SPARROWHAWK in the garden

A young EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK visited the garden today, sitting on the birdbath for a while before flying off.

SHARDELOES LAKE late autumn inventory

WEDNESDAY 27 OCTOBER

A return to mild SW winds after several days of northwesterlies. Bright and sunny throughout with limited cloud cover.

SHARDELOES ESTATE (BUCKS)

My first chance in a while to do some late autumn inventory work in the local Recording Area. A distinct change to proceedings since my last visit here, with many leaves now fallen from the trees. Water level very high still at the lake and all summer migrants now departed - a very wintry feel now. Few highlights other than a single LITTLE EGRET at the lake.

I undertook a full inventory, checking the lake first and then walking NW to the Todd's Wood boundary, back SW along Mop End Lane, back across to the Electricity Sub-station and back towards the entrance alongside Wheatley's Wood.

The Systematic List (38 species of bird recorded of 831 individuals)

Great Crested Grebe (no sign of any, all 4 departed)
Little Grebe (8 present on the lake)
LITTLE EGRET (one roosting in a Willow on the lake - scarce species here and possibly the same bird that Chris Pontin saw fly over Chesham this morning)
Mute Swan (all 5 resident birds still in situ)
Atlantic Canada Goose (just 1 remaining)
GADWALL (at least 15 present but surprisingly no Mallard)
NORTHERN POCHARD (pair present on lake)
Red Kite (4 birds ranging over the estate)
Common Kestrel (1 female)
RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE (single coveys of 10 birds along the field-edge by Todd's Wood and a further 5 in the maize fields east of Mop End Farm)
Common Pheasant (86+ noted)
Moorhen (just 3 birds located on the lake)
Coot (99+ on the lake)
Black-headed Gull (64 washing and bathing on the lake)
COMMON GULL (1 adult with the above)
SCANDINAVIAN HERRING GULL (1 adult Argentatus with the above)
Woodpigeon (lower numbers than expected considering the time of year - 1 by the lake followed by 113 in the maize strips and Beech trees east of Mop End Farm and a further 216 in stubble by Wheatley's Wood)
No Stock Dove seen
EURASIAN SKYLARK (7 in setaside alongside Mop End Lane)
Pied Wagtail (1 on the roof of Lower Park House)
Wren (8 along the Misbourne Valley west of the lake)
Dunnock (1 by the maize fields near Wheatley Wood)
European Robin (two males in song)
SONG THRUSH (1 in the usual area feeding beneath the tall Beeches opposite Lower Park House)
REDWING (1 in trees by Lower Park House)
Mistle Thrush (1)
FIELDFARE (flock of 12 in flight over Shardeloes House)
Again, surprisingly no Common Blackbirds found
GOLDCREST (1+ in the Firs by the Electricity Sub-station)
Great Tit (1), Blue Tit (1) and Long-tailed Tit (8)
Common Magpie (2)
Jay (very vociferous and busy gathering acorns - at least 7 noted)
Jackdaw (49 in pre-roost gathering)
Rook (37)
Carrion Crow (just 2 encountered)
Chaffinch (a few odd birds here and there with the largest concentration of 34 in the Mop End Lane maize crops)
Goldfinch (2)
BULLFINCH (a pair in scrub by the Electricity Sub-station)
YELLOWHAMMER (two groups, both in maize crops - 2 by Mop End Lane and 8 by Wheatleys Wood - and 5 more in trees opposite Lower Park House)

MILL FARM MEADOWS, CHENIES BOTTOM (BUCKS)

A winter thrush flock contained 36 FIELDFARES and 5 REDWINGS but there was no sign of the two Common Stonechats

Large numbers of birds return to the garden

Here at Chaffinch House in Little Chalfont, my first long spell spent at the desk since mid September has resulted in a check of the garden and there are large numbers of birds visiting - up to 15 GOLDFINCHES on the Nyger, repeat visits from up to 4 COAL TITS and a plethora of commoner birds.

