SATURDAY 13 NOVEMBER
Did not bother to go out this morning after receiving so much abuse from certain quarters relating to my recent TV appearance and from the continuing fallout still being aired on the BirdGuides website. Had tried to address the subject in a candid interview with One-Show regular and wildlife enthusiast David Lindo but still the sniping continues unabated.
Anyway, JT eventually shook me out of the doldrums by informing me of a local mega just down the road - in the form of a VELVET SCOTER at Broadwater Sailing Pit in Middlesex..........
BROADWATER SAILING PIT (MIDDLESEX)
(Dry but cold and overcast)
Simon Buckingham had located the bird early afternoon and from 1330-1410 hours, I enjoyed some good views of it, as it dived and preened towards the north end, in amongst the vast hordes of Tufted Duck.
It was clearly a much larger bird than the accompanying Aythyas and was obviously an immature VELVET SCOTER. By the fact that it has some light yellow on the bill suggested it was a drake. Much of the belly was pale, indicating first-year, and apart from the overall dark brown plumage, it had a weak off-white ear covert patch behind the eye. The broad pure white secondary panel was seen well each time the bird preened.
Tufted Ducks were in abundance, with 602 logged, whilst other wildfowl present included 15 Gadwall, 6 Common Goldeneyes and a single Egyptian Goose.
Around the car parking area, Mick Frosdick and I enjoyed views of 8 LESSER REDPOLLS as they fed at the tops of the trees.
The bird is literally just 200 yards from both the Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire borders, frustratingly from the latter from my point of view as I still have not seen a Bucks Velvet Scoter. It is situated at TQ 043 896 and best viewed from the Colne riverbank footpath on the west side of the pit. Parking is limited but available at the end of the lane at TQ 048 890 from where one can walk across the muddy causeway west to the Colne footpath.
LYNSTER'S FARM, MAPLE CROSS (HERTS)
Four Egyptian Geese grazing near the barns.
THE CHESS VALLEY (BUCKS)
All 3 wintering LITTLE EGRETS on site, two just east of Bois Mill and one near Chenies Bottom. A young Grey Heron was feeding on the grass verge of Latimer Road.
At the Fishing Lakes, no sign of the recent Great Crested Grebe, but COMMON KINGFISHER, 4 drake Northern Pochards, 5 Tufted Duck and 5 Coot.
CHAFFINCH HOUSE, LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS)
Highlight this morning in the garden was a male SISKIN - my first of the autumn. Still up to 12 Goldfinches present on the Nyger seed.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Both ROCK and WATER PIPITS at Wilstone, and 7 DUNLIN, but no Scaup at Foxcote
TUESDAY 9 NOVEMBER
A pretty dismal day weatherwise with strong NE winds and intermittent showers. Much colder than of late.
After arriving very late for my date with One Show chat host David Lindo, I eventually got myself out of Central London early afternoon. I then got delayed further after there was a very serious accident on the A41 near Watford but eventually got to Tring just before 1300 hours. I undertook a full inventory of wildfowl etc but the poor weather was useless for passerines.....
MARSWORTH RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
A first-year Mute Swan, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Coot and 38 Shoveler were all of note.
STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)
A further 17 Great Crested Grebes noted, along with 4 adult Mute Swans, 14 Common Teal, 28 Tufted Duck, 4 Northern Pochard, an adult drake RED-CRESTED POCHARD, 5 Moorhen and 158 Coots.
TRINGFORD RESERVOIR (HERTS)
Very quiet and barren with just 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Tufted Duck and 23 Coot present.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)
(1400-1445 hours)
Not that much different to the weekend with 5 Little Grebes, the continuing BLACK-NECKED GREBE, a LITTLE EGRET, 25 roosting Cormorants, 24 Mute Swans, the two adult Whooper Swans, 79 Greylag Geese, much less wildfowl but 5 NORTHERN PINTAIL and 2 female COMMON GOLDENEYE and 312 Lapwing.
However, as I set up my 'scope and worked my way across the expanse of mud between the new overflow and the hide, I located SEVEN DUNLIN in amongst the 204 roosting EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER and then two pipits working their way along the edge.
One was the clean-looking WATER PIPIT of the last few days whilst the other was a dingy and heavily streaked SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT - a belated first in the county this year for me. Both birds worked their way around to the white 'froth' built up by the strong wind and afforded excellent views down to just 40 yards.
