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



Wednesday 11 May 2011

30 April - a fantastic morning's birding in North Bucks

A fantastic mornings birding !

First off a text from Tim about 7 BAR TAILED GODWITS thru Calvert had me rushing to Linford ! at least 3 GARDEN WARBLERS were singing on the reserve , including a very confiding one to the left of the near hide that is nest building ! , 3 CETTIS WARBLERS were also singing , 1 CUCKOO was Cuckoo-ing throughout the morning , 1 Willow Warbler , 1 Goldcrest and 3 Chiffchaffs were also proclaiming Territory ( Rob also had 1 GRASSHOPPER WARBLER still ) Not long after sitting down (07:20) an ARCTIC TERN battled through west covering the entire reserve in under 15 seconds ! , this was followed by further 4 ARCTIC TERNS that flew east at 07:32. Bouyed up by this I started scanning in earnest and was soon rewarded as a small duck headed in from the north (07:40) and pitched up on the opposite side of the bund ! a smashing Drake GARGANEY ! it proceeded to preen and then dissappeared. just as I was putting a text out , I glanced up and noticed a medium sized wader approaching from the east , it swung in low and circled the bund twice before heading back off east (07:42) ! Although it was orange and grey , it was not the expected Bar Tailed Godwit, but a fantastic Summer Plumaged RED KNOT ! ,

Life at linford after that seemed a bit dull ;-) With just 2 Common Sandpipers , 3 Little Egrets , 10+ Common Terns , 1 SWIFT and 4 Swallows.

Moving on to the Excavation pits at Newport Pagnall we were greeted with a GREENSHANK , 5 LRP's, 2 Little Egrets and a few Sand Martins

Stony Stratford held the pair of Oystercatchers Manor Farm hosted a Sum Plum DUNLIN , an OYSTERCATCHER flew in and a Common Sandpiper , LRP and a few Lapwings were the best of the rest Many Hirundines (Simon Nichols)