WEDNESDAY 09 APRIL
The day started with an overnight frost and
clear skies. Temperatures soon recovered though and by afternoon it was
pleasantly warm, the light SW wind pushing temperatures up to around 14 degrees
C.
It was around 1730 hours that I finally
managed to get out to do some birding and with Chris Pontin finding 1-2 Willow
Warblers at CHESHAM FISHING LAKES, that's where I headed. As it was, the skies
had clouded somewhat and the temperature had dropped - there being no sign of
the immigrant warblers, just a single singing Common Chiffchaff and 5 Blackcaps.
Barn Swallow numbers had increased though (to eight) while also new in were 2
HOUSE MARTINS and a single SAND MARTIN - both species new to the Recording Area
List this year.
A pair of Atlantic Canada Geese was nesting
on the island but both Great Crested Grebes were on the water suggesting that
they may have abandoned their first attempt. A total of 31 Tufted Ducks was a
good count, with 8 Coot noted (one pair nesting) as well as 3 Grey Heron (the
Pow Wow pair chasing away an intruder), Red Kite, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Wren
(4), Common Blackbird (4) and Common Starling (5). A male Mistle Thrush was
singing from the top of the Poplar trees.
I suddenly heard the loud cries of Lesser
Black-backed Gulls and upon looking up, realised that they were mobbing an
OSPREY and I shouted to Chris (who was now with me, intent on showing me the
Willow Warblers) to try and keep on it while I attempted to photograph it. The
two gulls chased it overhead but rather than just flying away, the Osprey
circled around numerous times in an attempt to fish the lakes. It was under
observation from 1810-1820 hours and unlike the College Lake Osprey I found last
week, was flying at treetop height rather than many hundreds of feet high in the
sky enabling me to get some form of record shots. Still with gulls in tow, the
bird eventually flew off purposefully towards Chesham. Although I have seen
numerous Ospreys in the Chess Valley over the years, this was the first I had
ever seen at the fishing lakes. Ospreys had featured heavily in the region today
with singles at Tyttenhanger, Amwell and Maple Cross, the latter just half an
hour earlier probably the same individual.
I then decided to drive over to KINGS
LANGLEY, where Ephraim Perfect had discovered a singing CETTI'S WARBLER - the
first record for the area. Hemel birder Dan Forder very kindly helped out with
detailed directions (see map below) and from 1900-1945 hours, the bird was
singing and occasionally showing every five minutes or so. It was frequenting an
area of overhanging vegetation on the west shore of the Grand Union Canal
parallel with the fishing lakes, to the north of the fallen Poplar and ranging
some 70 yard stretch of canal bank.
The Nash Mills Cetti's Warbler - images (courtesy of DAN FORDER BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY) and its location
I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity
of birdlife present in this fairly restricted area of south Hemel (actually NASH
MILLS District) with Mute Swan, Tufted Duck (21), Great Crested Grebe (pair),
Moorhen and Coot (10) on the main lake and Magpie (pair), Song Thrush (2),
Greenfinch (4), Chaffinch (5) and Common Starling in the parkland surrounding.
In addition to the 4 singing Blackcaps in the scrub bordering the canal were a
singing male WILLOW WARBLER and Common Chiffchaff
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