DOTTERELS

For the third night running, a trip of up to 8 DOTTEREL (mostly adults) and 4 European Golden Plover are roosting in plough alongside the Icknield Way at Therfield Heath - a walk of around 25 minutes down from the village (on the right hand side just as you hit the plantation)

Also in Herts, Barry Reed has found another WRYNECK in exactly the same place as last year - on Stapleford Warren - but typically, this bird is extremely elusive

Up to 3 GARGANEY remain at Rye Meads Sewage Works (long-stayers) while Tring Reservoirs continues to attract waders, with a BAR-TAILED GODWIT briefly today (image below by Dave Bilcock)

WHINCHATS starting to push through

These last couple of days have seen a surge in WHINCHAT reports in the county and this evening I was fortunate enough to see 2 at WEST HYDE - at the Corn Bunting site. They were accompanying 5 NORTHERN WHEATEARS and were showing well, right up until dusk.

Large numbers of geese also arrived towards dusk to feed on the stubble, including a flock of 16 EGYPTIAN GEESE - one of the highest numbers I have ever seen in the area

COMMON REDSTART at Batford

Darin Stanley located a juvenile COMMON REDSTART yesterday afternoon at Batford, favouring the usual hedgerow leading west away from the layby on the B653. It was still there mid afternoon when I visited.

Since June, been pretty quiet in Hertfordshire, other than 3 TURTLE DOVES at Letchworth Sewage Works, successful breeding of BLACK-NECKED GREBES at Rye Meads RSPB, 3 GARGANEY there and at Amwell, 2 GREAT WHITE EGRETS briefly at Amwell (and one of the juvenile Black-necked Grebes) and MARSH HARRIERS back at Sandon