Friday, 15 June 2012
Smashing views of QUAIL
FRIDAY 15 JUNE
DOWN FARM CEREAL FIELDS, ALDBURY (BUCKS)
John Foster, Mike Campbell and I enjoyed great views of the calling male COMMON QUAIL at Down Farm this lunchtime, as we stood by the pigeon shooting butt at SP 955 143. John managed several good flight shots as it whizzed across the field, one of which I have published on my Tring and Bucks blogs.
It was also nice to see 6 singing male CORN BUNTINGS (see John's pix) as well as a family party of 5 COMMON RAVENS. Skylarks were abundant, with two pairs of Yellowhammer, 14 Common Swifts, 10 Linnets and a Red Admiral seen
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
My first visit in well over a month with very little going on. Highlight was a single HOBBY whilst 31 Mute Swans, 67 Greylag, 170 Coot, 29 Common Terns, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 150 Common Swifts and 45 House Martins made up the rollcall.
STOKENCHURCH AREA (BUCKS)
Spent over two hours in less than suitable weather conditions looking for the Honey Buzzard pair but saw nothing more than Common Buzzards. Seemingly the pair has moved a few miles this year. A male was displaying towards the end of May apparently according to one observer I met on site
DOWN FARM CEREAL FIELDS, ALDBURY (BUCKS)
John Foster, Mike Campbell and I enjoyed great views of the calling male COMMON QUAIL at Down Farm this lunchtime, as we stood by the pigeon shooting butt at SP 955 143. John managed several good flight shots as it whizzed across the field, one of which I have published on my Tring and Bucks blogs.
It was also nice to see 6 singing male CORN BUNTINGS (see John's pix) as well as a family party of 5 COMMON RAVENS. Skylarks were abundant, with two pairs of Yellowhammer, 14 Common Swifts, 10 Linnets and a Red Admiral seen
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
My first visit in well over a month with very little going on. Highlight was a single HOBBY whilst 31 Mute Swans, 67 Greylag, 170 Coot, 29 Common Terns, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 150 Common Swifts and 45 House Martins made up the rollcall.
STOKENCHURCH AREA (BUCKS)
Spent over two hours in less than suitable weather conditions looking for the Honey Buzzard pair but saw nothing more than Common Buzzards. Seemingly the pair has moved a few miles this year. A male was displaying towards the end of May apparently according to one observer I met on site
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
BLACK-NECKED GREBE relocates to Foxcote
BLACK-NECKED GREBE in summer plumage present at Foxcote Reservoir 09:30 -10:00 when I left. Out beyond the tern rafts. Presumably that from Calvert Sailing Lake
Also at Foxcote:
15 Common Terns, at least 5 nests of which 1 with 2 well grown chicks and 1 with a small chick peeking out from mum's wing. The other 3 having a parent bird sitting tight.
2 Cormorants, 4 Gt-crested Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 5 Tufted Ducks, about 10 Coot and a fair number of Swifts and House Martins.
Ken Earnshaw
Also at Foxcote:
15 Common Terns, at least 5 nests of which 1 with 2 well grown chicks and 1 with a small chick peeking out from mum's wing. The other 3 having a parent bird sitting tight.
2 Cormorants, 4 Gt-crested Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 5 Tufted Ducks, about 10 Coot and a fair number of Swifts and House Martins.
Ken Earnshaw
Thursday, 7 June 2012
BLACK-NECKED GREBE and BLACK TERNS
Tim Watts discovered a full breeding-plumaged BLACK-NECKED GREBE on Calvert Sailing Lake this morning and it was still present this evening when I visited. Also present in near gale force winds were 3 BLACK TERNS and 45 House Martins
Sunday, 3 June 2012
SANDERLINGS at College Lake
Dave Hutchinson photographed these two breeding-plumaged SANDERLING at College Lake BBOWT yesterday afternoon (02 June) but they disappeared to the east after less than an hour's stay. A party of 5 DUNLIN were also present.
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