North Bucks today

A quick check of a couple of North Bucks sites this evening produced:

Willen North: 2 LRP, 1 Oystercatcher

Willen South: 2 Common Tern, 17 Sand Martin, 4 Swallows

Caldecotte South: 1 House Martin, 10+ Sand Martin, 3 Swallows

Ben Miller

More Rook surveying and more RING OUZELS

Male Ring Ouzel in Inkombe Hole today (Dave Hutchinson)

WEDNESDAY 04 APRIL

Well first thing there was another light frost and I had to scrape ice from the windscreen for the third day running. This was followed by another fine day (very unexpected considering the forecast) before another cold front reached the Chilterns just after 1800 hours, with cold winds increasing from the ENE

Checked out west Bucks this morning, mainly searching for ROOKERIES. Found two more sites - WESTFIELD FARM at MEDMENHAM along the Marlow Road at SU 797 847 (43 active nests) and then along London Road in STOKENCHURCH at SU 768 959 (54 active nests). Bizarrely, Richard Billyard also checked this latter site today.....

At NORTHLEIGH GARDEN CENTRE in OXFORDSHIRE, a singing male MARSH TIT was showing very well

IVINGHOE HILLS (BUCKS)

At around 1800 hours, the wind freshened up from the ENE and a huge sleet shower moved across the Chiltern escarpment. New in today were 3 RING OUZELS in Inkombe Hole - a splendid adult male, a first-winter male and a female - all showing well on the upper slopes at the top end (car park end) and easily viewable from the new gate on the bridleway. A single male NORTHERN WHEATEAR was also with them, with yesterday's 3 still on the Beacon SE slope. I also had 2 Continental Song Thrushes on Steps Hill.

TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)

I was expecting big things with this evening's weather but nothing exciting. WILSTONE had the ever-present DARK-BELLIED BRENT, 4 Little Egrets, 5 Mute Swans, a drake Wigeon, a female Pochard, 18 Gadwall, 27 Shoveler, a COMMON TERN, 18 Black-headed Gulls, 5 Common Gulls, just 1 OYSTERCATCHER, an increase to 115 SAND MARTINS, 9 HOUSE MARTINS and 14 BARN SWALLOWS.

Very quiet at the other reservoirs - just 1 LRP of note on STARTOP'S

Great to hear my good friend Clive Byers chatting to Simon Mayo on Drivetime Radio 2 about woodpeckers and how they do not sustain brain injury when drumming/tapping

Rowsham fields harbour fall of WHEATEARS and first COMMON REDSTART of year

A bitterly cold walk around the fields this evening was livened up when I noticed a couple of Wheatears. I then noticed more in the adjacent field so approached for a closer look. The few turned into 7 definites, possibly 9. Whilst admiring these I then heard a repeated 'huet' and pretty much instantly recognised it as a calling COMMON REDSTART. I couldn't see it for ages and then just the briefest of glimpses as it flicked out of some bushes and back in again. Definitely of the Common variety and probably a male but couldn't be 100%. The incredible thing is that it was in exactly the same 30 metres of hedge that the first male of last Summer/ Autumn's birds turned up in. The weather deteriorated and the bird became silent, I ran the last bit to home as a hailstorm arrived.

Unfortunately this bird is miles from the nearest footpath on private land, it is not where birders enjoyed many last Autumn. I'm not sure I'll have chance to check it out tomorrow, maybe Friday morning. If its there I'll try and arrange access (Mike Wallen)

Spade Oak Pit today

Dave Ferguson watched an ICELAND GULL this afternoon in the roost on Spade Oak whilst photographer John Foster had at least 10 HOUSE MARTINS overhead this evening (see above)

Cracking male RING OUZEL at the Beacon Slopes

TUESDAY 03 APRIL (LGRE DIARY NOTES)

Well the day started off fine and dry with another light frost followed by clear, bright periods. The wind was light northerly and with the sunshine, temperatures reached 52 degrees F by late morning. Dark clouds then approached from the west with a cold front encroaching down from the north, pegging temperatures back by at least 10 degrees by mid-afternoon. Some hefty rain/sleet showers followed, with further rain setting in by evening.

