WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST
IVINGHOE HILLS NR (BUCKINGHAMSHIRE)
(1335-1426 hours)
Although the wind was freshening from the WNW, the hills below and south of the beacon were sheltered, and perched on the fenceline the car park side of the sheep pens was a migrant male WHINCHAT - my first in the county this year. It barely moved in the 15 minutes or so I watched it and dropped just briefly from the fence to some weeds adjacent.
Otherwise, the hills were very spartan, with hardly anything of note. Inkombe Hole failed to yield any Common Redstarts and Top Scrub only offered up two juvenile Common Chiffchaffs.
WESTON TURVILLE RESERVOIR (BUCKINGHAMSHIRE)
Surprisingly quiet; I did the entire circuit and recorded few species
Mute Swans (breeding pair with two cygnets - a third cygnet died)
Tufted Duck (2 females)
Coot (11 including 3 juveniles)
Western Reed Warbler (just 8 noted in the reedbed, mainly juveniles)
Common Chiffchaff (11 mainly juveniles)
REED BUNTING (successful breeding; two juveniles by boardwalk)
(Lee Evans)