Having spent a pleasant and productive day in Kent and Sussex yesterday I visited Wilstone yesterday evening and the Smew, Brent Goose and pair of Pintail were still present.
This morning was a very different day and I just managed to get round before the rain started in earnest. The Smew was still by the overflow and the pair of Pintail were on the nearby mud. Several Little Egrets were mobile as always and the Brent Goose was in the fields and the Water Pipit by the jetty (Roy Hargreaves)
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Another migrant STONECHAT
This afternoon at WATER END MEADOWS, a female Yellowhammer (rather than the more frequently seen male) and a Grey Wagtail were drinking in the small spring by the Weyvale garden centre bridge. Not long after that, a male COMMON STONECHAT alighted on one of the clumps of bushes not much further downstream (record shot attached). I don't think he hung around though. When I walked back later from the footbridge, there was no sign of him. Both Grey Wagtails flew over, downstream, at that time. Common Buzzard, male Kestrel, plenty of male Reed Buntings with the occasional one singing, a number of noisy Pheasants(!) and a Red Fox were the other sights/sounds of note. There are at least 10 Moorhen in the private fishing pool up by the footbridge and at least 1 Coot is sitting on a nest. No sign of the Water Pipit today but that's not unusual. I didn't check up by the road bridge (Lucy Flower Birding).
Monday, 5 March 2012
Back to winter but migrant STONECHAT battles through
MONDAY 5 MARCH (LGRE DIARY NOTES)
Sunday saw winter return with a vengeance. Although rain is very much welcomed, Sunday saw rain from dawn until just before dusk and latterly, with a change in the wind direction, a period of wet snow fell. Today continued the winter theme, with near gale force Northwesterlies making birding very unpleasant indeed - it was absolutely freezing.....
I couldn't bear too much being in the field today but was very pleased to connect with Roy's STONECHAT - the first of the year in the area
TRING (HERTS)
The Silk Mill Way Park ROOKERY held 19 active nests
THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)
I arrived at WILSTONE at 0900 hours and after a little poke about, finally connected with the migrant male COMMON STONECHAT on the Cemetery Corner fenceline, just 40 yards in along from the yellow corner bar gate. Roy Hargreaves had found it on his early morning walk round - my first in the county this year. Although it spent a lot of time on the ground, presumably eeking out grubs, it afforded smashing views once on the fence. As Roy said earlier, a predictable location.........
The DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE was nearby on the East Fields with the Greylag and Atlantic Canada Geese, as well as the 2 Mute Swans, whilst the WATER PIPIT was near the jetty. A Skylark was also singing from the cereal fields
On the reservoir, wildfowl included 4 Mute Swans, 55 Common Teal, 21 Wigeon, 14 Gadwall, 9 Shoveler, 97 Tufted Duck, 56 Pochard, 3 Common Goldeneye and the redhead SMEW, along with 21 Great Crested Grebes, just 1 Lapwing, 31 Cormorants (with 7 active nests), 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and another migrant adult GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL that flew NNW. I could not find the 2 Pintails that Roy had seen earlier.
The hide wood produced 3 territorial male Winter Wrens singing within a 50 yard stretch and a singing male Goldcrest, with 54 Woodpigeons feeding in the field west of the car park
I then did a thorough check of TRINGFORD RESERVOIR woodland, yielding 15 active Rook nests, my first local JAY of the year, Carrion Crow, 2 Common Magpies, 4 Robins, 2 Wrens, pair of Dunnocks, 4 Great Tit, 36 Jackdaw, 5 Goldfinch, a male SISKIN and a male Common Kestrel. The adjacent flour mill held 44 Feral Pigeons.
TRING SEWAGE FARM produced a nice female BULLFINCH, a singing male Greenfinch and a pair of Mistle Thrushes, as well as a Green Woodpecker.
Not much to shout about on STARTOP'S END but plenty of superb habitat - 99 Coot, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Wigeon and the pair of Red-crested Pochards being logged. MARSWORTH had just 9 Great Crested Grebes and 7 Shovelers
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
Pitstone Business Park following the heavy rain is looking good but no Ringed Plovers or waders there today, with a pair of Common Kestrels hunting by the roundabout.
Very quiet at College apart from the OYSTERCATCHER pair and 4 Common Redshanks, 5 Shoveler and a Sparrowhawk
A41 HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HERTS)
A dead Common Buzzard noted
HEDGERLEY TIP (BUCKS)
A good showing of gulls today with the 2nd-winter ICELAND GULL and first-winter YELLOW-LEGGED GULL highlighting...............active Rook nests now up to 44
SPADE OAK PIT, LITTLE MARLOW (BUCKS)
I spent the rest of the day at Spade Oak, sifting through the gulls. Six other local birders also turned up. It was a massive gull roost but because of the strong NW wind, most hunched up together on the spit.
