Migrants on the move - Whinchats, Yellow Wagtails and juvenile Willow Warblers (Sally Douglas)
TUESDAY 23 AUGUST
Well, according to leading weatherman Michael Fish, the Chilterns Reigion was supposed to have received thunderstorms and flash flooding from about 2am this morning but it never materialised. Instead, we got a switch in the wind from Northeast to East, overcast conditions and just a little bit of light drizzle......
Expecting a real feast of rarities locally, I was out nice and early but it was all largely to no avail - the reservoirs seemingly not picking up a single new migrant other than a Wheatear. The saviour however was Master Adam Bassett - and his unprecedented arrival of LITTLE TERNS in the South of the county (Buckinghamshire). These birds remained all day to the delight of many........
THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTFORDSHIRE)
(Several visits during the day, both morning and afternoon)
WILSTONE
Surprisingly nothing new in the way of migrants arrived overnight other than a single NORTHERN WHEATEAR on the North Bank.......
Remaining waders included the 3 juvenile RUFFS and 1 REEVE, the 2 juvenile BLACK-TAILED GODWITS (now located on the SE shore), 3 adult RINGED PLOVERS (perhaps tundriae), Green Sandpiper, 13 COMMON GREENSHANKS and 330 Lapwing, as well as 14 Little Egrets.
The Black Tern had departed and there was little change in wildfowl numbers - 5 Wigeon, 18 Gadwall and a marked increase to 78 Teal.
In the Cemetery Corner field, there were a gathering of 22 Chaffinch and a single Linnet and a migrant juvenile Willow Warbler was working its way along a hedgerow (see image above).
MARSWORTH
Almost birdless - 2 Mute Swans and 2 Great Crested Grebes
STARTOP'S END
The 2 adult WHOOPER SWANS remained, as did 4 Mute Swans, whilst 6 Great Crested Grebes were also counted and 3 Little Egrets were feeding on the mud. RED-CRESTED POCHARDS now numbered 4, comprising of 2 eclipse drakes, a female and a single juvenile. The main Coot flock numbered 194 whilst a pair in the NW corner (one parent being one of the piebald individuals) was feeding two very young chicks.
TRINGFORD
Tringford hosted 9 roosting Grey Herons, just 1 Great Crested Grebe, 22 Tufted Ducks and a further 70 Coot
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
Just what has happened to College Lake? The water levels are very high and both the marsh and main lake are birdless - just 2 Mute Swans noted.
SECURITY WARNINGS
Whilst at Wilstone this afternoon, I had an altercation with an East European who was illegally 'spinning' with a fishing rod and was attempting to capture a Mute Swan. I asked him what he was up to and he claimed to not understand but after informing him ''no, no, no'', he quickly made off in a white van registration ''T 420 CRV''
I must also inform you all to be extra vigilant when parking - a car was broken into at Marsworth today and Steve Rodwell also had his car window smashed relatively locally on Friday afternoon
Well, according to leading weatherman Michael Fish, the Chilterns Reigion was supposed to have received thunderstorms and flash flooding from about 2am this morning but it never materialised. Instead, we got a switch in the wind from Northeast to East, overcast conditions and just a little bit of light drizzle......
Expecting a real feast of rarities locally, I was out nice and early but it was all largely to no avail - the reservoirs seemingly not picking up a single new migrant other than a Wheatear. The saviour however was Master Adam Bassett - and his unprecedented arrival of LITTLE TERNS in the South of the county (Buckinghamshire). These birds remained all day to the delight of many........
THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTFORDSHIRE)
(Several visits during the day, both morning and afternoon)
WILSTONE
Surprisingly nothing new in the way of migrants arrived overnight other than a single NORTHERN WHEATEAR on the North Bank.......
Remaining waders included the 3 juvenile RUFFS and 1 REEVE, the 2 juvenile BLACK-TAILED GODWITS (now located on the SE shore), 3 adult RINGED PLOVERS (perhaps tundriae), Green Sandpiper, 13 COMMON GREENSHANKS and 330 Lapwing, as well as 14 Little Egrets.
The Black Tern had departed and there was little change in wildfowl numbers - 5 Wigeon, 18 Gadwall and a marked increase to 78 Teal.
In the Cemetery Corner field, there were a gathering of 22 Chaffinch and a single Linnet and a migrant juvenile Willow Warbler was working its way along a hedgerow (see image above).
MARSWORTH
Almost birdless - 2 Mute Swans and 2 Great Crested Grebes
STARTOP'S END
The 2 adult WHOOPER SWANS remained, as did 4 Mute Swans, whilst 6 Great Crested Grebes were also counted and 3 Little Egrets were feeding on the mud. RED-CRESTED POCHARDS now numbered 4, comprising of 2 eclipse drakes, a female and a single juvenile. The main Coot flock numbered 194 whilst a pair in the NW corner (one parent being one of the piebald individuals) was feeding two very young chicks.
TRINGFORD
Tringford hosted 9 roosting Grey Herons, just 1 Great Crested Grebe, 22 Tufted Ducks and a further 70 Coot
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
Just what has happened to College Lake? The water levels are very high and both the marsh and main lake are birdless - just 2 Mute Swans noted.
SECURITY WARNINGS
Whilst at Wilstone this afternoon, I had an altercation with an East European who was illegally 'spinning' with a fishing rod and was attempting to capture a Mute Swan. I asked him what he was up to and he claimed to not understand but after informing him ''no, no, no'', he quickly made off in a white van registration ''T 420 CRV''
I must also inform you all to be extra vigilant when parking - a car was broken into at Marsworth today and Steve Rodwell also had his car window smashed relatively locally on Friday afternoon
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