Sunday 3 May 2009

GRAHAM WHITE HITS 108 SPECIES ON 'RACE DAY'

A wizz around the county yeserday found a rather poor total of 108 species, no notable migrants at all.

Started at Cheshunt GP at 2.00am with Nightingale (Savi's was singing in the territory stolen by Essex), then on up the Lee Valley gathering Gropper, Water Rail, 7+ Cetti's, Barn Owl etc.

Tring was dull (55 Common Tern, Cetti's, Ruddy Duck, Wigeon. The lower Colne added a pair of Red-crested Pochard, Shoveler and a pair of R-n Parakeets.

North Herts produced at least 9 Red Kites, 2 Ravens and a Marsh Harrier, as well as the usual partridges and buntings, and the only vaguely unexpected bird in the form of 5 Golden Plover.

Back in the Lee Valley, Amwell added Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 LRPs, 9+ Hobbies, Little Egret.

At Rye Meads, 2 Egyptian Geese, 10+ Hobbies, lower Lee Valley a Peregrine and yet more Hobbies.

The last time I did a Herts 'big day' (in 1992) we managed 111 (including Wood Warbler, Tree Sparrow, Pied Fly, Willow Tit, Hawfinch and Tree Pipit) - but bops were thinner on the ground (Graham White)

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