SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT new in

FRIDAY 18 MARCH

Following a few days of SE winds and rather cold conditions, today followed in the a similar vein but with rain. In fact the rain eventually fizzled out late morning and was replaced by clear, bright conditions as the day came to a close.

I spent the day locally, connecting with yesterday's PIED AVOCET in North Bucks as well as a newly arrived GREY PLOVER and found one migrant SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT and then later saw another. Spring really is well and truly under way now..........

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
(0830-1000 hours; joined by Francis Buckle and Chris King)

Out early at Wilstone, due to the report of a drake Red-breasted Merganser by Jeff Bailey and others yesterday afternoon. No sign of it of course and then later heard from Jeff that there had been a mix-up - the report actually related to a drake Red-crested Pochard !!

Early migrants were-a-plenty with my first EUROPEAN BARN SWALLOW of the year sortying over the jetty and east end of the reservoir with 12 SAND MARTINS (the Swallow had initially arrived yesterday - RH), whilst two adult male Pied Wagtails were on the North Bank and a male COMMON CHIFFCHAFF was singing from the North Hedgerow just east of the new overflow. A single adult intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull flew east.

The adult female GOOSANDER remained, whilst an inventory revealed the presence of 21 Great Crested Grebes, 11 Grey Heron nests, 5 Mute Swans (including 2 first-summers), 65 Greylag Geese, 4 Gadwall, 12 Common Teal, 44 Shoveler, 41 Northern Pochard, 87 Tufted Duck and 3 female Common Goldeneyes.

Two Mistle Thrushes were busily gathering food on the north bank, with 2 Dunnocks and a male Common Chaffinch also feeding there; a male Song Thrush was singing from the Poplar Wood and 4 Long-tailed Tits were unusual in feeding in the bankside Willows.

Just as I was about to leave and was saying goodbye to Chris and Francis by the steps, I noticed two pipits flying in, one of which landed on the top bank. In the quick view I had of it before it flew, I was sure it was a Rock Pipit. All three of us then made slow approach to where both birds had dropped in over the bank but were overtaken by a woman walking her dog on a long lead. I tried to keep ahead of her but in doing so, watched both pipits fly up - one of which continued from the north to the east bank. The bird which remained became very vocal and was the usual wintering WATER PIPIT, now gradually losing its breast streaking and becoming whiter on the underparts but retaining its striking white supercilium. This bird was then flushed.

We watched the woman continue and were fortunate in that she flushed both pipits back towards us, the WATER PIPIT resettling on the east bank and the other bird landing back near the car park steps. We carefully crept back and checked the shoreline, Francis catching a movement. It was the bird and in getting it in the 'scope, I was quickly able to confirm that it was a SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT. It was partially in spring plumage, with much grey in the head and a dark malar stripe, but with just a pale eye-ring (no stripe), heavily streaked underparts (on a buffish basal background), dark brownish-red legs, brown upperparts and white undertail-coverts. The bird showed very well indeed and was still present when we all departed. My first of the year.

First SWALLOW appears

Highlight at Wilstone Reservoir today was an early EUROPEAN BARN SWALLOW, whilst the redhead GOOSANDER remained and SAND MARTINS increased to six (RH)

Adult MED GULL this evening

This evening a superb full breeding plumaged Mediterranean gull was present in the Wilstone gull roost (Dave Bilcock)

Today's WAXWINGS in Tring

Having not seen any WAXWINGS in Tring since before Christmas, I spotted these birds at the junction of Ash Road and Dundale Road whilst on my way to the dentist this morning.
When I drove past 45 minutes later they were not present but may have only moved into the nearby gardens, as I didn't spend any time searching for them. A couple of pictures hurriedly taken this morning above (David Bilcock).

WAXWINGS in Tring

David Bilcock has just texted to say that 5 WAXWINGS are in Tring in Ash Road

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER fly-through

MONDAY 14 MARCH

The day started fairly bright and mild but as the morning wore on, a brisk SE wind blew in and dramatically decreased temperatures. The bright conditions prevailed throughout the rest of the day but it felt mightily cold.

HOLLOWAY LANE, CHESHAM BOIS (BUCKS)

Checked out the Rookery in the trees adjacent to the railway bridge at SU 973 998; there were 32 active nests.

GRAND UNION CANAL WALK (HERTS)

Spent some time looking for yesterday's Firecrest but no joy, despite prime habitat; Coal Tit, 6 Blue Tits and 2 Long-tailed Tits noted.

PITSTONE HILL AND DOWNS FARM FIELDS (BUCKS)

Mike Campbell had seen a male Northern Wheatear and a male Common Stonechat earlier but despite walking the entire circuit of fields, I failed to find either. Eurasian Skylarks were singing everywhere, perhaps 15 males, whilst 2 CORN BUNTINGS, 8 Yellowhammers, Sparrowhawk, female Common Kestrel, 2 Common Magpies and 86 Black-headed Gulls were also seen.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

A LITTLE RINGED PLOVER flew east at 1303 hours but other than that, Wilstone was extremely quiet. There was no sign of any Wigeon or Goldeneye or Sand Martins, 18 Great Crested Grebe being the only count I made. The fine weather meant that numerous Red Kites and Common Buzzards were soaring.

PITSTONE QUARRY (HERTS/BUCKS BORDER)

Waders included 3 Lapwings and a Common Redshank, whilst roosting gulls included 377 Black-headed and 24 Common; 8 Redwing feeding in leaf litter were clearly migrants. My first butterfly of the year was a BRIMSTONE.

FIRECREST by Grand Union Canal near Tring Station

A FIRECREST was showing well on the western bank of the canal, approx 250m along the canal when walking from Tring station towards the reservoirs, yesterday. Incidentally, we also saw a Tawny owl in roughly the same spot on the way back in the dark, and another owl by the station car park (Eva Lana Elola & Andrew Bailey)