Massive GREENFINCH roost in Penn Wood

TUESDAY 27 DECEMBER (LGRE DIARY NOTES)

The mild theme to the weather continued today with temperatures hovering around 11 degrees C. It remained dry throughout but was very overcast

Visited South Bucks today in an attempt to further census water bodies in the region.......

FULMER LAKE (SOUTH BUCKS) (SU 993 863)

Single Grey Heron and Mute Swan, 12 Atlantic Canada Geese and 13 Eurasian Wigeon, with the woodland tract supporting Coal Tit, 2 Goldcrests and 14 Fieldfares.

UPTON FARM, BLACK PARK ROAD (TQ 004 835)

Pair of Egyptian Geese in roadside field

BLACK PARK COUNTRY PARK (SOUTH BUCKS) (TQ 008 832)

By far the most productive site in the county for MANDARIN DUCK with a total of 37 birds present at the north end (including 19 drakes); also 4 Mute Swans (2 first-winters), 4 Atlantic Canada Geese, 24 Mallard, 36 Coot and 8 Moorhens

ROWLEY LAKE (TQ 003 826)

This Harrow Angling Society water held just 2 Coot and a female Common Teal, the surrounding woodland yielding 55 Redwing and 8 Long-tailed Tits.

GEORGE GREEN VILLAGE (SOUTH BUCKS)

No fewer than 26 House Sparrows present in the thick hedgerow adjoining George Green Road at TQ 003 812

LANGLEY PARK LAKE (SOUTH BUCKS) (TQ 007 813)

The lake held a pair of Egyptian Geese, 46 Mallard, 7 Coot and 4 Moorhens, whilst the parkland 14 Ring-necked Parakeets, Green Woodpecker and displaying Stock Doves.

THORNEY COUNTRY PARK (SOUTH BUCKS)

A reasonable number of diving duck for a change with 70 Tufted Duck and 42 Northern Pochard present, along with 5 Mute Swans (3 first-winters), 7 Gadwall, 10 Coot and 2 Great Crested Grebes. A single Little Egret was feeding in the brook

OLD SLADE PIT (SOUTH BUCKS)

A large gravel pit holding wintering waterbirds including 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 6 Mute Swans (all first-winter), 4 Gadwall, 9 Pochard, 17 Tufted Duck and 12 Coot

FARLOWS LAKE, IVER HEATH (SOUTH BUCKS) (TQ 044 807)

A large gravel pit complex devoted to angling with 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Grey Heron, 3 Canada Geese, 6 Mallard, 11 Tufted Ducks, 20 Coot, 8 Moorhen and 2 COMMON KINGFISHERS noted; also 2 SISKINS in Alders.

GERRARDS CROSS COMMON PONDS (SOUTH BUCKS) (SU 998 887 & SU 999 883)

The North Pond remains dry whilst the South harboured just the resident pair of Moorhens.

PENN VILLAGE POND (SU 907 937)

A total of 58 Mallard and 2 Moorhens

PENNHOUSE GROVE (SU 923 947)

A total of 28 RED KITES roosted this evening

PENN WOOD (SOUTH BUCKS)

The Holly tree roost at SU 917 954 held an incredible 370 GREENFINCHES this afternoon, the highest number in many years, whilst the bracken held 7 roosting WOODCOCKS