SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER
I finally had an opportunity to visit
CALVERT BBOWT this morning and as the light was coming up, young Ted Wallen, his
dad Mike and I watched the CATTLE EGRET awakening from its overnight roost spot
in the 'Cormorant Trees' about 100 yards south of the middle hide. After a few
stretches and preens, it flew off NNE at 0733 hours - and still barely
light.
Once it had gone, I set off in search of its
daytime feeding area, scanning the array of farms, fields and open countryside
to the north of the Calvert complex. After hearing of reports of a white egret
with cattle midway between Steeple Claydon and Hillesden Lakes, I made my way to
'The Avenue' and walked about a mile along it. No sign I am afraid (not of the
egret nor of the cattle) but HILLESDEN LAKES did support 28 Greylag Geese, 10
Eurasian Wigeon, 8 Common Teal and 12 Coot, whilst the surrounding area produced
85 Fieldfare, 35 Redwing, Goldcrest, 4 Bullfinch, 60 Common Starling and 18
Long-tailed Tits.
Fieldfares: a lot around today in the Hillesden area
I then drove a wide circuit of rural
countryside finding nothing more than 45 Linnets at BORSHAW FARM at SP 738 228,
eventually joining up again with Mike & Ted at Briarhill Farm not long after
0900 hours. It seemed a hopeless task and knowing that I had a survey to carry
out, headed back to the CHESS VALLEY........
All 3 wintering Little Egrets were on view
in the valley, commuting between Bois Mill and Church Covert Meadows, whilst the
family party of 5 Mute Swans and immature Sinensis Cormorant were still
present on BOIS MILL POND. A female Grey Wagtail was by MILL FARM, whilst
walking between CHENIES BOTTOM BRIDGE and FROGMORE MEADOWS added 4 Redwing, 25
Fieldfare, Song Thrush, 6 more Mute Swan (pair by bridge and pair by Vole
Viewpoint, both with sole surviving cygnets), 2 Grey Heron, Jay, Common Kestrel
and 2 Ring-necked Parakeets.
My survey work involved a visit to CRESTYL
WATERCRESS BEDS at SARRATT, where 2 Little Egrets, 8 Moorhen, 2 Grey Wagtail,
Marsh Tit and Little Owl were all encountered but more importantly was the
discovery of at least 23 Water Vole burrows.
Once I had completed my work, I checked my
phone and pager and noticed that the CATTLE EGRET had been relocated. I 'phoned
Simon and he confirmed that both Mike and Ted had relocated it - only a short
time after I had left - Drat!
Anyhow, keen to photograph it, I drove the
37 miles back and located it just SSE of LAKE FARM at SP 682 264, feeding in an
open field. Frustratingly, it was behind a hedgerow and I could just not find a
gap from where I could get a full view. When I finally did, it flew and seemed
to disappear behind a farm building. I then lost it but after a while of
searching, relocated it at a private site near PORTWAY FARM. It was with cattle
at the back of a farmstead but quite distant but I did at last manage to get a
few record shots (see below). Once it saw me however, it was gone and darted
back eastwards towards Lake Farm. I followed it along the road but then lost it
as it crossed back over the Calvert-Gawcott road. By now, Graham Smith and quite
a few others had arrived and despite searching over the next hour, it could not
be relocated. Then, following some gunshots from some farmers shooting
Woodpigeons, it reappeared from the Calvert Lakes direction and landed NW of
Lake Farm - in the field at SP 678 266. Here it afforded the best views yet and
I was able to run off a lot of shots before it gradually wandered farther away.
The late afternoon light was not great but I was reasonably happy with the
shots. The bird was unringed and in full winter plumage. It remained until at
least 1530 hours.
