Late afternoon at Willen Road GPs: 1 Green Sandpiper,1 Snipe, 15 plus pairs Lapwing. It looks as though this site is being filled back in so another MK site being lost.
Then at Gayhurst Quarry, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank and a LITTLE RINGED PLOVER; also on site still 200 plus Wigeon and a Grey Wagtail
Rob Norris
Monday, 19 March 2012
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Another 'ROCKIT'
Ted Reed found yet another SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT this morning - this one at Foxcote Reservoir (on the dam)
Meanwhile, lots more NORTHERN WHEATEARS arrived today (see John Foster's lovely shot of a male above) and the 2 adult MEDITERRANEAN GULLS were again at Spade Oak (Alan Stevens)
Saturday, 17 March 2012
WHEATEARS galore
Scandinavian Rock Pipit photographed at Startop's End Reservoir today (John Foster)
SATURDAY 17 MARCH
A band of rain crossed the region for the best part of three hours early morning eventually clearing away to leave a fine day. The wind remained in the Southwest and it was quite chilly early on, warming up during the afternoon.
Northern Wheatears seemed to have arrived in good numbers overnight, my tally by the end of the day being 16. Tring Reservoirs saw an arrival of ROCK PIPITS.........
NORTON GREEN (HERTS)
My first port of call was Norton Green where with Tony Hukin and another lad, we enjoyed good views of two male NORTHERN WHEATEARS and a female COMMON STONECHAT in scrub just south of the gypsy encampment. A migrant Song Thrush was also noted (with a resident bird singing nearby), as well as 15 Common Blackbirds, 3 Yellowhammers and a pair of Red-legged Partridges.
WHITWELL AREA (HERTS)
A pair of COMMON RAVENS were busy making plans for nesting whilst Rook nests censused included 42 active ones in Whitwell and a further 54 in the grounds of Kimpton Grange.
EAST HYDE (BEDS)
A single Little Egret and GREEN SANDPIPER was noted on the main river just south of the bridge
BLOWS DOWNS (BEDS)
In drizzly conditions, the two male NORTHERN WHEATEARS were feeding together in the upper section of the paddocks.
CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE
After searching an area of farmland previously inhabited by the species, I was very pleased to find a pair of EURASIAN CURLEWS - my first in the county this year. The same field also held a pair of GREY PARTRIDGES and shortly later, a COMMON RAVEN flew in. The latter was then 'attacked' by a mob of Carrion Crows, forcing it to eventually fly off.
GROVEBURY SAND PIT (BEDS)
Not much to speak of, apart from a drake Goldeneye, 37 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a migrating flock of 120 Fieldfares. Four Sand Martins were present briefly.
IVINGHOE HILLS NATURE RESERVE (BUCKS)
I covered the area between the car park and Gallows Hill to the east, finding 3 NORTHERN WHEATEARS in the sheep field just beyond the pens. One was a nice male and the other two females. A flock of 8 Meadow Pipits was also in the sheep field, and 15 Common Gulls.
PITSTONE HILL AND ENVIIRONS (BUCKS)
Two more NORTHERN WHEATEARS, a male and a female, were discovered just SW of the main car park, with then a further 7 birds at the edge of the large fields and on Pitstone Hill proper 500 yards further on.
Skylarks were seemingly everywhere with no less than 60 encountered, including 25 singing males, with several Yellowhammers, a flock of 4 CORN BUNTINGS, a pair of Red-legged Partridges and a pair of Long-tailed Tits
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
At WILSTONE mid-afternoon, the DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE was on the bund, with 9 Eurasian Wigeon still present. As Dave Hutchinson and Lucy Flower walked towards the jetty in front of Ted Reed and myself, both the WATER PIPIT and SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT flew up calling from the reservoir edge and were watched in flight for several minutes. A single Meadow Pipit was also seen and a bit later, a party of 7 SAND MARTINS arrived, gradually moving from the jetty area to over by the hide.
STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)
The OYSTERCATCHER was still present on the mud and showing well, along with the Red-crested Pochard pair and 3 Wigeon. The Pied Wagtail flock still numbered 27, with 3 Grey Wagtails but it was the six pipits present that were causing all of the interest - all being seen from the hide.
Two birds were SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPITS in slightly different stages of moult, one having traces of summer plumage. Three more were Meadow Pipits (one quite scruffy and in moult) whilst every now and again, the WATER PIPIT would fly in from Wilstone after being flushed. The two ROCK PIPITS afforded a superb performance, feeding right in front of the hide, allowing John Foster, Dave Bilcock, Dave H and Lucy to obtain some quality pictures (see selection above) and Roy some lengthy video sequences. Both birds were different to the Wilstone Rock Pipit.
On neighbouring MARSWORTH RESERVOIR, the CETTI'S WARBLER released a few snatches of song
Frustratingly, half an hour after I departed the reservoirs, DB and others recorded a CURLEW on the bund in front of the hide at Wilstone
A band of rain crossed the region for the best part of three hours early morning eventually clearing away to leave a fine day. The wind remained in the Southwest and it was quite chilly early on, warming up during the afternoon.
Northern Wheatears seemed to have arrived in good numbers overnight, my tally by the end of the day being 16. Tring Reservoirs saw an arrival of ROCK PIPITS.........
NORTON GREEN (HERTS)
My first port of call was Norton Green where with Tony Hukin and another lad, we enjoyed good views of two male NORTHERN WHEATEARS and a female COMMON STONECHAT in scrub just south of the gypsy encampment. A migrant Song Thrush was also noted (with a resident bird singing nearby), as well as 15 Common Blackbirds, 3 Yellowhammers and a pair of Red-legged Partridges.
WHITWELL AREA (HERTS)
A pair of COMMON RAVENS were busy making plans for nesting whilst Rook nests censused included 42 active ones in Whitwell and a further 54 in the grounds of Kimpton Grange.
