Tuesday 21 March 2017

Spring has arrived.......

Well it has been a fairly quiet winter locally with little of interest being recorded.......
 
Apart from up to 4 BITTERNS and the odd flyover GOOSANDER, the RESERVOIRS proved very hard work
 
Since February when Dave Bilcock photographed an immature/female MERLIN near WILSTONE CEMETERY, highlights have been a first-winter CASPIAN GULL in the roost one night (5th March), an unprecedented 32 KITTIWAKES in the roost (6th March), no fewer than 7 MEDITERRANEAN GULLS in February, a 20-year record of just under 200 HERRING GULLS in February, a pair of COMMON STONECHATS in Rushy Meadow for 3 weeks (to 1st March) and a female in Cemetery Corner on 4th March, two pairs of GARGANEY on 11 March and up to 50 SAND MARTINS since the first on 5th
 

The first NORTHERN WHEATEARS arrived today on the Hills, with a pair at PITSTONE HILL with a female COMMON STONECHAT (the second migrant this month following a male on 11th). Meanwhile, IVINGHOE BEACON has been particularly quiet, with just a daily passage of Meadow Pipit and Common Gull in recent days