Recording Area Annual Totals

97 Species in 2013, 99 in 2012, 94 in 2011, 108 species were recorded in 2010;



Tuesday, 17 November 2009

OSPREY still surviving

The juvenile OSPREY still present at Crestyl Water Cress Farm today, as well as the male BLACK REDSTART at Valley Farm

Also, one very late EDIBLE DORMOUSE still feeding in Chesham

Monday, 16 November 2009

Distressing Find

I was most distressed to find today that 'Avril' - a large male all-white cat that Carmel adopted - had killed 12 Edible Dormice in recent weeks in an outbuilding.

A total of 16 Eurasian Collared Doves visited Chaffinch House garden today, along with 32 House Sparrows, a Coal Tit, 14 Fieldfares and a charm of 6 Goldfinch. Chaffinch numbers are also on the increase.

OSPREY still - and BLACK REDSTART

The juvenile OSPREY returned to its favoured perch at Sarratt Bottom today sometime between 12:15 and 12:30 and was still there when I left at 13:30. There was no sign of it beforehand and it wasn't seen to arrive (at least not by me),but just over the border at Valley Farm (Herts), the male BLACK REDSTART showed well, if briefly, a couple of times on the roof and on the fences of the paddocks between 10:30 and 11:15. Also there, were a pair of COMMON STONECHAT.

1-2 Grey Wags commuting between the cress beds and the horse paddocks, a few Pied Wagtails and several Meadow Pipit.

On the Bucks side of the river, at least 2 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron and a pair of Common Buzzard and a couple of Red Kite were seen during the drive/walk around Sarratt itself. A few Redpoll were flying around but none close enough to be able to confidently identify the species, but I suspect that they were all Lessers (Bill Haines)

Sunday in the Chess Valley

Sunday 15 November: Ben Miller observations

* The OSPREY was perched up in its usual tree adjacent to Crestyl Water Cressbeds from at least 1:30 when I arrived to 2:30 this afternoon when it flew east - and I didn't see it again for the rest of the afternoon.

* The male BLACK REDSTART was still round Valley Farm (thanks for the directions yesterday)

* The pair of COMMON STONECHATS was still present in Mill Farm Meadow

* A WATER RAIL was calling from Church Covert

* At least 4 LITTLE EGRETS.

Friday, 13 November 2009

A real horror of a day with localised flooding - Osprey nowhere to be found, perhaps drowned

FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER - CHESS VALLEY
(1100-1600 hours)

It was not a day for Ospreys but more for Mallards. It rained very heavily for most of the day and subsequently much of the area became flooded and heavily sodden. Like a fool, I was out in it all day, and had agreed to help the BBC film the bird for a documentary. Of course that put paid to it and the bird did not show up all day - I searched all of its haunts.

In such conditions, there were few highlights -:

The adult male BLACK REDSTART was still present at Valley Farm

A single LITTLE EGRET was by the Pumping Station, with 18 RING-NECKED PARAKEETS again flighting to roost mid afternoon.

Three LITTLE OWLS were by Sarrattmill House and in the small copse in front of Bridge House, 3 RED KITES were around and a cracking male BULLFINCH

Tomorrow is not forecast to be any better

Thursday, 12 November 2009

And more from the OSPREY















Mike Collard has very kindly emailed me a few more images depicting our infamous Osprey - its ring details now confirming it as a bird born in Northern Scotland this summer (more details to follow)

'Redstarts' in the Chess Valley


Not the Valley farm male but a bird virtually identical - photographed last month by Dave Bilcock at Long Marston.
The Valley Farm is NOT the first record in the Chess Valley for 25 years as I have stated previously as unpublished data supplied to me by Little Chalfont birders Stuart and Lesley Wilson testify. They have seen both Common and Black Redstart in fields below Latimer Hall in the past five years.