EAST HYDE (BEDS)
A single Little Egret and GREEN SANDPIPER was noted on the main river just south of the bridge
BLOWS DOWNS (BEDS)
In drizzly conditions, the two male NORTHERN WHEATEARS were feeding together in the upper section of the paddocks.
CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE
After searching an area of farmland previously inhabited by the species, I was very pleased to find a pair of EURASIAN CURLEWS - my first in the county this year. The same field also held a pair of GREY PARTRIDGES and shortly later, a COMMON RAVEN flew in. The latter was then 'attacked' by a mob of Carrion Crows, forcing it to eventually fly off.
GROVEBURY SAND PIT (BEDS)
Not much to speak of, apart from a drake Goldeneye, 37 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a migrating flock of 120 Fieldfares. Four Sand Martins were present briefly.
IVINGHOE HILLS NATURE RESERVE (BUCKS)
I covered the area between the car park and Gallows Hill to the east, finding 3 NORTHERN WHEATEARS in the sheep field just beyond the pens. One was a nice male and the other two females. A flock of 8 Meadow Pipits was also in the sheep field, and 15 Common Gulls.
PITSTONE HILL AND ENVIIRONS (BUCKS)
Two more NORTHERN WHEATEARS, a male and a female, were discovered just SW of the main car park, with then a further 7 birds at the edge of the large fields and on Pitstone Hill proper 500 yards further on.
Skylarks were seemingly everywhere with no less than 60 encountered, including 25 singing males, with several Yellowhammers, a flock of 4 CORN BUNTINGS, a pair of Red-legged Partridges and a pair of Long-tailed Tits
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
At WILSTONE mid-afternoon, the DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE was on the bund, with 9 Eurasian Wigeon still present. As Dave Hutchinson and Lucy Flower walked towards the jetty in front of Ted Reed and myself, both the WATER PIPIT and SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT flew up calling from the reservoir edge and were watched in flight for several minutes. A single Meadow Pipit was also seen and a bit later, a party of 7 SAND MARTINS arrived, gradually moving from the jetty area to over by the hide.
STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)
The OYSTERCATCHER was still present on the mud and showing well, along with the Red-crested Pochard pair and 3 Wigeon. The Pied Wagtail flock still numbered 27, with 3 Grey Wagtails but it was the six pipits present that were causing all of the interest - all being seen from the hide.
Two birds were SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPITS in slightly different stages of moult, one having traces of summer plumage. Three more were Meadow Pipits (one quite scruffy and in moult) whilst every now and again, the WATER PIPIT would fly in from Wilstone after being flushed. The two ROCK PIPITS afforded a superb performance, feeding right in front of the hide, allowing John Foster, Dave Bilcock, Dave H and Lucy to obtain some quality pictures (see selection above) and Roy some lengthy video sequences. Both birds were different to the Wilstone Rock Pipit.
On neighbouring MARSWORTH RESERVOIR, the CETTI'S WARBLER released a few snatches of song
Frustratingly, half an hour after I departed the reservoirs, DB and others recorded a CURLEW on the bund in front of the hide at Wilstone
Friday, 16 March 2012
Little Marlow shines through the murk
FRIDAY 16 MARCH (LGRE DIARY NOTES)
A very grey and dreary day with very little brightness. Despite a SW wind, temperatures were pegged well back and struggled to reach 8 degrees C by mid afternoon. I expected little to be happening but was surprised, particularly by the first real rush of Northern Wheatears.....
SPADE OAK PIT, LITTLE MARLOW (BUCKS)
Alan Stevens very kindly texted me early on to say that the SANDWICH TERN was still present. Having missed it yesterday, I was most keen to connect and after battling my way through the school traffic, eventually arrived on site at 0922 hours. The bird was still there and in Alan's 'scope ! I had a quick glance and then located it in my own. It was roosting in with the Black-headed and Common Gulls and was in full 'shaggy crested' summer plumage. It was my first of the year and a very welcome county year tick - this species can be particularly tricky to see locally each year. It remained in situ for about 15 minutes before the flock were rudely interrupted by two low-swooping Red Kites. It then flew with the entire mass but returned fairly quickly to the spit. About 20 minutes later, the episode was repeated by two Common Buzzards, and this time all of the gulls and the Sandwich Tern flew off high east at 1010 hours. It seemed to have gone.........
Other species encountered included 9 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Egyptian Geese, a pair of COMMON SHELDUCK, 5 Eurasian Wigeon, 10 Common Teal, 16 Gadwall, 4 Northern Pochard, 12 Shoveler, 39 Lapwings, 57 Herring Gulls (virtually all first-years), 15 Red Kite and 12 migrant Redwings.
CHESHAM VALE (BUCKS)
Had another check of the ROOKERY and found 54 nests active
TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)
Flushed with the success of the Sandwich Tern, I was hoping for something new at the reservoirs but it was deadly - nothing new whatsoever really.
On the mud at STARTOP'S END, the OYSTERCATCHER was having a bath at the water's edge, with 17 Pied Wagtails still there and the pair of Red-crested Pochards. MARSWORTH was relatively birdless - just 2 Mute Swans and 6 Great Crested Grebes.
Highlight at WILSTONE was finally connecting with the resident MARSH TIT - the bird showing well and calling frequently just by the entrance gate to the orchard. Seemingly new in was a singing COMMON CHIFFCHAFF in the eastern hedgerow in the extreme SE corner.
Both the DARK-BELLIED BRENT and WATER PIPIT were still present, along with 27 Shoveler, a pair of Wigeon and 4 Little Egrets. A Common Treecreeper was in the Poplars in the SE corner.
