A Red Letter Day in the Local Area - LGRE Diary Notes

MONDAY 22 AUGUST

With a steady SSE breeze blowing and part-cloudy skies, I knew today was going to be special - it had that feel to it. Being bereft of any avian enjoyment since Friday, I was ready for action and committed a day to slogging the local patches - and furthermore Steve Rodwell was back and work and out of play.........

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTFORDSHIRE)
(0940-1320 hours)

Despite feeling very warm, there was enough dark clouds in the sky to thwart migrating birds over the Chilterns and as usual in such conditions, today the reservoirs acted as a magnet.....

Looking to the skies throughout the morning, it soon became apparent that many raptors were migrating, mostly in a west or SSW direction. Pride of place went to an adult OSPREY that came through late morning, being slowly harassed by corvids as it flew at great height slowly west and then SSW across the reservoir. I picked it up initially over Wilstone village (from the Drayton Bank Hide) and managed to get all other 8 occupants in the hide on to it before it drifted away towards Drayton Beauchamp. Two different juvenile MARSH HARRIERS also came through, neither even pausing to check out the mud or reedbeds, and simply flying from NE to SW and making a beeline for the Wendover escarpment. A steady stream of Red Kite and Common Buzzard was apparent (at least 16 of the former and 11 of the latter, the Common Buzzards of which all were juvenile) with 2 Sparrowhawks (probably of local origin) also seen.

Steve Rodwell's BLACK TERN was also still present and was a pristine juvenile (second day). It frequently settled and joined the ever-growing daytime gull roost on the mud left of the hide, which this morning hosted two different very fresh juvenile MEDITERRANEAN GULLS, 216 Black-headed Gulls and 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls; 25 Common Terns remained too.

Waders were also exciting with the arrival of 4 RUFFS at 0945 (all juvenile, with three males and one female) - joining a throng of 13 COMMON GREENSHANKS (mostly juvenile), two juvenile BLACK-TAILED GODWITS, a single juvenile DUNLIN, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers and 330 Lapwing.

Since my visit last week, there was also a marked increase in wildfowl numbers with Common Teal up to 43, Shoveler to 17, Gadwall to 18, Wigeon to 8 and Northern Pochard to an impressive 30, whilst 14 LITTLE EGRETS were tricking the last few remaining fish in the shallow SE quarter into submission by their continual foot-paddling.

There was a constant procession of hirundines migrating, with over 190 Barn Swallows south during the morning and 85 House Martins, whilst a Common Chiffchaff was in song in the NW corner and a juvenile COAL TIT was in the Poplars just west of the car park.

A Grey Wagtail and 27 Mute Swans were also noted, as were both Chinese Water Deer......

THE IVINGHOE HILLS ICKNIELD WAY ESCARPMENT (BUCKS)

Having great expectations, I walked from the south end of Aldbury Nowers north and east along the Icknield Way to the east end of Gallows Hill - a distance of over 10 miles in total. Was it worth it - yes - as the highlight was a very vocal and stonking fresh male COMMON REDSTART showing very well in the isolated five Hawthorn bushes on the slope above Brook Statnall's Wood at Pitstone Hill, about 350 yards SW along the Icknield Way from the main car park. It was a gorgeous bird - and so showy.

The only other migrants noted, apart from one flock of 24 Barn Swallows, were 2 juvenile NORTHERN WHEATEARS - one on the fenceline just SE of the trig point at the Beacon and another on the fence by the Sheep Pen.

Two Brown Hares were sighted at Gallows Hill, whilst butterflies included a good number of Meadow Brown and Small Heath, 20 Chalkhill Blues and single Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell.

SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)

As the evening progressed, a thick band of darker cloud cover encroached from the south - a precursor of some seriously wet weather expected overnight. Despite an extensive search, there was no sign of the female Common Redstart - the only migrants apparent being 2 juvenile WILLOW WARBLERS, 5 SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS, a juvenile Blackcap and a Common Chiffchaff.

Of the residents, the female MANDARIN DUCK was still present - this evening venturing out on the grass to graze.....

Also 7 Little Grebes (4 juveniles) (but again no sign of any GCG's), the Mute Swan family (6 surviving cygnets), now 4 NORTHERN POCHARDS (female and 3 drakes), 3 Tufted Duck, Common Kestrel, pair of Stock Dove, 2 Common Magpies, Nuthatch, 3 Great Tits, 12 Long-tailed Tits, 15 Blue Tits, Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker, Goldcrest, 13 Goldfinch and COMMON KINGFISHER

If all goes to plan, tomorrow should be very exciting.........WATCH THIS SPACE

Weekend Summary

COMMON REDSTARTS continue to be the talking point with at least 3 still at Rowsham, up to 5 on the Ivinghoe Hills Nature Reserve, up to 8 on Quainton Hills and single females at Dorney Lake and Shardeloes Lake.

