A COMMON SWIFT bonanza

THURSDAY 22 MAY

A pleasantly warm day, with warm southerly winds, predominantly clear blue skies and some fluffy cloud.

TRING RESERVOIRS (1945-2045)

My first visit in a long time instigating a full census of common species, particularly wildfowl. Most impressive was the phenomenal evening gathering of Common Swifts, by far my largest concentration so far this spring. Two pairs of Northern Shoveler showing signs of breeding was also noteworthy.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR

Great Crested Grebe (12 including a female flycatching and snapping at the abundant emergence of insects)
Mute Swans (5 present; two first-summers)
Atlantic Canada Goose (12)
Greylag Goose (27)
Mallard (23 drakes)
EURASIAN WIGEON (2 drakes present, sadly one with a damaged wing)
GADWALL (high summer count of 18 birds, although many females in view)
**NORTHERN SHOVELER (drake in full head-throwing display to female with an additional drake present nearby)
NORTHERN POCHARD (7 adult drakes and 3 females present)
Tufted Duck (56)
RUDDY DUCK (present)
Coot (166+; several nests occupied but only 1 single small young noted)

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (male flew across reservoir)
**HOBBIES (following just one bird hunting from 1945, eventually 7 birds emerged from the Drayton Bank trees at 2035, and continued flycatching over the south reedbed towards dusk)

Common Terns (43 present, including 12 on the rafts)
Pied Wagtail (2)

**COMMON SWIFTS (the main talking point was the staggering number of birds hunting over the fields and fairly high above the reservoir; I click-counted them at 1945 and achieved an outstanding total of at least 2,322 individuals, including 2 'piebald' individuals with variegated white in their plumage)

MARSWORTH RESERVOIR

Great Crested Grebe (10 adults, with no sign of nesting)
Mallard (14 drakes; female 'Khaki-type' with 6 growing young)
Gadwall (1 drake)
Tufted Duck (6)
*NORTHERN SHOVELER (pair present)

SONG THRUSH (2 singing males in far hedgerow and adult carrying food)
SEDGE WARBLER (just 1 singing male)
WESTERN REED WARBLER (8 singing males, including 4 in the main reedbed, 2 in the Bucks section and single males in isolated this strips of reeds on the east bank)
Common Chiffchaff (1 singing male)
Reed Bunting (1 singing male)

Mute Swans (8 on Tringford and pair on Startop's End)
Gadwall (pair on Tringford)