County birdwatching · England

Birdwatching in Northamptonshire

By Does Your Duck Quack · Planning updated 27 October 2026

Summer Leys and Titchmarsh provide two separate Nene Valley wetland visits, each with open water and a mixture of surrounding habitats. Near Wollaston, Summer Leys occupies an old gravel pit. Its islands, shallow scrape and main lake create several feeding and resting settings for birds. The Trust names Gadwall, Goosander and Wigeon in winter, with terns and breeding waders changing the interest later in the year. Most routes have gravel surfaces, although the grass at Kim’s Corner can turn muddy. The visitor centre and toilets operate for shorter periods than the wider reserve. Titchmarsh, by Aldwincle, includes the larger Aldwincle Lake and smaller Heronry Lake. Its winter ducks also include Gadwall, Wigeon and Goosander. Grey Herons begin breeding activity in February, adding another reason to watch the lakeside trees and water. Scrub, riverside growth and grassland broaden the visit beyond the lakes themselves. A hard track provides an approach to one hide, but that provision should not be taken as a description of every route. The operator does not identify the whole Titchmarsh reserve as suitable for wheelchairs.

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Social preview photograph: A path through vegetation at Summer Leys Nature Reserve, Northamptonshire. Path in Summer Leys nature reserve by Philip Jeffrey · CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and converted for the preview.