Common Swift in flight (Steve Gantlett/www.birdingworld.co.uk)
WEDNESDAY 29 JULY
With no sign of a 'barbecue summer' in site, I took advantage of today's dreary conditions to survey the non-naturalised MONK PARAKEET population. I located just 39 individuals at two locations, a 29% decrease on last year's local peak of 55 birds. Defra have made applications and consultations to destroy them but with the main colony in somebody's garden, they may have a fight on their hands.
Anyway, with heavy rain moving in from the west, I moved north to Tring Reservoirs, where I hoped something of interest had dropped out of the grey skies. Once again, I was disappointed, the highlight being a continuing southbound push of a large number of COMMON SWIFTS
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (1700-1800 hours)
(rain and strong SW winds moved in from the west)
Great Crested Grebes (22 still including two young birds, one of which was born on Wilstone)
Grey Heron (5)
LITTLE EGRET (juvenile still, roosting this evening in the large fallen Willow on the west shore)
Continental Cormorant (29)
Mute Swans (noticeable increase to 43 birds, virtually all adults - post-breeding moult gathering)
Greylag Geese (5)
Gadwall (9 by hide)
Common Teal (now 3 by hide)
EURASIAN WIGEON (eclipse drake feeding very close to hide now looking very smart and fresh)
Northern Pochard (10)
COMMON SANDPIPER (1 adult on the spit in front of the hide)
Black-headed Gulls (just 14)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 heavily moulting 3rd-summer)
Common Terns (71 including 29 noisy juveniles)
COMMON SWIFTS (strong southerly movement and steady passage involving at least 86 birds)
SAND MARTINS (186+)
House Martins (55 including many juveniles)
Grey Wagtail (1 juvenile)
Goldcrest (family group of 3 birds near hide)
With no sign of a 'barbecue summer' in site, I took advantage of today's dreary conditions to survey the non-naturalised MONK PARAKEET population. I located just 39 individuals at two locations, a 29% decrease on last year's local peak of 55 birds. Defra have made applications and consultations to destroy them but with the main colony in somebody's garden, they may have a fight on their hands.
Anyway, with heavy rain moving in from the west, I moved north to Tring Reservoirs, where I hoped something of interest had dropped out of the grey skies. Once again, I was disappointed, the highlight being a continuing southbound push of a large number of COMMON SWIFTS
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (1700-1800 hours)
(rain and strong SW winds moved in from the west)
Great Crested Grebes (22 still including two young birds, one of which was born on Wilstone)
Grey Heron (5)
LITTLE EGRET (juvenile still, roosting this evening in the large fallen Willow on the west shore)
Continental Cormorant (29)
Mute Swans (noticeable increase to 43 birds, virtually all adults - post-breeding moult gathering)
Greylag Geese (5)
Gadwall (9 by hide)
Common Teal (now 3 by hide)
EURASIAN WIGEON (eclipse drake feeding very close to hide now looking very smart and fresh)
Northern Pochard (10)
COMMON SANDPIPER (1 adult on the spit in front of the hide)
Black-headed Gulls (just 14)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 heavily moulting 3rd-summer)
Common Terns (71 including 29 noisy juveniles)
COMMON SWIFTS (strong southerly movement and steady passage involving at least 86 birds)
SAND MARTINS (186+)
House Martins (55 including many juveniles)
Grey Wagtail (1 juvenile)
Goldcrest (family group of 3 birds near hide)
1 comment:
Hi,
My name is Jeff Martin and I live just outside Colchester, Essex.
I am working on a project re swift migration, and I wonder if there is any further information regarding the passage of swifts through Tring Reservoirs and perhaps elsewhere in Hertfordshire.
What I am seeking is numbers, direction of passage, and the general length of time of the passage eg 21st July - 3rd August.
Any help would be appreciated.
Jeff Martin
jeff.r.martin@btinternet.com
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