Since Saturday, a family of four 'juvenile' EUROPEAN POLECATS Putorius putorius (there were initially five youngsters but one was found dead) have been showing incredibly well in front of the 'Windon in the Woods' hide adjacent to the Information Centre at COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT Reserve, just east of Tring.
After Nancy and Paul's note and phone conversations with both Dave Bilcock and Steve Rodwell, I visited in the 22 degrees heat of this afternoon (along with Steve's partner Vicky), and from 1500-1600 hours, all four playful furry animals were on show almost constantly, regularly visiting the pond to drink, despite a background of 70's progressive rock bellowing out of the speakers from a nearby drinking house! The views were remarkable and by far the best I have ever had. I would be most grateful if somebody could kindly email me some images for the blog. This is perhaps the best opportunity you will ever have to study these primarily nocturnal animals at such close range. The hide can just about sustain four people, but be extremely quiet or they just won't show.
A SPOTTED FLYCATCHER was also visiting the pond (Dave Bilcock), with a female Great Spotted Woodpecker at the feeders.
Whilst at the hide, I learnt of a ringtail harrier species flying high over Ivinghoe Hills NR (Steps Hill) (per Jonathon Nasir) but despite racing out there, I failed to intercept it.
PITSTONE HILL yielded two 'jangling' male CORN BUNTINGS, 3 separate singing male YELLOWHAMMERS and 6 individual pairs of LINNET.
Eight Goldfinches (including a family party of 5 birds) was noted along Chesham Vale, with 3 COMMON SWIFTS and a RED KITE over Chesham itself.
Common Starlings have successfully bred in Little Chalfont, with at least two juveniles fledged (since 23rd May).
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