The ROCK PIPIT was typically very Meadow Pipit-like but was very heavily streaked and saturated on the underparts on a warm background. The streaks were long and extended right down the flanks. The upperparts were dark with little evidence of bracing with a pale whitish eye-ring on one side of the head and an eye-ring and a weak pale line behind the eye on the left side. The loral line was clearly dark and the stout bill quite pale orangey at the base of the mandibles. The upperwings were generally uniform olive-grey or olive-brown but had obvious pale whitish fringes to the greater and median coverts forming obvious bars. The chin and throat were unmarked and quite buffish or pale cream in colour and on the tail, the outer feathers were off-white or greyish-buff. The legs were predominantly dark but with an obvious hint of dark orange-brown. For about five minutes, it bathed in shallow water and preened, and on one occasion when it had an altercation with one of two Pied Wagtails, it uttered a sharp, explosive, metallic ''peeest' note as it flew.
Side-by-side, the WATER PIPIT was much cleaner-looking, with much whiter underparts/basal colour and much more strident, shorter and less extensive streaking. It was also a much paler brown bird on the upperparts, with more striking white-fringed wing-bars, white tail-sides and a white throat. The lower mandible was more yellow-toned in colour and the head pattern was typified by an obvious white eye-stripe. Once again, the lores were dark, the bill very slightly longer and the legs and feet very dark almost black. It was by far the more elegant pipit of the two.
HURDLESGROVE (BUCKS) (SP 805 230)
In crops east of the A413 about a mile north of Whitchurch contained a flock of 130 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER and 90 Lapwings.
FOXCOTE RESERVOIR (NORTH BUCKS)
(1500 hours until dusk)
Another attempt at the recent Greater Scaup but despite an extensive search, yet another blank. Definitely not in the NW arm.
The complete logcall went 6 Great Crested Grebes, 45 Mute Swans, 196 Atlantic Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose, 11 Mallard, 116 Eurasian Wigeon, 14 Common Teal, 18 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 1 drake NORTHERN PINTAIL, 18 Tufted Duck, 11 Northern Pochard, 6 COMMON GOLDENEYE (4 females), 2 GREEN SANDPIPERS and a Grey Wagtail.
There was a large pre-roost gathering of gulls which included 1 adult YELLOW-LEGGED, 139 Lesser Black-backed (of both graellsii and intermedius), an adult argenteus Herring Gull, 25 Common and 500+ Black-headed.
The reedbed in the NW arm was utilised by just over 300 Common Starlings before dusk.
A pretty dismal day weatherwise with strong NE winds and intermittent showers. Much colder than of late.
After arriving very late for my date with One Show chat host David Lindo, I eventually got myself out of Central London early afternoon. I then got delayed further after there was a very serious accident on the A41 near Watford but eventually got to Tring just before 1300 hours. I undertook a full inventory of wildfowl etc but the poor weather was useless for passerines.....
MARSWORTH RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
A first-year Mute Swan, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Coot and 38 Shoveler were all of note.
STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)
A further 17 Great Crested Grebes noted, along with 4 adult Mute Swans, 14 Common Teal, 28 Tufted Duck, 4 Northern Pochard, an adult drake RED-CRESTED POCHARD, 5 Moorhen and 158 Coots.
TRINGFORD RESERVOIR (HERTS)
Very quiet and barren with just 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Tufted Duck and 23 Coot present.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)
(1400-1445 hours)
Not that much different to the weekend with 5 Little Grebes, the continuing BLACK-NECKED GREBE, a LITTLE EGRET, 25 roosting Cormorants, 24 Mute Swans, the two adult Whooper Swans, 79 Greylag Geese, much less wildfowl but 5 NORTHERN PINTAIL and 2 female COMMON GOLDENEYE and 312 Lapwing.
However, as I set up my 'scope and worked my way across the expanse of mud between the new overflow and the hide, I located SEVEN DUNLIN in amongst the 204 roosting EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER and then two pipits working their way along the edge.
One was the clean-looking WATER PIPIT of the last few days whilst the other was a dingy and heavily streaked SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT - a belated first in the county this year for me. Both birds worked their way around to the white 'froth' built up by the strong wind and afforded excellent views down to just 40 yards.
