TREE SPARROW PORTFOLIO - some gorgeous portraits taken by first-rate bird photographer MIKE LAWRENCE
WEDNESDAY 19 JANUARY
A light frost overnight and a welcome return to calm conditions. There was little wind all day and little cloud - in fact a glorious birding day. Not too cold either.
BOIS MILL, CHESHAM (BUCKS)
The LITTLE EGRET was still present in the roadside section of the Chess this morning, showing exceptionally well. Large numbers of Rooks were gathering close to the Rookery.
WILLOWS FARM, TYTTENHANGER (HERTS)
A single adult BARNACLE GOOSE of unknown origin pitched up with 2 Greylag Geese - the three birds grazing at the back of the field. At least 8 Linnets were feeding in Car Park 3, as well as 7 Mistle Thrushes.
TYTTENHANGER GP (HERTS)
Checked out Alan and Steve's large white-headed gull but sadly it was a 4th-winter Argenteus HERRING GULL rather than anything more exciting. The loafing gull roost on the sand was quite large and included an impressive count of 93 Commons; 7 Lesser Black-backed were also present.
My first local COMMON SHELDUCK of the year was a welcome sight, resting on the sandbank, whilst 3 drake Gadwall, 19 Tufted Duck, 5 Mute Swans, 88 Lapwing and a single each of Fieldfare and Redwing were also noted.
More impressive was the TREE SPARROW flock - a total of 20 birds - and the 3 BRAMBLINGS (a nice winter male and two females). Also attracted to the feeding station were 44 Yellowhammers, 11 Reed Buntings, 25 Chaffinch and 3 Greenfinches (the latter incredibly scarce of late). The fields yielded an exceptional 71 Red-legged Partridges, with a flock of 55 Eurasian Skylark in the crop.
HILFIELD PARK RESERVOIR (HERTS)
Just 5 Little and 3 Great Crested Grebes noted and a handful of Gadwall.
A light frost overnight and a welcome return to calm conditions. There was little wind all day and little cloud - in fact a glorious birding day. Not too cold either.
BOIS MILL, CHESHAM (BUCKS)
The LITTLE EGRET was still present in the roadside section of the Chess this morning, showing exceptionally well. Large numbers of Rooks were gathering close to the Rookery.
WILLOWS FARM, TYTTENHANGER (HERTS)
A single adult BARNACLE GOOSE of unknown origin pitched up with 2 Greylag Geese - the three birds grazing at the back of the field. At least 8 Linnets were feeding in Car Park 3, as well as 7 Mistle Thrushes.
TYTTENHANGER GP (HERTS)
Checked out Alan and Steve's large white-headed gull but sadly it was a 4th-winter Argenteus HERRING GULL rather than anything more exciting. The loafing gull roost on the sand was quite large and included an impressive count of 93 Commons; 7 Lesser Black-backed were also present.
My first local COMMON SHELDUCK of the year was a welcome sight, resting on the sandbank, whilst 3 drake Gadwall, 19 Tufted Duck, 5 Mute Swans, 88 Lapwing and a single each of Fieldfare and Redwing were also noted.
More impressive was the TREE SPARROW flock - a total of 20 birds - and the 3 BRAMBLINGS (a nice winter male and two females). Also attracted to the feeding station were 44 Yellowhammers, 11 Reed Buntings, 25 Chaffinch and 3 Greenfinches (the latter incredibly scarce of late). The fields yielded an exceptional 71 Red-legged Partridges, with a flock of 55 Eurasian Skylark in the crop.
HILFIELD PARK RESERVOIR (HERTS)
Just 5 Little and 3 Great Crested Grebes noted and a handful of Gadwall.
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