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
This is an account of the personal observations of Lee G R Evans (LGRE) in his home county of Buckinghamshire. It also hosts all sightings of interest within the county but only those considered authentic by the author. I am extremely grateful for any images of local birds as well as of any information relating to birds within the boundaries - contact me anytime on 07881 906629 or email LGREUK400@aol.com.