FEBRUARY SURVEY

A 'new' LITTLE OWL was discovered in Coleshill

THURSDAY 12 FEBRUARY

Another frost overnight followed by a cold, grey day which later in the afternoon spawned another light covering of snow. I took advantage of a relatively quiet day to comprehensively survey many of my local sites.

STONY LANE PADDOCKS, LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS) (TQ 004 982)

A total of 37 winter thrushes was feeding on the uncovered grass, including 32 FIELDFARES, 4 REDWINGS and 1 Song Thrush. A charm of 11 Goldfinches were also in the field.

CHESS RIVER VALLEY (BUCKS) (45 species)

Little Grebe (2 just west of Latimer Bridge and another on Great Water)
ATLANTIC GREAT CORMORANTS (2 juveniles feeding just west of Latimer Bridge)
*LITTLE EGRETS (4 present, including 2 together SE of Church Covert NR at TQ 010 987 and another two in the tributary by the Chess Valley Walk in Chesham Broadwater at SU 975 000.
Grey Heron (2)
Mute Swans (19; adult and first-winter at Church Covert, 10 including a first-winter on Great Water, 2 first-winters on Bois Mill Pond, 2 adults on the Fishing Lakes and 3 first-winters on the river adjacent).
Atlantic Canada Goose (2 in field NW of Mill Farm in Chenies with 60 at the west end of Great Water)
Mallard (15)
*COMMON TEAL (female on river in Church Covert NR)
Northern Pochard (2 females just west of Latimer Bridge, with 2 drakes on Chesham Fishing Lakes)
Tufted Duck (just 10 on Great Water and 4 on Chesham Fishing Lakes)
RED KITE (1 hunting over fields at Hill Farm)
Common Kestrel (3 - male just SE of Church Covert NR and displaying pair in tall trees just west of Latimer Bridge)
Moorhen (37 on Great Water and environs)
Eurasian Coot (44 on Great Water and 19 on Chesham Fishing Lakes)
Black-headed Gull (125 in grassy fields NW of Hill Farm)

STOCK DOVE ('cooing' male in tall Beech west of Latimer Conference Centre)
Woodpigeons (126 in total in several feeding flocks)
*COMMON KINGFISHERS (2 in the vicinity of Chesham Fishing Lakes affording good, perched views, with a further awesome individual sat perched adjacent to the road by the narrow stream at SU 976 999.
Green Woodpecker (1 by Latimer Conference Centre)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 in Coney Wood)
Meadow Pipit (1 in grassy field just east of Latimer village)
Pied Wagtail (1 outside Chaffinch House)
Wren (4)
Dunnock (3)
European Robin (5 territories, several males in full song)
Song Thrush (1 by Church Covert)
Mistle Thrush (3 in field NW of Mill Farm and 4 in fields by Latimer Conference Centre)
FIELDFARE (3 on grass slope below Latimer CC)
Common Blackbird (2 in Latimer village)
Great Tit (12)
Coal Tit (1 in Church Covert)
Blue Tit (21)
Long-tailed Tit (2 flocks totalling 12 birds)
Nuthatch (2 birds by Latimer CC)
Magpie (6)
Jay (2 by Latimer CC)
Jackdaw (large numbers including 30 on chimneys east of Hill Farm Road)
Rook (25 in Ivy House Farm area)
Carrion Crow (6)
Common Starling (singing male by Latimer CC)
House Sparrow (5 in 'The Farmhouse' garden)
Chaffinch (5)
Goldfinch (3 by Latimer CC)
Greenfinch (2 in Latimer village)
**SISKIN (4 in Alders by Chesham Fishing Lakes)

SHARDELOES LAKE (SU 943 980)
Completely ice-free with the largest numbers of birds present this year, including some impressive numbers of dabbling and diving duck.

Little Grebe (3)
Grey Heron (1)
Mute Swan (5 including 3 first-winters; 1 first-winter is missing and perhaps succumbed in the harsh weather conditions of late)
Canada Geese (40)
Mallard (5)
*GADWALL (tremendous count of 62 birds, perhaps my highest count ever at the site)
*COMMON TEAL (1 drake - scarce species here)
Tufted Duck (51 present, the highest total in many years)
Northern Pochard (6 present, including 4 adult drakes)
Moorhen (22) and Coot (113)
Black-headed Gulls (176 roosting)
Common Gulls (4 adults roosting)

RED KITES (2)
Red-legged Partridge (covey of 7 birds near Lower Park House)
Stock Dove (1)
Jay, Rooks (55, attending Rookery)
Long-tailed Tits (5)

COLESHILL AREA (BUCKS)

Explored several footpaths north of the village locating a 'new' LITTLE OWL for the district (in trees at SU 955 961), a SISKIN and a single Eurasian Skylark. A Wren was also noted.

SHARDELOES FARM HORSE PADDOCKS (SU 948 967)

A flock of at least 230 FIELDFARE and 15 REDWING was in the paddocks immediately east of the Amersham Crematorium, along with 8 Magpies.

AMERSHAM

A RED KITE was lingering for some time early afternoon.