Recording Area Annual Totals

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



Monday, 24 October 2011

Fieldfares and Redwings

MONDAY 24 OCTOBER

Strong Southeasterly winds blew all day, associated with clear skies before late afternoon....

SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)

All 6 young Mute Swans still survive, with 6 Gadwall present, a female Tufted Duck and 64 Coots. An adult Common Gull was with the Black-headed Gull flock, as well as a juvenile Argenteus Herring Gull, whilst migrants included 25 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Pied Wagtail

Friday, 7 October 2011

Feeling very wintery........nothing happening

FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER

Strong Northwesterly winds dominated the weather today, bringing occasional sharp showers interspersed with bright periods. Temperatures have plummeted from recent days.....

SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)

Very, very quiet - almost birdless - with just 3 Gadwalls (2 drakes) and 2 KINGFISHERS of note

IVINGHOE HILLS NATURE RESERVE (BUCKS)

A waste of time vizmigging - virtually nothing on the move. Highlights were 2 REDWINGS (one in Top Scrub and another in isolated hawthorns just SE of the Beacon trig point) - my first of the autumn and 2 migrating Blue Tits across the peak.......

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

The water level is starting to rise again and I see from the signs, a breakout of green algae has been registered by the Environment Agency.

For the first time in two months, not a LIttle Egret in sight...

A flock of 11 BARN SWALLOWS and a single HOUSE MARTIN came through, as well as 3 SKYLARKS

Otherwise, 4 Little Grebes, 9 Great Crested Grebes, 33 Mute Swans, the 2 Whooper Swans, 233 Common Teal, 8 Gadwall, 68 Eurasian Wigeon, 9 NORTHERN PINTAIL (1 adult drake), 109 Shoveler and 19 Pied Wagtails

Thursday, 6 October 2011

First GLIS-GLIS of 2011

Chris Pontin and I had our first GLIS GLIS of the year today - a very poor year indeed

Wednesday, 5 October 2011

SISKINS

It has been very quiet of late. Up to 20 SISKINS have been present at Pow Wow in Chesham, with 10 BARN SWALLOWS flying around McMinn's yesterday (Tuesday 4 October).

A Song Thrush and 4 Chaffinches flew west over my house early this morning, whilst TAWNY OWLS are now very active and calling loudly each calm evening.

Many MEADOW PIPITS are now on the move

Friday, 30 September 2011

WIGEON dipped !

Frustratingly, unbeknown to me, a single eclipse EURASIAN WIGEON was present at Shardeloes Lake all yesterday afternoon and evening - the first of this species to be recorded in the area this year.........

Despite being there bright and early this morning, it was nowhere to be found - just 8 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 41 Coot, Common Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatches, Common Treecreeper, Jay, Grey Wagtail and 2 Goldcrests; passage included 2 Skylarks and 1 Meadow Pipit

Tuesday, 27 September 2011

The Autumn Solstice is now upon us

TUESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER

High pressure bought 'Indian Summer' type conditions with light southerly winds, clear blue skies and temperatures peaking at 74 degrees fahrenheit. It was an ideal opportunity to be out in the field but frustratingly, very little was happening...........

THE CHESS VALLEY, CHENIES (BUCKS)

Birding the Chess Valley today was very depressing. Gone were all of the sounds of summer - no Swallows, House Martins or warblers. In fact, there was very little to see.

At the Crestyl Cressbeds, a Little Egret, Grey Heron and 6 Moorhens were noted, whilst Jays were a hive of activity with 4 different birds being seen. Three different Common Chiffchaffs remained, whilst Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker, Dunnock, Red Kite, male Common Kestrel and single Meadow Pipit completed the list. What made it more depressing was the number of species I have failed to log in the Recording Area this year including Common Cuckoo, Hobby, Common Stonechat, Whinchat, Common Sandpiper and Osprey.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

Moving on to Wilstone did not improve the mood. Trespassers have now taken to swimming in the reservoir rather than walking all over it. Add to that the massive disturbance caused by overflying hot air balloons, then you have it all.

Water was actually in very short supply and if the Indian Summer forecast materialises, Wilstone will be completely dry by the end of October !

Wildfowl were the main species of note with the two adult Whooper Swans still, 34 Mute Swans, 18 Gadwall, 346+ Common Teal, 38 Wigeon, the 6 PINTAIL, 84 Shoveler and 94 Pochards; 11 Little Egrets were still hanging out, as were the 3 HOBBIES and a Common Chiffchaff was in the East Hedgerow

Sunday, 18 September 2011

WHINCHAT at Penn Street



Andy Radford discovered a WHINCHAT this morning at Penn Street Farm - on wires by the small farm pond. This is the first in the Recording Area this year.