STONECHATS return to the Chess Valley

Joan Thompson located a pair of COMMON STONECHATS at Mill Farm Meadow. Chenies Bottom, this afternoon and both birds were still present when I visited later on, frequenting the fenceline adjacent to the Chess. As far as I know, these are the first two in the Chess Valley in 2010, all of last year's wintering birds disappearing at the onset of the severe freeze - on or abouts the 18 December

BARN OWL near Chesham

Chris Pontin fortuitously watched a BARN OWL fly across Bois Mill Pond and the Latimer Road just prior to dusk this evening whilst the only local sightings of interest that I have had in the past two weeks or more is that of TAWNY OWLS becoming very active on most evenings, the males hooting loudly and continuously.

GREYLAG GOOSE at Shardeloes

THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER

SHARDELOES LAKE

My first opportunity in many weeks to check Shardeloes Lake, with the main change being the increase in wildfowl numbers........

Great Crested Grebe (the single youngster still being fed by both parents)
Little Grebe (4)
Grey Heron (1)
Mute Swan (all 5 birds still present)
Atlantic Canada Goose (180 present)
GREYLAG GOOSE (1 with the Canadas)
Mallard (25)
GADWALL (20)
Tufted Duck (3)
NORTHERN POCHARD (14)
WATER RAIL (1 squealing)
Coot (45)
Red Kite (1)
COMMON KINGFISHER (1-2)
Grey Wagtail
HOUSE MARTINS (36 at dusk)
Common Chiffchaff (2)
Long-tailed Tit (8)
Blue Tit (5)

Should I Stay or Should I Go? The dilemma facing Wendover's WRYNECK this evening

That was the dilemma facing the Bacomb Hill WRYNECK this evening. After leaving the Ivinghoe Hills late afternoon, I returned once more to Bacomb, where from 1700 hours until dusk the bird was still showing exceptionally well, often down to just a few feet. It was once against commuting between the numerous active anthills on the tumulus and spent over two hours moving just 25 yards ! It was feeding voraciously and endlessly, probing its bill and then extending its tongue into the anthills and eating ant after ant, as well as the occasional Cranefly snatched from the ground. Well camouflaged, it fed without regard for its safety and was again enjoyed by large numbers of admirers - perhaps a further 80 observers before the sun faded (including several pin-stripe suited birders from Central London taking advantage of the Metropolitan line). Even birding royalty paid it homage today - a certain CDRH snooping by to take a look.

This really has been one of the birding events of all-time in Buckinghamshire - such a well-loved, well-enjoyed and cripplingly-showing rarity. Once again, I ensured its safety until dark, making sure it roosted safely in its chosen Beech tree for a fourth night (a bird such as this could be a sitting target for a local Sparrowhawk). It flew to roost at 1915 hours and kept on feeding until just seconds before. It must be really heavy by now after consuming so many ants. As darkness fell, it was another calm evening, although quite cloudy, with a light SSW wind - pretty ideal leaping conditions - but not as ideal as the last two moonlit nights.

Interestingly, viz-mig was still underway late this evening, with 11 Meadow Pipits south, and a total of 89 European Barn Swallows.

Prior to my visit to Wendover, I had tried to emulate Mike Wallen, who well-deservedly found the county's first migrant EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD of the year - a fine adult that must have roosted overnight at Ivinghoe - which flew off south shortly after dawn.

I put in a long spell of sky-watching over Ivinghoe Beacon but it was dire - virtually nothing moving apart from local breeding raptors and large numbers of Meadow Pipits and hirundines. I was certainly expecting an Osprey at the very least, especially considering the wind veering from light SSE during the late morning. Another bird I was keen to see was Mike's COMMON STONECHAT - but again no joy and believe it or not, I have still to see one in Bucks this year after they were hit for six during last winter's freeze-up.

Tony Howell obtained some awesome images of the Wryneck whilst with me on Tuesday and over the next few days I shall upload many of them on to my local blogs. If anyone else would like to showcase their images of this beauty, please do not hesitate to email me them - this really is a bird to be proud of photographing. A real treasure.