YEARLISTING IN 2016

Compared to most recent years, when for example I recorded 165 species in the county in 2011, 187 in 2012 and 173 in 2013, this has been a particularly poor one with just 157 species recorded by mid December - one of my worst years on record

YEARLISTING IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

It's all over - 2012 has come to an end. I managed a total of 187 out of the 198 species recorded all told in Buckinghamshire - 94% of the total - probably my highest-ever annual tally.

The current record is 191 species achieved in 2006 and held jointly by both Rob Hill and Simon Nichols



Monday 24 August 2009

A rare update from FOXCOTE RESERVOIR

Foxcote Reservoir was completely waderless this evening as far as I could see, but not without interest. There was a very mobile group of 12 Yellow Wagtails flycatching on the dam, which appeared to be a mix of juveniles and 1st winter birds. On the water, 5 Wigeon, 5 Shoveler, 5 Pochard and 10 Gadwall plus Tufted Duck and Mallard, one Little Grebe and 8 Great Crested Grebes. A Little Egret was in the willows with 15 Cormorants. A flock of c150 Swallows suddenly appeared and stayed for five minutes before disappearing again.

By the time I left, a small gull roost had built to 80 Black-headed, 120 Lesser Black Backs and one adult Herring or Yellow-legged Gull. The light was going and the bird was rather inactive so hard to decide. The head appeared to be in winter plumage with a light scatter of fine dark streaks and a darker grey patch in front of the eye. The mantle colour looked more like argenteus Herring Gull in shade, but the primaries were long and projected a long way past the tail, but then I think the tail was in moult. The longest primary was all black, (but not P10 I suspect, as the wing was in moult too). So who knows? My guess would be Herring Gull.

A couple of Western Reed Warblers were still in the reeds (Phil Tizzard)