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, 11 November 2009

New Images of the Foxcote regularly returning drake RING-NECKED DUCK




Paul Boult obtained these new images today of our resident county rare - the adult drake RING-NECKED DUCK that has returned for three successive winters to Foxcote Reservoir

Farmoor Reservoir today

FOXCOTE RESERVOIR (NORTH BUCKS)
Observations by Paul Boult

On on near the water, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Coot, Moorhen, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull (33), Mallard, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Shoveler, Northern Pochard, Tufted Duck. *RING-NECKED DUCK (the adult drake was still present showing well in front of hide and is coming out of eclipse plumage); COMMON GOLDENEYE (5 present, 2 adult drakes, a first-winter drake and 2 female); Grey Wagtail.

In Farmland near Reservoir, Woodpigeon, Rook, Jackdaw, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jay, 2 COMMON RAVEN (heard then seen flying away both still calling), Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Robin, Wren, Blue Tit, Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pheasant, Chaffinch

OSPREY remains on the River Chess

The juvenile OSPREY remains present this morning, hunting Brown Trout (Salmo trutta fario) in the shallower sections of the River Chess. It fished as far west as Latimer Bridge before returning back eastwards and continued back towards the Cress Beds and Sarratt Bottom (Lee G R Evans)

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

North Bucks male MERLIN 9/11

A brief late afternoon visit as the sun went down and the first real bird of note for quite a while at Manor Farm.

An almost slate grey male MERLIN, along the edge of Back Brook then along the fenceline by the Ouse, stopping for a moment to perch on one of the pollarded willow stumps was a very welcome site.

Water levels low in the new area but still increasing elsewhere. The sites gradually getting back to what it was in early spring, we live in hope.Only other birds of note were a pair of Green Sandpiper and a single Little Egret over. Chris Gleadell

http://manorfarmbirding.blogspot.com/

Foxcote Reservoir 7/11

Playing to a packed FOXCOTE RESERVOIR hide this evening we had a 4.20 PEREGRINE disturbing the building starling roost. The bird did a few passes of the reservoir and was followed seconds later by a Sparrowhawk doing the same thing. A probable second Sparrowhawk hit on the starling some 10 minutes later and treated us to seeing a kill; a male Sparrowhawk landing in the field before flying away with its dinner seconds later. A COMMON RAVEN passed over and continued distant calling when all left the hide at around 16.50.

Starlings (-1) roosted in front of the hide.

The drake RING-NECKED DUCK was still present and Andy Harding counted the Cormorant roost at 64 birds. By Foxcote standards, an impressive evening (Richard Goodlad)

Belated early November report - SHORT-EARED OWL over Aylesbury

02/11 08:45 : SHORT-EARED OWL : Aylesbury SP 139 804. Seen flying quite high over Bearbrook school, being followed by a Crow - it drifted eastwards over Aylesbury. (David Maunder)

Large flock of RED-CRESTED POCHARDS - 6/11 - and record roosting county flock of LITTLE EGRETS

At Linford this evening (6/11), 7 Red-crested Pochard (2 ad m, 1 eclipse m & 4f), plus 24 Little Egret in the roost - a new record. The egrets began by pre-roosting on Tern Island, then one by one moved to their roost proper within the reserve.

Earlier at Tongwell the pair of GREATER SCAUP still present at the north end.

At Ravenstone STW, 9 Grey Partridge. (Rob Hill)