Early this morning there was no sign of the Black-tailed Godwit. On the Seasonal Pool just 2 Common Sandpiper and c150 Black headed Gulls and a Teal. The Reserve Pool had 2 migrant Little Ringed Plovers.
During a visit this evening the summer-plumaged DUNLIN had moved to the Seasonal Pool, feeding amongst the Lapwing on the spit that has formed as the pool dries. Still 2 Common Sandpipers. Black-headed Gulls numbers were down to just 20 compared with 100's at the same time over the pass few days.
The juvenile Common Tern was perched on a buoy. I checked it for any rings - but none fitted (Kevin Duncan)
Friday, 31 July 2009
POLECAT delight
I have been watching badgers for about 23 years but what happened tonight will be etched in my memory for a long time. Just one of those magical moments.
I started going back to a sett I have not watched at for 20 years a few weeks ago just to see what was happening; the sett was disturbed by a landowner many years ago before the 1992 Act became available to use.
I was dipping badly; no sign of the Badgers which I had been seeing regularly over recent visits; just one previous dip; 2 nice Red Foxes was all I was seeing. Then a BADGER came out and promptly went back in after 15 seconds as a light aircraft went over. I put my notebook away and as it was quite dark decided it was time to leave. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw some movement about 30 yards from where I was sat; unable to see what it was, young rabbits have been frequenting that part of the sett recently. I slowly stood up and there was an adult POLECAT walking towards me over the sett; it carried on walking and got within 10 yards of me and slowly went down a disused hole and that was that.
Having been slighly stressed at the possibility of missing the College Lake animals and a UK mammal tick ( I was in the US when the news broke ) it has given me so much pleasure to find my own animal.
This was just about the only night I did not take my video camera with me.
Mike Collard, www.badgertrust.org.uk
I started going back to a sett I have not watched at for 20 years a few weeks ago just to see what was happening; the sett was disturbed by a landowner many years ago before the 1992 Act became available to use.
I was dipping badly; no sign of the Badgers which I had been seeing regularly over recent visits; just one previous dip; 2 nice Red Foxes was all I was seeing. Then a BADGER came out and promptly went back in after 15 seconds as a light aircraft went over. I put my notebook away and as it was quite dark decided it was time to leave. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw some movement about 30 yards from where I was sat; unable to see what it was, young rabbits have been frequenting that part of the sett recently. I slowly stood up and there was an adult POLECAT walking towards me over the sett; it carried on walking and got within 10 yards of me and slowly went down a disused hole and that was that.
Having been slighly stressed at the possibility of missing the College Lake animals and a UK mammal tick ( I was in the US when the news broke ) it has given me so much pleasure to find my own animal.
This was just about the only night I did not take my video camera with me.
Mike Collard, www.badgertrust.org.uk
WILLEN LAKE
At Willen Lake this evening, a female Tufted Duck with 3 well-grown ducklings, 1pr Great Crested Grebes with 2 well-grown chicks, plus 1 Green Sandpiper, and a high summer count of 146 Coot, numbers swelled by fledged youngsters - at least one species seems to have had a successful summer. Alas the lone surviving Common Tern chick probably perished a couple of weeks ago (Rob Hill)
Inkombe Hole COMMON REDSTARTS still present
Sally Douglas observed two COMMON REDSTARTS in Inkombe Hole, Steps Hill, this evening
Passage COMMON GREENSHANK
31/07 : COMMON GREENSHANK : Manor Farm Quarry. Possibly two birds present. One in inlets, one on main pools with Green Sandpipers (Chris Gleadell)
NORTHERN WHEATEAR at Penn Street Farm



PENN STREET FARM (SU 925 954)
Andy Radford discovered a juvenile NORTHERN WHEATEAR at 1700 hours and the bird was still present and showing well when I arrived from 1834-1854 hours. It was frequenting the large pile of tyres to the left of the public footpath as well as the tarmac area by the farm sheds and was scolding frequently. It represents the second record of this species in my Recording Area this autumn.
In the area by the farm reservoir, 8 Stock Doves, 3 male Greenfinches, 2 Linnets and a male Blackcap were noted. Red Kites were also very vocal, with two juveniles begging for food (Lee G R Evans)
Andy Radford discovered a juvenile NORTHERN WHEATEAR at 1700 hours and the bird was still present and showing well when I arrived from 1834-1854 hours. It was frequenting the large pile of tyres to the left of the public footpath as well as the tarmac area by the farm sheds and was scolding frequently. It represents the second record of this species in my Recording Area this autumn.
In the area by the farm reservoir, 8 Stock Doves, 3 male Greenfinches, 2 Linnets and a male Blackcap were noted. Red Kites were also very vocal, with two juveniles begging for food (Lee G R Evans)
Juvenile Northern Wheatear images by kind courtesy of Tim Watts (photographed at Quainton Hills)
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