Sunday, 19 July 2009
SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS on Wilstone
SUNDAY 19 JULY
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
Great Crested Grebes (22 including the juvenile)
Sinensis Cormorants (14 on bank)
Mute Swans (increase to 42 birds)
Greylag Geese (78)
Gadwall (7)
EURASIAN WIGEON (eclipse drake still present)
SHOVELER (1)
Pochard (12)
Coot (217+)
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (juvenile still present on spit)
COMMON SANDPIPER (2 on spit)
Common Terns (68+ including 33 juveniles)
Common Swifts (48)
SAND MARTINS (massive influx in rain involving at least 238 birds)
House Martins (similar influx as above with 135+ over reservoir in rain)
*SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (family party of 4-5 birds in trees by new overflow)
Goldfinch (pair feeding 3 young in hedgerow near car park)
TRINGFORD RESERVOIR
LITTLE EGRETS (the two juveniles roosting in bushes near hide)
Coot (huge increase involving 113 birds - presumably from Wilstone)
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
Great Crested Grebes (22 including the juvenile)
Sinensis Cormorants (14 on bank)
Mute Swans (increase to 42 birds)
Greylag Geese (78)
Gadwall (7)
EURASIAN WIGEON (eclipse drake still present)
SHOVELER (1)
Pochard (12)
Coot (217+)
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (juvenile still present on spit)
COMMON SANDPIPER (2 on spit)
Common Terns (68+ including 33 juveniles)
Common Swifts (48)
SAND MARTINS (massive influx in rain involving at least 238 birds)
House Martins (similar influx as above with 135+ over reservoir in rain)
*SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (family party of 4-5 birds in trees by new overflow)
Goldfinch (pair feeding 3 young in hedgerow near car park)
TRINGFORD RESERVOIR
LITTLE EGRETS (the two juveniles roosting in bushes near hide)
Coot (huge increase involving 113 birds - presumably from Wilstone)
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Massive WHIMBREL flock
This evening myself and Jonathan Masir were sat in the hide at Wilstone when a flock of 21 WHIMBRELS flew over heading west at 19:50, the largest flock I have ever seen locally.
Otherwise the Green Sandpiper and juvenile LRP from yesterday remained.
However, the most unexpected record was an adult Common Gull that, like the Whimbrels, also flew straight through. I can't remember ever seeing a Common Gull in July before, usually Mediterranean Gulls are commoner this time of year!
David Bilcock
Otherwise the Green Sandpiper and juvenile LRP from yesterday remained.
However, the most unexpected record was an adult Common Gull that, like the Whimbrels, also flew straight through. I can't remember ever seeing a Common Gull in July before, usually Mediterranean Gulls are commoner this time of year!
David Bilcock
LITTLE EGRETS on Startop's this evening
A quick look at College Lake produced a single COMMON SANDPIPER on the marsh and the two remaining juvenile OYSTERCATCHERS.
An even quicker look at Startops Res this evening revealed the presence of the two juvenile LITTLE EGRETS on the mud.
Earlier at work I had a HOBBY over the Pendley Court Theatre on Station Road, Tring (Rob Andrews).
An even quicker look at Startops Res this evening revealed the presence of the two juvenile LITTLE EGRETS on the mud.
Earlier at work I had a HOBBY over the Pendley Court Theatre on Station Road, Tring (Rob Andrews).
Exceptional numbers of SAND MARTINS for mid July
Juvenile Sand Martin (Sue Gantlett/www.BirdingWorld.co.uk)
I counted 104 Sand Martins hunting low over Wilstone Reservoir in the wet conditions on Friday, an unusually high number so early in the autumn.
Passage WHIMBRELS
This morning's north-westerly's did nothing to inspire confidence but at 0722 I heard a WHIMBREL call and when Sue, Ian Williams and I looked up there were two flying over together, with Sue seeing a third bird close to the two when she went out the back of the hide.