The ROCK PIPIT was typically very Meadow Pipit-like but was very heavily streaked and saturated on the underparts on a warm background. The streaks were long and extended right down the flanks. The upperparts were dark with little evidence of bracing with a pale whitish eye-ring on one side of the head and an eye-ring and a weak pale line behind the eye on the left side. The loral line was clearly dark and the stout bill quite pale orangey at the base of the mandibles. The upperwings were generally uniform olive-grey or olive-brown but had obvious pale whitish fringes to the greater and median coverts forming obvious bars. The chin and throat were unmarked and quite buffish or pale cream in colour and on the tail, the outer feathers were off-white or greyish-buff. The legs were predominantly dark but with an obvious hint of dark orange-brown. For about five minutes, it bathed in shallow water and preened, and on one occasion when it had an altercation with one of two Pied Wagtails, it uttered a sharp, explosive, metallic ''peeest' note as it flew.
Side-by-side, the WATER PIPIT was much cleaner-looking, with much whiter underparts/basal colour and much more strident, shorter and less extensive streaking. It was also a much paler brown bird on the upperparts, with more striking white-fringed wing-bars, white tail-sides and a white throat. The lower mandible was more yellow-toned in colour and the head pattern was typified by an obvious white eye-stripe. Once again, the lores were dark, the bill very slightly longer and the legs and feet very dark almost black. It was by far the more elegant pipit of the two.
HURDLESGROVE (BUCKS) (SP 805 230)
In crops east of the A413 about a mile north of Whitchurch contained a flock of 130 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER and 90 Lapwings.
FOXCOTE RESERVOIR (NORTH BUCKS)
(1500 hours until dusk)
Another attempt at the recent Greater Scaup but despite an extensive search, yet another blank. Definitely not in the NW arm.
The complete logcall went 6 Great Crested Grebes, 45 Mute Swans, 196 Atlantic Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose, 11 Mallard, 116 Eurasian Wigeon, 14 Common Teal, 18 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 1 drake NORTHERN PINTAIL, 18 Tufted Duck, 11 Northern Pochard, 6 COMMON GOLDENEYE (4 females), 2 GREEN SANDPIPERS and a Grey Wagtail.
There was a large pre-roost gathering of gulls which included 1 adult YELLOW-LEGGED, 139 Lesser Black-backed (of both graellsii and intermedius), an adult argenteus Herring Gull, 25 Common and 500+ Black-headed.
The reedbed in the NW arm was utilised by just over 300 Common Starlings before dusk.
BEARDIES still on site
All 4 BEARDED TITS still present at Walton Lake. I saw them drop into the reed bed to roost up at 16:25, looking from the boardwalk. Three birds lost to sight straight away but one male showed quite well, feeding on seed head and foraging in lower reeds (Martin Kincaid)
Monday, 8 November 2010
Walton Lake BEARDIES still in situ
The BEARDED TITS remain at Walton BL this morning.Having been away since Thursday night, this morning was the first chance I've had to look for Paul's 4 Bearded Tits. Unfortunately the weather was less than helpful; I was on site from dawn, confronted with persistent and frequently very heavy rain and regular strong gusts of wind.
Hardly good Bearded Tit weather...
At 08:05 3+ Bearded Tits put in a brief performance; I was looking right from the boardwalk where the hide used to be. Despite staying until 09:30, there was no further sight nor sound; the birds keeping their head down feeding I guess.
3-4 WATER RAILS called at various times, and the surprise of the morning was a WOODCOCK which flew over giving great views just before 09:00! (Ben Miller)
Hardly good Bearded Tit weather...
At 08:05 3+ Bearded Tits put in a brief performance; I was looking right from the boardwalk where the hide used to be. Despite staying until 09:30, there was no further sight nor sound; the birds keeping their head down feeding I guess.
3-4 WATER RAILS called at various times, and the surprise of the morning was a WOODCOCK which flew over giving great views just before 09:00! (Ben Miller)
Weekend Highlights - LGRE Diary Notes
Today's weather has given me an ideal opportunity to try and catch up reading and writing emails......
Firstly, SUNDAY 7 NOVEMBER Diary Notes
A fairly pleasant day in terms of weather, with fairly fresh easterly winds, some light showers but mainly bright conditions.
