Wednesday, 23 December 2009
The first BRAMBLING returns to a Tring garden
18 December: Unsurprisingly with the snow the number of birds feeding in the garden has increased.Today there were 80+ Chaffinches in the garden and, at long last, a female BRAMBLING - my first in the garden this winter. The 10+ Blackbirds were also voraciously attacking any berries they could find or Sunflower hearts as an alternative (Roy Hargreaves)
Wintering BLACKCAP in Tring - BITTERN STILL
18 December: The BITTERN went to roost this afternoon at 4.12pm. I didn't see exactly where it flew up from but it went to roost in the same area as usual. Earlier I drew a blank in the gull roost at Wilstone. In my garden at Lakeside, Tring there has been a female BLACKCAP since last Saturday (Steve Rodwell)
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Sunday birding - 20 December - GREAT WHITE EGRET
Late morning I gave Warren Claydon a hand with the Webs count. There were no surprises and in fact the duck numbers were quite low. Only 3 Common Goldeneye at Wilstone and the female Red-crested Pochard was at Startop's End. The most interesting sighting was 6 Lesser Redpolls briefly by the carpark at Wilstone. I was determined to find a Med Gull at the gull roost this afternoon, but again Black-headed Gull numbers were relatively low compared to a week ago.
Fortunately I was saved from another blank by Dave Bilcock's call about the GREAT WHITE EGRET (flew across Marsworth Reservoir and landed very briefly in tree at Tringford before disappearing north). The bird never quite made it to Wilstone Reservoir, and I saw it briefly from the car quite high up doubling back to Marsworth along the stretch of road going to Wilstone cemetry. Remarkably the EURASIAN BITTERN put in a very late appearance for a number of observers, going to roost in reeds on the south bank of Marsworth Reservoir about 4.30pm (Steve Rodwell)
Fortunately I was saved from another blank by Dave Bilcock's call about the GREAT WHITE EGRET (flew across Marsworth Reservoir and landed very briefly in tree at Tringford before disappearing north). The bird never quite made it to Wilstone Reservoir, and I saw it briefly from the car quite high up doubling back to Marsworth along the stretch of road going to Wilstone cemetry. Remarkably the EURASIAN BITTERN put in a very late appearance for a number of observers, going to roost in reeds on the south bank of Marsworth Reservoir about 4.30pm (Steve Rodwell)
Monday, 14 December 2009
BITTERN again tonight - worrying low number of roosting CORN BUNTINGS
SATURDAY 12 DECEMBER
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
Dave Bilcock, Roy Hargreaves and Mike Campbell all witnessed a flock of 6 adult WHOOPER SWANS on Wilstone early on Saturday morning. They flew in at 0830 hours and landed in front of the reedbed at the Cemetery Corner end, where they were photographed (DB) and settled for at least 15 minutes. I left home shortly after Dave texted me, but got caught up in a diversionary route, as the westbound A41 was closed.
By 0910 hours (when I arrived), the herd were nowhere to be found and had departed
Compensation came in the form of a pair of NORTHERN PINTAIL (roosting with 51 Shoveler on the Drayton Bank), 2 drake COMMON GOLDENEYE, the continuing BLACK-TAILED GODWIT and two COMMON REDSHANK and a juvenile Herring Gull.
There were just 5 Mute Swans present on Wilstone, along with 16 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Dabchicks.
STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR
(with Dave Bilcock)
9 Mute Swans (including a first-winter), 3 Great Crested Grebes, the female Red-crested Pochard from College Lake, 47 Shoveler (disturbed off Marsworth), 1 Wigeon, 11 Common Teal and 1 drake Pochard. A flock of 38 REDWING flew east.
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT
19 Mute Swans (with 2 first-winters), 24 Gadwall, 42 Wigeon, 8 Shoveler and 15 Pochard.
THE WENDOVER ARM OF THE GRAND UNION CANAL (winter survey)
Walked from Wellonhead Bridge to The Wides
A single WATER RAIL is wintering. No sign of the Mandarin Ducks however.
Little Grebe (1)
Mallard (17)
Moorhen (25 including 6 first-winters)
Coot (14)
Also noted were both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrushes, 4 Mistle Thrushes, Fieldfare, 40 Redwing, 4 Great Tits and 5 Wrens.
WESTON TURVILLE RESERVOIR
(complete winter bird survey)
Unusually, a good crop of wildfowl present, including 1 first-winter Mute Swan, pair of Gadwall, 15 Mallard, 25 Shoveler (17 drakes and 8 females - good count for the site) and 2 Tufted Ducks, as well as 8 Great Crested Grebes (high count), 15 Coot, 11 Moorhens, 37 Black-headed Gulls and 4 Common Gulls (including a first-winter).
Passerines included 1 Song Thrush, 14 Common Blackbird, Grey Wagtail, 10 Wren, 8 European Robins, 8 Long-tailed Tits and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
MONDAY 14 DECEMBER
Continuing cold (5 degrees C) but rather damp with light rain predominating during the afternoon.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
At last - finally connected with the RUFFS !
The water level has risen even further, and has consequently become much more attractive to birds, with the entire site heaving with wildfowl and waders.
