Passage GREENSHANK

Steve Rodwell and I had a thorough look at Wilstone yesterday, the highlights being a juvenile COMMON GREENSHANK, 4 juvenile COMMON SHELDUCK, 2 Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper (see images below).

The water level is dropping fast now and among the more regular species present, noteworthy were 2 Little Grebe (adult & juvenile), 11 Great Crested Grebe (including 2 broods - a 1 & a 3), 14 Little Egrets (including the 4 juveniles still in the Drayton Bank nest), 106 Mallard, 20 Gadwall, 15 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 7 Northern Pochard (including a green nasal-banded female from NW France), 7 Red Kite, Sparrowhawks (active nest near the hide),  2 juvenile Water Rail, 179 Lapwing, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and 4 Common Chiffchaffs.

Images above: the Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, the 4 juvenile Shelducks and the current view from the Drayton Bank Hide

RED-BACKED SHRIKE summering on Quainton Hills, west of Aylesbury

A male RED-BACKED SHRIKE has been present since the middle of last week on Quainton Hill, favouring the hedgerow that leads west from the West Slopes 100 yards west of the transmitter. The bird has a larder in the hedgerow and is showing well.

Recencies

Last week, Steve Rodwell recorded 3 BLACK-TAILED GODWITS and a SANDERLING on Wilstone but both species only stayed briefly - the latter for just over an hour. Steve and I also noted a juvenile COMMON SHELDUCK on Friday, as well as 2 Green Sandpipers and 2 Common Sandpipers.

Waders trickling through

Wandered round to the hide with Dave Hutchinson. Spit is very exposed and had lots of lapwings and Greylag Geese on it. About 20m of mud to left of hide. A lot of birds on the water. Dave spotted the COMMON SANDPIPER on one of the tern rafts. Juvenile LITTLE RINGED PLOVER also on mud near Drayon Beauchamp corner on way to hide. Shot is heavily cropped. Good to see movement! (Michael Nott)

COMMON REDSTART still at College Lake

The male COMMON REDSTART is still in the same area at College Lake. It was spending most of the time near the water’s edge. It was calling quite frequently and for a few minutes at a time. The call is reminiscent of Willow Warbler call

Couple of shots attached

Dave Hutchinson

No sign of the weekend Turtle Dove but a juvenile MEDITERRANEAN GULL breaks the silence

TUESDAY 22 JULY

 

A further day of very hot conditions with temperatures again in the high seventies. Clear blue skies too

 

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING

 

With the Grand Union Canal in optimum usage with holiday barges etc, the water levels at Wilstone are finally starting to drop to reveal a narrow fringe of mud and the spit between the Drayton Bank hide and central bank. Most significant birdwise is the post-breeding build up of LITTLE EGRETS, with 18 logged again today, including the nesting pair and their offspring. It was also pleasing to see one pair of Great Crested Grebes with 3 small young, while Black-headed Gull numbers had increased to at least 334. Clearly associated with this arrival was a very fresh juvenile MEDITERRANEAN GULL. Found by Steve Rodwell during one of his regular mammoth sessions, the bird was commuting between the bales and fields in Cemetery Corner - see my pix below.

Great Crested Grebe and 3 young

 

Otherwise, fairly standard fare: 32 Mute Swans, 86 Greylag Geese, 6 Common Teal, 5 Shoveler, 35 Tufted Duck, 334 Coot, 96 Lapwing, 32 Common Terns (including at least 15 juveniles), HOBBY, 9+ Red Kite (foraging the fields as they were being muck-spread), Common Buzzards, 2+ Sparrowhawk (nesting again near the hide),Green Woodpecker, Jay, Great Tit (family party), Blackcap, 8+ Western Reed Warblers, 4 Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 15 Chaffinch (mainly juvenile, again taking advantage of the sillage), Song Thrush and 6 Common Whitethroats (family party).

Red Kites taking advantage of the spraying

 

There was no sign of the male Turtle Dove heard on Sunday in the orchard while Steve discovered a COMMON GREENSHANK on my departure - another first for the year.

 

Over at MARSWORTH RESERVOIR, both pairs of Coot have bred (one with 2 babies, the other with a single), with 4 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Greylag Geese, 41 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Wren noted, whilst STARTOPSEND yielded 5 Mute Swans, 56 Coot, 8 Tufted Duck and a pair of Great Crested Grebes with their single surviving youngster. TRINGFORD held all 7 Mute Swans (family group) and 78 Coot (some still nesting), with a female Tufted Duck with 3 ducklings. Up to 20 Common Terns were moving between all 3 reservoirs.

Elsewhere, the GREYLAG GOOSE was again with Atlantic Canada Geese in LOWNDES PARK, CHESHAM and all 18 Common Swifts were still around my garden in LITTLE CHALFONT, 3 days later than last year so far.