The WINTER THRUSHES have finally arrived and a drake MANDARIN DUCK makes landfall in Lowndes Park, Chesham!

THURSDAY 12 NOVEMBER

 

Continuing mild but largely damp and overcast

 

Restricted myself to the AMERSHAM AREA today and was very pleased to finally see the arrival of a few winter thrushes. Best bird though was a drake MANDARIN DUCK in Chesham - the first record for Lowndes Park Lake....

 

A single Jay made several forays to my bird feeders at CHAFFINCH HOUSE (LITTLE CHALFONT) but otherwise, little to speak of in the garden of late other than regular Goldfinch & Coal Tit and 2 flyover RING-NECKED PARAKEETS at 0930 on 10th.

 

Visited SHARDELOES LAKE for the first time in over a month, where waterbirds present included 3 Mute Swans (both adults and their single 2014 offspring), 156 Atlantic Canada Geese, 15 Mallard, 12 Gadwall, 1 female Tufted Duck, 18 Little Grebe, 3 Moorhen and just 44 Coot and 55 Black-headed Gulls roosting. There was a fair bit of Common Buzzard activity, and Red Kite, but highlights were the winter thrushes feeding on the lakeside trees and hawthorns, comprising of 12 Fieldfare, 35 Redwing, 5 Common Blackbird and 4 Mistle Thrush. Two Coal Tits were also here, as well as Blue Tit, Goldcrest and two parties of Long-tailed Tit totalling 14 birds; COMMON KINGFISHER, 2 Stock Dove and Song Thrush were also noted.

At BURY LAKE (CHESHAM), a pair of Mute Swans and 6 Coot were present (with 125 Jackdaws flighting over to roost), whilst at neighbouring LOWNDES PARK LAKE (CHESHAM), the roosting flock of Mallard (111 birds in total) was accompanied by a single drake MANDARIN DUCK - the first I have ever recorded at the site (since regular visits started in 1987) (see images below). Seven Muscovy Ducks were surviving, with just 30 Canada Geese, 5 Embden Geese, 6 Moorhen, 2 Pied Wagtails and a Goldcrest also noted. Woodpigeons were busy feeding on the shrubs.

Very quiet at CHESHAM FISHING LAKES (now under new management) (just 10 Coot & 25 Tufted Duck present) and at LATIMER GREAT WATER & PLACE (4 Mute Swans, 24 Coot, 8 Moorhen, 10 Redwing & 4 Song Thrushes) with the RIVER CHESS between NEPTUNES FALLS & LATIMER ROAD yielding an additional 8 Coot, 18 Moorhen, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Tufted Duck, Grey Heron and a large gathering of at least 50 Mallard. Three Song Thrush roosted in an evergreen close to the bridge, with Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker and 3 Wrens also logged