Friday, 8 July 2011

Increasing mud attracts migrating ICELANDIC BLACK-TAILED GODWITS

FRIDAY 8 JULY

The strong Southwesterly winds continued throughout the day bringing some blustery rain showers....

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTFORDSHIRE)

The water level continues to drop on Wilstone, with more and more mud being exposed daily. As such, the conditions attracted 10 migrant ICELANDIC BLACK-TAILED GODWITS this afternoon, the flock commuting between the mud and the Drayton Bank to roost. The entire flock seemed to consist of summer-plumaged males.

Also present were 124 Lapwings and a Common Sandpiper, along with 9 Little Egrets, 36 Mute Swans, 42 Atlantic Canada Geese, the eclipse drake GARGANEY found earlier by Roy, 6 Common Teal, the 4 oversummering Northern Shoveler, the oversummering drake Eurasian Wigeon, 9 Northern Pochard, 10 Gadwall, 22 adult Black-headed Gulls, 31 Common Terns (including 7 fledged juveniles), 16 Moorhen (4 juveniles), 46 Common Swifts, 1 House Martin and 11 migrant Sand Martins.

PITSTONE QUARRY (HERTS)

The 6 MANDARIN DUCKS survive, with 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers and 11 adult Black-headed Gulls present.

ALDBURY VILLAGE (HERTS)

A pair of Moorhens feeding two tiny babies on the duckpond in the centre of the village and 1 pair of House Martins nesting

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