BLACK TERN, COMMON CUCKOO and GRASSHOPPER WARBLER added to Year List

WEDNESDAY 20 APRIL

Another day of high pressure and exceptional temperatures - almost 20 degrees higher than average for this time of year at an incredible 79 degrees fahrenheit. The wind remained in the Southeast too - still bringing in large numbers of common migrants and the odd rare.........

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (BUCKS/HERTS)

This evening (1818 hours at least), the adult summer BLACK TERN was still traversing both the Bucks and Herts sections of Startop's End Reservoir, often resting on the algae bunds for long periods. A procession of birders came and went including John Gooders and his partner, Chaz Jackson, DB, JON and SR. The gleaming white undertail-coverts heavily contrasted with the black plumage - the bird constituting a year tick for me on both counts.

The drake RED-CRESTED POCHARD was out feeding, the pair of Great Crested Grebes was still there, 32 Tufted Ducks and 3 Coots attempting to build nests on the bunds.; also 20 Common Terns

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Very quiet when I popped in - just 28 Common Terns. Steve had located 1 of Roy's 6 Northern Wheatears in the Dry Canal field.

MARSWORTH RESERVOIR (HERTS)

I failed to hear the reeling GRASSHOPPER WARBLER during my visit but Dave B did hear it much later in the evening at the back of the reedbed. The CETTI'S WARBLER sang frequently and there were at least 8 singing WESTERN REED WARBLERS and 4 SEDGE WARBLERS.

Both GREY WAGTAIL and Mistle Thrush were nesting in the vicinity (carrying food back to nests), a male Goldcrest was in song in the 'wood' and Charlie and I counted 1 male YELLOW WAGTAIL in with 12 Pied Wagtails in the horse fields across the canal.

Most pleasing was the presence of a displaying pair of LAPWING south of Marsworth Reservoir.

IVINGHOE BEACON (BUCKS)

There was no sign of any Ring Ouzels in the Sheep Field this evening (Ben and Steve had seen two males early this morning) but there were a pair of GREENLAND WHEATEARS - my earliest ever at this location.

Top Scrub and environs held 9 singing WILLOW WARBLERS, 15+ Blackcaps and 2 male Common Whitethroats, as well as 4 singing male Song Thrushes but neither of today's Lesser Whitethroats were rattling this evening.

CROXLEY COMMON MOOR (HERTS)
(Dusk visit from 2000-2030 hours)

Both COMMON CUCKOO and GRASSHOPPER WARBLER added to my Herts Year List - both present at the far west end of the common and the latter showing very well and reeling continuously just 35 yards in from the river and 100 yards beyond the bench by the bend, some 450 yards west of the entrance. Very easy to hear once within 100 yards of earshot.

Also 3 singing WESTERN REED WARBLERS by the river and at least 6 singing COMMON WHITETHROATS