SUNDAY 5 JULY
After an incredibly gruelling trip to Scandinavia, I returned back to reality, with (firstly) a dip on a Norfolk Caspian Tern and then an early wader 'fest' at Wilstone Reservoir in the evening. I was staggered to see how quickly the water level had dropped on Wilstone since my last visit in June.
TRING RESERVOIRS (2000-2100 hours; 24 degrees C; increasing SW wind in evening; dry but partly cloudy) (in the presence of Dave Bilcock, Steve Rodwell and Stuart Wilson)
Great Crested Grebe (14 on Wilstone including the sole surviving juvenile from the only successful nest thus far)
Little Grebe (2 juveniles to the right of the Drayton Bank Hide)
Grey Heron (13 on Wilstone)
*LITTLE EGRET (single feeding to right of hide on Wilstone which later flew to 'Cormorant tree' and roosted; 2 have been present in recent days)
Mute Swans (midsummer moult build up in numbers with at least 36 on Wilstone and 29 on Startop's End)
WHOOPER SWAN (the two non-naturalised adults that attempted to breed unsuccessfully at Dunstable Sewage Farm in May-June remained for a second day on Wilstone - SR)
Greylag Geese (96 on Wilstone)
Canada Geese 12)
Mallard (73 on Wilstone; two family parties)
(Red-crested Pochard - eclipse drake still present on Wilstone - RH)
Common Teal (6 on Wilstone)
(Northern Shoveler - two pairs still on Wilstone - SR)
Tufted Duck (65 on Wilstone)
Northern Pochard (13 on Wilstone)
Coot (639 click-counted on Wilstone)
An excellent selection of waders included 8 summer-plumaged adult ICELANDIC BLACK-TAILED GODWITS on the spit by the hide on Wilstone (see Dave Bilcock's photographs above), 5 adult COMMON GREENSHANKS (also feeding to the right of the hide) (also photographed) and a single adult GREEN SANDPIPER on the Sewage Farm Pool. Up to 7 OYSTERCATCHERS have also been present on Wilstone in recent days (per DB, SR). 43 post-breeding Lapwings were also present.
Common Terns (34)
BARN OWL (feeding adult on Wilstone - DB, SR)
Common Swifts (46 over Wilstone and a further 36 in one feeding family frenzy over Tring town)
House Martin (5)
After an incredibly gruelling trip to Scandinavia, I returned back to reality, with (firstly) a dip on a Norfolk Caspian Tern and then an early wader 'fest' at Wilstone Reservoir in the evening. I was staggered to see how quickly the water level had dropped on Wilstone since my last visit in June.
TRING RESERVOIRS (2000-2100 hours; 24 degrees C; increasing SW wind in evening; dry but partly cloudy) (in the presence of Dave Bilcock, Steve Rodwell and Stuart Wilson)
Great Crested Grebe (14 on Wilstone including the sole surviving juvenile from the only successful nest thus far)
Little Grebe (2 juveniles to the right of the Drayton Bank Hide)
Grey Heron (13 on Wilstone)
*LITTLE EGRET (single feeding to right of hide on Wilstone which later flew to 'Cormorant tree' and roosted; 2 have been present in recent days)
Mute Swans (midsummer moult build up in numbers with at least 36 on Wilstone and 29 on Startop's End)
WHOOPER SWAN (the two non-naturalised adults that attempted to breed unsuccessfully at Dunstable Sewage Farm in May-June remained for a second day on Wilstone - SR)
Greylag Geese (96 on Wilstone)
Canada Geese 12)
Mallard (73 on Wilstone; two family parties)
(Red-crested Pochard - eclipse drake still present on Wilstone - RH)
Common Teal (6 on Wilstone)
(Northern Shoveler - two pairs still on Wilstone - SR)
Tufted Duck (65 on Wilstone)
Northern Pochard (13 on Wilstone)
Coot (639 click-counted on Wilstone)
An excellent selection of waders included 8 summer-plumaged adult ICELANDIC BLACK-TAILED GODWITS on the spit by the hide on Wilstone (see Dave Bilcock's photographs above), 5 adult COMMON GREENSHANKS (also feeding to the right of the hide) (also photographed) and a single adult GREEN SANDPIPER on the Sewage Farm Pool. Up to 7 OYSTERCATCHERS have also been present on Wilstone in recent days (per DB, SR). 43 post-breeding Lapwings were also present.
Common Terns (34)
BARN OWL (feeding adult on Wilstone - DB, SR)
Common Swifts (46 over Wilstone and a further 36 in one feeding family frenzy over Tring town)
House Martin (5)
No comments:
Post a Comment