Common Sandpipers (Gary Thoburn)
MONDAY 5 JULY
Another very warm day but fairly cloudy. The fresh SSW wind of yesterday had died down though. Whilst in the middle of writing a Norfolk River Warbler Rare Bird Alert, I received a phone call from Stuart and Lesley Wilson informing me of a staggering four COMMON SANDPIPERS on the Chess River Valley at Neptune Falls - the first in the Recording Area this year and a large count for the valley. As soon as I could, I raced down there......
CHESS RIVER VALLEY AT GREAT WATER (BUCKS)
I arrived at Neptune Falls early afternoon and apart from two recently fledged juvenile GREY WAGTAILS feeding on the weir, there was no sign of the Common Sandpipers. I checked the immediate section of River Chess, recording both Coot (pair feeding just one surviving young) and Tufted Duck (female still with 4 young) but still no Common Sandpipers.
I then decided to check Great Water and was very relieved to find the birds just 200 yards upstream of the weir - in the vicinity of the second wooden jetty. Incredibly, there were not only four COMMON SANDPIPERS but a total of EIGHT - all roosting together - the highest number I have ever recorded in one single flock in the Valley. It was a mixture of ages, including both adult and juvenile birds. I telephoned Stuart, Joan T, Dave Bilcock and Simon Nichols to inform them of the find.
In addition to the sandpipers, Mistle Thrushes were feeding young in front of the Latimer Hall, 2 juvenile Green Woodpeckers were seen, a family of NUTHATCHES moved through and on the lake itself, Little Grebe, 16 Tufted Ducks and a family group of 7 Coot were noted.
Nearby, I checked the HOUSE MARTIN colony in Latimer village - 9 nests still active with noisy young.
Another very warm day but fairly cloudy. The fresh SSW wind of yesterday had died down though. Whilst in the middle of writing a Norfolk River Warbler Rare Bird Alert, I received a phone call from Stuart and Lesley Wilson informing me of a staggering four COMMON SANDPIPERS on the Chess River Valley at Neptune Falls - the first in the Recording Area this year and a large count for the valley. As soon as I could, I raced down there......
CHESS RIVER VALLEY AT GREAT WATER (BUCKS)
I arrived at Neptune Falls early afternoon and apart from two recently fledged juvenile GREY WAGTAILS feeding on the weir, there was no sign of the Common Sandpipers. I checked the immediate section of River Chess, recording both Coot (pair feeding just one surviving young) and Tufted Duck (female still with 4 young) but still no Common Sandpipers.
I then decided to check Great Water and was very relieved to find the birds just 200 yards upstream of the weir - in the vicinity of the second wooden jetty. Incredibly, there were not only four COMMON SANDPIPERS but a total of EIGHT - all roosting together - the highest number I have ever recorded in one single flock in the Valley. It was a mixture of ages, including both adult and juvenile birds. I telephoned Stuart, Joan T, Dave Bilcock and Simon Nichols to inform them of the find.
In addition to the sandpipers, Mistle Thrushes were feeding young in front of the Latimer Hall, 2 juvenile Green Woodpeckers were seen, a family of NUTHATCHES moved through and on the lake itself, Little Grebe, 16 Tufted Ducks and a family group of 7 Coot were noted.
Nearby, I checked the HOUSE MARTIN colony in Latimer village - 9 nests still active with noisy young.
No comments:
Post a Comment