GREEN SANDPIPER, TEAL and WATER RAIL

WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY

Up until early afternoon, it was freezing, with a raw wind keeping temperatures below 3 degrees C. Then, as the afternoon progressed, a 'warm front' crossed the region bringing overcast conditions and light rain, and a rise of four degrees.

I spent the day local, primarily with the aim of censusing the Mandarin Duck population in South Bucks.

CHESS RIVER VALLEY (BUCKS)

Again, no sign of the Great White Egret in a very extensive search but 7 LITTLE EGRETS seen, with 1 in the stream by Bois Mill Lake, 2 around Latimer Bridge, 2 by Chenies Bottom Bridge with one fishing on the river inside Mill Farm House garden and a 7th at the Crestyl Watercress Beds.

A GREEN SANDPIPER was also showing well for a second day at the Watercress Beds, the first COMMON SNIPE of the year also being seen by JT yesterday.

Mute Swans (6 adults on the river at Chenies Bottom, with another adult at Latimer Bridge, a territorial pair on Bois Mill Lake and a further adult close to the cressbed)
Grey Heron (2)
COMMON TEAL (2 at Church Covert LNR - the only reliable site for this species in the valley)
Mallard (4 at Church Covert LNR)
Red Kite (1)
Common Kestrel (1 hunting over Mill Farm Meadow)
Moorhen (8 at the Watercress Bed)
WATER RAIL (1 in Church Covert)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (2 at the orchid reserve)
Green Woodpecker (1 at Church Covert)
Wren (2)
Common Blackbird (6 in the hedgerow bordering the cressbed)
Redwing (just 1 noted - in Church Covert)
Common Magpie (9 together at Church Covert)
Long-tailed Tit (7)

First dead Badger of year in valley

TUESDAY 26 JANUARY

With a raw easterly wind blowing, temperatures dropped considerably this afternoon, and by dusk had decreased from 5 degrees to just 1.5 degrees C. Blue skies predominated, along with prolonged winter sunshine.

Did my late January counts of the Chess Valley and Tring Reservoirs, with the Wilstone gull roost highlighting..........

CHESS RIVER VALLEY (BUCKS)

There was no sign of the Great White Egret again but LITTLE EGRETS numbered 5, including one showing well in the roadside stream by Bois Mill Lake and two in ditches close to the road just east of Latimer Bridge.

Sadly, yet another BADGER was run over last night on Latimer Road, one from the regular sett, killed at SU 993 987.

At Chesham Fishing Lakes along Waterside, 2 adult Mute Swans have moved in, with 8 Mallard, 10 Tufted Ducks and 28 Coot for company and an impressive 7 adult drake NORTHERN POCHARDS. A stolen Astra has been driven on to the site and burned out.

WATER RAIL shows by bridge

SATURDAY 23 JANUARY

A dry day, but overcast and still rather cold - temperatures in the afternoon struggling to a high of 7 degrees centigrade. Light winds.

A relatively local day, with a morning search for the Chess Valley GWE, a visit to Forest Hill for the Rosy Pastor and a failed attempt at the regular Merlin. Water Rail was the bird of the day, with no less than 8 seen.

CHESS RIVER VALLEY (BUCKS/HERTS)

At Latimer Bridge, LITTLE EGRETS tallied 4 (with 8 in the valley all told - per Ben Miller, Mike Ilett), with 11 Mute Swans including an adult and two first-winters just west of Latimer Bridge, an adult and first-winter and two adults in the Church Covert area and four adults east of Chenies Bottom Bridge. My visit at the latter site coincided with a shoot, with most birds flying out, but Grey Wagtail and 2 Greenfinch were encountered.

At Sarratt Mill House, 9 Moorhens were on the lawn, with Stock Dove and Nuthatch within the grounds, with 1+ RING-NECKED PARAKEET in the area.

A WATER RAIL was seen in the shallow stream just east of the bridge - my first of the day (Lee G R Evans/Joan Thompson).

Shooting in the valley.......and again no sign of the GWE

I've done an extensive search of the Chess Valley over both the last two days, with no sign of the Great White Egret. I have seen the following;

6, probably 7 and possibly 8 LITTLE EGRETS this afternoon
COMMON RAVEN over Sarratt Bottom
A BLACKCAP calling from a riverside garden Chenies Bottom
Singles or pairs of vocal SISKIN over on three occasions today
3 Red Kites and 2 Common Buzzard

Ben Miller

Rain stops play

Heavy rain fell across the region virtually all day, hindering any chances of quality birding. Ben Miller came down and searched the Chess for a brief period but failed in his quest to find the Great White, although he did see at least 4 Little Egrets, indicating that birds are still returning.

GREAT WHITE EGRET reappears on the Chess

THURSDAY 21 JANUARY

A reasonable day by recent standards with some long spells of sunshine and clear spells

The Chess Valley GREAT WHITE EGRET reappeared today in the Hertfordshire section of the river and was standing in deep water not far from the Water Vole watchpoint. Interestingly, the bird has a small metal ring on its left leg but no colour rings. It also has very dark (black) legs with just a slight amount of paleness to the tibia but is very skittish, so most likely just a winter-plumaged European bird rather than a Nearctic visitor. This is the same individual that spent three weeks in the Recording Area just before Christmas, which frequented the Chess and Misbourne Valleys from 27 November to 18 December and was also seen in Berkshire.

The three LITTLE EGRETS were still present, along with the resident pair of COMMON RAVENS (the male in full display), whilst the wintering GREEN SANDPIPER and 20 SISKINS were again just east of Chesham Fishing Pits (per Chris Pontin)

The valley also saw a severe car accident at the Stoney Lane junction (the 18th accident on these crossroads since 18 December) with two vehicles colliding, the van rolling over on to its roof. Paramedics were attending one seriously injured driver, with four road traffic cars attending.

SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)

Still partly frozen but a dusk visit revealed the return of all 5 Mute Swans (including the three surviving first-winters), 6 Mallard, 21 Gadwall, 44 Coot, 8 Moorhen and a hefty increase of 27 Tufted Duck and 9 Northern Pochard. A Song Thrush was also seen.

Recent reports from Shardeloes

On 16 January, 5 Mandarin, 15 Reed Buntings and 4 Bramblings were reported at Shardeloes Lake.