BROADWATER GP (MIDDLESEX)
JT phoned me whilst I was at Wilstone to say that John Edwards had located a drake Ferruginous Duck at Broadwater. Being with Tufted Ducks, I fully expected it to be the drake both Joan and I recently enjoyed great views of at Bray GP near Maidenhead. Anyway, got there in about half an hour and eventually located it in the area of the first wooded island - in fact the former Little Egret roost-site. It had a 'perfect' body and rear end but when I saw the head and bill, I felt deflated. It was yet another 'Fudgie-hybrid', this time possibly with a Ring-necked Duck ! The head shape was 'naff' and the basal colour very dark with a hint of dark green but the bill was the nail in the coffin - it had a gleaming white 'ring' around the base of the bill and an extensive amount of white on a sky-blue on the upper mandible; it also had extensive black flanging to the nail. Presumably an escape.
Three GOOSANDER were on the lake (2 adult drakes), whilst at least 8 pairs of Black-headed Gull were utilising the tern rafts and a pair of Oystercatchers flew over calling. A single Common Chiffchaff was singing from the tall trees on the causeway.
Anyway, whilst updating the various news services, news came in that Dave Parmenter had found a SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT in South Bucks - at Spade Oak again ! A swift exodus followed........
SPADE OAK PIT, LITTLE MARLOW (BUCKS) - SECOND VISIT
Arrived back at Spade Oak at around 1245 hours, where I joined Adam Bassett and Bill Stacey (and latterly Graham Smith and Jackie Newcombe). The SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT was on the spit and skulking in some longer grass just where the spit meets the reedbed. It was loosely associating with a young male Pied Wagtail and two male Reed Buntings - most likley all migrant birds freshly arrived. Although difficult to see initially, the pipit eventually flew out on to the open spit and afforded some excellent views, latterly literally just beyond the sandy edge. It was moulting well towards spring plumage and already had a nice pale grey head and ear-coverts and salmon-pink underparts. The white orbital ring was there, with the white supercilium running between the lores and the eye. The breast was still heavily sullied and still quite densely streaked but with gleaming white undertail coverts and buffish wingbars. The upperparts were fairly concolorous, with the mantle and back quite olive-tinged (Water Pipit has a nice soft brown back and mantle). Another great bird to get in Bucks - I'm very lucky if I get one per year on average.
Also newly arrived was a singing male COMMON CHIFFCHAFF
Just as I was talking to Graham at 1322 hours, news came through of an AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL at Broom GP in Bedfordshire. I was off..........
BROOM GP (BEDFORDSHIRE)
Richard Bashford had discovered the Nearctic Teal on his lunchbreak and was still present on my arrival at 1530 hours. It was actually residing on a small reed-fringed pool to the east of Gypsy Lane, directly opposite the south end of the west pit on the opposite side of the road. It was showing well and consorting with 11 Common Teal. MJP, Pip, Jim Gurney, Martin Stevens, Lol Carman and Bob Chalkley were all present and the bird remained intermittently in view until at least 1600 hours.
NORTH AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL is a rare vagrant to Bedfordshire and this drake represents only the 8th county record - the previous were as follows -:
1) A drake at Radwell GP on late afternoon and evening 12 April 1987;
2) A drake visited Luton Hoo on 8 February 1995;
3) A drake remained at Dunstable Sewage Works from 2-16 April 1996;
4) A drake was present at Radwell's Viaduct Pit on 10-11 February 2002;
5) 2003 saw two records with a drake at Warren Villas on 12-13 January and another at Harrold-Odell Country Park on the last day of the year on 31 December; The latter remained on site until 4 January 2004;
7) Radwell Viaduct Pit attracted another drake on 15 February 2009.
This pit and the adjacent flashes also yielded a pair of COMMON SHELDUCK, 8 Shoveler and 2 Ringed Plover whilst PEACOCK'S LAKE produced a female-type GOOSANDER and the female RED-CRESTED POCHARD.
I then spent the rest of the afternoon 'dipping' and failing in my quest to find any more migrants
OCTAGON FARM held 225 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS but no Green Sandpipers
ROOKERY censusing found 58 active nests at Bedford Football Club, with an additional 19 by the nearby bypass roundabout, a grand total of 153 nests in the Stewartby area (12 by the landfill and 141 near Martin Green's house at the lake) and a further 33 nests at Brogborough village.
At MARSTON VALE, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker was watched demolishing new nestboxes in the small plantation by the sewage treatment works compound. It was enlarging the holes by bashing all of the wood away and had done this on 5 of the newly erected boxes. Interestingly, as I went closer to inspect the damage, a female Great Spot flew out of one of the boxes so perhaps they were enlarging the holes to make way for roosting !
I then went down to BLOWS DOWNS PADDOCKS but could not find the two male Northern Wheatears seen earlier. Try again tomorrow
A very grey and dreary day with very little brightness. Despite a SW wind, temperatures were pegged well back and struggled to reach 8 degrees C by mid afternoon. I expected little to be happening but was surprised, particularly by the first real rush of Northern Wheatears.....
SPADE OAK PIT, LITTLE MARLOW (BUCKS)
Alan Stevens very kindly texted me early on to say that the SANDWICH TERN was still present. Having missed it yesterday, I was most keen to connect and after battling my way through the school traffic, eventually arrived on site at 0922 hours. The bird was still there and in Alan's 'scope ! I had a quick glance and then located it in my own. It was roosting in with the Black-headed and Common Gulls and was in full 'shaggy crested' summer plumage. It was my first of the year and a very welcome county year tick - this species can be particularly tricky to see locally each year. It remained in situ for about 15 minutes before the flock were rudely interrupted by two low-swooping Red Kites. It then flew with the entire mass but returned fairly quickly to the spit. About 20 minutes later, the episode was repeated by two Common Buzzards, and this time all of the gulls and the Sandwich Tern flew off high east at 1010 hours. It seemed to have gone.........
Other species encountered included 9 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Egyptian Geese, a pair of COMMON SHELDUCK, 5 Eurasian Wigeon, 10 Common Teal, 16 Gadwall, 4 Northern Pochard, 12 Shoveler, 39 Lapwings, 57 Herring Gulls (virtually all first-years), 15 Red Kite and 12 migrant Redwings.
