 1995 and 1998. The birds have thrived in the area, with ideal habitat and abundant food sources, leading to rapid population growth. Red kites are now a common sight across the county, particularly in Rockingham Forest, the Nene Valley, and rural areas around Kettering, Corby, and Oundle. The call of the red kite is a distinctive, high-pitched, and whistling sound. We were treated to the perched birds calling to one another.
In front of the hide and to the right, a flooded area of cut reeds looked like the perfect spot for a jack snipe, but not even a common snipe was present. We scanned back and forth, but the only birds we uncovered were goldcrests, chiffchaffs, and long-tailed tits.
As we slowly made our way back to the car, we checked every pool and field, hoping for a last-minute find, but our target bird remained elusive, and there was nothing new to add to our year lists. On WhatsApp, we saw that one of the birders we’d left in the hide had reported a cream-crowned marsh harrier. We had seen a couple of raptors earlier but regretted missing this one.
With that, it was time to head home, an early finish.
Year list: 115.
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