Saturday, 11 July 2009


SATURDAY 11 JULY

An Atlantic front arrived late afternoon bringing freshening SW winds and sporadic rain showers. Disappointing birdwise at Tring Reservoirs with little of interest other than a juvenile Little Ringed Plover.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (1730-1820 hours; with Steve Rodwell)

Great Crested Grebe (the sole youngster continues to thrive; 14 adults)
LITTLE EGRET (juvenile still present and showing well from hide)
Mute Swan (26)
Greylag Geese (87)
Pochard (14)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (proven breeding; female taking large bird prey item back to nest in Poplars near hide)
Red Kites (3 in area)
Lapwings (large increase in numbers with 157 post-breeding birds on the spit)
*LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (juvenile on the spit in front of the hide present for its second day - see Dave Bilcock's excellent image above - SR, DB, RH, IW, LGRE, et al)
COMMON SANDPIPER (1 on the green algae bunds)
Black-headed Gull (increase in numbers, with 27 on Wilstone - including 3 fresh juveniles)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult over)
Common Tern (35+)

Little Owl (dead individual near Marsworth just east of the roundabout - 100 yards west of the Angler's Retreat)
Common Swifts (40+)
*SAND MARTIN (marked increase in numbers with 72 counted over the reedbed)

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