CHESS VALLEY (BUCKS)
In the Chess Valley, 3 LITTLE EGRETS had returned by late afternoon, feeding together in the usual stream east of Bois Mill. There has been one bird present in the valley for nearly two months now.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)
Roy Hargreaves and David Bilcock had discovered a GREATER SCAUP from the Drayton Hide early morning. I got down there at about 1600 hours and after scanning the 90 or so Aythyas swimming and diving for food between the central bank and the tern rafts, soon located the bird. As usual, it was a first-winter female-type, with warm to dark brown brown overall body colouration, a darker head with a pale crescent below the lower ear covert and some restricted white at the base of the bill. There was a hint of some subtle grey tones coming through on the upperparts and alongside Tufted Ducks, the bird could be seen to be larger, with a much flatter head and thicker neck and a larger bill. The bill was grey with a slight black nail at the tip. When diving, it characteristically lifted its whole body out of the water and dived in, noticeably different to the diving action of the Tufted Ducks. David, as always, obtained images of the bird, two of which are displayed above. It represents the first in the county this year.
I then left the hide after carrying out an inventory of the birds in that quarter and walked back towards the car park, where I scrutinised the gull roost as well as counted the rest of the birds present.
Great Crested Grebe (18)
Little Grebe (3 tightly-knit together)
*BLACK-NECKED GREBE (the long-staying bird still present, favouring the section visible from the jetty)
Cormorant (35)
Mute Swan (25 including the 5 first-winters)
Whooper Swan (the two tame adults, now resorting to being fed on bread)
Greylag Goose (67)
Gadwall (21)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (only 3 drakes this evening)
Shoveler (114)
Eurasian Wigeon (103 - very small number for this time of year)
Common Teal (347+)
Northern Pochard (189)
Tufted Duck (263)
COMMON GOLDENEYE (1 female in front of the hide - DB had seen two)
Coot (433)
Lapwing (130)
European Golden Plover (228)
Black-headed Gull (1,672 roosted - perhaps the first time they have actually done so this autumn)
Common Gull (just 13 with the above)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (14 adults)
Common Kingfisher
SATURDAY 6 NOVEMBER
A beautiful day and surprisingly warm at times, despite the wind coming from the NW in the morning. Dry and sunny.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)
(1030-1130 hours)
Joined Charlie, Francis and Ian on the jetty from where I eventually tracked down the WATER PIPIT present for its second day. I heard it uttering its metallic, sharp, short 'vieeet' flight note as it circled around the jetty but despite attempting to, it refused to land and disappeared strongly away towards Startop's End.
Also noted were the BLACK-NECKED GREBE (showing very well, close inshore to the bank), 1 LITTLE EGRET, 14 NORTHERN PINTAILS (mainly drakes), a female GOOSANDER (my first at the reservoirs this year), a single DUNLIN on the spit, 2 Common Snipe, 3 adult Common Gulls and a flyover LESSER REDPOLL.
WALTON LAKE, OUZEL VALLEY PARK (NORTH BUCKS)
My first visit to this small reedbed reserve - super site. Paul Moon had discovered four BEARDED TITS at this site yesterday whilst I was away in the Republic of Ireland and this was my first opportunity to visit. Mike Wallen had glimpsed a female in the last hour or so and after walking the boardwalk and perimeter path and hearing just 3 WATER RAILS, I concentrated my efforts in the area around the bench on the south side which soon reaped rewards. The BEARDED TITS were calling but not showing so I cheated. The distinctive contact calls were played from the mobile and out they all come - a single male particularly showing well as he sat aloft one of the swaying reeds. All four birds were very close - perhaps 25 yards away - but despite that, once down in the reeds, very hard to locate. The flock comprised of two adult males and two female-types - and in the warm sunshine, looked exquisite. A charming species indeed.
The Bearded Tit was not admitted to the County List until 1959, when one was seen at Claydon Brook, near Winslow. This was followed by a party of 4 which wintered at Marsworth Reservoir, Tring, from 2 November 1959, occasionally straying into the Bucks section of reedbed by the Grand Union Canal.
There then followed another migrating party of 4 at Old Slade Gravel Pits on 1 January 1966 and it was this very same site that hosted a wintering bird in February and March 1967. Again, this was the favoured haunt of a wintering flock of up to 8 birds from 17 November 1971 to 14 March 1972, a male of which had been colour-ringed at Minsmere RSPB reserve on the Suffolk coast.
The Autumn of 1972 really did see an invasion of this species and was the first time that I had seen Bearded Tits in the area, with a huge flock of up to 33 birds in the Newport Pagnell Gravel Pits locale from 29 October onwards and a party of 4 at Weston Turville Reservoir reedbed from 15 November until at least 8 December. Four remained at Newport Pagnell until 4 February 1973.
