WEDNESDAY 19 MAY
A beautiful day with long spells of warm sunshine and clear periods. The wind was light and variable and the afternoon temperature reached 20 degrees C, one of the warmest days of the year so far.
Following up on a report from last night, I failed in my quest to locate some local Common Cuckoos, but did manage to connect with a fine breeding-plumaged adult Grey Plover.......
MARTIN'S TOP FARM AND FARMLAND SOUTH OF FLAUNDEN (BUCKS) (TQ 013 996)
Joan Thompson had discovered two calling COMMON CUCKOOS in the Observatory area south of Flaunden (at TQ 013 001) Tuesday evening, representing the first record for my Recording Area this year. Keen to see them, I ventured out there this morning and evening but failed in my quest to locate them. I took the opportunity to do a full inventory of the area, the highlights being breeding Bullfinch and numerous Yellowhammers. The number of singing Common Whitethroat was also noteworthy.
Common Buzzard (1 hunting over fields in evening)
EURASIAN SKYLARK (3 different singing males)
Dunnock (4); Wren (1 by farm)
Common Blackbird (3+ pairs)
Mistle Thrush (1 flew over calling)
Blackcap (male singing in Baldwin's Wood with another two by the Wireless Station)
GARDEN WARBLER (male singing from scrub by Wireless Station compound)
COMMON WHITETHROAT (3 present, with single singing males by the Observatory, in the western hedgerow and in the hedgerow just north of the farm)
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (2 singing males by Wireless Station)
Blue Tit (2 pairs)
Common Magpie (pair)
Chaffinch (common, with at least 7 pairs noted)
BULLFINCH (pair breeding in orchard by Martin's Top Farm)
Goldfinch (pair in Flaunden village)
Linnet (4 birds noted)
House Sparrow (22 counted in Flaunden village)
YELLOWHAMMERS (a total of 4 singing males in the hedgerows bordering the large rape field NW of Martin's Top Farm - 2 females also seen with nesting suspected)
Butterflies noted included 3 Peacocks and a pair of Orange Tips.
MILL FARM MEADOWS AND FROGMORE MEADOWS RESERVE, CHESS RIVER VALLEY (BUCKS)
Chris Pontin had recorded a very late LITTLE EGRET here on Sunday and had noted 10 singing male COMMON WHITETHROATS in the area. Several of these were still present this morning along with a very showy male GARDEN WARBLER in the tall Oak by the entrance to the reserve. A singing male Blackcap was opposite, whilst two male Common Chiffchaffs were still in full song.
A Red Fox was showing well out in the open, with a European barn Swallow around Mill Farm, the male GOLDCREST still singing from the single evergreen there and Green Woodpecker noted. The Common Kestrels have returned to their nesting tree of last year.
CHAFFINCH HOUSE, LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS)
COMMON SWIFTS have now increased to four, whilst the nesting House Sparrows now have noisy young. Coal Tits are frequently visiting the feeders, as are at least 2 Goldfinches.
A beautiful day with long spells of warm sunshine and clear periods. The wind was light and variable and the afternoon temperature reached 20 degrees C, one of the warmest days of the year so far.
Following up on a report from last night, I failed in my quest to locate some local Common Cuckoos, but did manage to connect with a fine breeding-plumaged adult Grey Plover.......
MARTIN'S TOP FARM AND FARMLAND SOUTH OF FLAUNDEN (BUCKS) (TQ 013 996)
Joan Thompson had discovered two calling COMMON CUCKOOS in the Observatory area south of Flaunden (at TQ 013 001) Tuesday evening, representing the first record for my Recording Area this year. Keen to see them, I ventured out there this morning and evening but failed in my quest to locate them. I took the opportunity to do a full inventory of the area, the highlights being breeding Bullfinch and numerous Yellowhammers. The number of singing Common Whitethroat was also noteworthy.
Common Buzzard (1 hunting over fields in evening)
EURASIAN SKYLARK (3 different singing males)
Dunnock (4); Wren (1 by farm)
Common Blackbird (3+ pairs)
Mistle Thrush (1 flew over calling)
Blackcap (male singing in Baldwin's Wood with another two by the Wireless Station)
GARDEN WARBLER (male singing from scrub by Wireless Station compound)
COMMON WHITETHROAT (3 present, with single singing males by the Observatory, in the western hedgerow and in the hedgerow just north of the farm)
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (2 singing males by Wireless Station)
Blue Tit (2 pairs)
Common Magpie (pair)
Chaffinch (common, with at least 7 pairs noted)
BULLFINCH (pair breeding in orchard by Martin's Top Farm)
Goldfinch (pair in Flaunden village)
Linnet (4 birds noted)
House Sparrow (22 counted in Flaunden village)
YELLOWHAMMERS (a total of 4 singing males in the hedgerows bordering the large rape field NW of Martin's Top Farm - 2 females also seen with nesting suspected)
Butterflies noted included 3 Peacocks and a pair of Orange Tips.
MILL FARM MEADOWS AND FROGMORE MEADOWS RESERVE, CHESS RIVER VALLEY (BUCKS)
Chris Pontin had recorded a very late LITTLE EGRET here on Sunday and had noted 10 singing male COMMON WHITETHROATS in the area. Several of these were still present this morning along with a very showy male GARDEN WARBLER in the tall Oak by the entrance to the reserve. A singing male Blackcap was opposite, whilst two male Common Chiffchaffs were still in full song.
A Red Fox was showing well out in the open, with a European barn Swallow around Mill Farm, the male GOLDCREST still singing from the single evergreen there and Green Woodpecker noted. The Common Kestrels have returned to their nesting tree of last year.
CHAFFINCH HOUSE, LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS)
COMMON SWIFTS have now increased to four, whilst the nesting House Sparrows now have noisy young. Coal Tits are frequently visiting the feeders, as are at least 2 Goldfinches.
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