CHESHAM VALE (BUCKS)
Had another check of the ROOKERY and found 54 nests active
TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)
Flushed with the success of the Sandwich Tern, I was hoping for something new at the reservoirs but it was deadly - nothing new whatsoever really.
On the mud at STARTOP'S END, the OYSTERCATCHER was having a bath at the water's edge, with 17 Pied Wagtails still there and the pair of Red-crested Pochards. MARSWORTH was relatively birdless - just 2 Mute Swans and 6 Great Crested Grebes.
Highlight at WILSTONE was finally connecting with the resident MARSH TIT - the bird showing well and calling frequently just by the entrance gate to the orchard. Seemingly new in was a singing COMMON CHIFFCHAFF in the eastern hedgerow in the extreme SE corner.
Both the DARK-BELLIED BRENT and WATER PIPIT were still present, along with 27 Shoveler, a pair of Wigeon and 4 Little Egrets. A Common Treecreeper was in the Poplars in the SE corner.
BROADWATER GP (MIDDLESEX)
JT phoned me whilst I was at Wilstone to say that John Edwards had located a drake Ferruginous Duck at Broadwater. Being with Tufted Ducks, I fully expected it to be the drake both Joan and I recently enjoyed great views of at Bray GP near Maidenhead. Anyway, got there in about half an hour and eventually located it in the area of the first wooded island - in fact the former Little Egret roost-site. It had a 'perfect' body and rear end but when I saw the head and bill, I felt deflated. It was yet another 'Fudgie-hybrid', this time possibly with a Ring-necked Duck ! The head shape was 'naff' and the basal colour very dark with a hint of dark green but the bill was the nail in the coffin - it had a gleaming white 'ring' around the base of the bill and an extensive amount of white on a sky-blue on the upper mandible; it also had extensive black flanging to the nail. Presumably an escape.
Three GOOSANDER were on the lake (2 adult drakes), whilst at least 8 pairs of Black-headed Gull were utilising the tern rafts and a pair of Oystercatchers flew over calling. A single Common Chiffchaff was singing from the tall trees on the causeway.
Anyway, whilst updating the various news services, news came in that Dave Parmenter had found a SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT in South Bucks - at Spade Oak again ! A swift exodus followed........
SPADE OAK PIT, LITTLE MARLOW (BUCKS) - SECOND VISIT
Arrived back at Spade Oak at around 1245 hours, where I joined Adam Bassett and Bill Stacey (and latterly Graham Smith and Jackie Newcombe). The SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT was on the spit and skulking in some longer grass just where the spit meets the reedbed. It was loosely associating with a young male Pied Wagtail and two male Reed Buntings - most likley all migrant birds freshly arrived. Although difficult to see initially, the pipit eventually flew out on to the open spit and afforded some excellent views, latterly literally just beyond the sandy edge. It was moulting well towards spring plumage and already had a nice pale grey head and ear-coverts and salmon-pink underparts. The white orbital ring was there, with the white supercilium running between the lores and the eye. The breast was still heavily sullied and still quite densely streaked but with gleaming white undertail coverts and buffish wingbars. The upperparts were fairly concolorous, with the mantle and back quite olive-tinged (Water Pipit has a nice soft brown back and mantle). Another great bird to get in Bucks - I'm very lucky if I get one per year on average.
Also newly arrived was a singing male COMMON CHIFFCHAFF
Just as I was talking to Graham at 1322 hours, news came through of an AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL at Broom GP in Bedfordshire. I was off..........
BROOM GP (BEDFORDSHIRE)
Richard Bashford had discovered the Nearctic Teal on his lunchbreak and was still present on my arrival at 1530 hours. It was actually residing on a small reed-fringed pool to the east of Gypsy Lane, directly opposite the south end of the west pit on the opposite side of the road. It was showing well and consorting with 11 Common Teal. MJP, Pip, Jim Gurney, Martin Stevens, Lol Carman and Bob Chalkley were all present and the bird remained intermittently in view until at least 1600 hours.
NORTH AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL is a rare vagrant to Bedfordshire and this drake represents only the 8th county record - the previous were as follows -:
1) A drake at Radwell GP on late afternoon and evening 12 April 1987;
2) A drake visited Luton Hoo on 8 February 1995;
3) A drake remained at Dunstable Sewage Works from 2-16 April 1996;
4) A drake was present at Radwell's Viaduct Pit on 10-11 February 2002;
5) 2003 saw two records with a drake at Warren Villas on 12-13 January and another at Harrold-Odell Country Park on the last day of the year on 31 December; The latter remained on site until 4 January 2004;
7) Radwell Viaduct Pit attracted another drake on 15 February 2009.
This pit and the adjacent flashes also yielded a pair of COMMON SHELDUCK, 8 Shoveler and 2 Ringed Plover whilst PEACOCK'S LAKE produced a female-type GOOSANDER and the female RED-CRESTED POCHARD.
I then spent the rest of the afternoon 'dipping' and failing in my quest to find any more migrants
OCTAGON FARM held 225 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS but no Green Sandpipers
ROOKERY censusing found 58 active nests at Bedford Football Club, with an additional 19 by the nearby bypass roundabout, a grand total of 153 nests in the Stewartby area (12 by the landfill and 141 near Martin Green's house at the lake) and a further 33 nests at Brogborough village.
At MARSTON VALE, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker was watched demolishing new nestboxes in the small plantation by the sewage treatment works compound. It was enlarging the holes by bashing all of the wood away and had done this on 5 of the newly erected boxes. Interestingly, as I went closer to inspect the damage, a female Great Spot flew out of one of the boxes so perhaps they were enlarging the holes to make way for roosting !
