RED-NECKED GREBE over the border; WILLOW TIT performing

THURSDAY 20 MARCH

Although the temperatures reached a high of 13 degrees C, the near gale-force WNW wind made it feel much cooler - and difficult to bird at some localities. It remained dry though until a wet front arrived just before dark and continued for several hours in the evening.

With news of a RED-NECKED GREBE, I headed north to NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.....on route, logging the 78 active Rook nests besides the Northbound M1 near SALFORD (SP 7568)

Arriving at the dam at PITSFORD RESERVOIR, I could barely stand let alone birdwatch - the wind was so strong and blowing hard from the west. There was seemingly no shelter but as I approached the Valve Tower about 250 yards along the dam, the RED-NECKED GREBE was taking advantage of the structure and showing pretty well about 90 yards out. It was in transitional plumage but had quite a lot of bright yellow at the base of the bill and a fair amount of russet-brown on the neck and breast. Although a struggle, I did eventually manage to get a few decent shots (see below). It represented my first in the UK this year.

A pair of Common Goldeneye was also sheltering from the wind by the dam, while 4 Great Crested Grebes, 14 Coot, 6 Tufted Duck and a male Common Kestrel were also noted; a Wren was singing from scrub by the sailing club.

Just north of BOUGHTON (NORTHAMPTON), the estate there adjacent to the A508 held 27 active Rook nests.

I then revisited LINFORD NATURE RESERVE with the sole aim of photographing the WILLOW TIT at the Woodland Hide. I took along my own food but it took a long while before I finally managed to get any shots - the visits to the birdtable being so fleeting. At least 2 MARSH TITS were also coming to the feeders, along with the usual selection of Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinch, Robin and Dunnock. The WILLOW TIT was in full song on a couple of occasions, as were two freshly-arrived COMMON CHIFFCHAFFS.

Two different Marsh Tits above.....

...and the sole surviving Willow Tit

The wood held at least 6 Winter Wren territories, with 2 Song Thrushes belting out and a gang of 10 Common Magpies around the access road.

The heronry was in full flow with 14 active Grey Heron nests occupied and at least 3 of Little Egret.

Otherwise, not too much to see - 6 Great Crested Grebe, 23 Mute Swan, 30 Greylag Geese, 15 Common Teal, 22 Coot, 12 Sinensis Cormorant and a pair of Oystercatcher on the bund.

This pair of Carrion Crow were busy building and relining their nest.

Nearby, WILLEN LAKE NORTH BASIN held 7 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, Little Egret, 3 Greylag Geese, 18 Canada Geese, 27 Tufted Duck, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 28 Common Teal, 8 Gadwall, a drake Pochard, 7 Mute Swans, 6 Lapwing, Common Redshank, Greenfinch and a singing male Reed Bunting, while the SOUTH BASIN yielded a further 43 Mute Swan.

Following a text from Steve Blake, I diverted to TYTTENHANGER GP (HERTS) on my way home, connecting with my first 6 SAND MARTINS of the year; also 4 Lapwing, 5 Shoveler and a pair of Oystercatcher

Signs of spring - AVOCET, BLACK-TAILED GODWIT....

SATURDAY 8 MARCH

 

For a fully illustrated version of this blog, click below -:

 

http://birdingtringreservoirs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/first-signs-of-spring.html

 

A glorious day with wall-to-wall sunshine, light southerly winds and increasing temperatures - migration was seemingly in full swing.......

 

Set off early to look for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers in Burnham Beeches NNR but as I drove towards there was redirected to COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT, where the first PIED AVOCET of the year had been discovered......

 

I got there about half an hour later, the bird still showing - initially roosting on the westernmost island before walking into the water and swimming out on to the marsh. I took a number of photographs.....

 

There were no other migrants present on the reserve but other species noted included 9 Mute Swans, 56 Canada Geese, a pair of Common Shelduck, 8 Mallard, 95 Wigeon, 18 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 62 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 43 Coot, Little Grebe, 27 Lapwing (including 6 nesting pairs),8 Common Snipe, 6 Common Redshank and singing Dunnock.

 

Apart from a single Sand Martin early on seen by Dave Bilcock, TRING RESERVOIRS were very quiet - a pair of OYSTERCATCHERS on one of the rafts at WILSTONE being the highlight. I also had a look at PITSTONE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE SCRAPES, but nothing other than 2 Pied Wagtails and a Mistle Thrush, while a very flooded PITSTONE QUARRY yielded 2 Canada Geese, 6 Coot, 6 Mallard, 14 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, 70 Black-headed Gulls, 12 Common Gull, Robin, Dunnock, 8 Woodpigeon, 2 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit and Wren.

 

More passage waders were being found, including 4 Pied Avocets at Tyttenhanger and Black-tailed Godwits at Stockers Farm (2) and Rye Meads NR. Alan Stevens texted to say a further BLACK-TAILED GODWIT was at SPADE OAK PIT (LITTLE MARLOW), the bird still being present when I arrived much later. Although largely in winter plumage flight feather-wise, the orange-rufous underparts and long orange-based bill seemed to suggest a limosa. The bird was showing well on the recently emerging spit.

 

A female-type COMMON GOLDENEYE was also a good record for the site, while the pair of GARGANEY I first found over a week ago were still present; also at least 7 PINTAILS (3 drakes).

