Birds to See in Northamptonshire in August
120 species matching this filter.
Northamptonshire in August offers a rewarding mix of resident and migratory birdlife, with around 120 species recorded across the county during this late-summer period. The county's reservoirs, gravel pits, and river valleys attract passage waders such as Common Sandpiper and Greenshank, while reed-fringed wetlands host Common Reed-warblers still in song. Gardens and woodlands remain busy with familiar species like Great Tit, Magpie, and Common Starling, and House Martins can be seen gathering in flocks ahead of their autumn departure.
Resident
(89)
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
A rare resident, likely of feral origin, occasionally seen on gravel pits and reservoir grasslands from spring through autumn.
Mar–Sep
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
A rare but regular visitor to reservoir margins and wet grassland, mainly on spring and autumn passage.
Jul–Apr
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
One of the county's most abundant birds, found in gardens, hedgerows and woodland year-round. Rich song is a hallmark of spring evenings.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
A common resident found in woodland, hedgerows and gardens throughout the year. Winter numbers are boosted by continental migrants visiting bird tables.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
One of the county's most familiar garden birds, common year-round and a regular visitor to feeders.
Year-round
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon but widespread resident of hedgerows and woodland scrub. Shy and unobtrusive, often betrayed by its soft piping call.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
A common year-round raptor, often seen soaring over farmland and woodland edges across the county. Has increased significantly since the 1990s.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
An abundant resident found year-round on lakes, gravel pits and rivers throughout the county, breeding readily at most wetland sites.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
A common and adaptable resident seen in virtually every habitat across the county, from town centres to open farmland.
Year-round
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibisLC
A rare but increasingly recorded resident, often seen alongside cattle on wet pastures in the Nene Valley as this species expands its UK range.
Aug–Jun
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
An uncommon but increasing resident skulking in dense waterside vegetation, more often heard than seen.
Year-round
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common year-round resident of woodland, hedgerows and gardens. Its bright song is one of the earliest signs of spring across the county.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
A common resident heard year-round in woodlands, parks and gardens. Its distinctive two-note song is one of the earliest signs of spring.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of coniferous and mixed woodland, also visiting garden feeders in winter.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
An uncommon resident, most numerous in winter on playing fields and reservoirs. Scarcer in summer than other gulls.
Jul–May
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident along rivers and canal banks, its electric-blue flash a rewarding sight.
Year-round
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
A common resident across farmland and woodland edges, bolstered by regular releases for shooting throughout the year.
Year-round
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, recolonising the county after a long absence. Deep cronking calls betray its presence over woodland and farmland.
Year-round
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
An uncommon resident of wet meadows and marshy areas, most conspicuous when flushed from waterside vegetation in winter.
Jul–May
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A common resident, though declining nationally. Winter roosts can number thousands, with spectacular murmurations over towns and reedbeds.
Year-round
Coot
Fulica atraLC
A common resident on lakes, reservoirs, and gravel pits throughout the county, forming large winter flocks.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
A rare but year-round visitor to muddy reservoir edges and flooded fields, most often seen during autumn passage at sites like Pitsford.
Jul–May
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
A common and widespread resident, shuffling through hedgerows and garden borders year-round. Its thin, warbling song is often heard from dense cover.
Year-round
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiacaLC
A scarce but increasing resident, found year-round on parkland lakes and gravel pits, with a small breeding population establishing in the county.
Year-round
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
A common resident in towns, villages and farmyards throughout the year. Its monotonous three-note call is a familiar garden sound.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
An uncommon but resident woodland bird, most conspicuous in autumn when caching acorns in parks and hedgerows.
Year-round
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
An uncommon resident of mature deciduous woodland and parkland. Loud ringing calls echo through the county's older wooded estates.
Year-round
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
An uncommon resident of arable farmland and grassland, declining due to agricultural intensification. Song flights are a feature of open fields in spring.
Year-round
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
A rare and declining resident, now confined to scattered farmland sites. Often visits rural feeders alongside its commoner House Sparrow cousin.
Year-round
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Common on reservoirs and flooded grasslands, with peak numbers in winter; a small number linger through summer at key wetland sites.
Year-round
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
A common and vocal resident found in hedgerows, gardens and woodland undergrowth throughout the year.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A common and colourful resident, readily visiting garden feeders and forming large flocks on weedy fields and hedgerows in autumn and winter.
Year-round
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
A common resident often heard giving its loud laughing call across parkland, orchards and woodland edges year-round.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
A common year-round presence at reservoirs, landfill sites and town centres across the county, often gathering in large winter roosts.
Year-round
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
A common and familiar resident of gardens, parks and woodland throughout the county. Sings year-round, even under streetlights on winter nights.
Year-round
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
A common resident on the county's reservoirs and gravel pits year-round. Often overlooked among Mallards but steadily increasing.
Year-round
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
A common resident of coniferous and mixed woodland throughout the county. Britain's smallest bird, often detected by its high-pitched call.
