Tuesday, 12 August 2008

Monday 11 August




The wind veered slightly SE and light, with overcast skies and a muggy feel to the day
At Wilstone Reservoir, the highlight was this very confiding GARGANEY, feeding at the edge of the mud on the emergent vegetation in the shallows just to the left of the Drayton Bank Hide. This is the bird first seen last week (and our second of the autumn). This bird has a very narrow white trailing edge in flight and is therefore a juvenile (JT/FB/LGRE/DB). These superb photographs were taken by Dave Bilcock
The 3 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS remained (all asleep on the bund), along with the eclipse drake EURASIAN WIGEON, 72 Mute Swans and an adult HOBBY.
DB also saw both adult GREEN SANDPIPERS in the evening
At Marsworth Reservoir, Joan and I saw a 4th RED-CRESTED POCHARD - eclipse adult female - feeding at very close range with Mallards. There were also single pairs of Mute Swans on the Grand Union Canal and on Startopsend Reservoir.
In Marsworth Village, 43 House Sparrows were again in the Angler's Retreat garden, with 4 more in one of the gardens in the village.
A juvenile Mistle Thrush was feeding on the verge in Pitstone village
At Pitstone Quarry, all 7 MANDARINS (SR), the COMMON SANDPIPER and COMMON GREENSHANK (JT) all remained present.

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