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, 27 February 2013

A Glutton for Punishment

WEDNESDAY 27 FEBRUARY


Another cold and grey morning with an increasing easterly wind. Skies cleared later in the afternoon, giving way for an overnight frost.

Spurned on by Adam Bassett's success yesterday afternoon, I returned once more to STOKE COMMON today - not once, not twice but three times - and still no Stonechats. I could not find them anywhere

Most unusual sighting was a single LITTLE EGRET that flew around the entire common trying to find a suitable place to lane, before disappearing off SE. Otherwise, species similar to yesterday's visit, with 48 Carrion Crows, 2 Jays, female Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Common Blackbird, Wren, 8 Meadow Pipits and a procession of juvenile Herring Gulls flying south from Hedgerley Landfill.

Also returned to CHURCH WOOD RSPB, HEDGERLEY but again no sight nor sound of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - a flock of 10 Redwings were making a cacophony of strange sounds, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, singing male Nuthatch, 6 Common Treecreepers, Jay, 10+ Great Tit and Common Buzzard being noted, as well as a pair of Roe Deer and a female Muntjac.

A further 3 Roe Deer were seen in a field north of Collum Green Road and west of HEDGERLEY PARK FARM at SU 975 863 and a male Muntjac west of HEDGERLEY HILL at SU 968 866

At CASTLEMAN'S FARM (WOOBURN COMMON), no less than 44 Egyptian Geese in the Chicken Coup Fields and at SPRINGFIELD QUARRY, 2 Red-legged Partridges, 16 Red Kites, 4 Common Buzzards and numerous Skylarks singing. The resident BARN OWLS performed well at dusk