Recording Area Annual Totals

97 Species in 2013, 99 in 2012, 94 in 2011, 108 species were recorded in 2010;



Friday 31 October 2008

TREE SPARROWS LOCATED




At 1000 hours on SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER, 3 TREE SPARROWS visited a garden and adjacent bordering field scrub in Anton Close, Bovingdon (per Pauline Worrall and Penny Misselbrook). These are the first Tree Sparrows in my Recording Area for many years
FRIDAY 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.

HYDE FARM, HEDGERLEY

With little happening on the tip late morning, just 8 RED KITES were in attendance.

SHARDELOES LAKE

Little Grebe (7)
Mute Swans - usual pair but only accompanying two young
**EURASIAN WIGEON - pair present (very scarce here and only third record this year)
Eurasian Coot - 98 still present, including 'baby'. The tiny juvenile is going from strength to strength and despite this week's icy weather, mother has done an excellent job of caring for it. It still retains its orangey bill and continuously begs like a squeaky toy.
Black-headed Gulls (82)

Red Kite (2)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
REDWING 1
Goldfinch (5)

CHESS RIVER VALLEY

At 1310, THREE LITTLE EGRETS were in the meadow just east of Bois Mill, standing and preening in the field.

Thursday 30 October 2008

30 OCTOBER 2008


The five DUNNOCKS remain in my garden today, all feeding close together under the bird tables.
At least 3 COAL TITS continue to visit the feeders also, whilst House Sparrow numbers have dropped to 24.
In the Chess River Valley, the two LITTLE EGRETS remain in the meadow just east of Bois Mill.

Tuesday 28 October 2008

28 OCTOBER 2008



WOODPIGEON passage was the name of the day with some 4,226 birds moving southwest over my Little Chalfont garden during the day. Other than this, up to 4 COAL TITS were still visiting the garden feeders.

27 OCTOBER 2008

MONDAY 27 OCTOBER 2008

SHARDELOES LAKE

Not one species of wildfowl present

Little Grebe (7)
Common Coot (107, with the tiny baby still surviving and growing)
RED KITES (2)
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Highlight was 3 noisy COAL TITS in the trees and bushes that border the lake - a scarce species here

CHESS RIVER VALLEY

The two adult LITTLE EGRETS were once again in the meadow just to the east of Bois Mill

Wednesday 22 October 2008

22 OCTOBER 2008


The two LITTLE EGRETS remained in the Chess River Valley today, roosting again in trees just east of Bois Mill and feeding in the small stream adjacent.

Tuesday 21 October 2008

19 OCTOBER 2008






TODAY'S IMAGES
The first Fieldfares and Redwings of the autumn (John Carter), as well as Lesser Redpoll and numerous autumn territorial singing Robins (Mike Lawrence)
SUNDAY 19 OCTOBER 2008

(Blustery SW winds and rather mild)

Two adult RED KITES drifted over my Little Chalfont garden at 1155 hours before drifting down into the Chess Valley, with the GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER still on the feeders, up to 6 Coal Tits and 37 House Sparrows.

A total of 32 Common Starlings was in gardens by Stony Lane, whilst Latimer Long Lake held 46 Canada Geese, 13 Mute Swans, 6 Little Grebes, 11 Tufted Duck, 31 Coot and 22 Moorhen.

Two REDWINGS flew over Latimer House Conference Centre, with 2 Mistle Thrush in the grounds as well as 10 Long-tailed Tits and several Goldcrests.

I then walked the Chess River Valley between Latimer and Chenies. The two RED KITES were in constant attendance, along with 3 Common Buzzards, whilst 29 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Great Tits, 11 Greenfinch, 9 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, Wren, a Yellowhammer and Eurasian Sparrowhawk were also encountered.

Meadow Pipit numbers had increased to 25 birds, whilst during the course of 70 minutes, a total of 89 REDWINGS passed over. SISKINS were also in evidence, with a party of 9 and a single over, as well as a single LESSER REDPOLL (the first this autumn).

The family party of 9 Mute Swans (pair and 7 cygnets) were still in healthy condition, swimming together on the river 200 yards east of Latimer Bridge, with Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Carrion Crow (pair), Jackdaw (56), Common Starling (13 over), Pied Wagtail (2), GREY WAGTAIL and Robin (5 singing males) all recorded.

As I drove down towards Chesham, I noticed the first two LITTLE EGRETS of the autumn period - both roosting in a tall tree east of Bois Mill at 1320 hours.

Pow-Wow Lake & Chesham Fishing Lakes Area

Grey Heron (3)
Mute Swans (4 including 3 - 1 first-winter - on Pow-Wow and a first-winter on the Fishing Lake)
Gadwall - 2 drakes on Pow-Wow Lake
Mallard - 20 on river
Coot (17 on the Fishing Lake)
Moorhen (4)
Herring Gull - 1 juvenile circling overghead

Common Buzzard overhead
Green Woodpecker feeding out in open on grass

FIELDFARE - 2 over
REDWING - 5
Greenfinch (6)
SISKIN - 2 over

House Sparrows - 5 in neighbouring gardens

SHARDELOES LAKE
(afternoon visit)

Common Coots - 103 counted including a tiny 2-3 day old reddish-brown headed baby bird at the western end. This is the latest fledged juvenile I have ever recorded and its noisy begging calls could be heard for quite some distance. The adults were working hard to protect it from other Coots.

Little Grebes (8)
Gadwall (single pair)
*NORTHERN SHOVELER (pair at west end)
Tufted Ducks (2)
Common Teal (1 drake - RDA)

RED KITE (3 in area)

Gull roost contained 67 Black-headeds, adult Common and adult Lesser Black-backed.

SISKINS (2) (RDA also had a further 32)
BULLFINCH (2)
Nuthatch

(Rob Andrews also recorded 4 MANDARIN DUCKS (2 pairs) in the morning, as well as 108 Coots)

Monday 13 October 2008

13 OCTOBER 2008




Northern Pochards - 5 now present including four adult drakes


MONDAY 13 OCTOBER 2008

Following this weekend's fabulous weather, a weak front moved in overnight from the west bringing grey, overcast skies, a few spots of drizzle and slightly cooler temperatures. The wind veered SW and increased throughout the day.

SHARDELOES LAKE (late afternoon)
(very quiet perhaps due to all of the Pollarded Willows at the north end being cut down)

Gadwall (pair), Northern Pochard (5 - 4 adult drakes), Coot (84), Red Kite and COMMON KINGFISHER (2)

Most unusual was the presence of 138 Herring Gulls on the lake, the vast majority juveniles

1-12 OCTOBER 2008

LITTLE CHALFONT

A marked increase in Coal Tit numbers, with several now visiting the garden feeders. Also Great Tit numbers up and a Song Thrush on 13th, House Sparrows back up to 35 birds.

A TAWNY OWL was seen at the bottom of Bell Lane on 10th