Sunday 31 August 2008

SUNDAY 31 AUGUST - Storms force waders and terns down





Juvenile Eurasian Curlew, Wilstone Reservoir, Tring, Herts, 31st August 2008 (Dave Bilcock)
The first twitchable Curlews at the reservoir this year and consequently my first
SUNDAY 31 AUGUST 2008

(Despite dawning misty and dry, severe electric storms soon moved in from the east shortly after 0900 hours and continued on and off all day. Temperatures initially plummeted but then rose again as the day progressed, giving rise to more thunderstorms later in the evening. There was much torrential rain, with localised flooding, with the wind very light and SE in direction)

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (0900-1500; birding with DB, RDA, SR, JT and others)

HIGHLIGHTS: Again, another excellent day for BLACK TERN passage, with a good selection of waders (including two twitchable EURASIAN CURLEWS - incidentally my first of the year at the site) and an exceptional overnight influx of wildfowl, including three new RED-CRESTED POCHARDS).

Little Grebe - 2
Great Crested Grebe - 18
Grey Heron - 14
LITTLE EGRET - 2 birds still present, showing very well in front of the Drayton Bank Hide. The adult attempted to repeatedly disgorge a 'fish' pellet at midday, revealing its long, pink tongue.
WHOOPER SWANS - both adults still present
Canada Geese - 158
Greylag Geese - 12
Eurasian Wigeon - 2 present - the long-staying eclipse drake and yesterday's female
Common Teal - huge overnight increase to 107 birds
Gadwall - 19
Shoveler - 66
GARGANEY still present but elusive
Tufted Duck - 137
*NORTHERN POCHARD - substantial increase to 39 birds
**RED-CRESTED POCHARD - 6 present including THREE new arrivals - two drakes and a juvenile (LGRE, DB, et al). The new birds joined the eclipse drake and two juveniles. Late August/September has long been renown as an arrival date of this species, with Chew Valley Lake in Avon annually attracting a post-breeding influx at this time (fully documented by Keith Vinicombe). There is every chance that these are natural immigrants.
RUDDY DUCK - 3
Coot - 702 again on Wilstone (click-counted)

Lapwing - 199
RINGED PLOVERS - single arrived at midday, followed by two more through west at 1225 (LGRE, SR); further adult arrived 1850 (SR, Sue Rowe, Mick Ilett)
**TURNSTONE - one flew west with 2 Ringed Plovers at 1225 (LGRE)
**BLACK-TAILED GODWITS - all 23 juveniles still present but highly mobile
**EURASIAN CURLEW - two present, roosting and bathing on one of the small muddy islands, from 0915-1006 hours (DB, IW, LGRE, et al). One bird was particularly fresh-plumaged, suggesting a juvenile. Both birds flew off high to the west into Buckinghamshire at 1006; photographed.
COMMON GREENSHANK - all 5 juveniles still present
COMMON SANDPIPER - 2
Common Gulls - 2 juveniles at 1920 (SR et al)
COMMON TERNS - 7 present until 1006, when they flew off high west
**BLACK TERNS - a flock of 25 adults arrived at 0823 hours and remained all day, increasing to 28 late afternoon (including a single juvenile). All 28 then flew off west at 1900 hours (DB, SR, LGRE, JT, SR, MI et al)

Common Pheasant - 7 in ploughed field near Cemetery Corner
HOBBY - 2+ including the juvenile
House Martins - 25+
NORTHERN WHEATEAR - juvenile still present for its 4th day in harvested hayfield between the old cressbeds and Dry Canal (SR, FB, et al)
*YELLOW WAGTAILS - 3 (adult & 2 juveniles) in ploughed field in East Corner (2nd day)
Common Chiffchaff - 1 by hide

STARTOPSEND RESERVOIR

Juvenile Common Tern present

MARSWORTH RESERVOIR

The long-staying female RED-CRESTED POCHARD was still present with the Mallards - the 7th individual to be recorded today.

COLLEGE LAKE

I click-counted the geese population yielding a staggering 383 Canada Geese and 43 Greylag Geese.
4 Mute Swans, 1 drake Pochard and adult HOBBY

PITSTONE QUARRY

Little Grebes - 17 present including 9 juveniles
MANDARIN - just 2
COMMON SANDPIPER still present (3rd day)
Lesser Black-backed Gulls - 20+

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