IVINGHOE HILLS NR
The second largest thrush movement that I have seen this Autumn , with good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare over. Finches were the first birds on the move with a few more BRAMBLING trickling through and a single COMMON CROSSBILL was a real surprise, they're very rare up here. Later whilst watching some thrushes arrive, they suddenly scattered and a female MERLIN came ploughing into them from behind, I didn't see it take one as they all disappeared into the top scrub. A Grey Heron also passed over which are also unusual here.
MIKE WALLEN
Monday, 3 November 2008
Friday, 31 October 2008
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker visits Wendover garden
I was looking out in my Wendover garden at lunchtime hoping to see one of these early Bramblings people ahave been talking about when a LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER appeared. It moved around for fifteen minutes feeding on the branches of our apple trees and visited the bird bath to drink. My first garden record in sixteen years here.
RICHARD BIRCH
31 OCTOBER 2008 - Marsworth visit at dusk
Arrived just before dusk. Looking at Lee's posting, the Shoveler must have departed from Wilstone to Marsworth Res to feed in the evening, 85 were present at Marsworth and 27 at Startops. There were also 46 Black-headed Gulls until it was dark. 1 WATER RAIL. a DAUBENTON'S BAT, rather surprising as the temperature was 5 C. Kind regards, Steve Rodwell
31 OCTOBER 2008
Two male Yellowhammers (Mike Lawrence) - the highlight of my visit to Tring Reservoirs todayFRIDAY 31 OCTOBER 2008
Still very cold with a brisk NE wind blowing and some snow still lying in fields in sheltered areas. Remained clear for most of the day, with temperatures reaching no higher than 8 degrees.
MARSWORTH RESERVOIR
A single Little Grebe was new in, with 6 Great Crested Grebes still present (including this autumn's two juveniles), a single adult Mute Swan, a feeding group of 20 Northern Shovelers and Grey Wagtail.
A very vocal CETTI'S WARBLER was in scrubby undergrowth adjacent to the overflow
STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR
A good selection of waterbirds with 23 Great Crested Grebes, 2 drake Common Teal, 8 Northern Pochard and 78 Tufted Ducks present.
TRINGFORD RESERVOIR
A further 7 Great Crested Grebes (totalling 36), another Little Grebe and 4 adult Mute Swans.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (1400-1530 hours)
(with Pauline Worrall & Penny Misselbrook)
Highlights included my first COMMON GOLDENEYE of the autumn and two male Yellowhammers
Great Crested Grebe (huge reduction, with just 12 counted - making 48 in total)
Little Grebe (5)
Grey Heron (2)
Cormorant (29 roosting on spit)
Mute Swan (marked increase; 32 counted with two first-winters and four 'cygnets' all new-in)
Greylag Geese (13)
897 ducks of 9 species
Eurasian Wigeon (220)
Gadwall (9)
Common Teal (312)
Northern Shoveler (135)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (3 females in the SE quarter with 2 adult drakes roosting/feeding by the spit)
Tufted Duck (133)
Northern Pochard (76)
RUDDY DUCK (5+)
*COMMON GOLDENEYE - an eclipse or first-year drake was sleeping with Tufted Duck in the 'SE quarter' visible only from the Drayton Bank Hide. A female or immature was present close to the new overflow, this bird being first seen on Monday 27th (RH).
Interestingly, after a presence of some 82 days, our two resident Whooper Swans have moved on
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS - exactly 100 roosting on the mud
Lapwing - 135 on the reservoir, with a further 87 in Cemetery Corner Fields
DUNLIN - winter-plumaged bird still present
Common Snipe (4)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 adult roosting on the spit)
YELLOWHAMMERS* - 2 adult males were present in the hedgerow bordering the road and running parallel with the north end of the reservoir, my first in the Tring Area for some time.
BERRYFIELDS A41 LAYBY
(with Tim Watts - 1550-1700 hours)
Looking north from the layby situated just west of Aylesbury on the A41, Tim and I enjoyed a spectacular owl-fest.
