EURASIAN CURLEW successfully breed and overnight migrants include two juvenile COMMON SHELDUCKS and an adult DUNLIN

SATURDAY 25 JULY

A far better day weather-wise than of late with no rain, light winds and warm temperatures. Highlights today included confirmed breeding of EURASIAN CURLEW, two migrant juvenile COMMON SHELDUCKS and a migrant DUNLIN.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (0800)

Although there was no sign of Mike Wallen's adult DUNLIN from earlier, I was delighted to find a 'new' first-winter Great Crested Grebe - only the second youngster of the year at the reservoirs. The single adult was also still there, as was the female Tufted Ducks with three large young and four tiny young.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (0830)

Great Crested Grebes (remarkably, another 'new' first-winter on site and most likely from elsewhere; the usual juvenile still and 21 adults)
LITTLE EGRETS (2 juveniles still)
EURASIAN WIGEON (the eclipse drake was roosting in front of the hide)
Shoveler (1)
RED-CRESTED POCHARD (presumably one of yesterday's birds was roosting on the central rocks straight out from the main car park)
Pochard (8+)

Lapwings (463 roosting on the bund)
COMMON SANDPIPERS (2 on the algae bunds)
Common Terns (just 42 remaining)

PITSTONE QUARRY (0900)

COMMON SHELDUCK (a juvenile preening on the mud, the first I have ever seen at this site. The only Common Shelducks that have bred locally were at Grovebury Sand Pit in Bedfordshire where only one out of nine youngsters survived. Initially found by SR, it was still present at 0945 when I returned).

MANDARIN DUCK (family group of 5 birds)

Little Grebes (17)
Mute Swan (still)
Canada Geese (21)

Lapwings (8)
Black-headed Gull (73)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (2 adults)
Stock Dove
Linnets (6)
BULLFINCH (two juveniles)

COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (0930)

Little Grebe (1 adult)
Mute Swans (4 adults)
*COMMON SHELDUCK (a second juvenile different from the Quarry individual on the main lake)
Moorhen (8 juveniles)
*DUNLIN (an adult in breeding plumage feeding on the narrow muddy margin at the NE corner of the main marsh - presumably the same bird as that seen briefly at Startop's End)
Common Tern (15)
Western Reed Warbler (1)

Interestingly, 4 juvenile Common Terns ringed at both College and Wilstone have been present at Dunstable Sewage Farm (Beds) during the past 10 days.

SLAPTON LOCK (SP 930 202)

A pair of EURASIAN CURLEW has successfully bred in the county, fledging one youngster. I was also pleased to confirm a Barn Swallow nest from where 5 youngsters have fledged at SP 929 200 as well as two broods of SEDGE WARBLER (on the east bank of the canal at SP 926 203). A male SEDGE WARBLER was in full song.

HORTON HILL FARM (SP 922 204)

A flock of 22 post-breeding Lapwings were on the plough opposite the farm and west of the B488, with both singing male Yellowhammer and Common Whitethroat in the hedgerow.