TUESDAY 2 APRIL
The biting NNE wind continues, making it feel several degrees below freezing. Bright though, with long clear periods and sunny spells.
More Target Birding today and eventually a bagful of WHITE WAGTAILS......
Being a nice bright morning, I chose CHURCH WOOD RSPB, HEDGERLEY (BUCKS) as my first destination of the day, hoping once more for a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Five others also had the same idea, including Haslemere's Graham Smith. In fact, Roger Morton had seen a female at the site on 23 March, but despite a long vigil, nothing was seen or heard.
Highlights included a flyover COMMON CROSSBILL and SISKIN, along with 1-2 Nuthatches, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpecker, Common Treecreeper, 80 Redwings and nesting Blue Tits.
Graham and I then relocated to a much colder and bleaker landscape of SPADE OAK PIT (LITTLE MARLOW), where I eventually located a single male WHITE WAGTAIL amongst 14 migrant Pied Wagtails on the spit. An adult summer MEDITERRANEAN GULL was also amongst the loafing gulls, as well as 3 Great Black-backed Gulls. A flock of 8 Egyptian Geese was on the water meadows whilst numbers of Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall still remained.
Following a call from Dave Cleal, early evening saw me return to a field being ploughed in DORNEY REACH, opposite Oak Stubbs Lane. A party of 4 adult summer MEDITERRANEAN GULLS were just departing as I arrived (calling loudly) but more impressive was the migrant Alba wagtail flock, no less than 59 birds - 54 Pieds and 5 nice WHITE WAGTAILS. Many passage pipits feeding there too, including a very scruffy transitional WATER PIPIT and at least 45 Meadows - 14 Fieldfares too
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.