Thursday, 5 August 2010

WOOD SANDPIPER at Wilstone this afternoon

THURSDAY 5 AUGUST

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Ian Williams, his son and I failed in our quest to locate the juvenile WOOD SANDPIPER this evening - there was no sign of it from the Drayton Bank Hide or along the numerous muddy stretches of bank now emerging. It had been present from at least 1630 to 1830 hours and was discovered by Jeff Bailey and seen by Roy, Mike Campbell and Chaz Jackson at least. It is the first record at the reservoirs this year, although of course, nearby was the well-watched College Lake adult in June.

There were 3 Common Sandpipers present this evening, as well as 131 Lapwings and a COMMON SNIPE. Also of interest, a juvenile WATER RAIL was showing well, indicating that it had bred in the reedbed.

Also seen were adult and juvenile Little Grebe, 22 Great Crested Grebes, 59 Mute Swans, 4 Common Teal, 15 Pochard, the Sparrowhawk family and just 1 Common Tern.

There was also 100 Common Starlings roosting in the Wilstone reedbed this evening.

Elsewhere today, I saw a single COMMON TERN on one of the new catchment pools besides the southbound M25 a mile south of Junction 17 at Maple Cross and a singing male YELLOWHAMMER on wires in Chesham Vale

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