FRANCIS LOCATES LARGE REDPOLL FLOCK

At last caught up with the LARGE flock of REDPOLLS at Berkhamsted Golf Course at 1pm in birches near the 6th green - between the fairway and the road to Ashridge College. Had at least 80 birds but my estimate is most probably on the conservative side (Francis Buckle, Thursday 29 January)

BITTERN STILL LINGERING IN MARSWORTH REEDBED

The EURASIAN BITTERN was by the 'cut outs' in the reeds opposite the hide on Marsworth Reservoir at 1000 hours today (29 January). (Brian Scott)

EARLY MORNING BARN OWL

A BARN OWL flew over the Long Marston road just past the Roundabout next to Startops Reservoir at 6.50 am this morning (Steve Rodwell)

A DAMP SQUIB

SUNDAY 24 JANUARY

Heavy rain overnight left severe flooding in its wake. Once cleared late morning, a fresh and very cold westerly wind set in.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR

Eventually hearing of Roy's Pintail sightings and that of Common Crane, Short-eared Owl and Jack Snipe by another regular, I visited Wilstone with some trepidation. As it was, most wildfowl was holed up sheltering out of the wind and very little was noted.

Sample counts included 12 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, c660 Eurasian Wigeon (including a single drake favouring the upper bank by the car park), 179 Common Teal, 42 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 57 Tufted Duck, 25 Pochard and a pair of COMMON GOLDENEYES. Sadly, no Pintail, a species which has been unusually difficult this year at Tring (Roy's four being the first this year).

COLLEGE LAKE

Thinking that College Lake may have 'taken' the Pintails, I visited there, but again no sign.

Wildfowl included just 5 Mute Swans, 68 Wigeon, 85 Teal, 62 Gadwall, 24 Shoveler, 6 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS (2 drakes and 4 females - all feeding together on the main marsh), 27 Tufted Duck and 14 Pochards.

A single Little Grebe was in attendance, and a flock of 94 Lapwing flew over.

FRITHSDEN BEECHES/BERKHAMSTED COMMON

Spent two and a half hours wandering the rain-drenched, highly sodden ground of this part of the Ashridge Estate in a quest for Lesser Redpoll. Despite walking all the way from Ashridge College to the war memorial at Grim's Ditch, barely saw any birds in the forest. In fact, it was almost totally birdless.

Highlight was a WOODCOCK disturbed by startled Fallow Deer at Frithsden, and a Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Of note, were 6 active ROOK nests in tall trees NE of the ruins at TQ 004 087 (Berkhamsted)

Ringed ATLANTIC GREAT CORMORANTS wintering on Wilstone

Both the NORTH ATLANTIC CORMORANTS that were ringed in NE Scotland at Sands of Forvie (Aberdeenshire) and present at Tring last winter have returned.

'DXA' was first seen on 22 November 2008 but not close enough to read its ring until last weekend, when it was sat on the Drayton bank visible from the hide on Sunday 18th Jan. This bird is now in its second winter.

'CUA' first seen at Tring in December 2005 has also returned for its 4th winter, and last Saturday was on Tringford (David Bilcock)

MARSWORTH THIS EVENING

My son Chris spent an hour or so at Startopsend and Marsworth just before dusk:

At Startopsend were 130 Shoveler and 3 Gadwall and at Marsworth were another 50 Shoveler, 30 Pochard and 4 Heron. 110 CORN BUNTINGS (to roost) and just 2 Starlings went down to roost and there were 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Wren, 2 Robin, 6 Blackbird, 1 Sparrowhawk and the BARN OWL was hunting in the fields behind again (Keith Evans)

BOTH MED AND BARN OWL THIS EVENING (24th)

Steve Rodwell and I saw the 1st winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL on Wilstone this evening - when it was actually still light! We then went over to Marsworth where Steve had a brief glimpse of a BARN OWL over the fields at the back (Roy Hargreaves)