Highlights were the same 2nd-winter ICELAND GULL (which remained from 1500-1720 hours at least) and two different adult MEDITERRANEAN GULLS, one virtually in full breeding plumage. The Iceland Gull afforded me my best views since I first found it, the bill base being extensively pale pink. The eye is completely dark, with the tail noticeably white and unmarked, a lot of biscuit chequering in the upper wing coverts, some grey in the mantle, dirty brown lower breast and pink legs.
No less than 1,900 Black-headed Gulls roosted, 1,700 Common Gulls, just 75 Herring Gulls (mostly immature), just 15 Lesser Black-backed and 1 first-year Great Black-backed.
Three COMMON SHELDUCK were present (2 drakes), 3 Egyptian Geese, 17 Gadwall and 11 Shoveler, plus a lot of COMMON KINGFISHER activity
Sunday saw winter return with a vengeance. Although rain is very much welcomed, Sunday saw rain from dawn until just before dusk and latterly, with a change in the wind direction, a period of wet snow fell. Today continued the winter theme, with near gale force Northwesterlies making birding very unpleasant indeed - it was absolutely freezing.....
I couldn't bear too much being in the field today but was very pleased to connect with Roy's STONECHAT - the first of the year in the area
TRING (HERTS)
The Silk Mill Way Park ROOKERY held 19 active nests
THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)
I arrived at WILSTONE at 0900 hours and after a little poke about, finally connected with the migrant male COMMON STONECHAT on the Cemetery Corner fenceline, just 40 yards in along from the yellow corner bar gate. Roy Hargreaves had found it on his early morning walk round - my first in the county this year. Although it spent a lot of time on the ground, presumably eeking out grubs, it afforded smashing views once on the fence. As Roy said earlier, a predictable location.........
The DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE was nearby on the East Fields with the Greylag and Atlantic Canada Geese, as well as the 2 Mute Swans, whilst the WATER PIPIT was near the jetty. A Skylark was also singing from the cereal fields
On the reservoir, wildfowl included 4 Mute Swans, 55 Common Teal, 21 Wigeon, 14 Gadwall, 9 Shoveler, 97 Tufted Duck, 56 Pochard, 3 Common Goldeneye and the redhead SMEW, along with 21 Great Crested Grebes, just 1 Lapwing, 31 Cormorants (with 7 active nests), 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and another migrant adult GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL that flew NNW. I could not find the 2 Pintails that Roy had seen earlier.
The hide wood produced 3 territorial male Winter Wrens singing within a 50 yard stretch and a singing male Goldcrest, with 54 Woodpigeons feeding in the field west of the car park
I then did a thorough check of TRINGFORD RESERVOIR woodland, yielding 15 active Rook nests, my first local JAY of the year, Carrion Crow, 2 Common Magpies, 4 Robins, 2 Wrens, pair of Dunnocks, 4 Great Tit, 36 Jackdaw, 5 Goldfinch, a male SISKIN and a male Common Kestrel. The adjacent flour mill held 44 Feral Pigeons.
TRING SEWAGE FARM produced a nice female BULLFINCH, a singing male Greenfinch and a pair of Mistle Thrushes, as well as a Green Woodpecker.
Not much to shout about on STARTOP'S END but plenty of superb habitat - 99 Coot, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Wigeon and the pair of Red-crested Pochards being logged. MARSWORTH had just 9 Great Crested Grebes and 7 Shovelers
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
Pitstone Business Park following the heavy rain is looking good but no Ringed Plovers or waders there today, with a pair of Common Kestrels hunting by the roundabout.
Very quiet at College apart from the OYSTERCATCHER pair and 4 Common Redshanks, 5 Shoveler and a Sparrowhawk
A41 HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HERTS)
A dead Common Buzzard noted
HEDGERLEY TIP (BUCKS)
A good showing of gulls today with the 2nd-winter ICELAND GULL and first-winter YELLOW-LEGGED GULL highlighting...............active Rook nests now up to 44
SPADE OAK PIT, LITTLE MARLOW (BUCKS)
I spent the rest of the day at Spade Oak, sifting through the gulls. Six other local birders also turned up. It was a massive gull roost but because of the strong NW wind, most hunched up together on the spit.