Later in 1973, one was seen at Padbury on 28 October and a pair were again at Weston Turville on 31 October, and in 1974, one was at Thornborough throughout January and a pair were at a suitable breeding locality throughout April but were never proved breeding. That autumn saw more again at Weston Turville reedbed, with 2 on 19 October, increasing to 6 by 30 and to as many as 10 from 2 November when I visited. They remained until the year end, with 6 more (including 4 males) at Little Marlow Gravel Pits on 9-10 November.
Over that 1974/75 winter, a total of 12 Bearded Tits was ringed at Weston Turville reedbed, with 5 birds still being seen as late as 4 March and in 1976, birds returned again, with at least 5 present on 18 October, remaining until 6 November.
Henry Mayer-Gross heard one flying over near his home in Worlds End, Wendover, on 18 October 1977 and again, a female inhabited the Turville reedbed on 25-26 November. A party of 4 arrived at Old Slade NR on 29 November 1977, all staying until 1 December and then a lone female until Boxing Day. She was seen again on 1 & 10 January 1978. On 14 October 1978, Bob Tunnicliffe observed a pair near Bletchley.
The next party involved 5 at Weston Turville Reservoir on 15 October 1980 followed by another invasion of up to 24 at Old Slade from 16-22 February 1981. A pair was seen at Spade Oak Pit, Little Marlow, on 30 October and 13 November 1983 and a female on 8 January and 11 February 1984., with a further cluster of sightings in 1986 - when four females were at Willen Lake on 19 October (with subsequent sightings of a male there on 3 November and a female next day) and two pairs were at Weston Turville from 30 October until at least Christmas Eve.
Bearded Tit occurrences then started to wane in the county and it was a species difficult-to-catch-up-with. 1988 saw 3 males at Willen lake on 23 October and a male at Calvert on 6 November, with two pairs at Weston Turville on 31 October to 1 November. This same site also hosted an adult male from 22 January to 20 February 1989 and a further 3 from 10-31 December 1992. On 30 October 1992, three flew high west over Linford NR.
The Turville three remained in the reedbed on and off until 6 March 1993, with a further pair being discovered by Rob Andrews at Hedgerley Tip on 4 December 1993. There then followed a male at Turville reedbed on 1 & 15 January 1994 and a very confiding male at Walton Balancing Lakes from 19-26 February 1994.
From then on, the status of this species in the county went pear-shaped, and in the New Millenium, the only sighting was of a female photographed at Wotton on 18 October 2002.
LINFORD NATURE RESERVE (NORTH BUCKS)
The three adult WHOOPER SWANS were asleep on the bund mid-afternoon, whilst otherwise just 28 Mute Swans, 11 Pochard, 16 Gadwall and a few Eurasian Wigeon were noted; plus a juvenile Great Crested Grebe still beinga ttended by the parent.
FOXCOTE RESERVOIR (NORTH BUCKS)
Andy Harding and I coincided our visit with an unfortunate afternoon shoot and consequently wildfowl were scattered everywhere. In a rush to beat them, I lost my beloved 30x wide angle lens, but miraculously relocated it after a lengthy search. The reason for my visit - Adam Bassett's SCAUP - did not realise, and after an exhaustive search of all wildfowl present, noted were 45 Mute Swans, 2 Common Teal, 228+ Eurasian Wigeon (nearer 300 in reality), 24 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 33 Tufted Duck, 13 Pochard, 3 COMMON GOLDENEYE (1 adult drake), 1 Dabchick, 6 Great Crested Grebes and 4 GREEN SANDPIPERS.
AYLESBURY COUNTY HALL (BUCKS)
One of the adult PEREGRINES chased and killed a Feral Pigeon and proceeded to pluck and eat it on one of the window ledges.
Firstly, SUNDAY 7 NOVEMBER Diary Notes
A fairly pleasant day in terms of weather, with fairly fresh easterly winds, some light showers but mainly bright conditions.