I then went down to BLOWS DOWNS PADDOCKS but could not find the two male Northern Wheatears seen earlier. Try again tomorrow
Thursday, 15 March 2012
First SANDWICH TERN of the year
15/3 13:30 : SANDWICH TERN : Little Marlow GP. First seen at 15:15 flying around the pit then settled on the spit allowing a few locals to see it. Alan Stevens
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
MEGA - First-ever RED-THROATED DIVER for College Lake
WEDNESDAY 14 MARCH
Well for most of the day, it was grey, overcast, dull and cool. There was little if any wind and visibility was poor over any sort of distance.. At around midday, the sun started to burn through and a lot of the low cloud started to clear - temperatures increased to about 10 degrees C and eventually the afternoon was quite pleasant, with bright sunshine and clearing skies.
Sometime in the early afternoon I received a call from Mike Collard informing me that Paul Reed had discovered a 'diver species' at College Lake BBOWT - most likely a RED-THROATED - a local mega. At the same time I was also being bombarded with news of rare birds all over the area, including a drake Garganey and 2 Pied Avocets at Amwell (per Barry Reed, Mike Ilett), a Common Stonechat at Batford (Darin Stanley) and a Scandinavian Rock Pipit at Caldecotte North (per Ted Reed). The diver was by far the most important and that is where I made a beeline for............
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
I arrived on site at about 1600 hours immediately connecting with the now confirmed RED-THROATED DIVER in the car park, courtesy of Simon Nicholl's telescope. The 13-mile journey had taken me over 45 minutes, mainly because it had coincided with school leaving time and BCC were undertaking numerous pothole repairs on the Wigginton road. I was particularly frustrated and anxious, as both JT and SN had warned me that the bird was flying around and seemingly trying to leave.
Anyhow, I was very lucky - the bird had stayed. I joined Jeff Bailey, JT and Anna Marett and together we all walked down to the reserve Octagon Hide, where Roy Hargreaves, Mike Collard and Dave Parmenter were getting much better views. I had also briefly seen the finder Paul Reed by the centre. I was just setting my 'scope up when yet again the bird took flight - and circled the pit three times gradually gaining height before flying back down again and splash-landing. The bird looked up occasionally as it circled round, perhaps peering in all directions to see how clear the sky was; it was still pretty misty to the north.
The bird put down back on the main pit and allowed closer scrutiny. To my surprise, it was an adult in near full breeding plumage, with an extensive deep red throat-line and some neat striping on the hindneck. Most of the head was pale grey too although the mantle, upperwings and sides were largely still in winter plumage, noticeably chequered. It dived frequently, staying down for 20 seconds or more, and also snorkelled (looking underwater for food). I did not see it perform a successful dive although it could of course have found some small prey. It swam from left to right, mainly at a distance of 100 yards, and was on constant alert. The odd Black-headed Gull harassed it.
Within no time at all, it was back in the air, and it repeated this routine on at least three occasions during the first hour I was present. Tempting it to enter Hertfordshire airspace, it never did and eventually I got tired of waiting. A few closer views were had when it landed a tad closer to the Octagon but it always remained relatively distant. Dave Hutchinson did well in getting both a shot in flight and on the deck (see attached) whilst Roy obtained a fair bit of video footage.
I left for a while to twitch Roy's Rock Pipit at Wilstone but whilst there, JT kindly rang to say that the bird now appeared to have more momentum about its efforts to leave and that I should quickly get back. I did just that and joined the 'new' observation team, including Ian Williams, Nik Maynard, Paul Moon, young Charlotte and of course, Anna and Joan. The bird was still in flight as I returned and within a few minutes had entered Hertfordshire airspace, crossing the B488 southeastwards towards Tring Station. This was at 1740 hours. By now, the bird was extremely high in the sky, and for a while it headed NE towards Ivinghoe Beacon and the escarpment. It then decided to head back for College again but instead of dropping height, it continued to gain and suddenly seemed to have intent on its mind. I lost it as it flew towards the sun but a sharp-eyed Charlotte quickly re-intercepted it. It was now making a direct beeline for the reservoirs and flew slightly south of west. We all kept on it as it flew very high, firstly over Startop's and Marsworth and then as it continued over Wilstone. I lost it from view at about 1747 hours, the bird seemingly continuing west on its journey, perhaps navigating towards the Severn Estuary as many displaced seabirds inland do. It had been a terrific few hours and well done to all those involved in the finding and access arranging.
It represents only the eighteenth record (32nd individual) of this species in Bucks and the first since November 2005 -:
1) One was shot near Aylesbury Station prior to 1910;
2) An adult was present on Spade Oak GP, Little Marlow, from 27th October to 7th November 1952;
3) One remained on the River Thames at Hurley from 11th-31st March 1970;
4) One was seen at Calvert on 13th-16th February and again on 22nd February 1976;
5) One remained at Wotton Underwood Lake from 5th-12th March 1978;
6) One visited Willen Lake on 14th March 1979;
7) Another was present at Willen from 7th-10th March 1980;
8) A third visited Willen on 7th February 1986;
9) A slightly oiled adult was present on Weston Turville Reservoir from 8th-10th December 1987 before being taken into care; it subsequently died;
10) A remarkable flock of 14 birds touchlanded at Willen Lake during sudden snowfalls on 2nd April 1989. Six remained overnight and flew off shortly after dawn on 3rd April, with a further two departing at 0900 hours;
11) A juvenile remained at Spade Oak GP from 16th December 1990 until 12th January 1991;
12) One was on Eleven Acre Lake at Stowe School on 20th January 1994;
13) A second bird was found at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on 2nd February 1994. It was oiled and taken to St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital at Haddenham;
14) An adult female was found on the bank of Weston Turville Reservoir on 14th March 1996. Despite being taken to St Tiggywinkles, it died on 15th;
15) A diver seen briefly on Taplow Lake on 11th November 1997 was presumably that Red-throated Diver found next day at nearby Bray GP, Maidenhead, in Berkshire;
16) One at Startop's End Reservoir on 22nd December 1997 swam into the Bucks partition of the reservoir;
17) An adult visited Spade Oak GP on 27th November 2005
As regards occurrences at Tring Reservoirs, only the 6th since 1958 -:
1) A male picked up disoriented in Hitchin on 29th November 1958 was released at Wilstone Reservoir on 30th where it was later found dead on 6th December;
2) One was found dead on Wilstone on 22nd November 1959;
3) One remained at Tringford Reservoir from 28th February to 3rd March 1962;
4) One visited Wilstone briefly on 28th April 1975;
5) One visited both Wilstone and Startop's on 22-23 December 1997
In addition to the RED-THROATED DIVER, College Lake also boasted another first today - a CETTI'S WARBLER. Showing well on occasions in the reed-filled ditch adjacent to the track to the Octagon Hide, the bird was still singing this evening.
