Tuesday 23 September 2008

23 SEPTEMBER 2008

TUESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2008

An increasing NE wind pushing down thick cloud, with the odd heavy shower. Temperatures still holding up.

TRING RESERVOIRS
(1500-1800 hours, the latter period spent with Dave Bilcock and Steve Rodwell)

Startopsend Reservoir: a nice muddy margin appearing, allowing for waders and crakes - a full inventory revealed 5 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swans (2 cygnets) (with 4 more adults on the adjacent Grand Union Canal), 22 Northern Shovelers, 5 Tufted Duck, 33 Common Coot, 10 Moorhen, Grey Wagtail, 8 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail and a Common Chiffchaff.

Marsworth Reservoir: 6 Great Crested Grebes (including the two small stripey young), adult drake Northern Pochard and two vocal CETTI'S WARBLERS. An expanse of mud is appearing by the overflow.

Tringford Reservoir: 8 Great Crested Grebes (including a first-winter), 6 adult Mute Swans, 4 Northern Shovelers and 31 Common Coots.

Wilstone Reservoir: much mud and islands again visible, particularly at the west end.

Great Crested Grebes - 17 present including a first-winter
Little Grebes - 8 still
Sinensis Cormorants - 40 roosting
LITTLE EGRET - 2 remain
Mute Swans - just 31
WHOOPER SWAN - adult pair still
Eurasian Wigeon - 122
Common Teal - 236
*GARGANEY - still present early morning (DB only)
Gadwall - 11
Northern Shoveler - 61
*NORTHERN PINTAIL - 5 remain
Tufted Duck - 58
Northern Pochard - 38+
RUDDY DUCK - 2 adult drakes, an adult female and 1 juvenile

**PEREGRINE - one flew through at 1729 hours flushing all of the Lapwings and Black-headed Gulls. It flew off strongly north (DB, LGRE)

Common Buzzard - 1

Lapwings - click-counted 516 birds
Moorhens - 79+
*WATER RAILS - 2 adults near Cemetery Corner (SR, LGRE)
Common Coot - 388+
Common Gull - 1 sub-adult
Black-headed Gulls - 303+
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 9

COMMON KINGFISHER
BARN SWALLOW - 15 flew east across reservoir at 1725

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