Year-round
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
An uncommon resident found year-round at large reservoirs and landfill sites, often joining winter gull roosts in good numbers.
Jul–May
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
A common resident found year-round at reservoirs, gravel pits and rivers. Numbers have increased markedly in recent decades.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Common on larger lakes and reservoirs year-round, performing its elaborate courtship display from late winter.
Year-round
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Common in woodlands, parks and mature gardens throughout the county. Its drumming is a familiar sound from late winter onwards.
Year-round
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
A common and familiar resident of gardens, parks and woodland throughout the county, readily visiting feeders.
Year-round
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
An uncommon but increasingly regular resident at reservoirs and gravel pits. Part of a national range expansion from continental Europe.
Year-round
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
An uncommon but regular visitor to muddy reservoir edges and watercress beds, present most months except late spring.
Jul–Apr
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A common resident of gardens, hedgerows and farmland. Numbers have declined due to disease, but it remains widespread across the county.
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A familiar year-round resident, often seen standing motionless along rivers, lakes and gravel pits across the county.
Year-round
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
A rare and declining resident of arable farmland, struggling due to modern farming practices. Most likely on stubble fields.
Dec–Sep
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon year-round resident along the county's rivers and streams. Bobs its long tail constantly while foraging on weirs and waterways.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
A common resident found year-round on reservoirs, gravel pits and farmland. Feral populations thrive at sites like Pitsford and Hollowell.
Year-round
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common year-round resident found in towns, villages, and farmyards across the county, though numbers have declined nationally in recent decades.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
Abundant year-round in towns, villages and farmland. Nests in church towers and old buildings, often forming large flocks with rooks in winter.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
An uncommon resident often spotted hovering over roadside verges and open farmland. Numbers have declined in recent decades across the county.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Common throughout the year at reservoirs, landfill sites and farmland. Numbers peak in late summer and autumn.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
An uncommon year-round resident found on farmland edges and weedy fields. Numbers have declined significantly across the county in recent decades.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident along the Nene Valley's gravel pits and waterways, having colonised the county following its dramatic UK expansion.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
A common resident on ponds, canals and sheltered gravel pits, often betrayed by its distinctive whinnying trill.
Year-round
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
Common year-round in hedgerows, woodland and gardens. Roving family parties move noisily through bushes, their contact calls a familiar sound.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common and conspicuous resident found in gardens, hedgerows and farmland across the county throughout the year.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
The most widespread duck in the county, breeding on virtually any waterbody from village ponds to the Nene valley gravel pits.
Year-round
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
A scarce but resident breeder, favouring wooded lakes and rivers with overhanging trees, notably along the Nene valley.
Year-round
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustrisLC
An uncommon resident of mature deciduous woodland, found in sites like Salcey Forest and Yardley Chase year-round.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
An uncommon resident found on rough grassland, reservoir edges, and farmland throughout the year, with numbers boosted by winter visitors.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
An uncommon resident of parkland, orchards and open woodland. One of the earliest songsters, singing from treetops even in midwinter.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A common resident of ponds, streams and canal margins year-round. Readily breeds on even the smallest village waterways.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
A common resident on rivers, lakes, and canals throughout the county, breeding readily on the Nene and at reservoirs.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
A common resident of arable farmland and wet grassland. Winter flocks gather on ploughed fields, though breeding numbers are declining.
Year-round
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Present year-round at the county's reservoirs and gravel pits, with numbers boosted in winter by continental migrants.
Year-round
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
A rare but year-round resident, increasingly seen around church spires and tall buildings in the county's towns.
Year-round
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
An uncommon year-round resident on deeper lakes and reservoirs. Nationally declining, making Northamptonshire sites increasingly important.
Year-round
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
Now a common and iconic sight soaring over farmland and villages, following successful reintroduction in the nearby Chilterns.
Year-round
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
An uncommon but established resident of arable fields and hedgerows, maintained partly through releases for shooting.
Year-round
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
An uncommon year-round resident breeding on wet grassland. Numbers bolstered in winter by birds from further north.
Year-round
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A common resident of reedbeds, ditches, and waterside vegetation along the Nene Valley, often visiting farmland stubble in winter.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Feral populations are present year-round in towns across the county, though less conspicuous than in larger urban centres.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
A common and sociable resident of farmland, nesting in noisy rookeries in tall trees across the county.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
A rare but increasing resident, part of the expanding feral population spreading from London. Noisy flocks occasionally appear at garden feeders.
Year-round
Ruff
Philomachus pugnaxLC
A rare visitor to shallow wetland margins, occurring mainly on spring and autumn passage at the county's reservoirs.
Mar–Dec
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A common resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodland. Often heard smashing snail shells on a favourite stone anvil across the county.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
An uncommon but widespread resident hunting small birds in woodland, hedgerows and gardens throughout the county.
Year-round
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
A common resident of farmland, parkland and woodland edges year-round. Nests in tree holes and old buildings across the county.