Also present on the main marsh were 2 COMMON SHELDUCK, 7 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 10 Common Redshanks, the OYSTERCATCHER pair, 8 COMMON SNIPES and 2 RINGED PLOVERS, the latter my first in the county this year.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
Over at Wilstone, I was very pleased to refind Roy's SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT of this morning. Just like then, the bird was closely associating with the long-staying WATER PIPIT, the two birds showing very well this evening on the concrete foreshore not far east of the main car park steps. When flushed, the two birds flew to near the jetty but soon returned. Jeff Bailey and a couple were also on hand to enjoy the spectacle. The two birds were like chalk and cheese, the Rock Pipit being much greyer on the upperparts with less of an eyestripe and much heavier sullied and striated underparts. The wintering Water Pipit was now in somewhat transitional plumage, the streaking now more sparten and the underparts much whiter. Some grey was coming through on the head and face, but the back was still a nice soft brown.
Otherwise, DARK-BELLIED BRENT was still in its favoured field and the immature drake Common Goldeneye was off of the jetty; no Sand Martins
Well for most of the day, it was grey, overcast, dull and cool. There was little if any wind and visibility was poor over any sort of distance.. At around midday, the sun started to burn through and a lot of the low cloud started to clear - temperatures increased to about 10 degrees C and eventually the afternoon was quite pleasant, with bright sunshine and clearing skies.
Sometime in the early afternoon I received a call from Mike Collard informing me that Paul Reed had discovered a 'diver species' at College Lake BBOWT - most likely a RED-THROATED - a local mega. At the same time I was also being bombarded with news of rare birds all over the area, including a drake Garganey and 2 Pied Avocets at Amwell (per Barry Reed, Mike Ilett), a Common Stonechat at Batford (Darin Stanley) and a Scandinavian Rock Pipit at Caldecotte North (per Ted Reed). The diver was by far the most important and that is where I made a beeline for............
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
I arrived on site at about 1600 hours immediately connecting with the now confirmed RED-THROATED DIVER in the car park, courtesy of Simon Nicholl's telescope. The 13-mile journey had taken me over 45 minutes, mainly because it had coincided with school leaving time and BCC were undertaking numerous pothole repairs on the Wigginton road. I was particularly frustrated and anxious, as both JT and SN had warned me that the bird was flying around and seemingly trying to leave.
Anyhow, I was very lucky - the bird had stayed. I joined Jeff Bailey, JT and Anna Marett and together we all walked down to the reserve Octagon Hide, where Roy Hargreaves, Mike Collard and Dave Parmenter were getting much better views. I had also briefly seen the finder Paul Reed by the centre. I was just setting my 'scope up when yet again the bird took flight - and circled the pit three times gradually gaining height before flying back down again and splash-landing. The bird looked up occasionally as it circled round, perhaps peering in all directions to see how clear the sky was; it was still pretty misty to the north.
The bird put down back on the main pit and allowed closer scrutiny. To my surprise, it was an adult in near full breeding plumage, with an extensive deep red throat-line and some neat striping on the hindneck. Most of the head was pale grey too although the mantle, upperwings and sides were largely still in winter plumage, noticeably chequered. It dived frequently, staying down for 20 seconds or more, and also snorkelled (looking underwater for food). I did not see it perform a successful dive although it could of course have found some small prey. It swam from left to right, mainly at a distance of 100 yards, and was on constant alert. The odd Black-headed Gull harassed it.
Within no time at all, it was back in the air, and it repeated this routine on at least three occasions during the first hour I was present. Tempting it to enter Hertfordshire airspace, it never did and eventually I got tired of waiting. A few closer views were had when it landed a tad closer to the Octagon but it always remained relatively distant. Dave Hutchinson did well in getting both a shot in flight and on the deck (see attached) whilst Roy obtained a fair bit of video footage.
I left for a while to twitch Roy's Rock Pipit at Wilstone but whilst there, JT kindly rang to say that the bird now appeared to have more momentum about its efforts to leave and that I should quickly get back. I did just that and joined the 'new' observation team, including Ian Williams, Nik Maynard, Paul Moon, young Charlotte and of course, Anna and Joan. The bird was still in flight as I returned and within a few minutes had entered Hertfordshire airspace, crossing the B488 southeastwards towards Tring Station. This was at 1740 hours. By now, the bird was extremely high in the sky, and for a while it headed NE towards Ivinghoe Beacon and the escarpment. It then decided to head back for College again but instead of dropping height, it continued to gain and suddenly seemed to have intent on its mind. I lost it as it flew towards the sun but a sharp-eyed Charlotte quickly re-intercepted it. It was now making a direct beeline for the reservoirs and flew slightly south of west. We all kept on it as it flew very high, firstly over Startop's and Marsworth and then as it continued over Wilstone. I lost it from view at about 1747 hours, the bird seemingly continuing west on its journey, perhaps navigating towards the Severn Estuary as many displaced seabirds inland do. It had been a terrific few hours and well done to all those involved in the finding and access arranging.
