Tuesday, 23 September 2008

23 SEPTEMBER 2008

TUESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2008

An increasing NE wind pushing down thick cloud, with the odd heavy shower. Temperatures still holding up.

TRING RESERVOIRS
(1500-1800 hours, the latter period spent with Dave Bilcock and Steve Rodwell)

Startopsend Reservoir: a nice muddy margin appearing, allowing for waders and crakes - a full inventory revealed 5 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swans (2 cygnets) (with 4 more adults on the adjacent Grand Union Canal), 22 Northern Shovelers, 5 Tufted Duck, 33 Common Coot, 10 Moorhen, Grey Wagtail, 8 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail and a Common Chiffchaff.

Marsworth Reservoir: 6 Great Crested Grebes (including the two small stripey young), adult drake Northern Pochard and two vocal CETTI'S WARBLERS. An expanse of mud is appearing by the overflow.

Tringford Reservoir: 8 Great Crested Grebes (including a first-winter), 6 adult Mute Swans, 4 Northern Shovelers and 31 Common Coots.

Wilstone Reservoir: much mud and islands again visible, particularly at the west end.

Great Crested Grebes - 17 present including a first-winter
Little Grebes - 8 still
Sinensis Cormorants - 40 roosting
LITTLE EGRET - 2 remain
Mute Swans - just 31
WHOOPER SWAN - adult pair still
Eurasian Wigeon - 122
Common Teal - 236
*GARGANEY - still present early morning (DB only)
Gadwall - 11
Northern Shoveler - 61
*NORTHERN PINTAIL - 5 remain
Tufted Duck - 58
Northern Pochard - 38+
RUDDY DUCK - 2 adult drakes, an adult female and 1 juvenile

**PEREGRINE - one flew through at 1729 hours flushing all of the Lapwings and Black-headed Gulls. It flew off strongly north (DB, LGRE)

Common Buzzard - 1

Lapwings - click-counted 516 birds
Moorhens - 79+
*WATER RAILS - 2 adults near Cemetery Corner (SR, LGRE)
Common Coot - 388+
Common Gull - 1 sub-adult
Black-headed Gulls - 303+
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 9

COMMON KINGFISHER
BARN SWALLOW - 15 flew east across reservoir at 1725

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