Supporting cast was one Common Sandpiper, one Green Sandpiper, the juv Little Ringed Plover from yesterday and also a juvenile Little Egret, which flew in high from elsewhere and dropped out of sight (Roy Hargreaves)
Ian Williams also had a single WHIMBREL fly over Wilstone last night
Supporting cast was one Common Sandpiper, one Green Sandpiper, the juv Little Ringed Plover from yesterday and also a juvenile Little Egret, which flew in high from elsewhere and dropped out of sight (Roy Hargreaves)
Ian Williams also had a single WHIMBREL fly over Wilstone last night
Friday, 17 July 2009
More COMMON CROSSBILLS
Todays Images from David Bilcock
One of 23 COMMON CROSSBILLS in pines by Wendover Woods main car park this morning, with the GREEN SANDPIPER and juvenile LITTLE RINGED PLOVER in front of the hide at Wilstone Reservoir
FRIDAY 17 JULY
Following a night of heavy downpours, the day continued in the same vein, with some torrential rain giving rise to localised flooding. With south/SE winds, temperatures held up well at around 19 degrees C.
WENDOVER FOREST (1030-1140 hours)
Following a call from David Bilcock, I made my way straight over to the main car park at Wendover Woods (at SP 886 100) where, during a break in the wet weather, I eventually located the COMMON CROSSBILL flock. They initially appeared from the west, flew along the valley 'jipping' loudly and landed in tall coniferous trees SE of the tea rooms and 100 yards east of the 'Go Ape' activity complex. The flock comprised of a total of 23 birds, including 9 red males (DB managed a shot of one male, see above). The flock fed for a very short time but then flew off towards Aston Hill (and are very likely the same flock that RDA recorded a few days ago).
The car park area also held 15 COAL TITS (including numerous youngsters) and 4 COMMON TREECREEPERS
NOTE: parking costs £5 per day, £3 half day or £1 per hour
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (midday)
The heavy downpours have resulted in a major increase in the water level, with the central ridge almost submerged again. The best mud is to the right of the Drayton Bank Hide. Disappointingly, the only new wader to arrive was a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, although Dave and Roy had seen three Black-tailed Godwits fly east.
Great Crested Grebes (18 present including the juvenile again)
[LITTLE EGRET - 2 juveniles together by the hide briefly late morning - DB]
Gadwall (7)
Lapwing (82)
*LITTLE RINGED PLOVER ('new' juvenile on ridge in front of hide)
COMMON SANDPIPER (1 remaining on bunds)
[GREEN SANDPIPER - 1 by hide - DB]
[ICELANDIC BLACK-TAILED GODWITS - 3 adults flew east at 0650 hours - DB]
Black-headed Gull (42)
Common Tern (51 including 23 juveniles, mostly now fending for themselves)
SAND MARTINS (major increase in the rain with 104 feeding low over the reservoir)
Following a night of heavy downpours, the day continued in the same vein, with some torrential rain giving rise to localised flooding. With south/SE winds, temperatures held up well at around 19 degrees C.
WENDOVER FOREST (1030-1140 hours)
Following a call from David Bilcock, I made my way straight over to the main car park at Wendover Woods (at SP 886 100) where, during a break in the wet weather, I eventually located the COMMON CROSSBILL flock. They initially appeared from the west, flew along the valley 'jipping' loudly and landed in tall coniferous trees SE of the tea rooms and 100 yards east of the 'Go Ape' activity complex. The flock comprised of a total of 23 birds, including 9 red males (DB managed a shot of one male, see above). The flock fed for a very short time but then flew off towards Aston Hill (and are very likely the same flock that RDA recorded a few days ago).
The car park area also held 15 COAL TITS (including numerous youngsters) and 4 COMMON TREECREEPERS
NOTE: parking costs £5 per day, £3 half day or £1 per hour
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (midday)
The heavy downpours have resulted in a major increase in the water level, with the central ridge almost submerged again. The best mud is to the right of the Drayton Bank Hide. Disappointingly, the only new wader to arrive was a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, although Dave and Roy had seen three Black-tailed Godwits fly east.
Great Crested Grebes (18 present including the juvenile again)
[LITTLE EGRET - 2 juveniles together by the hide briefly late morning - DB]
Gadwall (7)
Lapwing (82)
*LITTLE RINGED PLOVER ('new' juvenile on ridge in front of hide)
COMMON SANDPIPER (1 remaining on bunds)
[GREEN SANDPIPER - 1 by hide - DB]
[ICELANDIC BLACK-TAILED GODWITS - 3 adults flew east at 0650 hours - DB]
Black-headed Gull (42)
Common Tern (51 including 23 juveniles, mostly now fending for themselves)
SAND MARTINS (major increase in the rain with 104 feeding low over the reservoir)
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