With such an abrupt change in the weather, migrant birds were bound to appear and by the end of the day, a nice haul was bagged.......

CROXLEY COMMON MOOR (HERTS)

Following up on Geoff Lapworth's visit of yesterday, I joined JT mid-morning and enjoyed my first views of WILLOW WARBLER this year - a male singing and showing close to the main footpath that crosses the common; also a singing male Blackcap and at least 6 singing Common Chiffchaffs

STOCKER'S LAKE (HERTS)

Next off, Joan and I visited Stocker's. Avian highlights included a single COMMON TERN (another year first for me), 7 Red-crested Pochards (6 drakes) on Bury Lake, a single BARN SWALLOW by Stocker's Farm and a very confiding and vocal CETTI'S WARBLER in scrub along the causeway.

The full list of species included Great Crested Grebe (8), Sinensis Cormorants, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Atlantic Canada Geese, Mallard, 2 Common Teal, Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pochard, a remaining adult drake COMMON GOLDENEYE, Sparrowhawk, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, pair of Greenfinches, 8 House Sparrows by Stocker's Farm, Reed Bunting, 11 singing male Common Chiffchaffs and 5 singing male Blackcaps

Joan and I then decided to visit GLOUCESTERSHIRE, where we quickly connected with a first-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL.........

**ADD IN NOTES FROM GLOUCS

As we arrived back into Buckinghamshire, we hit a huge hail storm and blackened skies. Such conditions are ideal for grounding migrants so Joan and I headed straight for the hills.....

At the entrance to WAUDS HURST FARM, RINGSHALL (SP 984 147), sadly a dead BADGER (this follows two that I saw on the A41 at the weekend and another on the B4442 in Chalfont St Giles (SU 994 939))

IVINGHOE BEACON (BUCKS)

In much cooler temperatures, Dunstable birder Tony Stachnicki, JT and I walked up to just below the Beacon trig point and relocated Daniel's cracking adult male RING OUZEL. It was favouring the rabbit burrows on the SE slope and as evening approached, it flew to roost in scrub adjacent to the Beacon footpath. I speculated whether or not this was last year's adult male returning (the long-staying male of last spring). The slope also held 3 migrant NORTHERN WHEATEARS, a bright male and two females.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

In such conditions, it is always worth checking Wilstone and this evening proved extremely worthwhile. Whilst scanning the large number of newly-arrived hirundines, I came across a large raptor circling the reedbed at 1920 hours and instantly recognised it as a male MARSH HARRIER. In fact it was an adult male, with some moult in the primaries. I quickly got Joan on to it and then 'phoned Dave Bilcock. Two corvids took an instant dislike to the bird and began pestering it, forcing it to gain height. It kept on spiralling upwards and then when just above the Black Poplars, started to flap strongly eastwards. The two corvids continued to harass, the harrier then gaining ever increasing height. It then started to head northeast. At this point, Charlie Jackson arrived at the steps, and after a few attempts, I finally managed to get him on to the bird. Joan and I then watched it eventually disappear to a dot, most likely over Long Marston in the end. I took my eyes off of it at 1927 hours.

A single noisy EURASIAN CURLEW was roosting on the hide spit before it flew off east, whilst a single COMMON TERN was flying amongst 15 Black-headed Gulls. A swirl of SAND MARTINS numbered an impressive 83 birds. Great Crested Grebes numbered 32.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

The Wilstone EURASIAN CURLEW had relocated to the mud on Startop's but after calling loudly, it once again flew off and this time headed south towards Tring. Both OYSTERCATCHERS were present and the single drake Wigeon.

