MUTE SWAN T2L

This pair nested very late this year but despite this, 3 of the cygnets continue to do well (and an improvement on last year, when just one cygnet survived into this year). Female T2L was originally released here on 14th March 2009, 2099 days ago!

Otherwise, very quiet in the Chess Valley at present, although GADWALL numbers are holding up (20+) and Little Egrets number about 5

BRAMBLINGS back

Last Friday, 15 BRAMBLING came in to roost with 53 Chaffinches in Penn Wood, my first here this winter

BLACK SWAN still resident

MONDAY 1 DECEMBER

 

A cold, grey day with overcast skies and a freshening NW wind...

 

An afternoon's birding resulted in 49 species being recorded, including my first BITTERN of the winter..

 

BULLFINCH numbers in my CHAFFINCH HOUSE GARDEN have now increased to 5 - birds repeatedly visiting the Sunflower Hearts feeders

There was no sign of Don Stone's Golden Plover flock at LOWER WEEDONHILL FARM near Hyde Heath just 29 Common Starlings, 4 Jays, 3 Carrion Crows, Green Woodpecker (pictured), Common Blackbird, Red Kite, Goldfinch and 2 male Common Pheasants. Neighbouring PIPER'S WOOD added 8 Common Magpies.

At SHARDELOES LAKE, a reasonable checklist: 5 Mute Swans (both adults, the female with 2 cygnets and another first-year), just 2 Gadwall (pair), 3 Tufted Duck, 58 Coot, 14 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, 148 Black-headed Gulls, 8 Common Gulls, a near-adult Argentatus Herring Gull (observed hunting down a Crayfish and devouring it), 2 COMMON KINGFISHER, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 16 Long-tailed Tits, 9 Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Greenfinch, 11 Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzard, 9 Goldfinch, 2 Bullfinch, Grey Wagtail, 3 Mistle Thrush, 19 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, Song Thrush and several Stock Doves.

On the Misbourne pond as you enter LITTLE MISSENDEN HAMLET, the Australian Black Swan remains resident, with 8 Coot and 6 Moorhen on MULBERRY WOOD POND and 10 Moorhen, Tufted Duck, a pair of Gadwall and 2 Little Grebe on DEEP MILL LANE POND. In GREAT MISSENDEN, BANK'S POND held Little Grebe, 6 Coot and 4 Moorhen (with 6 Redwing over) but most concerning was the apparent drying up of the Misbourne at Warren Water.

I finished up at MARSWORTH RESERVOIR with Ian Williams, the wait until dusk being entertained by at least 1,400 Common Starlings coming in to roost. Not so good were the CORN BUNTING numbers (just 45), whilst Reed Bunting was represented by just one bird. The BITTERN (first seen by Steve Rodwell on Friday) appeared from the reedbed bang on cue at 1600 hours, with 3 WATER RAIL squealing, Grey Heron, 5 Redwing, 48 Shoveler and 4 Great Crested Grebe noted.

GOLDEN PLOVERS are back......

Today there were 6 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS in the large field adjacent to Weedonhill Woods, this time last year this field held 30 Golden Plovers, peaking at 66 on 21st December (Don Stone)

Birding the Chess Valley....

MONDAY 24 NOVEMBER

 

BIRDING THE CHESS VALLEY

 

After yesterday's rain (which lasted all day incidentally), the skies cleared overnight to leave a light frost. Blue skies then dominated proceedings, giving rise to the most glorious of late autumn days....

 

I decided to do a full inventory of the CHESS VALLEY, moving from east to west...

Ideally situated for those traversing the delights the Chess Valley has to offer - the Bedford Arms 

CHENIES VILLAGE & ENVIRONS harboured a population of 30 House Sparrows (stable due to restoration of high beech hedgerows), as well as 16 Western Jackdaws, 2 Collared Dove, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Song Thrush (singing male), Jay, Goldcrest and 3 Redwing.

MOUNTWOOD FARM added Green Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Robin, Woodpigeon, 2 Carrion Crow and 2 Jackdaw, with the adjacent MOUNT WOOD producing 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Jay, Common Blackbird and a flyover Black-headed Gull.

 

At the CRESTYL WATERCRESS BEDS in SARRATT BOTTOM, the first of 5 wintering Little Egrets was seen, with 9 Mallard and 4 Moorhen on the cress and Common Blackbird, Wren (2), Dunnock and Robin in the hedgerow.

The aforementioned Black-headed Gull was a site-first for VALLEY FARM, the horsefields also harbouring 17 Woodpigeon, Common Blackbird, 2 Grey Heron, Red Kite, Moorhen, 12 Jackdaw, 3 Chaffinch, 4 Pied Wagtail, 3 Redwing, 2 Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin and Dunnock. The male RING-NECKED PARAKEET was in its usual tree opposite the cressbeds (see images below).

Another Little Egret was to be found at FROGMORE MEADOWS, standing side-by-side by the Chess with a Grey Heron, whilst Common Pheasant, Common Magpie, Dunnock, Wren (3), Common Blackbird (3), Song Thrush and Bullfinch were also noted. MILL FARM MEADOWS adjacent yielded 3 more Little Egrets as well as Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, Goldfinch and Wren, while CHENIES BOTTOM hamlet added Red Kite, Common Kestrel, 3 Robin, 2 Wren, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Goldcrest, 2 Blue Tit, Jay, 2 Long-tailed Tits and a flyover RING-NECKED PARAKEET (Sarratt bird presumably).

 

Little of note at either CHURCH COVERT or NEPTUNES FALLS - LATIMER GREAT WATER continuing this theme. A 6th Chess Little Egret was at BOIS MILL whilst a shifty at CHESHAM SEWAGE WORKS revealed the presence of 1 Little Grebe, 2 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 8 Moorhen and 76 Black-headed Gulls; a male Common Kestrel was nearby.

Pretty quiet on CHESHAM FISHING LAKES with 1 Mute Swan, 12 Tufted Duck, 6 Moorhen and 28 Coot counted and SISKIN and COMMON KINGFISHER briefly flying through. A pair of COMMON KINGFISHERS was feeding on the tiny brook opposite the Gym Centre with MILLFIELDS harbouring a Song Thrush and 2 Moorhens; 4 Red Kites were circling overhead.

 

No less than 10 Moorhen were resident at CHESHAM MOOR (WATERSIDE), while this year's sole surviving Mute Swan cygnet was still keeping company with mum and dad.

Numerous Red Kites were patrolling the skies and fields in the OSTLER'S WOOD AREA, where 3 Common Buzzard, 57 Stock Dove, 170 Woodpigeon, 3 Jay, 2 Bullfinch and Mistle Thrush were all seen.