The first twitchable GANNET in Hertfordshire.....

present at Wilstone Reservoir from 1150-1500 hours - the first twitchable bird in Hertfordshire

For full details, see my Tring blog at http://birdingtringreservoirs.blogspot.co.uk/

STONECHATS increase in number......

At the Crossways Yard Horse Paddocks near Nettleden hamlet, COMMON STONECHATS increased to four today - the three from 22nd being joined by a fourth individual, this bird keeping to the hedgerow by Nettleden Road. Otherwise, Skylarks increased to 16, Linnets up to 40, Pied Wagtails at 16, with Green Woodpecker, Robin, Common Buzzard and 78 Black-headed Gulls also noted....

and then 3 come along.....

Dan Forder texted me early morning to say that he had found 3 COMMON STONECHATS at Nettleden - in the paddocks at Crossways Farm. I was over there like a shot.......

I soon located all 3 birds (two males and a female) as well as 40+ migrant Meadow Pipits, a YELLOW WAGTAIL, a Grey Wagtail, 4 Skylarks and 15 Linnet

Finally got myself a local STONECHAT.....

MONDAY 15 SEPTEMBER

 

Yet another day of easterly winds, unusually warm, dry and partly cloudy...

 

Two House Martins flew west over CHAFFINCH HOUSE at around 0900 hours but otherwise, still extremely quiet on the garden front

 

Thanks to Steve Blake, I finally caught up with a COMMON STONECHAT in Hertfordshire today and after I finished my August Round-up of rarities for Birdwatching magazine, I made my way over to TYTTENHANGER GP....

 

The COMMON STONECHAT (a young male) was highly mobile and was commuting between the fenceposts along the east shore of the main birding pit and the hedgerow that borders the footpath. It did not allow close approach, the following shots being taken at distance...

Not much else of note other than a single migrant Meadow Pipit (see pic), Green Woodpecker, 7 Long-tailed Tits and a Common Chiffchaff, with 140+ Black-headed Gulls roosting on the pit, along with 1 adult Argenteus Herring and 7 Lesser Black-backed.

I then decided to walk the CHESS VALLEY - CHENIES harbouring a few House Sparrows, 4 Collared Doves, 2 Dunnocks and a singing Goldcrest. No sign of any chats in either the paddocks or ploughed fields but Red Kite and its youngster in trees by MOUNTWOOD FARM plus 3 Jays and a Green Woodpecker.

At the CRESTYL CRESSBEDS (SARRATT BOTTOM), Jay, Chaffinch, Green Woodpecker, 8 Moorhen, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail and a Grey Heron noted, with at least 1 WATER VOLE on the tributary. Both RING-NECKED PARAKEETS were once again in the tree by the lane and VALLEY FARM HORSE PADDOCKS added more Pied & Grey Wagtails, the usual LITTLE OWL, another Green Woodpecker and 4 remaining Barn Swallows. Most outstanding however was a flock of 135 LINNETS feeding either side of the access track to the farm - the largest flock I have seen in the Recording Area since I first moved here in April 1987. A large percentage were juveniles, indicating a bumper breeding season.....

The rest of the Valley was relatively quiet, although a HOBBY flying high east over MILL FARM MEADOWS was one of a very few seen this year in the area.

Something of a fall....

I decided to visit PUBLIC BRIDLEWAY No.4 (WEST HYDE) at last knockings, just to see what the Southeasterly breeze had brought in. I was pleasantly surprised, as towards the far end of the hedgerow, a migrant flock of birds consisted of 1 TREE PIPIT, 5 COMMON REDSTARTS, 5 WHINCHAT, a juvenile Willow Warbler, a juvenile Lesser Whitethroat, a Dunnock and 3 Yellowhammers (including a juvenile). A single YELLOW WAGTAIL flew south. The Redstart 'flock' largely consisted of males.....Paul Lewis joining me at dusk to enjoy the spectacle

Elsewhere in the county, WHINCHATS were seen at East Hyde (2), Heartwood Forest (6) and Tyttenhanger GP, with 2 COMMON STONECHATS at Heartwood and a COMMON REDSTART there too