The two SHORT-EARED OWLS were already hunting when TW arrived - 1540 hours - and continued to hunt over the large rough fields for the next 25 minutes. There is a dark individual and a paler bird. The latter slipped off to roost shortly after 1615 whilst the darker bird continued to hunt well into the evening, actually overlapping with the Barn Owls. It was particularly wide-ranging, eventually crossing over the Quainton road just prior to dusk, but was NOT seen to be successful in vole-catching.
Around 1645, the first of two BARN OWLS appeared, with both birds ranging widely too over the area.
There were also 4 Common Kestrels actively hunting, as well as a flock of 30 Linnets and 4 COMMON STONECHATS (2 pairs).
On the mammalian front, 3 different CHINESE WATER DEER and 3 ROE DEER were feeding.
Still very cold with a brisk NE wind blowing and some snow still lying in fields in sheltered areas. Remained clear for most of the day, with temperatures reaching no higher than 8 degrees.
MARSWORTH RESERVOIR
A single Little Grebe was new in, with 6 Great Crested Grebes still present (including this autumn's two juveniles), a single adult Mute Swan, a feeding group of 20 Northern Shovelers and Grey Wagtail.
A very vocal CETTI'S WARBLER was in scrubby undergrowth adjacent to the overflow
STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR
A good selection of waterbirds with 23 Great Crested Grebes, 2 drake Common Teal, 8 Northern Pochard and 78 Tufted Ducks present.
TRINGFORD RESERVOIR
A further 7 Great Crested Grebes (totalling 36), another Little Grebe and 4 adult Mute Swans.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR (1400-1530 hours)
(with Pauline Worrall & Penny Misselbrook)
Highlights included my first COMMON GOLDENEYE of the autumn and two male Yellowhammers
Great Crested Grebe (huge reduction, with just 12 counted - making 48 in total)
Little Grebe (5)
Grey Heron (2)
Cormorant (29 roosting on spit)
Mute Swan (marked increase; 32 counted with two first-winters and four 'cygnets' all new-in)
Greylag Geese (13)
897 ducks of 9 species
Eurasian Wigeon (220)
Gadwall (9)
Common Teal (312)
Northern Shoveler (135)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (3 females in the SE quarter with 2 adult drakes roosting/feeding by the spit)
Tufted Duck (133)
Northern Pochard (76)
RUDDY DUCK (5+)
*COMMON GOLDENEYE - an eclipse or first-year drake was sleeping with Tufted Duck in the 'SE quarter' visible only from the Drayton Bank Hide. A female or immature was present close to the new overflow, this bird being first seen on Monday 27th (RH).
Interestingly, after a presence of some 82 days, our two resident Whooper Swans have moved on
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS - exactly 100 roosting on the mud
Lapwing - 135 on the reservoir, with a further 87 in Cemetery Corner Fields
DUNLIN - winter-plumaged bird still present
Common Snipe (4)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 adult roosting on the spit)
YELLOWHAMMERS* - 2 adult males were present in the hedgerow bordering the road and running parallel with the north end of the reservoir, my first in the Tring Area for some time.
BERRYFIELDS A41 LAYBY
(with Tim Watts - 1550-1700 hours)
Looking north from the layby situated just west of Aylesbury on the A41, Tim and I enjoyed a spectacular owl-fest.
The two SHORT-EARED OWLS were already hunting when TW arrived - 1540 hours - and continued to hunt over the large rough fields for the next 25 minutes. There is a dark individual and a paler bird. The latter slipped off to roost shortly after 1615 whilst the darker bird continued to hunt well into the evening, actually overlapping with the Barn Owls. It was particularly wide-ranging, eventually crossing over the Quainton road just prior to dusk, but was NOT seen to be successful in vole-catching.
Around 1645, the first of two BARN OWLS appeared, with both birds ranging widely too over the area.
There were also 4 Common Kestrels actively hunting, as well as a flock of 30 Linnets and 4 COMMON STONECHATS (2 pairs).
