Wednesday 1 October 2008

1 OCTOBER 2008




BIRD OF THE DAY
This juvenile LITTLE GULL brightened up an otherwise lacklustre day and was one of two birds gracing Marsworth Reservoir throughout the late afternoon
WEDNESDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2008

A much colder day than of late with strong (near gale-force at times) WNW winds and long clear periods.

The undoubted highlight today was two gorgeous juvenile LITTLE GULLS showing down to just a few yards on Marsworth Reservoir, along with the continuing RUFF and DUNLIN on Wilstone and a massive increase in Great Crested Grebe numbers and general duck numbers. Two 'new' PINTAIL arrived.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (1300-1530 hours)

A full inventory of birds was done with the new month with us

GREAT CRESTED GREBES - a huge increase with at least 34 birds present (SR & VR counted 39 last night)
Little Grebe - 8 still present
Sinensis Cormorants - 19 roosting
Grey Heron (3)
LITTLE EGRET - both still present, feeding this afternoon on the North Bank

WILDFOWL

A total of 783 birds click-counted involving 12 species

Mute Swans - just 19 present
WHOOPER SWANS - adult pair still present
Greylag Geese - 8 Canada Goose (1)
Mallard - 173
Gadwall - 19
Eurasian Wigeon - 118
Common Teal - 276+
NORTHERN PINTAIL - 9 now present, all in 'grey' eclipse plumage
Tufted Duck - 77
Northern Pochard - 76
RUDDY DUCK - 5 (2 adult drakes, 1 female & 2 juveniles)

Common Coot (630 click-counted)

WADERS

Lapwings (345)
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER (9)
RINGED PLOVER - adult still present
RUFF - juvenile male still present, favouring the creek in the far SW corner
DUNLIN - juvenile feeding on islands in NW corner (present for its 2nd day - DB, RH, SR, LGRE)
COMMON SANDPIPER - 1 remaining (favouring the NW corner)
Common Snipe (1+)

Black-headed Gulls (421+)
Common Gull (1 adult - DB)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (35+)

Grey Wagtails (3)

LATE MIGRANTS

Barn Swallows (4)
*House Martins (12 still, mainly juveniles)

TRINGFORD RESERVOIR - just 3 Great Crested Grebes and 4 Mute Swans
STARTOPSEND RESERVOIR - 4 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swans (2 cygnets), 10 Shoveler, 6 Northern Pochards, 22 Tufted Ducks and male Grey Wagtail

MARSWORTH RESERVOIR (1530-1645)

Great Crested Grebes (8 present including the two recently fledged juveniles)
Mute Swan (1 cygnet)
Northern Shoveler (5)

At 1550 hours, I located two superb juvenile LITTLE GULLS feeding over the eastern end of the reservoir. They were using the causeway line of trees and bushes from which to shelter from the strong NW wind and were showing exceptionally well, often approaching me to within 65 yards. They were both in largely full juvenile plumage, with the black horseshoe at the tip of the tail, much blackish-brown feathering in the mantle, the dark outer primaries and extensive dark covert bar (giving the distinct zig-zag upperwing pattern), dark crown, dark ear-covert patch, white forehead, gleaming white underparts and small, black bill. They were both taking small grubs from the surface and were competing with up to 18 House Martins in taking insects from just above the water's surface.

I immediately informed Dave Bilcock and Steve Rodwell of my find, as well as RBA, Mike Collard and Mike Wallen. Unfortunately none of them was able to come. I then tried Cheddington birder Mike Campbell, who instantly agreed to drive over. The two birds continued to show very well over the next half hour and at 1624 hours, MC finally arrived. Luckily so, as at 1626 (just two minutes later), both birds got chased by an adult Black-headed Gull, flew up high and disappeared way over towards College Lake, seemingly following the course of the Grand Union Canal. I thought they had gone.

(*An hour later, Ian Williams visited the site and both birds were again present, remaining on Marsworth until dusk, allowing both DB and SR to connect. Graham White, who is helping out with reedbed management for wintering Bitterns, also saw them).

COLLEGE LAKE

Mute Swans numbered 11 adults, Eurasian Wigeon had increased to 85 and a drake Gadwall was present.

PITSTONE QUARRY

The water level has substantially dropped since my last visit, giving rise to much mud and island habitat.

Little Grebes (9), Mute Swan (adult), Common Teal (16), Shoveler (3, 2 drakes), Tufted Duck (13), Northern Pochard (a high count of 31, mostly adult drakes) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (14 adults)

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