Year-round
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A scarce resident of mature woodland and parkland, more often heard than seen. Its hooting call carries across the county's quieter wooded valleys.
Year-round
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, spiralling up tree trunks in mature woodland. Best found in the county's ancient woods like Salcey Forest.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
A common resident diving duck found on reservoirs, gravel pits and park lakes throughout the year. Breeds readily in the county.
Year-round
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of reedbeds and marshy margins, more often heard squealing than seen at sites like Pitsford.
Jul–Apr
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
A rare but increasingly recorded resident, hunting over reedbeds and marshes at key wetland sites outside the summer months.
Jul–Apr
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
A rare visitor seen on open farmland and reservoir margins during spring and autumn passage, pausing briefly on short turf and ploughed fields.
Mar–Oct
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant resident found in woodlands, parks, gardens, and farmland year-round. Large winter flocks gather on arable fields across the county.
Year-round
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
A rare but year-round visitor to reservoirs and tips, most often picked out among flocks of other large gulls.
Jul–May
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of arable farmland with hedgerows. Declining nationally, its bright song from hedgetops is increasingly scarce.
Year-round
Breeding
(21)
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
A common summer visitor breeding around farms and rural buildings. Arrives from March and gathers in large pre-migration roosts by September.
Mar–Oct
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving in April, singing its chattering song from reedbeds and waterside vegetation.
Apr–Sep
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
An uncommon summer visitor, bobbing along reservoir shores and gravel pit edges from April to September.
Apr–Sep
Common Swift
Apus apusLC
A common summer breeder screaming over towns and villages from late April to August. Numbers have declined in recent decades.
Apr–Sep
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
A common breeding summer visitor nesting at gravel pits and reservoirs such as Pitsford and Daventry, arriving from April.
Apr–Sep
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
A summer breeding visitor to gravel pits and reservoir margins in the Nene valley, arriving from February and departing by August.
Feb–Aug
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borinLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving in late April, favouring dense scrub and woodland with thick undergrowth.
Apr–Aug
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
A rare breeding duck, arriving in spring and favouring shallow wetlands. One of the county's scarcest nesting wildfowl.
Mar–Sep
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
An uncommon visitor mainly on passage, favouring reservoir margins and gravel pits from late spring through autumn.
Apr–Oct
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
A dashing summer visitor arriving in April, hunting dragonflies over reservoirs and gravel pits. Departs by October for African wintering grounds.
Apr–Oct
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
A common summer breeder, nesting under eaves in towns and villages from April to October. Often seen hawking insects over reservoirs and farmland.
Apr–Oct
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving in April, favouring tall hedgerows and scrubby thickets. Its rattling song is easily overlooked.
Apr–Sep
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubiusLC
An uncommon summer breeder at gravel pits and bare-ground sites, arriving in March and departing by September.
Mar–Sep
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
A rare but celebrated breeder, recently established at Rutland Water nearby. Passage birds fish at the county's larger reservoirs.
Apr–Sep
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon breeder at gravel pits and reservoir margins, present from February to October with peak passage in spring.
Feb–Oct
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
An uncommon summer breeder nesting in sandy banks along rivers and at gravel pits, arriving from March.
Mar–Sep
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC
An uncommon summer breeder found in reedbeds and waterside vegetation around the county's reservoirs and gravel pits from April to October.
Apr–Oct
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
An uncommon and declining summer visitor, arriving in May. Favours churchyards, parkland and woodland edges for its aerial flycatching sorties.
May–Oct
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
A common summer visitor breeding in hedgerows and scrubby margins across the county's farmland from April to September.
Apr–Sep
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving from March, favouring scrubby woodland edges and young plantations. Has declined notably in lowland England.
Mar–Oct
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
An uncommon summer breeder favouring damp meadows and arable fields in the Nene Valley. Arrives in April and departs by September.
Apr–Sep
Non-breeding
(1)
Passage
(9)
Black Tern
Chlidonias nigerLC
A rare passage migrant seen at reservoirs and gravel pits, mainly in May and again in late summer on return migration.
May–Sep
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
A rare passage visitor to reservoirs and gravel pits, most likely seen between July and September during post-breeding dispersal.
Jul–Sep
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
A rare passage migrant, occasionally noted in spring and late summer. Does not breed in the county but may appear in mature parkland.
Apr–Aug
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
A rare passage visitor, heard calling over wetlands and fields mainly in late winter and midsummer as it moves through.
Feb–Aug
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
A rare autumn passage vagrant from the Americas, occasionally found on muddy reservoir edges from August to October.
Aug–Oct
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
A rare passage visitor to reservoir edges in May and August, far from its usual coastal haunts.
May–Aug
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
A rare autumn passage migrant, occasionally seen at reservoir and gravel pit margins from August to October.
Aug–Oct
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
A rare autumn passage migrant in August and September, pausing briefly on rough grassland and scrubby field margins during southward migration.
Aug–Sep
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareolaLC
A rare passage wader recorded at freshwater margins in May and again in August–September during return migration.
May–Sep