CHESS VALLEY (BUCKS)
In the Chess Valley, 3 LITTLE EGRETS had returned by late afternoon, feeding together in the usual stream east of Bois Mill. There has been one bird present in the valley for nearly two months now.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)
Roy Hargreaves and David Bilcock had discovered a GREATER SCAUP from the Drayton Hide early morning. I got down there at about 1600 hours and after scanning the 90 or so Aythyas swimming and diving for food between the central bank and the tern rafts, soon located the bird. As usual, it was a first-winter female-type, with warm to dark brown brown overall body colouration, a darker head with a pale crescent below the lower ear covert and some restricted white at the base of the bill. There was a hint of some subtle grey tones coming through on the upperparts and alongside Tufted Ducks, the bird could be seen to be larger, with a much flatter head and thicker neck and a larger bill. The bill was grey with a slight black nail at the tip. When diving, it characteristically lifted its whole body out of the water and dived in, noticeably different to the diving action of the Tufted Ducks. David, as always, obtained images of the bird, two of which are displayed above. It represents the first in the county this year.
I then left the hide after carrying out an inventory of the birds in that quarter and walked back towards the car park, where I scrutinised the gull roost as well as counted the rest of the birds present.
Great Crested Grebe (18)
Little Grebe (3 tightly-knit together)
*BLACK-NECKED GREBE (the long-staying bird still present, favouring the section visible from the jetty)
Cormorant (35)
Mute Swan (25 including the 5 first-winters)
Whooper Swan (the two tame adults, now resorting to being fed on bread)
Greylag Goose (67)
Gadwall (21)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (only 3 drakes this evening)
Shoveler (114)
Eurasian Wigeon (103 - very small number for this time of year)
Common Teal (347+)
Northern Pochard (189)
Tufted Duck (263)
COMMON GOLDENEYE (1 female in front of the hide - DB had seen two)
Coot (433)
Lapwing (130)
European Golden Plover (228)
Black-headed Gull (1,672 roosted - perhaps the first time they have actually done so this autumn)
Common Gull (just 13 with the above)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (14 adults)
Common Kingfisher
SATURDAY 6 NOVEMBER
A beautiful day and surprisingly warm at times, despite the wind coming from the NW in the morning. Dry and sunny.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)
(1030-1130 hours)
Joined Charlie, Francis and Ian on the jetty from where I eventually tracked down the WATER PIPIT present for its second day. I heard it uttering its metallic, sharp, short 'vieeet' flight note as it circled around the jetty but despite attempting to, it refused to land and disappeared strongly away towards Startop's End.
Also noted were the BLACK-NECKED GREBE (showing very well, close inshore to the bank), 1 LITTLE EGRET, 14 NORTHERN PINTAILS (mainly drakes), a female GOOSANDER (my first at the reservoirs this year), a single DUNLIN on the spit, 2 Common Snipe, 3 adult Common Gulls and a flyover LESSER REDPOLL.
WALTON LAKE, OUZEL VALLEY PARK (NORTH BUCKS)
My first visit to this small reedbed reserve - super site. Paul Moon had discovered four BEARDED TITS at this site yesterday whilst I was away in the Republic of Ireland and this was my first opportunity to visit. Mike Wallen had glimpsed a female in the last hour or so and after walking the boardwalk and perimeter path and hearing just 3 WATER RAILS, I concentrated my efforts in the area around the bench on the south side which soon reaped rewards. The BEARDED TITS were calling but not showing so I cheated. The distinctive contact calls were played from the mobile and out they all come - a single male particularly showing well as he sat aloft one of the swaying reeds. All four birds were very close - perhaps 25 yards away - but despite that, once down in the reeds, very hard to locate. The flock comprised of two adult males and two female-types - and in the warm sunshine, looked exquisite. A charming species indeed.
The Bearded Tit was not admitted to the County List until 1959, when one was seen at Claydon Brook, near Winslow. This was followed by a party of 4 which wintered at Marsworth Reservoir, Tring, from 2 November 1959, occasionally straying into the Bucks section of reedbed by the Grand Union Canal.
There then followed another migrating party of 4 at Old Slade Gravel Pits on 1 January 1966 and it was this very same site that hosted a wintering bird in February and March 1967. Again, this was the favoured haunt of a wintering flock of up to 8 birds from 17 November 1971 to 14 March 1972, a male of which had been colour-ringed at Minsmere RSPB reserve on the Suffolk coast.
The Autumn of 1972 really did see an invasion of this species and was the first time that I had seen Bearded Tits in the area, with a huge flock of up to 33 birds in the Newport Pagnell Gravel Pits locale from 29 October onwards and a party of 4 at Weston Turville Reservoir reedbed from 15 November until at least 8 December. Four remained at Newport Pagnell until 4 February 1973.
