First wave of hirundines arrives in Chesham

TUESDAY 5 APRIL


A belt of rain moved through the area overnight and continued in to the morning. It eventually cleared away but leaden skies prevailed throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening.

I took advantage of the conditions and spent much of the day writing my 2011 Morocco/Western Sahara trip report but did manage a few hours in the field late afternoon......

CHAFFINCH HOUSE, LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS)

A Long-tailed Tit in the front garden and 25 House Sparrows in the back; 2 Goldfinches on the Nyger still too.

PENN STREET FARMHOUSE (BUCKS)

In the small coppice opposite the farm (at SU 925 953), a male BLACKCAP and male Common Chiffchaff were singing, whilst the Rookery in this vicinity held a total of 24 active nests.

SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)

My first visit in quite a while. Species present in and around the lake included -:

GREAT CRESTED GREBE (3 birds, including a pair)

Little Grebe (1 whinnying)

Grey Heron (1)

Mute Swan (the regular pair, now nest-building)

Atlantic Canada Geese (24)

Mallard (6 drakes)

GADWALL (14)

Tufted Duck (14)

Coot (24)

Red Kite (1)

Common Kestrel (1 male)

Rook (20 active nests)

Stock Dove (2)

Chaffinch (3 singing males)

Greenfinch (1 singing male)

Goldfinch (2)

Mistle Thrush (singing male)

COMMON TREECREEPER (singing male)

Blue Tit (4)

Great Tit (singing male)

Long-tailed Tit (pair)

Song Thrush (2)

CHESHAM FISHING LAKES AND POW WOW LAKE (BUCKS)

An influx of hirundines hawking over the area including 5 HOUSE MARTINS and 8 EUROPEAN BARN SWALLOWS; also my first male WILLOW WARBLER of the year at the back of Pow Wow.

At least 7 singing male COMMON CHIFFCHAFFS in the area, with a new male BLACKCAP by Pow Wow and another at the lakes

A pair of Mute Swans are present on Pow Wow, whilst a pair still resides on Lowndes Lake in central Chesham, with 14 Tufted Ducks on the larger lake

Most importantly, our pair of Great Crested Grebes now have three stripy small young

A few additional Rookeries include an additional 25 nests near Hollow Way Lane and 28 at The Vale colony