Tuesday, 30 November 2010
The first snow of winter
A dusting of snow fell overnight, whilst temperatures dropped again to -5 degrees. Shardeloes Lake was almost completely frozen over, with just the 5 Mute Swans, 3 Little Grebes and 66 Coots present, 7 adult Common Gulls and a 4th winter Argenteus Herring Gull standing on the ice and 1 Fieldfare
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Lowndes Park frozen over
The three LITTLE EGRETS were still present in the Chess Valley today, with 8 adult drake Northern Pochards on the Chesham Fishing Lakes. A dusting of snow fell overnight, with a heavy frost and for the first time this autumn, Lowndes Park was mostly frozen over.
The garden attracted Red Kite today, along with 10 Goldfinches or more but not much else of note.
The garden attracted Red Kite today, along with 10 Goldfinches or more but not much else of note.
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Monday, 22 November 2010
The Chess Valley and its birds today
MONDAY 22 NOVEMBER
Heralding a week of somewhat wintry weather, I decided to do a full survey of the bird species currently residing in the Chess Valley. Other than Siskins and a few small groups of Redwing, there was no real hint of what is about to hit the country. It was another very overcast and grey day, with the wind in the North East and temperatures struggling to make double figures. Interestingly, the Chess had changed its course just east of Latimer Bridge and carved itself a new route.
THE CHESS VALLEY (SOUTH BUCKINGHAMSHIRE)
I checked the section between the Chesham Sewage Farm east to the Crestyl Cressbeds at Sarratt. A total of 493 birds of 44 species was recorded -:
Little Grebe (1 on Great Water with a further 3 together just west of Chenies Bottom)
Grey Heron (2 noted including the first-year still feeding by the roadside just east of Bell Lane on Latimer Road)
LITTLE EGRET (the 4 wintering birds present - 1 east of Bois Mill, 2 in the region of Church Covert and another at the cressbed)
Mute Swan (19 in total including 3 on Bois Mill Pond - including a first-winter in the stream - 15 on Great Water and 1 by Chenies Bottom)
Atlantic Canada Geese (115 on Great Water)
Mallard (6 at Chenies Bottom)
Tufted Duck (23 on Great Water)
Common Buzzard (3)
Red Kite (1)
Common Kestrel (1 male)
Common Pheasant (3 males)
Moorhen (14 at Great Water and a further 13 in or around the cressbeds)
Coot (44 on Great Water)
Black-headed Gull (2 adults by Chenies Bottom)
Common Gull (adult flew over)
Woodpigeon (40 or so; very small numbers overall)
Eurasian Collared Dove (pair in Chenies Bottom)
COMMON KINGFISHER (1 on the river just west of the cressbeds)
Green Woodpecker (3)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
Meadow Pipit (1 near Latimer Hall)
Pied Wagtail (2 by Latimer Hall)
Grey Wagtail (3)
Wren (8)
Dunnock (1 in song by the orchid reserve with 6 in total noted)
European Robin (15 in the valley, mainly close to the gardens)
*COMMON STONECHAT (the two wintering birds - pair- still present in Mill Farm meadow)
Song Thrush (2 in Church Covert and another nearer the cressbeds)
REDWING (5 by Latimer Hall and a further 7 elsewhere)
Mistle Thrush (3 by Latimer Hall)
Common Blackbird (10 including 5 in one hedgerow by the orchid reserve)
GOLDCREST (1 by Church Covert and 2 more in firs by the cressbed)
Great Tit (2 at Latimer Hall)
Blue Tit (5 at Latimer Hall and another at Ivy House)
Long-tailed Tit (8 near Church Covert)
Common Magpie (6 together)
Jay (3 - well scattered)
Jackdaw (55)
Carrion Crow (4)
Chaffinch (3 in Chenies Bottom village)
Goldfinch (25 by Latimer Hall)
Greenfinch (4)
SISKIN ( 3 birds by Latimer Hall)
Bullfinch (pair by orchid reserve as usual)
Heralding a week of somewhat wintry weather, I decided to do a full survey of the bird species currently residing in the Chess Valley. Other than Siskins and a few small groups of Redwing, there was no real hint of what is about to hit the country. It was another very overcast and grey day, with the wind in the North East and temperatures struggling to make double figures. Interestingly, the Chess had changed its course just east of Latimer Bridge and carved itself a new route.
