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



Sunday, 23 August 2015

SPOONBILLS at Spade Oak

Late this afternoon (Sunday 23 August 2015), local birder Jim Rose discovered 3 EURASIAN SPOONBILLS resting on the spit at Spade Oak Pit, Little Marlow - the largest single flock ever recorded in Buckinghamshire. The 3 birds - an adult and two juveniles - remained throughout the evening and were still present at 8pm - the adult harbouring numerous colour rings, with dark green above yellow flag above dark green on the left leg and blue above metal above pale green on the right leg - presumably a Dutch-ringed individual.







Tuesday, 5 May 2015

CURLEW SANDPIPER present for a second day

Despite near gale force SW winds, I managed to find enough shelter at MANOR FARM today (Tuesday 5 May) to relocate the summer-plumaged CURLEW SANDPIPER found late yesterday evening; it was showing very well at the west end of the complex (see pix below).....










In all, 9 species of wader were noted, with 3 migrant Dunlin, a GREENSHANK, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Ringed Plover, 6 Little Ringed Plover and breeding Common Redshank, Lapwing and Oystercatcher; 25
Common Swift were also noted




Monday, 4 May 2015

WHINCHATS at Rowsham


Rowsham has seen perhaps an unprecedented arrival of WHINCHATS this spring, perhaps involving 10 birds or more. Mike Wallen, living in the hamlet, finds all of the birds and places them in the public domain. I thought by doing this he was actually keen for others to see them but on reading his comments on the BBC website, clearly he isn't and treats the site as his own massive nature reserve. As the only other birder interested in seeing them, I visited the site and after talking to two local landowners/farmworkers, they directed me to the area in which the birds were being reported (where fortunately I located them). I also met Mike's next door neighbour on site walking his dog, who additionally informed me of some nice unspoilt birding areas within the site. Mike makes claims of 'trespassing' but as policing is his game, he ought to know that there is no law of trespass in the UK unless you have wilful intent and have an interest in property or damaging in some way the location. As the area under scrutiny is criss-crossed by clearly marked tracks and doesn't impose on any crops or game-strips, this clearly isn't an issue in this instance. The majority of sites I birdwatch in Britain could be construed as being private. Had it of been any other birder, the issue wouldn't of been raised or mentioned - the county is just full of very bitter-minded individuals; such a shame.

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

A nice selection of waders at MANOR FARM...

Great morning around Manor Farm this morning, the highlights were:

8+ Redshank (definately counted 8 may well have been more).
GREENSHANK
4 Dunlin together West end (one East end near millenium bridge but may have been one of the four as lots of disturbance from parks trust people walking the whole site and a stupid woman and her two dogs that she didn't bother controlling as they ran the wrong side of the fence).
3 Oystercatchers.
1 Common Sandpiper.
2 Green Sandpiper.
2 Ringed Plover.
7+ Little Ringed Plover (again definate count of 7 but may well have missed some).
4 Common Tern (through, plus a couple later, may have been the same birds).
4+ Sand Martin (all over the quarry tailings).
2 Yellow Wagtails on fileds below the farm (but flew off over the lakes).
Willow Warbler, Blackcap and ChiffChaff were everywhere as well.


Ashley Beolens 

Friday, 10 April 2015

Marlow GREAT WHITE EGRET traced...



The colour-ringed GREAT WHITE EGRET that I photographed at Spade Oak Pit (Little Marlow) on 14 March 2015 had been ringed as a nestling at Besne, Loire Atlantique, in Northwest France on 13 May 2013 - ring number CA 76117 - many thanks to the ringer Loic Marion for kindly supplying me with the information

Friday, 20 March 2015

Another ICELAND GULL

Warren Claydon had an adult ICELAND GULL drop into CALVERT SAILING LAKE very late this evening, only the second record this year following a juvenile Tim Watts had on BBOWT in February.

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

8 species of wader at MANOR FARM and wow, how good is it looking!

17/3

Made a visit to MANOR FARM in Old Wolverton this evening and the site is looking brilliant. I recorded 8 wader species with 85 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Common Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Snipe, the continuing male RUFF and a BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (see images below). Also present were 5 GOOSANDER (2 drakes), Little Egret, 18 Teal, 13 Shoveler, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 35 Fieldfare, 8 Linnet, Green Woodpecker, 18 Pied Wagtails and a singing Common Treecreeper