Later in 1973, one was seen at Padbury on 28 October and a pair were again at Weston Turville on 31 October, and in 1974, one was at Thornborough throughout January and a pair were at a suitable breeding locality throughout April but were never proved breeding. That autumn saw more again at Weston Turville reedbed, with 2 on 19 October, increasing to 6 by 30 and to as many as 10 from 2 November when I visited. They remained until the year end, with 6 more (including 4 males) at Little Marlow Gravel Pits on 9-10 November.
Over that 1974/75 winter, a total of 12 Bearded Tits was ringed at Weston Turville reedbed, with 5 birds still being seen as late as 4 March and in 1976, birds returned again, with at least 5 present on 18 October, remaining until 6 November.
Henry Mayer-Gross heard one flying over near his home in Worlds End, Wendover, on 18 October 1977 and again, a female inhabited the Turville reedbed on 25-26 November. A party of 4 arrived at Old Slade NR on 29 November 1977, all staying until 1 December and then a lone female until Boxing Day. She was seen again on 1 & 10 January 1978. On 14 October 1978, Bob Tunnicliffe observed a pair near Bletchley.
The next party involved 5 at Weston Turville Reservoir on 15 October 1980 followed by another invasion of up to 24 at Old Slade from 16-22 February 1981. A pair was seen at Spade Oak Pit, Little Marlow, on 30 October and 13 November 1983 and a female on 8 January and 11 February 1984., with a further cluster of sightings in 1986 - when four females were at Willen Lake on 19 October (with subsequent sightings of a male there on 3 November and a female next day) and two pairs were at Weston Turville from 30 October until at least Christmas Eve.
Bearded Tit occurrences then started to wane in the county and it was a species difficult-to-catch-up-with. 1988 saw 3 males at Willen lake on 23 October and a male at Calvert on 6 November, with two pairs at Weston Turville on 31 October to 1 November. This same site also hosted an adult male from 22 January to 20 February 1989 and a further 3 from 10-31 December 1992. On 30 October 1992, three flew high west over Linford NR.
The Turville three remained in the reedbed on and off until 6 March 1993, with a further pair being discovered by Rob Andrews at Hedgerley Tip on 4 December 1993. There then followed a male at Turville reedbed on 1 & 15 January 1994 and a very confiding male at Walton Balancing Lakes from 19-26 February 1994.
From then on, the status of this species in the county went pear-shaped, and in the New Millenium, the only sighting was of a female photographed at Wotton on 18 October 2002.
LINFORD NATURE RESERVE (NORTH BUCKS)
The three adult WHOOPER SWANS were asleep on the bund mid-afternoon, whilst otherwise just 28 Mute Swans, 11 Pochard, 16 Gadwall and a few Eurasian Wigeon were noted; plus a juvenile Great Crested Grebe still beinga ttended by the parent.
FOXCOTE RESERVOIR (NORTH BUCKS)
Andy Harding and I coincided our visit with an unfortunate afternoon shoot and consequently wildfowl were scattered everywhere. In a rush to beat them, I lost my beloved 30x wide angle lens, but miraculously relocated it after a lengthy search. The reason for my visit - Adam Bassett's SCAUP - did not realise, and after an exhaustive search of all wildfowl present, noted were 45 Mute Swans, 2 Common Teal, 228+ Eurasian Wigeon (nearer 300 in reality), 24 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 33 Tufted Duck, 13 Pochard, 3 COMMON GOLDENEYE (1 adult drake), 1 Dabchick, 6 Great Crested Grebes and 4 GREEN SANDPIPERS.
AYLESBURY COUNTY HALL (BUCKS)
One of the adult PEREGRINES chased and killed a Feral Pigeon and proceeded to pluck and eat it on one of the window ledges.
Sunday, 7 November 2010
BEARDED TITS still at Walton Lake
Four birds showing well from 08.30-08.50. Good views to the right from the end of the boardwalk. At 08.50 all four took off and gained height before heading off to the NW, just as they had done at the same time on Saturday - but higher - Peter Barnes
SCAUP still present
Tim Watts photographed the GREATER SCAUP at Foxcote Reservoir again this morning, despite the fact that Andy Harding and I could not locate it there yesterday afternoon. A drake Pintail was also there today, following a female yesterday. Also 4 Green Sandpipers.
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