CROSSBILL and MANDARIN highlights but no Lesser Pecker

MONDAY 15 MARCH

Another glorious morning with temperatures again quickly climbing to 13 degrees C in the bright sunshine. Cloud later moved in from the west but it still continued dry. The wind gradually freshened from the west.

Another day of 'peckering' and a quick dash to Tyttenhanger. My Hertfordshire Year List now stands on 115 species.

ASHRIDGE FOREST (NORTH SIDE OF MONUMENT DRIVE)
(0730-1000 hours)

There was no sign this morning of the male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that Dave Bilcock saw very well from 0740-0750 hours yesterday morning.

I walked the entire Monument Drive and covered Sallow Copse and Ringshall Common north to the Beacon Road. Woodpeckers were very much in evidence with no less than 3 Green and 7 Great Spotted encountered (including a courting pair of the latter). The highlight was a pair of COMMON CROSSBILL and a single SISKIN.

The two ponds adjacent to the Bridgwater Monument held 5 Mallard and a pair of MANDARIN DUCK, whilst other species noted included Muntjac, 38+ Grey Squirrels, a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk, several Stock Doves, at least 9 Nuthatches, 4 singing male Common Treecreepers (and a courting pair), Jays, 2 singing male Song Thrushes, a singing male Mistle Thrush, a male Common Blackbird, a male Coal Tit and 25 Blue Tits, 18 Great Tits and 2 Long-tailed Tits.

Checked out the Northern Goshawk site of recent years but with increasing winds, none were displaying.