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



Thursday, 9 January 2014

PINTAILS at Linford

THURSDAY 9 JANUARY
 
After completing my Birdwatching review of the month, I set forth into the northern part of the county in search of birds. It had been the first complete day without rain in over two weeks and was fairly mild at 8 degrees C. There was some long spells of winter sunshine.
 
A Eurasian Sparrowhawk whipped across the A509 at SHERINGTON whilst at EMBERTON PARK LAKES (SP 8850), the 20 GOOSANDER were still present. The Ouse was terribly swollen and had burst its banks, flooding over into the park (see pic) and surrounding fields. Other waterbirds present included 22 Mute Swans, 26 Atlantic Canadas, a single Greylag Goose, the injured Barnacle Goose, 42 Mallard, 8 Gadwall, 16 Tufted Duck, 2 Northern Pochard, just 2 Coot, 6 Moorhen and a Little Grebe, whilst the flooded fields had attracted 46 Common Starlings, 96 Fieldfare and 38 Redwings; Reed Bunting (pictured), Wren, Grey Heron, 140 Black-headed Gull, 3 Woodpigeon and Common Magpie all recorded too.






















My best shots of a Greylag Goose thus far




A lot of Fieldfare about


...and severe flooding in the park

I then drove north into NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, birding the eastern pit complex of EARLS BARTON GP at MARY'S LAKE (SP 89 64). The long-staying GREAT WHITE EGRET was showing very well feeding along the well-vegetated edge of the gravel pit immediately south of Mary's Lake, whilst all 3 juvenile LONG-TAILED DUCKS were together on the main lake.
 
22 Mute Swans, Grey Heron, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Pochard, 39 Tufted Duck, an impressive raft of 18 Common Goldeneye (the drakes in head-throwing back display), redhead GOOSANDER (roosting on the north bank of Mary's Lake), Coot, Moorhen, Sparrowhawk and 2 Bullfinch were also recorded.













 Back in NORTH BUCKS at LINFORD NR, just 2 NORTHERN PINTAIL (a pair) remained with 238 Eurasian Wigeon from Near Hide, but there was no sign of any black-capped tits at the feeding station at Woodland Hide. Again, site in heavy flood, but 22 Mute Swans (including a family party of 7), 234 Greylag Geese, 64 Teal, 14 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 72 Coot, 2 WATER RAIL, 3 Grey Heron, 84 lapwing and a Common Buzzard all noted, with a large roost of Fieldfare (240) and Redwing (80) at dusk

Tuesday, 7 January 2014

Just over the border........

In OXFORDSHIRE for its second day, a GLOSSY IBIS on floodwater SSW of Bicester at Bicester Avenue Garden Centre

A splash of colour

TUESDAY 7 JANUARY
 
Another day dominated by heavy rain, resulting in ever more flooding and sodden ground everywhere; drier interludes later and temperatures at around 9 degrees C.
 
More local birding today, concentrating mainly in Hertfordshire.......
 
Once the torrential downpours had ceased, I wandered down to BURNHAM BEECHES NNR (BUCKS) to photograph MANDARIN DUCKS, just 12 being present today (7 drakes). Also 18 mallard, 1 Moorhen, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, LESSER REDPOLL and some very confiding Carrion Crows, one partially albinistic.
 
My first Eurasian Sparrowhawk of the year dashed across the A412 near WEST HYDE where on LYNSTERS FIELD, the escaped Cackling Goose was still present with 70 Atlantic Canadas. At neighbouring STOCKERS LAKE, wandering the Colne on the northern flank failed to yield any of the wintering Chiffchaffs - just the Australian Black Swan still, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 6 Wrens of note.
 
Over at TYTTENHANGER, the TREE SPARROW population was holding up well, with 24 at one site and 8 at another, as well as 6 Reed Buntings, 2 Yellowhammers, 8 Red-legged Partridge, 5 Meadow Pipits, 10 Chaffinch, 8 House Sparrow, 4 BULLFINCH, 2 Common Blackbirds and 8+ Common Magpies.
 
The rest of the day was spent at GREAT HARDMEAD LAKE, AMWELL NR, where neither the Bittern or female Bearded Tit put in an appearance. Highlight was the juvenile drake SMEW, hiding beneath the undergrowth of the island opposite Gladwin Hide - one of only two birds seen in the county this January and one of the worst winters overall for the species.
 
Otherwise, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 28 Sinensis Cormorant, 7 Mute Swans, 26 Atlantic Canada Geese, 2 Greylag Geese, 15 Mallard, 66 Gadwall, 41 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 16 Shoveler, 22 Tufted Duck, 4 Common Goldeneye, 114 Coot, 82 Lapwing, Water Rail, 54 Great Black-backed Gulls (in roost), 2 Jay, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, 9 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Greenfinch and 5 Reed Bunting.
 

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Today's Images



































A decent roost at Caldecotte tonight (more gulls than last week anyway).

Highlight was a 1cy Caspian Gull, also 1+ 1cy Yellow-legged Gull.


Beast place to look at the Gulls from is in the SE corner by the offices - this is where they have roosted the last couple of times I have been there. The water level is exceptionally high at the moment and this evening it wasn't possible to walk from the North Lake to the South lake without crossing over the main road as all the paths were covered with a couple of foot of water (per Matt Slaymaker)

Elsewhere in the North of the county, PINTAIL at both Manor Farm (2) and Linford NR (5) and the CATTLE EGRET still present just east of Briarhill Farm.

At Gallows Bridge, up to 33 RUFF present on the far floods (Tim Watts)

Thursday, 2 January 2014

KITTIWAKE at Willen and CATTLE EGRET still there

An adult KITTIWAKE spent just over an hour at Willen Lake's South Basin this afternoon (1300-1400 hours) (Nik Maynard/Robert Norris) whilst the CATTLE EGRET remains just west of Steeple Clayton at Briarhill Farm - SP 685 268