More Survey Results

MONDAY 15 JUNE

A day of downpours and hot weather. Highlights of my survey work today was successful breeding of Marsh Tit, Barn Swallow and Little Owl and the finding of some additional singing Firecrests.

MILL FARM WATER MEADOWS and FROGMORE MEADOW NR (TQ 018 986)

Another opportunity to census this interesting area, In the adjacent meadow west of Frogmore Meadow NR, the orchids were in full flower, with an impressive 89 spikes of SOUTHERN MARSH and 16 of COMMON SPOTTED (see Chris's photographs on my web-blog). Butterflies included Large Skipper and Meadow Brown, whilst dragonflies included Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum), Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) and large numbers of Banded Demoiselles (Calopteryx splendens).

Grey Heron (adult and two juveniles standing in grass field above Mill Farm Flats; presumably birds dispersed from the heronry at Stocker's Lake)
Mallard (female with four well-grown young)
Coot (pair nesting on river at Frogmore Meadow)
Common Pheasant (1 female, 1 male)
Common Kestrel (adult male)
Stock Dove (pair)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)

LITTLE OWL - a recently fledged juvenile was sat on the wires overhanging Flaunden Road, just south of Wallace's Wood.

Pied Wagtail (male)
BARN SWALLOW (successful breeding, with a pair feeding young in one of the new horse sheds and another pair two fledged young on a dead tree by the horse-jumping field.
HOUSE MARTIN (3 pairs breeding on Chenies Place, a new development and presumably birds from the nearby colony at Latimer Place)

COMMON WHITETHROAT (2 singing males still on Mill Farm Water Meadow and a pair at Frogmore.
GARDEN WARBLER (3 singing males in the hedgerow bordering Frogmore Meadow)
Long-tailed Tits (feeding party of post-breeding birds - 18 in total)

Western Jackdaws (at least 14 fledged young being fed by adults on the lawn of Chenies Place)

BULLFINCH (family group of four birds)
Goldfinch (pair in Chenies Bottom)

BALDWIN'S WOOD/FLAUNDEN GROVE (TQ 010 994)

An extensive tract of mixed deciduous and coniferous woodland extending from Mill Farm in the east to Latimer in the west and extending north as 'Long Wood' to Flaunden. This was my first extensive and detailed survey of the site. The adjacent River Chess is now in its fullest flow for many years, enriching the entire valley.

Muntjac (5)
BADGER (several setts)
Rabbits (56+)
Grey Squirrel (6)

Robin (5 territories)
Wren (11 territories)
Common Blackbird (4 singing males; 12 fledged independent young)
Song Thrush (1 singing male)
Blackcap (singing male)
Goldcrest (3 singing males)
*FIRECREST (at least 2 singing males)
Long-tailed Tit (family group of 16 birds)
COAL TIT (2 singing males)
MARSH TIT (successful breeding - pair with 2+ young in Baldwin's Wood)
Common Treecreeper (singing male)
Chaffinch (7 singing males)
Rooks (82 in fields along Flaunden Bottom; several young being fed)
Jay (nesting pair)
Magpies (pair with 3 young)

Specked Woods (40+)
Comma (one very well worn specimen)