Highlights were the same 2nd-winter ICELAND GULL (which remained from 1500-1720 hours at least) and two different adult MEDITERRANEAN GULLS, one virtually in full breeding plumage. The Iceland Gull afforded me my best views since I first found it, the bill base being extensively pale pink. The eye is completely dark, with the tail noticeably white and unmarked, a lot of biscuit chequering in the upper wing coverts, some grey in the mantle, dirty brown lower breast and pink legs.
No less than 1,900 Black-headed Gulls roosted, 1,700 Common Gulls, just 75 Herring Gulls (mostly immature), just 15 Lesser Black-backed and 1 first-year Great Black-backed.
Three COMMON SHELDUCK were present (2 drakes), 3 Egyptian Geese, 17 Gadwall and 11 Shoveler, plus a lot of COMMON KINGFISHER activity
Sunday, 4 March 2012
SATURDAY 3 MARCH OBSERVATIONS
SATURDAY 3 MARCH (LGRE DIARY NOTES)
Well the day dawned wet and grey with light rain falling up until mid morning. It then cleared away to the east, leaving a bright, sunny day. The wind was moderate SW and temperatures hovered at around 9 degrees C. Towards evening, the wind switched to a much colder NW - heralding a major belt of rain to arrive next day
I did some more local target birding today, biggest disappointment missing an early Sand Martin in Bedfordshire.....
HEDGERLEY TIP (BUCKS)
Nothing happening, just 13 large white-headed gulls on site and no tipping.....
SPADE OAK GP, LITTLE MARLOW (BUCKS)
A single migrant Eurasian Curlew was on site (per Alan Stevens) but there was no sign of yesterday's Ringed Plover. Nesting birds included 23 pairs of Grey Heron and an identical number of Sinensis Cormorants, with 17 Wigeon, 14 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 104 Lapwings, Grey Wagtail and Common Kingfisher also noted. A male COMMON CHIFFCHAFF was in song in the NW corner (but apparently a wintering bird).
GALLOWS BRIDGE BBOWT (WEST BUCKS)
A pair of EURASIAN CURLEWS showing well on marsh besides the entrance track
BRIARHILL FIELDS, STEEPLE CLAYDON (BUCKS)
An adult WHOOPER SWAN was with 5 adult Mute Swans in a cereal crop at SP 682 271, south of the Padbury Brook, presumably the same bird seen by Warren and SR in February and of course that relocated by Tim Watts. I am assuming this bird has been present here all winter as it is in exactly the same place I have seen it in at least 5 recent winters. My 120th species in the county this year though, so very pleased to connect with it.
A large flock of 200 Fieldfares were also in the vicinity of Briarfields Farm.
HILLESDEN POOLS AND AREA (BUCKS)
My first look at this site this year and it is in reasonable condition for migrants and waders. Highlight was the presence of 3 LITTLE EGRETS, with 54 Greylag Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 3 Gadwall, 8 Common Teal, 3 Eurasian Wigeon, 5 Pochard, a pair of Lapwing, 4 BULLFINCH and a singing male Reed Bunting making up the list.
In Hillesden Church End hamlet, a pair of Greenfinch, 9 House Sparrows and a singing male Goldcrest were recorded
At Fir Tree Cottage and College Farm (SP 670 294), 3 more pairs of resident House Sparrows
Besides the road in trees at the entrance to Lenborough Farm and Hillesden (SP 675 301), 37 active Rook nests.
GAWCOTT VILLAGE (BUCKS)
At least a single pair of House Sparrows resident in the village.
LITTLE HORWOOD (BUCKS)
On the A421 100 yards before the Nash turning, an active Rookery containing 18 nests opposite the layby at SP 787 322.
LINFORD NATURE RESERVE (NORTH BUCKS)
A pair of OYSTERCATCHERS showing well and displaying on the bund and a pair of COMMON TREECREEPERS in the wood; very quiet otherwise
OLNEY WATER MEADOWS (NORTH BUCKS)
A nice Common Kingfisher fishing by the weir and 23 non-naturalised BARNACLE GEESE in with the Canada Geese on the meadows. Additionally, 10 scattered Rook nests in the vicinity at about SP 896 510.
Nearby, a dead BADGER on the A 509 SE of Sherington at LITTLE END at SP 897 454
ROOKERY
An impressive active ROOKERY at SP 925 388, besides the northbound M1, containing no less than 77 nests - the location seemingly in BEDFORDSHIRE
GROVEBURY SAND PIT (BEDFORDSHIRE)
A very brief incursion into Beds where there was no sign of Johnny Lynch's earlier Sand Martin now that the weather had cleared and brightened up. Very little in fact.