 

The full list comprised of 7 Great Crested Grebe, 37 Cormorant (nesting on the island), 18 Grey Heron, 3 Mute Swan, pair of Australian Black Swan still, pair of Egyptian Geese, 10 Atlantic Canada Geese, pair of Common Shelduck, Mallard, 86 Teal, 62 Shoveler, 71 Gadwall, 79 Tufted Duck, 52 Wigeon, numerous Red Kite, 6 Coot, 9 Moorhen, 14 Lapwing, 8 Common Snipe, 70 Black-headed Gull, 12 Common Gull, adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 male Reed Bunting, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit (on the suet feeders), Robin, Dunnock, 3 COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (singing), 25 migrant REDWING and a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly

 

I then finally got to my planned destination - BURNHAM BEECHES NNR - where I spent over two hours in the area of Park Lane and the Moat in the Northwest Section searching in vain for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. A rich area in biodiversity though with 2 Green Woodpeckers noted, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stock Doves, 85+ Woodpigeon, Muntjac, 4 BRAMBLING, 10 Chaffinch, Common Treecreeper, 2 Nuthatch, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Common Blackbird and 2 Common Buzzard. Just to the north near ABBEY PARK COTTAGE. a pair of Egyptian Geese on a farm pond and 6 Lapwings in a cereal crop.

 

At CHESHAM FISHING LAKES, the COMMON CHIFFCHAFF was singing for its third day in the trees on the island in the far corner, along with the GREAT CRESTED GREBE PAIR, Grey Wagtail and 12 Tufted Duck noted. Across the road in LATIMER ROAD, 12 Jackdaws in residence on the chimneys and 2 Common Starlings

Still over 8,000 gulls roosting at CALVERT.....

THURSDAY 6 MARCH

 

The first of what is said to be over a week of dry weather, associated with an area of high pressure centring over the country......

 

Following Andrew Moon's sighting of at least 8 Hawfinches in WHIPPENDELL WOODS, WATFORD Wednesday morning, I was out with the lark and in place by early morning. I gave it over two hours (until 0830) but despite a very extensive search, a no sign....

 

An excellent selection of woodland species recorded though, including 4 Stock Dove (calling males), 20 Woodpigeon, yaffling Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, at least 8 Wren territories, Dunnock, 6 Robin, Common Blackbird, both singing male Song (3) and Mistle Thrush, 5 Nuthatch, 2 Common Treecreeper, 15 Chaffinch, Goldfinch, 2 SISKIN, 3 LESSER REDPOLL, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, 2 Coal Tit, pair of Long-tailed Tits, Red Kite, 20 Jackdaw, 6 Goldcrest and best of all, a singing male FIRECREST in firs about 250 yards from the entrance.

 

Over in WATFORD, no less than 7 territorial pairs of Argenteus Herring Gull was displaying and long-calling from the roof of the ASDA supermarket complex at the 5-ways roundabout.

 

I then went over to LEMSFORD SPRINGS NR to see the first-winter MEALY REDPOLL that Barry Trevis had first trapped in his garden on 24th February. As luck would have it, the bird was the first I set eyes on, busily feeding on the Nyger. It remained on view for about ten minutes, allowing me time to photograph it. According to Barry, it was started to gain a little weight, having been trapped no less than eight times! It was a nice-looking bird, being strikingly paler (greyer), with heavily cloaked hindneck/nape feathering and tarsi. At least 8 LESSER REDPOLL were also visiting the Nyger feeders, while a singing male BLACKCAP was my first of the year.

 

About the reserve, I saw 2 Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mallard, 2 Moorhen, Red Kite, 2 Grey Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Common Magpie, Goldfinch, Robin, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Song Thrush and Common Blackbird.

 

In AYLESBURY, 8 active Rook nests occupied near the Police Station and the PEREGRINE PAIR on the Council Building. A further 4 active Rook nests along the A41, just west of WADDESDON. A flock of 110 Common Starling and 84 Jackdaw in KINGSWOOD.

The breeding pair...

...the male

...the female

 

A quick look at GALLOWS BRIDGE NR yielded a single EURASIAN CURLEW, as well as an adult white morph SNOW GOOSE with the 34 Atlantic Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan, Grey Heron, 60 Lapwing, Sparrowhawk and 5 Linnet.

Single Curlew back on the marsh

A very distant white morph Snow Goose..

...and a Linnet

As I drove towards STEEPLE CLAYDON, something white in the field opposite LAKE FARM was expecting to be the Cattle Egret but on checking, revealed to be an albino Egyptian Goose! - one of a pair (see pix). The same field also held a flock of at least 700 Common Starling and 70 Fieldfare.

My first-ever albino Egyptian Goose

 

CALVERT BBOWT LAKE held 4 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Sinensis Cormorant, 1 Little Grebe and 38 Coot, while the pre-roost attracted 780+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 6 Great Black-backed, 34 Herring and a single adult YELLOW-LEGGED. Green Woodpecker, 5 Red Kite and 3 Tufted Duck were also noted.

 

Across the road, watching and click-counting CALVERT SAILING LAKE from 1715-1830 hours yielded 1600 Black-headed Gulls, 143 Common, 3,783 Lesser Black-backed (both graellsii & intermedius), 2,412 Herring (Argentatus numbers well down, as well as adult argenteus), 8 YELLOW-LEGGED, 1 juvenile GLAUCOUS, 1 juvenile ICELAND and 52 Great Black-backed.