Added LITTLE RINGED PLOVER and SWALLOW

MONDAY 02 APRIL (LGRE DIARY NOTES)

After a very slight frost, it was another glorious day, with light northerly winds, clear skies and unbroken sunshine. Despite the cool wind, temperatures reached 12 degrees C during the afternoon

Following an early morning call from Darrel Bryant, I started off my day at Norton Green.......

NORTON GREEN, STEVENAGE (HERTFORDSHIRE)

Darrel discovered a cracking adult male RING OUZEL at Norton Green last night and luckily, despite clear skies, it was still present this morning. I joined two other observers mid-morning to find the stunning bird resting in Willows on the west flank of the site, just 200 yards in from the parking gate at the south end. It sat there for about 25 minutes before finally being pestered by a male Common Blackbird and then flew to the ground and started feeding. It afforded excellent views and was still present when I departed at 1020 hours.

OFFLEY BOTTOM FARM (HERTS)

Two CORN BUNTINGS noted in the roadside hedgerow at TL 164 287

PEGSDON HILLS NR (BEDFORDSHIRE)

Walked the Icknield Way Path and Deacon Hill area but failed to find any Ring Ouzels or Northern Wheatears - just 4 FIELDFARES on the lower slopes, 1 singing Common Chiffchaff in the Palnatation, a singing male Blackcap in The Meg and several Red-legged Partridges. A Red Kite was busy collecting nest material.

Spent an hour or so in suitable weather scanning over Goshawk habitat but no joy - just several more Red Kites and Common Buzzards.

DUNSTABLE SEWAGE FARM (BEDS)

The two (pair) Whooper Swans were present, along with 15 Common Teal and 8 Gadwall, 4 Common Snipes, a LITTLE RINGED PLOVER and 4 singing male Common Chiffchaffs

GROVEBURY SAND PIT (BEDS)

Not far from Grovebury, I located two displaying pairs of EURASIAN CURLEW, the eery calls penetrating loudly across the fields; also Sparrowhawk and a single FIELDFARE

On the pit itself, very quiet - pair of Great Crested Grebes, pair of Mute Swans and pair of OYSTERCATCHERS

Nearby at GROVE (BUCKS), the small coppice at SP 920 222 held 28 active Rook nests (the total this spring in the county a whopping 1,094 nests - and still more to count)

COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)

An impressive 35 waders of 5 different species noted, including a pair of LITTLE RINGED PLOVERS from Octagon Hide (my first in Bucks this year), 2 Common Snipes, the usual pair of OYSTERCATCHERS (which, incidentally, do seem likely to be the parents of the Tring 3), the 11 Common Redshank and 18 Lapwing (7 birds now sitting).

Also present were 6 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Mute Swans, the COMMON SHELDUCK pair, 8 Teal, 6 Shoveler, 6 Common Gulls, 1 Argenteus Herring Gull, pair of Lesser Black-backs and singing Blackcap and Common Chiffchaff (2).

JUBILEE RIVER AT TAPLOW LAKES (SOUTH BUCKS)

No sign of KD's Dark-bellied Brent Goose of the last two days but 32 Mute Swans grazing in the second field south of the river.

SPADE OAK PIT, LITTLE MARLOW (SOUTH BUCKS)

Little migrant activity apart from 20 SAND MARTINS, a single BARN SWALLOW (my first in Bucks) and the LITTLE RINGED PLOVER pair on the spit

Usual padders in the form of Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, 8 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 6 Shoveler and 8 Great Crested Grebes, just 12 Lapwing, 18 Herring Gulls, 25 Common Gulls (mostly first-years), 2 Sparrowhawks, upwards of 25 Red Kites and singing Common Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

BRENT GOOSE still present at Amerden

01/4 14:00 : DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE : Jubilee River. Still present feeding amongst the Greylag/Canada Geese in the adjacent fields west of Marsh Lane opposite Taplow Lake. (Kevin Duncan)