Sedge Warblers (Mike Lawrence)
TUESDAY 21 JULY
Torrential rain fell for much of the morning and with seabirds and waders dropping in across the Midlands, I had high hopes for some good birding today. The wind was strong Southwesterly. The rain moved NE by early afternoon leaving overcast skies and temperatures of 16 degrees C.
SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)
(evening visit)
A red letter day for a whole host of reasons. Most importantly for more breeding successes, particularly of grebes, but also for Hobby and Sedge Warbler sightings - the latter representing the first for the year in the District.
GREAT CRESTED GREBES** (a record 9 birds noted. The original pair now has THREE stripy chicks in tow and all feeding well - the male coming in to feed them with small fish every few minutes - whilst an additional pair are present and incredibly a further adult with a very well grown and self-sufficient juvenile feeding at the extreme west end)
LITTLE GREBES** (the original pair were still feeding their two growing youngsters whilst another pair were feeding three tiny young. A further pair were also seen.
Continental Cormorant (1 immature roosting on the island)
Grey Heron (3)
Mute Swans (family party of 7 birds)
Canada Geese (77)
Mallard (27)
Tufted Duck (4, plus a female with three juveniles)
Gadwall (2 females)
Northern Pochard (1 female)
Moorhen and Coot
RED KITES (much activity as one of the breeding pairs has fledged two young - much chasing and crying going on)
HOBBY (a superb adult flew in and chased a juvenile Sand Martin low over the water. After several rapid manouevres, the falcon eventually caught the martin and flew off with it in its talons)
Green Woodpecker (1)
Common Swift (32)
House Martin (25)
SAND MARTIN (1 juvenile, sadly taken by Hobby)
Pied Wagtail (15 on the cricket pitch, including 11 juveniles)
Carrion Crow (6 birds on the cricket pitch, mainly juveniles)
Goldfinch (8)
Blackcap (1)
**SEDGE WARBLERS (2 noisy juveniles in sedges along the edge of the lake just where the Willows begin at the west end. Both birds showed well when 'pished' and represent the first record in the Amersham District Recording Area this year)
Torrential rain fell for much of the morning and with seabirds and waders dropping in across the Midlands, I had high hopes for some good birding today. The wind was strong Southwesterly. The rain moved NE by early afternoon leaving overcast skies and temperatures of 16 degrees C.
SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)
(evening visit)
A red letter day for a whole host of reasons. Most importantly for more breeding successes, particularly of grebes, but also for Hobby and Sedge Warbler sightings - the latter representing the first for the year in the District.
GREAT CRESTED GREBES** (a record 9 birds noted. The original pair now has THREE stripy chicks in tow and all feeding well - the male coming in to feed them with small fish every few minutes - whilst an additional pair are present and incredibly a further adult with a very well grown and self-sufficient juvenile feeding at the extreme west end)
LITTLE GREBES** (the original pair were still feeding their two growing youngsters whilst another pair were feeding three tiny young. A further pair were also seen.
Continental Cormorant (1 immature roosting on the island)
Grey Heron (3)
Mute Swans (family party of 7 birds)
Canada Geese (77)
Mallard (27)
Tufted Duck (4, plus a female with three juveniles)
Gadwall (2 females)
Northern Pochard (1 female)
Moorhen and Coot
RED KITES (much activity as one of the breeding pairs has fledged two young - much chasing and crying going on)
HOBBY (a superb adult flew in and chased a juvenile Sand Martin low over the water. After several rapid manouevres, the falcon eventually caught the martin and flew off with it in its talons)
Green Woodpecker (1)
Common Swift (32)
House Martin (25)
SAND MARTIN (1 juvenile, sadly taken by Hobby)
Pied Wagtail (15 on the cricket pitch, including 11 juveniles)
Carrion Crow (6 birds on the cricket pitch, mainly juveniles)
Goldfinch (8)
Blackcap (1)
**SEDGE WARBLERS (2 noisy juveniles in sedges along the edge of the lake just where the Willows begin at the west end. Both birds showed well when 'pished' and represent the first record in the Amersham District Recording Area this year)
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