Warren Claydon had 2 WHINCHATS at Lodge Hill Farm, whilst a HAWFINCH flew over Middle Claydon

Large fall of NORTHERN WHEATEARS in Milton Keynes

No less than 11 NORTHERN WHEATEARS in car park/parents parking bays of Priory Rise School, Snelshall West, M/Keynes Saturday morning (per Graham Irving)

Major fall on Quainton Hills

Quainton Hills today produced no less than 9 COMMON REDSTARTS and 17 Northern Wheatears, along with WHINCHAT, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit and an excellent selection of warblers (per Warren Claydon)

More FIRECRESTS and SPOT FLYS

Having had a couple of unsuccesful days out, it was nice to see some birds today. First up was a family party of FIRECRESTS just inside the main entrance opposite the Feathers pub. 7 or 8 were calling in holly just to the left of the entrance.All were typically elusive and impossible to see, bar one, a scruffyadult that fltted about in twigs just above my head. so close I had good views without bins. Further into the estate I connected with another family party of similar number, counted on calls. With 4 more picked up on call around the estate 20 was a minimum. My largest total on the estate. Goldcrest were noticeable by their absence with only 4 possibles. No Firecrests encountered by the Orangry Restuarant but a lively family of Coal tits, entertained.

I was going to give Mike's redstarts another go but heavy traffic into Amersham changed my plans and I stopped off at Shardeloes Lake. Initially I had 2 Spot flys at the end of the lake with several Willow/Chiff around. After a walk further along I returned and found 3 Spot flys just to the west of the lake end where the Willows pull back and there is a sedge patch in front. But on viewing the lakeend again I could only find 1. So 4 or 5 in total (Dave Cleal)

REDSTARTS galore

MONDAY 8 AUGUST

A very autumnly feel to the weather today, with quite strong and cool NW winds and grey, overcast skies for much of the time.........

Another freshly killed Badger I am afraid - this time on the A404 at Hazlemere, by the plantation there at SU 897 958

IVINGHOE HILLS NATURE RESERVE (BUCKS)

Both male and female COMMON REDSTARTS were still present in a very blustery Incombe Hole whilst on the recently cut fields, two different YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS were located with the Lesser Black-backs - an adult with 60 birds in the main field east of the Beacon car park and a 2nd-winter with just a dozen birds in the field below Steps Hill - both presumably birds found at the weekend by David Bilcock. There was also at least one of the colour-ringed Norwegian Lesser Black-backed Gulls still in the area.

ROWSHAM (CENTRAL BUCKS)

Returned once again to Rowsham mid-afternoon where remarkably no less than 6 COMMON REDSTARTS remain in the area - just what is it that is keeping birds here?

Three adult males remained in the main hedgerow leading SE from the derelict buildings of Ridgway (as far as the chalk mounds), with another NE of there in the corner of the field with the new pile of fence wire and two female/immatures in the vicinity of the dried-up pond literally by the buildings. All of the adult males were still in very good plumage condition and birds continue to be very vocal.

Apart from the redstarts, little other migrant activity, but 22 Swallows still around the farm buildings at the end of Bennett's Lane, a juvenile Pied Wagtail and 8 Red Kites and 19 Linnets attracted to the setaside field now being ploughed up by the farmer.

AYLESBURY TOWN CENTRE (BUCKS)

The female PEREGRINE was in residence on the Council building at 1600 hours.

DEEP MILL POND, GREAT MISSENDEN (BUCKS)

Bank's Pond, to the south of Great Missendon, was completely dry whilst neighbouring Deep Mill Pond held just 8 Coot, 8 Moorhen and a female Tufted Duck.

SHARDELOES LAKE (SOUTH BUCKS)

In very blustery conditions, migrants included 44 House Martins and the first local SAND MARTIN of the autumn. There was no sign of the recent Common Redstart nor Spotted Flycatchers.

The 4 Great Crested Grebes were still present (juvenile now independently feeding), the 4 Dabchicks, 1 Grey Heron, 62 Coot (including 7 'new' babies fledged in recent days) and an adult Song Thrush still feeding young in a nest.

REDSTARTS and PIED FLYCATCHERS

At least 4 COMMON REDSTARTS remain at Rowsham, the two in Incombe Hole, Steps Hill and up to 7 on the Quainton Hills......also 1 in the Amersham Recording Area.......

MONDAY 1 AUGUST

A light easterly breeze blowing with some cloud but very warm temperatures - feeling very 'muggy' indeed at 81 degrees F

With over 15 COMMON REDSTARTS recorded in the county this year, it was perhaps inevitable that the Amersham Recording Area would see its first for many years this autumn. As such, Richard Birch discovered one at Shardeloes on Saturday......

SHARDELOES LAKE (SOUTH BUCKS)

The female/immature COMMON REDSTART was still present this morning, calling loudly from the small plantation that lies just to the left of the lake 80 yards beyond the first gate. The bird was very elusive and eventually flew up the slope and disappeared into the wood below Shardeloes House.

Also mid-morning, a juvenile PIED FLYCATCHER arrived in this same tiny stand of lakeside trees and showed well for about 15 minutes before too moving further up the slope and into the wood beneath Shardeloes House. It was present up to 1020 hours at least.

Further migrants came in the form of a bright juvenile WILLOW WARBLER and a party of 8 SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS, the latter all feeding from the tall Oak trees by the gate. A party of 3 Common Swifts flew through, as well as 8 Barn Swallows.

Little Grebes have bred locally, with two juveniles now accompanying two adults on the lake, with the 4 Great Crested Grebes on site and the continuing female MANDARIN DUCK

Also Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker, juvenile Common Buzzard, Common Treecreeper and Bullfinch