CHEDDINGTON AREA (BUCKS)
Checking some well known ROOKERY sites, I found 3 active nests in trees besides the B 488 east of Cheddington Station at SP 924 184 and a further 17 nests in the grounds of The Old Rectory nearby (SP 921 181)
THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)
I then spent the rest of the day at Tring, doing my first full inventory of the month.......
WILSTONE RESERVOIR held the first-winter DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE, 4 LITTLE EGRETS, a flock of 8 COMMON GOLDENEYES (including the adult drake, first-year drake and 6 female-types) and the continuing redhead SMEW as well as 6 Mute Swans, 98 Atlantic Canada Geese, 77 Greylag Geese, 19 Great Crested Grebes, 10 Gadwall, 18 Shoveler, just 55 Teal (huge decrease), 17 Wigeon, 38 Pochard but an increase to 175 Tufted Ducks, 368 Coots and 331 Black-headed Gulls.
Little to count on STARTOP'S END other than 5 Great Crested Grebe and 4 Wigeon, whilst on MARSWORTH Great Crested Grebe numbered 11, with 6 Shoveler, 8 Pochard, Green Woodpecker, the male Eurasian Sparrowhawk at dusk, 2 Reed Buntings and 8 Chaffinch to roost.
A GREEN SANDPIPER flew over calling and at 1755 hours, the resident BARN OWL emerged from the nestbox and hunted over the rough meadow north of the sewage farm into darkness.
Well the day dawned wet and grey with light rain falling up until mid morning. It then cleared away to the east, leaving a bright, sunny day. The wind was moderate SW and temperatures hovered at around 9 degrees C. Towards evening, the wind switched to a much colder NW - heralding a major belt of rain to arrive next day
I did some more local target birding today, biggest disappointment missing an early Sand Martin in Bedfordshire.....
HEDGERLEY TIP (BUCKS)
Nothing happening, just 13 large white-headed gulls on site and no tipping.....
SPADE OAK GP, LITTLE MARLOW (BUCKS)
A single migrant Eurasian Curlew was on site (per Alan Stevens) but there was no sign of yesterday's Ringed Plover. Nesting birds included 23 pairs of Grey Heron and an identical number of Sinensis Cormorants, with 17 Wigeon, 14 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 104 Lapwings, Grey Wagtail and Common Kingfisher also noted. A male COMMON CHIFFCHAFF was in song in the NW corner (but apparently a wintering bird).
GALLOWS BRIDGE BBOWT (WEST BUCKS)
A pair of EURASIAN CURLEWS showing well on marsh besides the entrance track
BRIARHILL FIELDS, STEEPLE CLAYDON (BUCKS)
An adult WHOOPER SWAN was with 5 adult Mute Swans in a cereal crop at SP 682 271, south of the Padbury Brook, presumably the same bird seen by Warren and SR in February and of course that relocated by Tim Watts. I am assuming this bird has been present here all winter as it is in exactly the same place I have seen it in at least 5 recent winters. My 120th species in the county this year though, so very pleased to connect with it.
A large flock of 200 Fieldfares were also in the vicinity of Briarfields Farm.
HILLESDEN POOLS AND AREA (BUCKS)
My first look at this site this year and it is in reasonable condition for migrants and waders. Highlight was the presence of 3 LITTLE EGRETS, with 54 Greylag Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 3 Gadwall, 8 Common Teal, 3 Eurasian Wigeon, 5 Pochard, a pair of Lapwing, 4 BULLFINCH and a singing male Reed Bunting making up the list.
In Hillesden Church End hamlet, a pair of Greenfinch, 9 House Sparrows and a singing male Goldcrest were recorded
At Fir Tree Cottage and College Farm (SP 670 294), 3 more pairs of resident House Sparrows
Besides the road in trees at the entrance to Lenborough Farm and Hillesden (SP 675 301), 37 active Rook nests.
GAWCOTT VILLAGE (BUCKS)
At least a single pair of House Sparrows resident in the village.
LITTLE HORWOOD (BUCKS)
On the A421 100 yards before the Nash turning, an active Rookery containing 18 nests opposite the layby at SP 787 322.
LINFORD NATURE RESERVE (NORTH BUCKS)
A pair of OYSTERCATCHERS showing well and displaying on the bund and a pair of COMMON TREECREEPERS in the wood; very quiet otherwise
OLNEY WATER MEADOWS (NORTH BUCKS)
A nice Common Kingfisher fishing by the weir and 23 non-naturalised BARNACLE GEESE in with the Canada Geese on the meadows. Additionally, 10 scattered Rook nests in the vicinity at about SP 896 510.
