Recording Area Annual Totals

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



Friday, 31 July 2009

Another WHEATEAR - second of the autumn




PENN STREET FARM (SU 925 954)

Andy Radford discovered a juvenile NORTHERN WHEATEAR at 1700 hours and the bird was still present and showing well when I arrived from 1834-1854 hours. It was frequenting the large pile of tyres to the left of the public footpath as well as the tarmac area by the farm sheds and was scolding frequently. It represents the second record of this species in my Recording Area this autumn.

In the area by the farm reservoir, 8 Stock Doves, 3 male Greenfinches, 2 Linnets and a male Blackcap were noted. Red Kites were also very vocal, with two juveniles begging for food.

Thursday, 30 July 2009

SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS increase; Barn Swallows have a good season and Butterflies Galore

THURSDAY 30 JULY

After the odd rumble of thunder and isolated shower, the day was rather pleasant, with some good spells of sunshine giving rise to warm temperatures. The SW wind continued and was fairly brisk. I had planned to check on a number of raptor nests but that all went pear-shaped, when an adult summer Cattle Egret was located in West Berkshire. That bird was dipped on two occasions but two Garganey and a Mediterranean Gull salvaged the day.

CHENIES BOTTOM AND FROGMORE MEADOWS NR (TQ 020 986)

I did the Chess Valley Walk from Chenies Bridge (TQ 017 987) to Valley Farm (TQ 026 992). Very quiet birdwise but notable for the number of Barn Swallows recorded.

*COMMON KESTRELS (pair busily feeding four noisy fledglings which are all on the wing)
RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE (adult in Mill Farm Meadow - unusual in July)
Green Woodpecker (3)
BARN SWALLOWS (2 hawking over Mill Farm Meadow, with a further 15 over the paddock immediately west of Valley Farm. Several juveniles from the two nests at the farm were queuing up along the fence to be fed by the parents. At least four nests in this small area successfully fledged young - an excellent year)
Wren (1 by Chenies Bottom Bridge)
Mistle Thrush (2 at Chenies Place)
COMMON WHITETHROAT (single juvenile in Frogmore Meadow)
Goldfinch (2)
Black-billed Magpie (2 adults; I also found a juvenile shot dead)
Long-tailed Tits (8 in Limeshill Wood)
MARSH TIT (1 scolding in Limeshill Wood at TQ 023 991)

Frogmore Meadow and the adjacent meadow were swarming with butterflies, with the wild flowers and weeds attracting incredible numbers including 600+ Large Whites, 74 Green-veined Whites, 44 Small Whites, 1 tatty Small Tortoiseshell, 11 COMMAS, 55 COMMON BLUES, 67 Peacocks, 330+ Meadow Browns, 55 Ringlets, 22 Small Heath, 65 Gatekeepers, 25 SMALL COPPERS (with egg-laying observed) and 14 PAINTED LADIES. A total of 13 species in one small area.

My walk was rudely interrupted at 1505 hours when Ken Moore and Roger Stansfield discovered a summer-plumaged Cattle Egret at Padworth Lane GP in neighbouring Berkshire - only the second county record and a species I have still to see in the county. I made my way back to the car, picked up Ray Scally and then finally got going at 1536. Just as I got to the M4, I received a call from Andy Horscroft giving me the good news that the bird had flown east and had been lost. I turned around and headed back.

SHARDELOES LAKE (1630-1730 hours)
(with Ray Scally)

Ray Scally is the Irish artist that has illustrated both Russell Slack's new book on Rare Birds and my forthcoming 2009 revision of the Ultimate Site Guide and he was keen to get some photographs of local Buckinghamshire birds. With no Cattle Egret to chase, I took him to Shardeloes, where many species show well. This afternoon's haul included -:

GREAT CRESTED GREBES (pair constantly feeding the three growing juveniles)
Little Grebes (7+ including the usual family group)
Grey Heron (1 juvenile)
Mute Swan (family party of 6 birds)
Canada Geese (69, including 59 just east of Kennel Farm)
GADWALL (2 eclipse birds at west end)
Tufted Duck (2)

Common Buzzard (moulting adult)
Red Kites (several including the two fledged juveniles)
Common Kestrel (first-summer male)
Stock Dove (6+)
BARN SWALLOW (juvenile hawking over cricket pitch)
House Martins (18)
Grey Wagtail (1)
Pied Wagtail (just 9 left on the cricket field)
*SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS (now 5 showing well at the west end, flycatching in the sun from the Willows)

Wednesday, 29 July 2009

Another HOBBY

28/07 : HOBBY : Beacon Hill, Penn. At tree top level, caused panic amongst a group of Barn Swallows (Don Stone)

HOUSE SPARROW population holding up







Images by kind courtesy of Steve and Sue Gantlett/www.birdingworld.co.uk
As I write, a total of 43 HOUSE SPARROWS are taking advantage of the five well-stocked bird tables in my garden, including at least 17 juveniles. Although well down on the flock sizes of previous summers, this is still a healthy population. My resident pair successfully fledged two broods this year as usual and the village population in general is holding up very well.

After a brief absence, CHAFFINCHES have returned, with 5 juveniles joining the adults at the tables.

Wren has been hit hard, presumably following last winter's two weeks of snow and ice, with very few sightings and Song Thrush still remains a great rarity.

LITTLE GREBES


Local photographer and very good friend Paul Keene obtained this beautiful image of the Shardeloes Lake family of LITTLE GREBES. It has been a tremendous year for this species locally.

Grebe families doing well
















Today's images kindly provided by top bird photographer Mike Lawrence
TUESDAY 28 JULY

A mainly overcast day occasionally broken by bright sunny periods. Wind remained from the Southwest with warm temperatures. There was no sign of yesterday's Common Scoter early on at Wilstone nor of the Whinchat at Beaconsfield. In fact, there was little to shout about so I concentrated on more survey work for my report. All three COMMON SHELDUCK were still present)

SHARDELOES LAKE

Grebe families doing well, as well as Coot and Spotted Flycatchers still present.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE (pair tending to three young, with a second pair present. It was interesting to see how quickly two of the three juveniles have progressed, one being now quite well grown. The smallest one still kept very close to its mother and kept on repeatedly trying to scramble up on to her back. Each time the male caught a small silver fish (which was frequently) he wailed loudly and the juveniles noisily raced towards him)

LITTLE GREBES (pair feeding three young and like the GCG's, major discrepancies in development of individual babies; two further independent first-winters and two adults)

Continental Cormorant (sub-adult fishing)
Mute Swans (adult pair with four cygnets)
GADWALL (single female)
Coot (54)
Black-headed Gull (30 birds attracted to tractor ploughing adjacent field - 3 juveniles amongst them)

Red Kites (several attracted in to plough)
Stock Dove (4)
Grey Wagtail (1)
Blue Tit (family party including 7 juveniles)
Coal Tit (2)
Greenfinch (2)
Goldfinch (3)
Common Chiffchaff (1)

Monday, 27 July 2009

First WHINCHAT of the autumn




A juvenile WHINCHAT was present in Docks growing widely in the large Barley field just east of the A355 and north of the public footpath at SU 949 906 this morning, constituting the first record in the Amersham Recording Area and District this year (Dave Ferguson). Sadly, there was no sign of it in an exhaustive search this evening.

A Eurasian Sparrowhawk nest was located in Mount Wood (adults feeding at least two noisy chicks) whilst a pair of Moorhens was on a tiny, almost dried-up pond in the wood just NE of Wilton Park Farm at SU 950 903 (Lee G R Evans).