SATURDAY 21 MARCH
With high pressure still firmly in charge, it was another glorious day, with clear blue skies, all-day sunshine and temperatures continuing at 15 degrees C. There was a light easterly breeze. A few new migrants arrived overnight but surprisingly no Garganey. A superb male WHITE WAGTAIL and male NORTHERN WHEATEAR were the highlights.
PITSTONE QUARRY
GREAT CRESTED GREBE (pair prospecting for nest site)
Little Grebe (8)
Grey Heron (2)
COMMON TEAL (pair)
Tufted Duck (14 - 7 pairs)
Coot (12)
Lapwing (1 pair nesting)
OYSTERCATCHER (pair feeding - presumably College Lake birds)
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (pair - found by DB - and later relocated on Tunnel Way)
Common Gull (1 adult)
Dunnock (male in full song)
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (singing male in trees on west side)
Goldfinch (2)
BULLFINCH (pair)
Rook (57)
Jackdaws (125)
Carrion Crow (46)
COLLEGE LAKE (with Mike & Rose Collard, Steve Rodwell & Jack O'Neill)
The winter-plumaged DUNLIN first located by Ben Miller last Sunday was still present, roosting on the island at the north end of the reserve (on the main lake) and best observed from the North Watchpoint. My first in the county and area this year.
Also, other waders included 6 COMMON REDSHANKS, the pair of OYSTERCATCHERS and 3+ pairs of prospecting or nesting Lapwings. A total of 19 COMMON SNIPE was still present on the marsh.
Mute Swans (pair)
Gadwall (Pair)
Pochard (4)
Shoveler (28)
*WHITE WAGTAIL (a fine male was feeding with a Pied Wagtail on the bund - the first of the year - SR, M & RC, JO'N, LGRE).
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (1 singing male)
BULLFINCH (Pair)
TUNNEL WAY SCRAPES, PITSTONE
In addition to the pair of RINGED PLOVERS, all 3 LITTLE RINGED PLOVERS were present on the scrape closest to the road this afternoon (2 had moved over from the Quarry).
A few Linnets were also noted and a Meadow Pipit was in full display.
IVINGHOE BEACON SHEEPFIELDS
(with Mike & Rose)
The beautiful male NORTHERN WHEATEAR was showing well this afternoon (present for its third day), favouring the slope just SE of the main beacon trig point. Mike photographed it. It represented my first of the year.
A flock of 14 Skylarks was together, several Meadow Pipits were displaying and the COMMON CHIFFCHAFF was still singing from the scrub below the car park.
A RED KITE was over the valley (Coombe Hole) north of the B489.
With high pressure still firmly in charge, it was another glorious day, with clear blue skies, all-day sunshine and temperatures continuing at 15 degrees C. There was a light easterly breeze. A few new migrants arrived overnight but surprisingly no Garganey. A superb male WHITE WAGTAIL and male NORTHERN WHEATEAR were the highlights.
PITSTONE QUARRY
GREAT CRESTED GREBE (pair prospecting for nest site)
Little Grebe (8)
Grey Heron (2)
COMMON TEAL (pair)
Tufted Duck (14 - 7 pairs)
Coot (12)
Lapwing (1 pair nesting)
OYSTERCATCHER (pair feeding - presumably College Lake birds)
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (pair - found by DB - and later relocated on Tunnel Way)
Common Gull (1 adult)
Dunnock (male in full song)
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (singing male in trees on west side)
Goldfinch (2)
BULLFINCH (pair)
Rook (57)
Jackdaws (125)
Carrion Crow (46)
COLLEGE LAKE (with Mike & Rose Collard, Steve Rodwell & Jack O'Neill)
The winter-plumaged DUNLIN first located by Ben Miller last Sunday was still present, roosting on the island at the north end of the reserve (on the main lake) and best observed from the North Watchpoint. My first in the county and area this year.
Also, other waders included 6 COMMON REDSHANKS, the pair of OYSTERCATCHERS and 3+ pairs of prospecting or nesting Lapwings. A total of 19 COMMON SNIPE was still present on the marsh.
Mute Swans (pair)
Gadwall (Pair)
Pochard (4)
Shoveler (28)
*WHITE WAGTAIL (a fine male was feeding with a Pied Wagtail on the bund - the first of the year - SR, M & RC, JO'N, LGRE).
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (1 singing male)
BULLFINCH (Pair)
TUNNEL WAY SCRAPES, PITSTONE
In addition to the pair of RINGED PLOVERS, all 3 LITTLE RINGED PLOVERS were present on the scrape closest to the road this afternoon (2 had moved over from the Quarry).
A few Linnets were also noted and a Meadow Pipit was in full display.
IVINGHOE BEACON SHEEPFIELDS
(with Mike & Rose)
The beautiful male NORTHERN WHEATEAR was showing well this afternoon (present for its third day), favouring the slope just SE of the main beacon trig point. Mike photographed it. It represented my first of the year.
A flock of 14 Skylarks was together, several Meadow Pipits were displaying and the COMMON CHIFFCHAFF was still singing from the scrub below the car park.
A RED KITE was over the valley (Coombe Hole) north of the B489.
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