Nearby, a dead BADGER on the A 509 SE of Sherington at LITTLE END at SP 897 454
ROOKERY
An impressive active ROOKERY at SP 925 388, besides the northbound M1, containing no less than 77 nests - the location seemingly in BEDFORDSHIRE
GROVEBURY SAND PIT (BEDFORDSHIRE)
A very brief incursion into Beds where there was no sign of Johnny Lynch's earlier Sand Martin now that the weather had cleared and brightened up. Very little in fact.
CHEDDINGTON AREA (BUCKS)
Checking some well known ROOKERY sites, I found 3 active nests in trees besides the B 488 east of Cheddington Station at SP 924 184 and a further 17 nests in the grounds of The Old Rectory nearby (SP 921 181)
THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)
I then spent the rest of the day at Tring, doing my first full inventory of the month.......
WILSTONE RESERVOIR held the first-winter DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE, 4 LITTLE EGRETS, a flock of 8 COMMON GOLDENEYES (including the adult drake, first-year drake and 6 female-types) and the continuing redhead SMEW as well as 6 Mute Swans, 98 Atlantic Canada Geese, 77 Greylag Geese, 19 Great Crested Grebes, 10 Gadwall, 18 Shoveler, just 55 Teal (huge decrease), 17 Wigeon, 38 Pochard but an increase to 175 Tufted Ducks, 368 Coots and 331 Black-headed Gulls.
Little to count on STARTOP'S END other than 5 Great Crested Grebe and 4 Wigeon, whilst on MARSWORTH Great Crested Grebe numbered 11, with 6 Shoveler, 8 Pochard, Green Woodpecker, the male Eurasian Sparrowhawk at dusk, 2 Reed Buntings and 8 Chaffinch to roost.
A GREEN SANDPIPER flew over calling and at 1755 hours, the resident BARN OWL emerged from the nestbox and hunted over the rough meadow north of the sewage farm into darkness.
Friday, 2 March 2012
Incombe Hole and Pitstone Hill today
Incombe Hole & Pitstone Hill Friday Morning 2 March
From the Pitstone Hill car park saw a large flock of Fieldfare spread over the hill feeding (there were no joggers yet) but the highlight was the amazing number of Skylarks singing in the area and across the road in their usual grass field and the freshly growing crop field. They were singing all over the Pitstone Hill area wherever you walked. Worth a visit just to hear them, but early. Other highlights were a singing male Corn Bunting displaying to a female and five male Yellowhammers, didn't see a female.
There is always a flock of gulls at the Pitstone chalk pit but rather distant. A lot of Black-headed Gulls getting their black heads and there was a Lesser Black-backed gull, a Little Grebe and 5 Tufted Ducks also present. On the way back joggers had shifted the Fieldfare and they flew over in a flock of approx 120. Also heard a Redshank fly over (Sally Douglas)
Sewage Farm BARN OWL
After watching the BARN OWL yesterday from Marsworth, I had a rough idea of where it was quartering and likely to be this evening. The Wendover arm of the Grand Union Canal seemed like the best vantage point (confirmed by Roy H., thank you). I walked from Bulbourne and quickly spotted the potential field - a large expanse of 'waste' ground covered in long grasses just before the sewage farm (between the canal and Marsworth). There were a number of breaks in the hedge on the Marsworth side of the Canal which gave good enough views of most of the area. I arrived at 5:30pm and at 5:50pm, to my complete surprise, the Barn Owl came up and over the hedge from the direction of the sewage farm, about 100 metres left of me! It flew up the canal towards me until it was within about 50 metres (or less) at which point it banked to its left and back into the scrubby field, along the line of the canal, in front of me. It then turned and came back along the same direction before I lost it in the gloom. After that, I had 4 more occasions where it flew past and then hunted over the field back towards Marsworth. By 6:10pm, it was really getting too dark and I called it night (Lucy Flower Birding)
Thursday, 1 March 2012
BARN OWL shows tonight
This morning was pretty useless. The Smew and a couple of Little Egrets could be seen on Wilstone.
However, this evening was glorious with no wind and virtually no cloud. At least 40 Corn Buntings went to roost and a Bittern was on show in the reeds in the Bucks corner of Marsworth. The highlight was a late showing of the Barn Owl over the meadow behind Marsworth as sightings have been few and far between so far this year.
Roy Hargreaves
However, this evening was glorious with no wind and virtually no cloud. At least 40 Corn Buntings went to roost and a Bittern was on show in the reeds in the Bucks corner of Marsworth. The highlight was a late showing of the Barn Owl over the meadow behind Marsworth as sightings have been few and far between so far this year.
Roy Hargreaves
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