THE CHESS VALLEY (SOUTH BUCKINGHAMSHIRE)
I checked the section between the Chesham Sewage Farm east to the Crestyl Cressbeds at Sarratt. A total of 493 birds of 44 species was recorded -:
Little Grebe (1 on Great Water with a further 3 together just west of Chenies Bottom)
Grey Heron (2 noted including the first-year still feeding by the roadside just east of Bell Lane on Latimer Road)
LITTLE EGRET (the 4 wintering birds present - 1 east of Bois Mill, 2 in the region of Church Covert and another at the cressbed)
Mute Swan (19 in total including 3 on Bois Mill Pond - including a first-winter in the stream - 15 on Great Water and 1 by Chenies Bottom)
Atlantic Canada Geese (115 on Great Water)
Mallard (6 at Chenies Bottom)
Tufted Duck (23 on Great Water)
Common Buzzard (3)
Red Kite (1)
Common Kestrel (1 male)
Common Pheasant (3 males)
Moorhen (14 at Great Water and a further 13 in or around the cressbeds)
Coot (44 on Great Water)
Black-headed Gull (2 adults by Chenies Bottom)
Common Gull (adult flew over)
Woodpigeon (40 or so; very small numbers overall)
Eurasian Collared Dove (pair in Chenies Bottom)
COMMON KINGFISHER (1 on the river just west of the cressbeds)
Green Woodpecker (3)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
Meadow Pipit (1 near Latimer Hall)
Pied Wagtail (2 by Latimer Hall)
Grey Wagtail (3)
Wren (8)
Dunnock (1 in song by the orchid reserve with 6 in total noted)
European Robin (15 in the valley, mainly close to the gardens)
*COMMON STONECHAT (the two wintering birds - pair- still present in Mill Farm meadow)
Song Thrush (2 in Church Covert and another nearer the cressbeds)
REDWING (5 by Latimer Hall and a further 7 elsewhere)
Mistle Thrush (3 by Latimer Hall)
Common Blackbird (10 including 5 in one hedgerow by the orchid reserve)
GOLDCREST (1 by Church Covert and 2 more in firs by the cressbed)
Great Tit (2 at Latimer Hall)
Blue Tit (5 at Latimer Hall and another at Ivy House)
Long-tailed Tit (8 near Church Covert)
Common Magpie (6 together)
Jay (3 - well scattered)
Jackdaw (55)
Carrion Crow (4)
Chaffinch (3 in Chenies Bottom village)
Goldfinch (25 by Latimer Hall)
Greenfinch (4)
SISKIN ( 3 birds by Latimer Hall)
Bullfinch (pair by orchid reserve as usual)
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Late Hedgehog
A young Hedgehog was a surprise visitor to the garden today and Carmel fed it on some cat food. A Redwing also flew over as well as a GREY WAGTAIL.
Thursday, 18 November 2010
VELVET SCOTER and SLAVONIAN GREBE at nearby Broadwater


THURSDAY 18 NOVEMBER
Another very dull and dreary day with intermittent patchy rain, grey overcast skies and temperatures peaking at 11 degrees C
BROADWATER SAILING LAKE (MIDDLESEX)
Just outside the Recording Area - at Broadwater Sailing Club near West Hyde - the VELVET SCOTER continues its stay but there was no sign of yesterday's two SLAVONIAN GREBES, one of which Paul Lewis managed to capture on film (see above)
The first-winter drake VELVET SCOTER remains on site but is very difficult to locate, roaming far and wide over the complex. Paul Lewis again managed a record shot (published above by kind permission). It is best to view it from the Colne River footpath, along the West Shore.
Also seen were the following species -:
Great Crested Grebe (12)
Little Grebe (5)
Continental Sinensis Cormorant (27)
Mute Swan (5)
Greylag Goose (1)
Egyptian Goose (2)
COMMON SHELDUCK (!) LOCAL SCARCITY
Gadwall (7)
Shoveler (43)
Eurasian Wigeon (5)
Common Teal (15)
Northern Pochard (17)
Tufted Duck (337)
COMMON GOLDENEYE (9, including 3 drakes)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1)
Coot (248)
Moorhen
Black-headed, Common, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Woodpigeon and Collared Dove
Ring-necked Parakeet (6)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
Wren, Dunnock & Robin
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (3 present, 1 by the west side and two behind the sailing club)
Goldcrest (2)
Long-tailed, Great & Blue Tits
Jay & Chaffinch
LESSER REDPOLL (8 near the car park)
SISKIN (roving flock of 43 birds by the Colne)
Another very dull and dreary day with intermittent patchy rain, grey overcast skies and temperatures peaking at 11 degrees C
BROADWATER SAILING LAKE (MIDDLESEX)
Just outside the Recording Area - at Broadwater Sailing Club near West Hyde - the VELVET SCOTER continues its stay but there was no sign of yesterday's two SLAVONIAN GREBES, one of which Paul Lewis managed to capture on film (see above)
The first-winter drake VELVET SCOTER remains on site but is very difficult to locate, roaming far and wide over the complex. Paul Lewis again managed a record shot (published above by kind permission). It is best to view it from the Colne River footpath, along the West Shore.
Also seen were the following species -:
Great Crested Grebe (12)
Little Grebe (5)
Continental Sinensis Cormorant (27)
Mute Swan (5)
Greylag Goose (1)
Egyptian Goose (2)
COMMON SHELDUCK (!) LOCAL SCARCITY
Gadwall (7)
Shoveler (43)
Eurasian Wigeon (5)
Common Teal (15)
Northern Pochard (17)
Tufted Duck (337)
COMMON GOLDENEYE (9, including 3 drakes)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1)
Coot (248)
Moorhen
Black-headed, Common, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Woodpigeon and Collared Dove
Ring-necked Parakeet (6)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
Wren, Dunnock & Robin
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (3 present, 1 by the west side and two behind the sailing club)
Goldcrest (2)
Long-tailed, Great & Blue Tits
Jay & Chaffinch
LESSER REDPOLL (8 near the car park)
SISKIN (roving flock of 43 birds by the Colne)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)









