Ben Miller's afternoon's birding......

Late afternoon/evening was most productive as the weather system moved through and brought a few migrants with it, mainly hirundines;


Pitstone Quarry - More people than birds, but a single LRP and a male Mandarin, and a pos White Wag but far too distant to confirm

College Lake - 2 Oystercatchers, 6+, perhaps 8, Redshanks
Marsworth - 1 female Yellow Wagtail in the paddock behind (second day, present there yesterday evening - LGRE, SR), drake Red-crested Pochard on the bales

Startops - 5 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow, 1 House Martin

Wilstone - 200+ Sand Martin, 1 Little Egret

Weston Turville - 10+ Swallow

Blackcaps and Chiffchaff singing everywhere today!

WILLOW WARBLERS arrive in force with RING OUZEL still in residency

One heard (and seen - what a beauty!) in the Top Scrub, then others heard on the Beacon and on Steps Hill. Also male RING OUZEL and Wheatear on the lower slopes of the Beacon (Sue Rowe)

Dave Bilcock's images of the 6 SANDWICH TERNS

Two pictures of the 6 Sandwich Terns that Steve watched arrive at 1:30. They were present for ca.20 mins before heading off high towards Startop's (Dave Bilcock).

Saturday early afternoon: SANDWICH TERNS drop in

Steve Rodwell located a flock of 6 SANDWICH TERNS flighting in to Wilstone Reservoir early afternoon, the birds quickly alighting on the green algae bunds to rest. They remained 45 minutes before flying off east

Miswell RING OUZEL - Roy's fourth since 1996

This morning the reservoirs held little but a lingering Goldeneye and a few Wigeon. On reaching the Dry Canal I checked the field next to the Miswell Farm footpath and spotted a Wheatear flying away from me, while looking for it I found a Ring Ouzel – only just in Herts as it was at the far end of the field from the footpath. This is the fourth Ring Ouzel I have seen in this field since 1996 – not bad for a site away from the hills (Roy Hargreaves).

Male RING OUZEL and WHEATEAR at Miswell Farm early morning

FRIDAY 01 APRIL

Although the forecasted temperatures of 20 degrees C did not materialise, the winds did veer more to the Southwest and were unusually strong for this time of year. It was fairly mild - and dry - but the blustery conditions that prevailed over much of the day did somewhat restrict searching for small passerines.
I had originally planned to have a comprehensive search for migrants, especially in Bedfordshire, where I was hoping to connect with Swallow, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Common Tern and other early arrivals but that all went pear-shaped when I received a call to say that a medium-sized petrel was on view in Berkshire and its identification was not certain.....



WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
The day began early, searching for a male RING OUZEL that Roy Hargreaves had seen in the field immediately south of the Dry Canal, west of the footpath to Miswell Farm.
Despite a lapse of just half an hour, I failed in my quest to relocate either the male Ring Ouzel or a Northern Wheatear that Roy had seen whilst walking back towards his home
The new section of canal either side of the Drayton Bridge held a pair of Mute Swans and 5 Coots, whilst the farmland either side yielded Red-legged Partridge, Eurasian Skylark (singing male), Yellowhammer (4 birds), Greenfinch (male), Goldfinch (6 birds), Dunnock, Wren, Common Blackbird (4), Common Magpie (4), Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail and a singing male Common Chiffchaff.

Beacon RING OUZEL still - 7th day

Watched the RING OUZEL on the sheep field below the Beacon at 8am with Mike Wallen - it comes out of the scrub between the Ridegway path and the sheep field and feeds out in the open so is pretty easy to see. We also saw at least a pair of Wheatear in the same area. The Linnets were very much in evidence today. Just Blackcap and Chiffchaff in the Top Scrub. No winter Thrushes anywhere. Only 3 Corn Buntings heard, all on the fencelines of arable fields. Bloomin' cold wind........Sue Rowe