DAVENTRY CP

Suburban reservoir with a knack of attracting migrants

For older generations, the name of Daventry is synonymous with radio – a small forest of masts was once situated here because of its position in the centre of the country. You might expect that central location to mean that seabirds and waders are in short supply, then, but in fact the Country Park and its reservoir – which feeds the Grand Union Canal – have regularly attracted some excellent birds, including a recent Grey Phalarope and a Sabine’s Gull in autumn 2017, plus the likes of Black-necked Grebe, Glossy Ibis, Ring-billed Gull and Green-winged Teal. At all times, the reservoir is home to the familiar Mallards, Canada Geese, Coots, Moorhens and Great Crested Grebes, joined in winter by Tufted Ducks, Shovelers, Pochards and occasionally sea-ducks such as Common Scoter. You’ll usually find plenty of gulls loafing here, too – Black-headed are the most numerous, as you’d expect, but the flocks are always worth checking carefully. Grey Herons and Little Egrets are usually easy to find, too. The amount of exposed mud around the reservoir can vary, but there’s usually a good expanse, plus two or three smaller areas, and these attract the likes of Greenshank, Little Stint and commoner waders such as Redshanks and Lapwings. The woodland areas are home to the commoner tits and finches, plus Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and Treecreepers, and in spring and summer these are joined by a good variety of warblers – Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs predominate, but Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Garden Warbler can be found in the trees and hedgerows, too.