June

At the beginning of the month, the last few spring migrants will be recorded; maybe a passing northern breeding wader such as Sanderling, or a final arrival of Spotted Flycatchers.

Other late arriving migrants may be Quail, which might have already bred further south in Europe and moved north into new territories. Singing birds are mostly found on June or July evenings in barley or the dense grass of any remaining set-aside areas in the county.

June is probably the best month for a Nightjar to be recorded. There are not many suitable areas in the county for this species to breed, but the developing heath at RSPB Sandy might attract a prospecting bird again, as it has in a number of recent years.

The first autumn migrant will almost certainly be Green Sandpiper before the month is out though, in years of irruption, the first flocks of Crossbill will generally occur in June.

Birders doing surveys or chasing butterfly and dragonfly records should keep their ears open for rare warblers. Our first record of Savi’s Warbler was in 2021 and Marsh Warbler bred in the county in 2020, with a previous record over 100 years earlier, so there is always a possibility that these species might be recorded again. Some birders will also remember a River Warbler in Bucks in June 1997, which would be a real find in our county… maybe more likely is an Icterine Warbler or Blyth‘s Reed Warbler that is expanding westwards and being more regularly recorded in the UK.

Scarce and rare visitors this month may be wandering failed breeders from southerly areas. Previous June records have included records of Black Kite (1989) and Bee-eater (1991), both of which will seem more likely with our changing climate, though Red-footed Falcon (2006, three in 2008, and 2013) is perhaps more likely. There are also three Night Heron records (1970, 1988, 2020), Purple Heron (2023), Hoopoe (2016 and 2022), Rose-coloured Starling (2016) and a Corncrake for two weeks back in 1988, which may occur again with reintroduced populations expanding in the Nene Washes. Golden Oriole has also been noted in a few years in the last decade. Red-backed Shrike has occurred twice in this month (2013 and 2023).

Less likely to be found again, and more recently recorded, many local birders will remember the Razorbill that appeared in calm conditions in 2002 and the Roseate Tern (2008).