On the mammalian front, 3 different CHINESE WATER DEER and 3 ROE DEER were feeding.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
29 OCTOBER 2008
WEDNESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2008
For the first time since October 1934, snow befell the Chiltern and London area overnight, leaving a thin blanket of snow throughout the region. The rain turned to snow overnight and after the band had cleared away to the west, the temperature dropped to -4 degrees freezing the snow and lying water.
I fully expected an influx of birds, perhaps wildfowl such as Goosander, but this was not to be, and the best that could be mustered were a large influx in Great Crested Grebe numbers, a new DUNLIN and a small flock of Fieldfares.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
(Lying snow, very cold, light NE wind) (0900-1100 hours; birding with Steve Rodwell)
Great Crested Grebes* (influx, with 29 on Wilstone, 29 on Startop's End, 5 on Tringford and 7 on Marsworth - 70 in total)
Little Grebe (6)
Grey Heron (3)
Cormorant (15)
Mute Swan (23 including a first-winter which stayed just briefly)
WHOOPER SWAN (the adult pair remain)
Eurasian Wigeon (just 88)
Gadwall (11)
Common Teal (200+)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (4, 3 drakes and a female)
Northern Shoveler* (high count of 138 birds, all roosting on central bank)
Northern Pochard (69)
Tufted Duck (107)
RUDDY DUCK (7 including four drakes, a female and two juveniles)
Lapwing (238+)
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER (93)
COMMON REDSHANK (present for its 2nd day)
**DUNLIN (new winter-plumaged individual)
COMMON SANDPIPER (long-staying bird still present)
Common Snipe (5)
FIELDFARES (24 in field near Cemetery)
Skylark (3 west)
Chaffinch (1 west)
COMMON STONECHAT (in Rushy Meadow, present for its 5th day)
I then spent over an hour searching the fields to the SW of Wilstone for Roy's Richard's Pipit but despite all of the fields being covered in snow and revealing all within them, there was no sign of it.
For the first time since October 1934, snow befell the Chiltern and London area overnight, leaving a thin blanket of snow throughout the region. The rain turned to snow overnight and after the band had cleared away to the west, the temperature dropped to -4 degrees freezing the snow and lying water.
I fully expected an influx of birds, perhaps wildfowl such as Goosander, but this was not to be, and the best that could be mustered were a large influx in Great Crested Grebe numbers, a new DUNLIN and a small flock of Fieldfares.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
(Lying snow, very cold, light NE wind) (0900-1100 hours; birding with Steve Rodwell)
Great Crested Grebes* (influx, with 29 on Wilstone, 29 on Startop's End, 5 on Tringford and 7 on Marsworth - 70 in total)
Little Grebe (6)
Grey Heron (3)
Cormorant (15)
Mute Swan (23 including a first-winter which stayed just briefly)
WHOOPER SWAN (the adult pair remain)
Eurasian Wigeon (just 88)
Gadwall (11)
Common Teal (200+)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (4, 3 drakes and a female)
Northern Shoveler* (high count of 138 birds, all roosting on central bank)
Northern Pochard (69)
Tufted Duck (107)
RUDDY DUCK (7 including four drakes, a female and two juveniles)
Lapwing (238+)
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER (93)
COMMON REDSHANK (present for its 2nd day)
**DUNLIN (new winter-plumaged individual)
COMMON SANDPIPER (long-staying bird still present)
Common Snipe (5)
FIELDFARES (24 in field near Cemetery)
Skylark (3 west)
Chaffinch (1 west)
COMMON STONECHAT (in Rushy Meadow, present for its 5th day)
I then spent over an hour searching the fields to the SW of Wilstone for Roy's Richard's Pipit but despite all of the fields being covered in snow and revealing all within them, there was no sign of it.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
28 OCTOBER 2008 - Tring Mega
28 OCTOBER 2008
Roy Hargreaves watched a RICHARD'S PIPIT fly SW over Miswell Farm at 0753 hours, just SSE of Wilstone Reservoir
Here is a brief account.
