WESTERN REED WARBLERS busily feeding young

TUESDAY 22 JUNE

With the Summer Solstice now just passed, the hot weather of the last few days intensed further, reaching 75 degrees fahrenheit by late afternoon. It remained clear and sunny throughout. Breaking away just briefly from the final group stages of the World Cup, I did a quick check of Chesham and the Fishing Lakes..........

CHESHAM FISHING LAKES AND POW-WOW LAKE

Rather disconcertingly, for the second day running, only one adult and one juvenile GREAT CRESTED GREBE could be located on the smaller of the two lakes. Two birds are missing. On the larger lake, both adults were present, and courtship dancing was again noted (no nest still).

A LITTLE GREBE was on Pow-Wow Lake, with the Mute Swan family (pair with four cygnets) in residence and four pairs of GADWALL present. There was also a pair of Tufted Duck there, with a further 8 on the lakes, and an additional Mute Swan.

On the smaller fishing lake also, a pair of Coot was attending three tiny young, with two older fledged young on the larger lake, whilst 14 gosling Atlantic Canada Geese were also present.

WESTERN REED WARBLERS have once again bred successfully, with two pairs busily attending young on the west side of the larger lake, with a Common Chiffchaff still singing at McMinn's Yard. Also, for the second year running, European Barn Swallows are nesting inside the main barn at McMinn's.

The first EDIBLE DORMOUSE of the year appeared early this morning.

CHAFFINCH HOUSE, LITTLE CHALFONT

This evening, 7 Common Swifts were noisily wheeling around together.

CHORLEYWOOD CRICKET PITCH (HERTS)

Pied Wagtails have successfully bred with three juveniles present on the pitch.