GADWALL breeding success

WEDNESDAY 7 JUNE

A breezy day with the wind coming from the Southwest, with some heavy rain showers in between some long spells of warm sunshine.

Common Quail was the target of the day, along with Common Crossbill, whilst I took the opportunity to do some Corn Bunting surveying whilst over that way.........

SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)

The big news here was the successful breeding of GADWALL - a female accompanying 8 tiny ducklings.

2011 has been exceptionally early in terms of fledging and other breeding activity proven was of two very early juvenile Pied Wagtails.

Three adult Great Crested Grebes were present on the lake but with one female was two chicks, one considerably larger than the other. Of 22 Coots present, one pair were attending 3 small chicks and four birds were still sitting.

Also noted were Atlantic Canada Geese (8), a female MANDARIN DUCK flying towards the wooded island (so hopefully nesting), 7 Tufted Duck, an additional pair of GADWALL, female Grey Wagtail, House Martin, both Robin and 4 pairs of Common Blackbird feeding young, two very competitive singing male Song Thrushes and a singing male Blackcap.

There was no sign of any Mute Swans, which incidentally have bred on Chesham Pow Wow, raising three cygnets