BLACK-NECKED GREBE finally makes it on to annual list

SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER

A very deep area of low pressure passed over the area today bringing near gale force SSW winds and more heavy rain, occasionally torrential. There was little respite from the conditions all day and mid afternoon saw the arrival of a windswept juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER at Calvert BBOWT

TRING RESERVOIRS

David Bilcock discovered an adult winter BLACK-NECKED GREBE early morning, the first record there this year. I rolled up at Wilstone at 1045 hours and dodging the heavy showers and braving the gusty wind, managed to relocate the bird, diving frequently just offshore of the central bund. It was sheltering from the wind in the small bay just east of the Drayton Bank but later moved much closer to the jetty and was still present when I left early afternoon. Roy, Mike Campbell and Charlie Jackson had all seen it before I arrived.

Also on WILSTONE RESERVOIR

Great Crested Grebe (14)
Little Grebe (2)
Mute Swan (35 including 7 first-winters)
Greylag Geese (4)
Common Teal (198 including 101 in the SE quadrant)
Gadwall (19)
Eurasian Wigeon (256)
Shoveler (87)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (single female feeding by the old boathouse inlet)
Tufted Duck (117)
Pochard (14)
*PEREGRINE (single scattering the plover flock on several occasions eventually drifting off north)
Coot (529+ including 324 in one feeding flock near the hide)
Lapwing (212)
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER (502)
Common Snipe (8)
Herring Gull (2 first-winters on bund)
Meadow Pipits (14 on the mud)

Dave Bilcock and Steve Rodwell did the late afternoon gull roost and discovered a 'new' 2nd-winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL (see image above) and 2 Herring Gulls.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR

Water level has risen dramatically with the 'mud' in the SW corner attracting large numbers of feeding wildfowl including 7 Mute Swans (2 additional adults on Tringford), 57 Greylag Geese, 61 Mallard and 31 Common Teal.

On the main reservoir were 2 Little Grebes, 6 Gadwall, 33 Tufted Ducks, 16 Pochard and 127 Coot.

A Goldcrest was in ivy close to the road bend.

COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT

Little Grebe (1)
Mute Swans (39 present including 3 first-winters)
Mallard x Red-crested Pochard hybrid
Gadwall (36)
Eurasian Wigeon (38)
Shoveler (1 drake)
Pochard (14)
Tufted Duck (27)
*RUDDY DUCK (2 female-types)

The Week so far

Despite the fog in the mornings it hasn't been too bad at Wilstone.

The juvenile GREATER SCAUP has been in the inlet by the hide the past two mornings. There are still good numbers of European Golden Plover on the spit and about 40 Pied Wagtails and 40 Meadow Pipits on the various mud banks. A single Siskin was by the hide yesterday.

Yesterday four Chinese Water Deer were on the mud to the right of the hide and there was a Red Fox this morning.

The water level has risen slightly as the lower water level post now has water around its base (Roy Hargreaves).

Steps Hill WOODCOCK

Flushed a WOODCOCK this afternoon near the bottom end of Incombe Hole, on the path going up from near the B488/489 junction at Ivinghoe, just before where the tree-lined path opens out into the first field at the end of the gardens. Also one or two Buzzards, Common Gull, Fieldfares (Dave R Lee, Pitstone)

Weekend Gull Roosts

Saturday with Steve, Warren and Roy a 2W MEDITERRANEAN GULL was present

Sunday with Steve and Mike Campbell the below adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULL roosted (Dave Bilcock)

GOOSANDER at College Lake 8/11

Wilstone: GREATER SCAUP still present, today it was close to the Drayton Bank opposite the new overflow. On the central spit a single Dunlin was amongst the Golden Plovers and CUA carbo roosting.

College Lake: Paul has just found a GOOSANDER on the marsh, a drake moulting out of eclipse, which promptly swam behind a clump of willows and disappeared. No doubt still present but roosting out of view.

David Bilcock

MED GULL

Steve Rodwell observed a first-winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL in the Wilstone Reservoir roost this evening - roosting amongst 700 or more Black-headed Gulls. At least 1 DUNLIN was also still present.

First day of November pretty much a washout

NOVEMBER 2009

SUNDAY 1 NOVEMBER

Heavy rain persisted throughout the morning along with blustery WNW winds making birding conditions very unpleasant. It finally cleared early morning with brighter conditions following, although the wind still remained strong. Temperatures struggled to 15 degrees C. Despite an excellent Saturday where rare wildfowl was the main theme and a dapper male Black Redstart attracted the crowds, Sunday was largely a let down for me.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR, TRING

There was no sign of Saturday's Common Goldeneye but overnight rain had pushed water levels up attracting large numbers of dabblers to the SW shore - including 6 Mute Swans, 10 Greylag Geese, 143 Mallard, 15 Shoveler and 37 Common Teal whilst the open water held 4 Great Crested Grebes, a pair of Gadwall, 43 Tufted Ducks and an impressive 86 Northern Pochards.

TRINGFORD RESERVOIR

Sadly, the road running alongside the reservoir harboured a fresh Badger casualty.

Few birds on Tringford - just 3 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Grey Herons, 1 Mute Swan, 2 Common Teal, 8 Gadwall and 6 Northern Pochard.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR

Totally windswept - 3 DUNLIN from the Drayton Bank Hide being the highlight, with the juvenile GREATER SCAUP still feeding on the east shore.

LONG MARSTON (HERTFORDSHIRE)

No sign of yesterday's adult male Black Redstart enjoyed and photographed by many (see blog)

WINGRAVE AREA (BUCKS)

Two adult Moorhens on the village pond at SP 870 192 with 41 Linnets just north of Lower Windmill Hill Farm at SP 872 184.

GROVEBURY SAND QUARRY (BEDFORDSHIRE)

Just outside the Tring Recording Area, 6 DARK-BELLIED BRENT GEESE were present until at least 0945 hours in driving rain (Johnny Lynch). They were not there when I visited mid afternoon.

TONGWELL LAKE, MILTON KEYNES (NORTH BUCKS)

The pair of GREATER SCAUP were showing very well diving frequently in front of the main island at Tongwell Lake at SP 867 423. Both birds were adults with the drake just moulting out of eclipse with patchy grey in the flanks, light grey vermiculations on the mantle, a black breast, a rich dark green sheen to the head and a pale blue bill with a dark nail restricted to the tip. The adult female had an extensive white blaze, extending on the forehead as well as at the sides of the bill, a similarly patterned bill, flat and broad dark brown head and breast and dark grey vermiculations on the sides, flanks and mantle.

FOXCOTE RESERVOIR (NORTH BUCKS)
(with Jenny Wallington; late afternoon)

Great Crested Grebe (7)
Little Grebe (5)
Mute Swans (38 including 6 first-winters)
Gadwall (41)
Eurasian Wigeon (343)
Common Teal (27)
Shoveler (19)
Northern Pochard (23)
Tufted Duck (63)
*RING-NECKED DUCK (the adult drake was still present roosting in the weed-covered section at the north end directly opposite the hide - occasionally lifted its head and still largely in eclipse plumage)
COMMON GOLDENEYES (3 present, my first of the autumn - an adult drake, a first-winter drake and a female)