Regards
Roy
Tuesday 28th October started off cloudless and with little or no wind - perfect conditions to record any birds flying over. On my way back from Wilstone Reservoir I was walking past Miswell Farm, at about 7:53am, when I heard a loud, explosive 'schreep' from immediately above my head. I immediately recognised it as Richard's Pipit and looked up to try and see it. It then called off to my right and I looked that way and when it called for the third time I managed to get on to it with my binoculars and watched it fly off, about 10 metres above the ground, to the south-west. It was clearly a large, bulky pipit and its low altitude explained both the loudness of its call and my failure to see it above me.
If accepted it will be the first or second record for Hertfordshire as another heard, but not seen, flying over Garston on 30th September at about 4pm, will also be considered.
Roy Hargreaves watched a RICHARD'S PIPIT fly SW over Miswell Farm at 0753 hours, just SSE of Wilstone Reservoir
Here is a brief account.
Regards
Roy
Tuesday 28th October started off cloudless and with little or no wind - perfect conditions to record any birds flying over. On my way back from Wilstone Reservoir I was walking past Miswell Farm, at about 7:53am, when I heard a loud, explosive 'schreep' from immediately above my head. I immediately recognised it as Richard's Pipit and looked up to try and see it. It then called off to my right and I looked that way and when it called for the third time I managed to get on to it with my binoculars and watched it fly off, about 10 metres above the ground, to the south-west. It was clearly a large, bulky pipit and its low altitude explained both the loudness of its call and my failure to see it above me.
If accepted it will be the first or second record for Hertfordshire as another heard, but not seen, flying over Garston on 30th September at about 4pm, will also be considered.
26 OCTOBER 2008
Juvenile Greater Scaup, Wilstone Reservoir, Tring, Herts, 26 October 2008 (Dave Bilcock)
SUNDAY 26 OCTOBER 2008
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
(with Steve Rodwell) (1500 onwards, got dark at 1705)
The heavy rain eventually cleared the area mid-afternoon and gave way to much colder and clear conditions.
Dave Bilcock had very kindly informed me of an Aythya duck he had discovered in the morning (in attrocious weather conditions) and that he had managed to get some 'record shots' of. It was, in his opinion, a GREATER SCAUP. Mike Campbell had seen it just prior to my arrival.
Steve and I quickly relocated the bird swimming with Tufted Ducks between the jetty and the central bank of 'Cormorant-roosting' trees and it was showing well. It was slightly larger than the accompanying Tufted Ducks and was mainly dark brown throughout but with pale grey feathering on the flanks and sides. It had a longer neck, a slight pale crescent on its lower rear face and a flatter crown, with its body profile sat low in the water. Most noticeably it had two small pure white patches at either side of the base of the bill, with the bill itself being larger than that of the Tufted Ducks, wider and longer with a small black nail restricted to the tip. It had a dull yellow eye and its head shape in particular was noticeably different from that of the 'tufted' appearance of juvenile Tufted Duck. Two boys then climbed down off the jetty and into the reservoir at 1620 and flushed many of the Athyas, with the small flock of Tufteds that this bird was with all flying up. The GREATER SCAUP flew with them affording me excellent views of the upperwing pattern - revealing an extremely broad pure white wing-bar, from the inner secondaries to within four feathers of the outer primaries. The wings were also broader than that of the Tufted Ducks and the bird itself slightly larger in flight.
Once again, full credit must be given to DB - an excellent find in abysmal birding conditions. Certainly well-deserved and the first GREATER SCAUP in the Tring area this year.
The rest of the birds
Great Crested Grebe (33)
Little Grebe (3)
Mute Swan (24)
WHOOPER SWANS (2)
Common Teal (235)
Eurasian Wigeon (78)
Gadwall (7)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (all 7 still present)
Northern Pochard (86)
RUDDY DUCK (5)
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS (235 on mud)
DUNLIN still present
208 Black-headed Gulls pre-roosted, with several Common Gulls, a single Herring Gull and 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls
COMMON KINGFISHER
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