Great Crested Grebe (12)
Little Grebe (3)
Mute Swan (5)
Gadwall (22)
Common Teal (331)
Eurasian Wigeon (413)
Shoveler (71)
Tufted Duck (109)
Pochard (27)
Lapwing (450+)
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER (211+)
RUFF (2 commuting between the south and north end)
COMMON REDSHANK (1)
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (still present)
Common Snipe (9)
Black-headed Gulls (1,100+)
MEDITERRANEAN GULLS (both regular adult and 2nd-winter in roost both preening on muddy islands)
COMMON GULL (53+)
MARSWORTH RESERVOIR
(with Dave Bilcock; 1520-1615 hours)
The EURASIAN BITTERN flew from the SW corner at 1602 hours and went low below the line of the reeds before eventually landing high in the reedbed at the east end, close to the Grand Union Canal locks in Bucks. It then slowly made its way down in the reeds to sleep.
Most disconcerting was the fact that just 40 CORN BUNTINGS came in to roost. There were also 6 REED BUNTINGS.
The 14 Great Crested Grebes were still present - and 98 Shoveler feeding
Lee Evans
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
Dave Bilcock, Roy Hargreaves and Mike Campbell all witnessed a flock of 6 adult WHOOPER SWANS on Wilstone early on Saturday morning. They flew in at 0830 hours and landed in front of the reedbed at the Cemetery Corner end, where they were photographed (DB) and settled for at least 15 minutes. I left home shortly after Dave texted me, but got caught up in a diversionary route, as the westbound A41 was closed.
By 0910 hours (when I arrived), the herd were nowhere to be found and had departed
Compensation came in the form of a pair of NORTHERN PINTAIL (roosting with 51 Shoveler on the Drayton Bank), 2 drake COMMON GOLDENEYE, the continuing BLACK-TAILED GODWIT and two COMMON REDSHANK and a juvenile Herring Gull.
There were just 5 Mute Swans present on Wilstone, along with 16 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Dabchicks.
STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR
(with Dave Bilcock)
9 Mute Swans (including a first-winter), 3 Great Crested Grebes, the female Red-crested Pochard from College Lake, 47 Shoveler (disturbed off Marsworth), 1 Wigeon, 11 Common Teal and 1 drake Pochard. A flock of 38 REDWING flew east.
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT
19 Mute Swans (with 2 first-winters), 24 Gadwall, 42 Wigeon, 8 Shoveler and 15 Pochard.
THE WENDOVER ARM OF THE GRAND UNION CANAL (winter survey)
Walked from Wellonhead Bridge to The Wides
A single WATER RAIL is wintering. No sign of the Mandarin Ducks however.
Little Grebe (1)
Mallard (17)
Moorhen (25 including 6 first-winters)
Coot (14)
Also noted were both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrushes, 4 Mistle Thrushes, Fieldfare, 40 Redwing, 4 Great Tits and 5 Wrens.
WESTON TURVILLE RESERVOIR
(complete winter bird survey)
Unusually, a good crop of wildfowl present, including 1 first-winter Mute Swan, pair of Gadwall, 15 Mallard, 25 Shoveler (17 drakes and 8 females - good count for the site) and 2 Tufted Ducks, as well as 8 Great Crested Grebes (high count), 15 Coot, 11 Moorhens, 37 Black-headed Gulls and 4 Common Gulls (including a first-winter).
Passerines included 1 Song Thrush, 14 Common Blackbird, Grey Wagtail, 10 Wren, 8 European Robins, 8 Long-tailed Tits and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
MONDAY 14 DECEMBER
Continuing cold (5 degrees C) but rather damp with light rain predominating during the afternoon.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
At last - finally connected with the RUFFS !
The water level has risen even further, and has consequently become much more attractive to birds, with the entire site heaving with wildfowl and waders.
Great Crested Grebe (12)
Little Grebe (3)
Mute Swan (5)
Gadwall (22)
Common Teal (331)
Eurasian Wigeon (413)
Shoveler (71)
Tufted Duck (109)
Pochard (27)
Lapwing (450+)
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER (211+)
RUFF (2 commuting between the south and north end)
COMMON REDSHANK (1)
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (still present)
Common Snipe (9)
Black-headed Gulls (1,100+)
MEDITERRANEAN GULLS (both regular adult and 2nd-winter in roost both preening on muddy islands)
COMMON GULL (53+)
MARSWORTH RESERVOIR
(with Dave Bilcock; 1520-1615 hours)
The EURASIAN BITTERN flew from the SW corner at 1602 hours and went low below the line of the reeds before eventually landing high in the reedbed at the east end, close to the Grand Union Canal locks in Bucks. It then slowly made its way down in the reeds to sleep.
Most disconcerting was the fact that just 40 CORN BUNTINGS came in to roost. There were also 6 REED BUNTINGS.
The 14 Great Crested Grebes were still present - and 98 Shoveler feeding
Lee Evans
Sunday, 13 December 2009
Today's summary - Steve Rodwell
A very enjoyable afternoon with Don and Sandra Otter, Mike and Rose Collard and Mike Campbell, amongst others. The 2nd winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL was present in the Wilstone Gull roost as was the 'White' Back-headed Gull. There were also 2 RUFF (different than those photographed recently) and the BLACK-TAILED GODWIT was still present. The EURASIAN BITTERN was at Marsworth again, showing well on some flattened reed on the far bank about 4.10pm. Again it flew to roost in the Bucks sector. Sandra also saw some movement in the reeds not far from where the Bittern was roosting, and there may well be a second bird present. As we left 2 COMMON REDSHANKS called from Startops and earlier there was a female PINTAIL on this reservoir. Yesterday there were at least 2 Cetti's Warbler singing at Marsworth and one this evening.
MEDITTERANEAN GULL makes rare daytime visit to Marsworth Reservoir
This morning Steve Todwell found the second-winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL at Marsworth, which made a change from struggling to find it in the roost most evenings. Also enabled me to get a much better picture than the usual blurry roost shot (Dave Bilcock).
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