It represents only the eighteenth record (32nd individual) of this species in Bucks and the first since November 2005 -:
1) One was shot near Aylesbury Station prior to 1910;
2) An adult was present on Spade Oak GP, Little Marlow, from 27th October to 7th November 1952;
3) One remained on the River Thames at Hurley from 11th-31st March 1970;
4) One was seen at Calvert on 13th-16th February and again on 22nd February 1976;
5) One remained at Wotton Underwood Lake from 5th-12th March 1978;
6) One visited Willen Lake on 14th March 1979;
7) Another was present at Willen from 7th-10th March 1980;
8) A third visited Willen on 7th February 1986;
9) A slightly oiled adult was present on Weston Turville Reservoir from 8th-10th December 1987 before being taken into care; it subsequently died;
10) A remarkable flock of 14 birds touchlanded at Willen Lake during sudden snowfalls on 2nd April 1989. Six remained overnight and flew off shortly after dawn on 3rd April, with a further two departing at 0900 hours;
11) A juvenile remained at Spade Oak GP from 16th December 1990 until 12th January 1991;
12) One was on Eleven Acre Lake at Stowe School on 20th January 1994;
13) A second bird was found at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on 2nd February 1994. It was oiled and taken to St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital at Haddenham;
14) An adult female was found on the bank of Weston Turville Reservoir on 14th March 1996. Despite being taken to St Tiggywinkles, it died on 15th;
15) A diver seen briefly on Taplow Lake on 11th November 1997 was presumably that Red-throated Diver found next day at nearby Bray GP, Maidenhead, in Berkshire;
16) One at Startop's End Reservoir on 22nd December 1997 swam into the Bucks partition of the reservoir;
17) An adult visited Spade Oak GP on 27th November 2005
As regards occurrences at Tring Reservoirs, only the 6th since 1958 -:
1) A male picked up disoriented in Hitchin on 29th November 1958 was released at Wilstone Reservoir on 30th where it was later found dead on 6th December;
2) One was found dead on Wilstone on 22nd November 1959;
3) One remained at Tringford Reservoir from 28th February to 3rd March 1962;
4) One visited Wilstone briefly on 28th April 1975;
5) One visited both Wilstone and Startop's on 22-23 December 1997
In addition to the RED-THROATED DIVER, College Lake also boasted another first today - a CETTI'S WARBLER. Showing well on occasions in the reed-filled ditch adjacent to the track to the Octagon Hide, the bird was still singing this evening.
Also present on the main marsh were 2 COMMON SHELDUCK, 7 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 10 Common Redshanks, the OYSTERCATCHER pair, 8 COMMON SNIPES and 2 RINGED PLOVERS, the latter my first in the county this year.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
Over at Wilstone, I was very pleased to refind Roy's SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT of this morning. Just like then, the bird was closely associating with the long-staying WATER PIPIT, the two birds showing very well this evening on the concrete foreshore not far east of the main car park steps. When flushed, the two birds flew to near the jetty but soon returned. Jeff Bailey and a couple were also on hand to enjoy the spectacle. The two birds were like chalk and cheese, the Rock Pipit being much greyer on the upperparts with less of an eyestripe and much heavier sullied and striated underparts. The wintering Water Pipit was now in somewhat transitional plumage, the streaking now more sparten and the underparts much whiter. Some grey was coming through on the head and face, but the back was still a nice soft brown.
Otherwise, DARK-BELLIED BRENT was still in its favoured field and the immature drake Common Goldeneye was off of the jetty; no Sand Martins
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
HEN HARRIER bolsters list
TUESDAY 13 MARCH (LGRE DIARY NOTES)
A very grey day, with little wind and temperatures a lot lower than of late, presumably due to the lack of sunshine.
My main target bird of the day was HEN HARRIER but otherwise just general birding and searching for migrants. Not a bad day in the end.........
AYLESBURY TOWN CENTRE (BUCKS)
The male PEREGRINE was sat inside the chamber with the female standing on the roof adjacent
WADDERDON (BUCKS)
In the trees bordering the A41 just east of Waddesdon at SP 756 167, a total of 36 active ROOK nests. Nearby on the A41 at SP 717 177 (Westcott), yet another fresh Badger road kill
UPPER RAY MEADOWS, GALLOWS BRIDGE BBOWT (WEST BUCKS)
Following up on a call from Graham Smith, I arrived on site at about midday. I set my 'scope up in the car park and viewed westwards and after a relatively short time, intercepted the ringtail HEN HARRIER present for its third day quartering the setaside field at the far western flank of the reserve just beyond the main grass field. The bird flew back and forth several times, occasionally stooping down on to the ground.
Other raptors present included up to 7 Red Kites, 5 Common Buzzards and 3 Common Kestrels, whilst the surrounding farmland yielded a pair of Red-legged Partridges, 136 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS, 66 Stock Doves in three flocks, 225 Linnets, 117 Fieldfares and 8 Brown Hares.
Two COMMON RAVENS were in the area and seemingly gathering nest material as well as two separate pairs of EURASIAN CURLEW. Singing Skylarks abounded, perhaps as many as 15 birds in total.
THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)
I spent the rest of the afternoon birding the Tring area and walking some areas that I rarely check. This resulted in the logging of two new House Sparrow sites and a number of other records of common birds.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR was still supporting yesterday's OYSTERCATCHER on the west shore, with both LITTLE EGRETS still in courtship and active Grey Heron nests now up to 8 on Drayton Bank.
The DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE was still present in the East Fields consorting with 40 Greylags, with 2 Mute Swans still there and another two in the fields. Great Crested Grebes had climbed to a very healthy 29 birds, with a single Dabchick also present in the SE corner. Wildfowl numbers were still in decline with just 7 Wigeon now, 52 Common Teal, 12 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler and 97 Tufted Duck; 3 female COMMON GOLDENEYE too.
At LITTLE TRING FARM, a pair of House Sparrows was noted with a further 10 individuals in the back gardens of houses that back on to the Canal close to the flour mill at SP 924 128.
TRINGFORD RESERVOIR itself harboured 2 Mute Swans, 2 Teal, 7 Gadwalls and 24 Tufted Duck, with two pairs of nesting Stock Dove in the wood and my first Tring BLACKCAP of the year - a male - feeding in one of the ivy-clad trees close to the back entrance. A Song Thrush was by the pumping station and 3 pairs of Common Blackbird and a pair of Collared Dove in the vicinity of Manor Farm in LITTLE TRING.
