Recording Area Annual Totals

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



Monday, 30 November 2009

First frost of early winter

Very little to talk of birdwise but just looking out at 2330 hours, the first frost of the autumn.

Earlier today, I had spent a lot of time searching for a putative DUSKY WARBLER that had been calling frequently but not showing in an area of bramble and scrub just outside the Recording Area near Beaconsfield. I shall have another look tomorrow morning.

Sunday, 29 November 2009

BLACK RED

The adult male BLACK REDSTART was still at Valley Farm today (per Jan Hein van Steenis)

Penn Wood and environs

In Penn Wood, at 15:15, there were c60 Greenfinch with a few Chaffinch and 1 BRAMBLING around the southeastern holly roost area. At the southern area of the paddock there were c120 Greenfinch with 3 BRAMBLING and again a few Chaffinch. At the northern end of the paddock, at 15:45, Greenfinch numbered around 20, Chaffinch about 20 and 12 definite BRAMBLING counted. So that was 16 Brambling in total. It was possible that there was movement between areas, but the total ties in well with my sightings during the past week or so.

By 15:55, I was counting Red Kite at the Brook Wood roost near Penn Bottom. There were 6 circling over the wood when I arrived and over the next twenty minutes I checked in a further 13, all from the Winchmore Hill direction (actually slighlty south of). Then, at 16:25, I turned to check the wood again and saw many rising in the dark just ahead of a rain shower. 22 birds all rose up together and moved slowly back over the hill towards the fields and woods below Winchmore Hill. (Kevin Holt)

Saturday, 28 November 2009

KINGFISHER highlight



SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER

A raw day, with the wind veering ENE and temperatures dropping further. It remained dry during daylight hours but became wet as darkness fell. I spent the day surveying locally.

CHESS RIVER VALLEY

There was no sign of yesterday's Great White Egret in the Chess Valley. Richard Tomlin searched too.

LITTLE EGRETS (3 together just east of Bois Mill and 2 more at Church Covert)
Mute Swans (4 adults just east of Bois Mill and a further individual on Bois Mill Lake)

Great Water and environs

Little Grebe (1)
Mute Swans (13)
Tufted Duck (9)
Redwing (11)

Chesham Sewage Works Pond (SU 979 997)

Little Grebe (1)
Tufted Duck (10)
Rookery (44 nests)
FIELDFARE (22 just west of Ivy House Farm)
House Sparrows (8 by Ivy House Farm)

Chesham Fishing Lakes

GREAT CRESTED GREBE (still present)
Mute Swan (1 adult)
Mallard (12)
Tufted Duck (12)
NORTHERN POCHARD (16)
Coot (48 - 44 + 4)

Chesham Pow Wow Lake

Little Grebes (2)
Mallard (10)
No Gadwall

SHARDELOES LAKE

Little Grebe (10)
Mute Swans (pair and two remaining/surviving first-winters)
GADWALL (9)
Tufted Duck (1 drake)
Coot (92)
COMMON KINGFISHER (showing very well fishing in the shallow and very clear stream adjacent to the cricket field)
Stock Dove (15 on stubble)
FIELDFARES (15 in bushes at edge of lake)
Redwing (4 with the above)
Jackdaws (flock of 190 on stubble)
SISKINS (4)

DEEP MILL POND (SU 907 996)

Little Grebes (3)
Mallard (4)
Coot (8)
Moorhen (4)
Rook (26 nests at SU 905 998)

BLACK REDSTART still present

Hooray. On my second visit to the site, caught up with the adult male BLACK REDSTART still at Valley Farm in Sarratt Bottom between 15.40 & 16.00 on fencing near the 2 silver/ Blue horse Boxes at the rear of the farm. was loosely associating with 1m COMMON STONECHAT also on site. obtained juicy views of the wintering Black Bedstart in glorious plumage. A real stunning example of a male Black Redstart. Also 2 LITTLE EGRETS in trees by the water cress beds. No sign of the Osprey but made zero effort on trying to locate it, if still there (Darin Stanley)

Friday, 27 November 2009

GREAT WHITE EGRET in the Chess Valley

One GREAT WHITE EGRET. At 10.45 it flew up river and passed very close to us on the drive that goes down from near the entrance to Latimer House. It was large, deep chested and gave us very clear views of its black feet. It did not appear to settle in the valley and disappeared in the direction of Chesham.

11 Little Egrets
5 Red Legged Partridge at bottom of the bean field at the western end of Great Water.
2 Red Kites
1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk
1 Common Buzzard
2 Common Pheasants
about 150 Canada Geese

Stuart and Lesley Williams

Penn Wood - The Map


PENN WOOD
ACCESS POINTS: via the A404 opposite Beamond End; by the War Memorial at the south end of Penn Street; at the Tylers Green Gate on the SE side or at the bottom of the dip just east of Keeper's Cottage at the south end