LITTLE EGRETS through the 30 barrier

THURSDAY 11 AUGUST

A strong SW wind was blowing, with occasional rain in the air and a mixture of sunshine and cloudy conditions. It was fairly warm.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
(Evening visit)

LITTLE EGRETS were the main talking point this evening with no less than 31 present - another new record for the locality. At one point, 22 were standing together by the exposed inlet stream at the far SW corner of the site. A new development was of a breakaway group of 8 birds roosting in the dead trees at the west end of Tringford Reservoir late evening - ignoring the main roost in the Willows on the Drayton Bank. The vast majority of birds are juveniles.

Otherwise, little in the way of new arrivals - the juvenile Spotted Redshank of the past four days had departed leaving a wader presence consisting of 7 COMMON GREENSHANKS, 5-6 GREEN SANDPIPERS, 3 Common Sandpipers, an adult summer DUNLIN (on the main spit), 395 Lapwings and a newly arrived adult RINGED PLOVER (also on the main spit between the jetty and bank that has now become fully exposed).

The remaining roll-call comprised just 10 Great Crested Grebes, very few waterfowl with just 8 Common Teal, 38 Mute Swans, 87 Atlantic Canada Geese, 59 Greylag Geese and 51 Common Terns, whilst overhead were 1 COMMON SWIFT and 43 House Martins.

TRINGFORD RESERVOIR (HERTS)

In addition to the 8 roosting Little Egrets in trees at the west end were 2 Mute Swans, 27 Tufted Duck and 3 Northern Pochards.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Another reservoir being used to support the neighbouring canal and clearly dropping in level. As a result, no less than 148 Mallard counted, along with the two adult WHOOPER SWANS, 2 Mute Swans, 42 Tufted Duck, 2 Northern Pochard, 4 Great Crested Grebe and 8 Moorhen.

MARSWORTH RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Another 4 Great Crested Grebes, a pair of Moorhen feeding a single tiny young and noisy activity by 8 or more Western Reed Warblers in the overflow reedbed.

BELL LANE, LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS)

A gathering of 55 House Martins at dusk