I joined Sally Douglas on the causeway at MARSWORTH RESERVOIR and we did very well over the next hour or so. The singing male Goldcrest was still present in the wood, with 8 Great Crested Grebes on the reservoir, 7 Shoveler, 2 Jays and 2 Fieldfares.
I glanced over to the expanse of mud on STARTOP'S END and watched a party of 7 small waders arrive - they were 5 winter-plumaged DUNLINS and a pair of RINGED PLOVER. Sally fired off a number of shots (see above). There was also a substantial arrival of Pied Wagtails on the mud numbering 27 birds, as well as 17 Linnets, whilst SD located 2 Meadow Pipits - my first of the year.
There was not much left on the reservoir proper - just 5 Mute Swans, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Wigeon and the regular pair of Red-crested Pochards.
I nipped back over to WILSTONE to do the gull roost - nothing rare but 998 Black-headed including a partial leucistic adult, 21 Commons, a 3rd-winter and juvenile argenteus Herring and 7 Lesser Black-backed.
I then returned to MARSWORTH and again with Sally's help, finally connected with my first local COMMON KINGFISHER of the year. A total of 47 CORN BUNTINGS flew in to roost (28 + 3 + 3 + 13) and the BARN OWL appeared from its roost at 1803 hours. A first-year Sparrowhawk also dashed across the reedbed towards dusk
SHORT HEATH WOOD (BUCKS)
A WOODCOCK attracted to my car headlights flew straight at me and collided, breaking its neck
A very grey day, with little wind and temperatures a lot lower than of late, presumably due to the lack of sunshine.
My main target bird of the day was HEN HARRIER but otherwise just general birding and searching for migrants. Not a bad day in the end.........
AYLESBURY TOWN CENTRE (BUCKS)
The male PEREGRINE was sat inside the chamber with the female standing on the roof adjacent
WADDERDON (BUCKS)
In the trees bordering the A41 just east of Waddesdon at SP 756 167, a total of 36 active ROOK nests. Nearby on the A41 at SP 717 177 (Westcott), yet another fresh Badger road kill
UPPER RAY MEADOWS, GALLOWS BRIDGE BBOWT (WEST BUCKS)
Following up on a call from Graham Smith, I arrived on site at about midday. I set my 'scope up in the car park and viewed westwards and after a relatively short time, intercepted the ringtail HEN HARRIER present for its third day quartering the setaside field at the far western flank of the reserve just beyond the main grass field. The bird flew back and forth several times, occasionally stooping down on to the ground.
Other raptors present included up to 7 Red Kites, 5 Common Buzzards and 3 Common Kestrels, whilst the surrounding farmland yielded a pair of Red-legged Partridges, 136 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS, 66 Stock Doves in three flocks, 225 Linnets, 117 Fieldfares and 8 Brown Hares.
Two COMMON RAVENS were in the area and seemingly gathering nest material as well as two separate pairs of EURASIAN CURLEW. Singing Skylarks abounded, perhaps as many as 15 birds in total.
THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)
I spent the rest of the afternoon birding the Tring area and walking some areas that I rarely check. This resulted in the logging of two new House Sparrow sites and a number of other records of common birds.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR was still supporting yesterday's OYSTERCATCHER on the west shore, with both LITTLE EGRETS still in courtship and active Grey Heron nests now up to 8 on Drayton Bank.
The DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE was still present in the East Fields consorting with 40 Greylags, with 2 Mute Swans still there and another two in the fields. Great Crested Grebes had climbed to a very healthy 29 birds, with a single Dabchick also present in the SE corner. Wildfowl numbers were still in decline with just 7 Wigeon now, 52 Common Teal, 12 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler and 97 Tufted Duck; 3 female COMMON GOLDENEYE too.
At LITTLE TRING FARM, a pair of House Sparrows was noted with a further 10 individuals in the back gardens of houses that back on to the Canal close to the flour mill at SP 924 128.
TRINGFORD RESERVOIR itself harboured 2 Mute Swans, 2 Teal, 7 Gadwalls and 24 Tufted Duck, with two pairs of nesting Stock Dove in the wood and my first Tring BLACKCAP of the year - a male - feeding in one of the ivy-clad trees close to the back entrance. A Song Thrush was by the pumping station and 3 pairs of Common Blackbird and a pair of Collared Dove in the vicinity of Manor Farm in LITTLE TRING.
I joined Sally Douglas on the causeway at MARSWORTH RESERVOIR and we did very well over the next hour or so. The singing male Goldcrest was still present in the wood, with 8 Great Crested Grebes on the reservoir, 7 Shoveler, 2 Jays and 2 Fieldfares.
I glanced over to the expanse of mud on STARTOP'S END and watched a party of 7 small waders arrive - they were 5 winter-plumaged DUNLINS and a pair of RINGED PLOVER. Sally fired off a number of shots (see above). There was also a substantial arrival of Pied Wagtails on the mud numbering 27 birds, as well as 17 Linnets, whilst SD located 2 Meadow Pipits - my first of the year.
There was not much left on the reservoir proper - just 5 Mute Swans, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Wigeon and the regular pair of Red-crested Pochards.
I nipped back over to WILSTONE to do the gull roost - nothing rare but 998 Black-headed including a partial leucistic adult, 21 Commons, a 3rd-winter and juvenile argenteus Herring and 7 Lesser Black-backed.
I then returned to MARSWORTH and again with Sally's help, finally connected with my first local COMMON KINGFISHER of the year. A total of 47 CORN BUNTINGS flew in to roost (28 + 3 + 3 + 13) and the BARN OWL appeared from its roost at 1803 hours. A first-year Sparrowhawk also dashed across the reedbed towards dusk
SHORT HEATH WOOD (BUCKS)
A WOODCOCK attracted to my car headlights flew straight at me and collided, breaking its neck
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