HERTFORDSHIRE BIRDING

First-winter CASPIAN GULL in again in Amwell roost

2012-02-14T19:20:00.001Z

Amwell this evening;

1st winter Caspian Gull 16.55-dusk (same individual as seen on 1st Feb)
1st winter Yellow-legged Gull
5 Little Egrets

Barry Reed

WATER PIPIT at Water End (Sunday)

2012-02-13T20:11:00.003Z

Dan Forder photographed this WATER PIPIT at Water End, near Great Gaddesden, as it perched on the wooden footbridge over the stream. This is an outstanding record for the area.

The thaw is on

2012-02-13T20:07:00.001Z

MONDAY 13 FEBRUARY

The northerly wind increased today with afternoon temperatures reaching 7 degrees. The wind also bought some rain, much of the lying snow being washed away.

MILLFIELDS ALLOTMENTS, CHESHAM WATERSIDE (BUCKS)

No sign of any Water Rails but a single Little Egret, 3 Moorhens, 60 Redwings and a superb perched COMMON KINGFISHER by the stream

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

Still massively covered by a layer of ice but melting at the edges and affording wildfowl with some good welcome feeding opportunities. The big story was the Common Teal numbers - no less than 657 dabbling around the edges, one of my largest counts of this species at Wilstone ever. Also 273 Eurasian Wigeon.

The BLACK-TAILED GODWIT was showing very well once again - this time in the NW corner, Dave Hutchinson obtaining some exceptional images of it (see above). Closeby, the single DUNLIN was feeding along the vegetated edge.

The ice-free patch held a single female Common Goldeneye, whilst other species noted included 3 argenteus HERRING GULLS (a 3rd-winter and two juveniles), 25 Fieldfares and 24 Linnets.

An adult female PEREGRINE was showing very well from the Drayton Hide, flying occasional sorties from the tall Poplar trees. I did not see her catching anything but it was the Teal she had her eyes on.

In the Cemetery Corner Fields, the DARK-BELLIED BRENT was with the 70 Greylags but the Atlantic Canada Geese flock had multiplied to 166 birds. A single white goose was also with them.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Both the redhead SMEW and SNOW BUNTING were still present, with Northern Pochard numbering 196.

A BITTERN was still apparently alive on MARSWORTH but I missed it as it flew the length of the reedbed.

RINGSHALL (HERTS)

A quick jaunt through the forest searching for Woodcock yielded 2 Nuthatch, 4 Coal Tit, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Jay.

BENINGTON (HERTS)

Thanks to Kathy Sharman and Darrel Bryant, I took a trip over to Benington to see the BARN OWLS. They were late appearing this evening (1650 hours) but once out put on a fantastic display, hunting for Field Voles in the grass. The site is adjacent to Watton Place Clinic and is situated to the north of the village - at TL 306 238. The birds remained in view for half an hour.

I also saw Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Great Spotted Woodpecker on the common

*LATE NEWS FOR SUNDAY*

The pipit that Dan Forder had photographed just prior to me meeting him at the WATER END tributary bridge on Sunday afternoon was incredibly a WATER PIPIT - a very rare bird in the area these days.

Another red letter day in the ice

2012-02-12T18:47:00.001Z

SUNDAY 12 FEBRUARY

After yesterday's record breaking overnight temperature of -18 degrees in Chesham, last night was far milder at just -10 degrees. Lots of lying snow still and most waterbodies completely covered in ice. With the wind in the north, temperatures did surprisingly recover to 2 degrees, and the snow started to melt.

After recovering from yet more depressing news (Whitney Houston being found dead in her Hollywood flat at just 48 years old - Carmel and I first met dancing to one of her greatest hits in 1987), I eventually ventured out at 1100 hours. It proved to be another exciting day locally.........

CHAFFINCH HOUSE, LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS)

Highlights this morning in the garden included 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Red Kite, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk and 3 Goldfinches......

THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTFORDSHIRE)

Marsworth and Tringford Reservoirs still completely iced over with restricted ice-free areas on Wilstone and Startop's End

WILSTONE RESERVOIR was my first port of call, the grassy fields in Cemetery Corner harbouring 70 Greylags and the continuing DARK-BELLIED BRENT as well as 91 Atlantic Canadas

Checking the open water yielded 17 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Mute Swans, 42 Mallard, 258 Eurasian Wigeon, 14 Gadwall, 337 Common Teal, a single drake Shoveler, 5 SMEWS (1 drake and 4 redheads) and 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

But it was the waders that stole the show with a RED KNOT on the ice until 1314 hours (it eventually flew and circled round several times calling loudly before being watched as a speck over Drayton Beauchamp and into Bucks airspace), a single DUNLIN slipping and sliding about on the ice close to the Drayton Bank and hide and an incredibly confiding BLACK-TAILED GODWIT feeding with grazing ducks in the Cemetery Corner.

The WATER PIPIT was also showing well in Cemetery Corner, along with 2 Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail, and a Common Buzzard flew over.

A Chinese Water Deer was feeding by the reedbed whilst a Red Fox ran right across the ice to the centre bund.

At STARTOP'S END, the male SNOW BUNTING was showing very well in the far NE corner of the reservoir and well into Bucks, and the single redhead SMEW I found earlier this week was still present (see Dave Hutchinson's excellent shots above).

I did a thorough check of the 47 Mute Swans present (11 first-years) for rings. Sadly orange 032 was on his own and without his progeny, whilst metal ringed adults included W29266 and M12946 (another I could only read part of the ring).. Otherwise, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 10 Wigeon, 31 Tufted Duck, 103 Pochard and an adult drake COMMON GOLDENEYE.

(Mike Wallen had earlier had a flock of Goosander and Smew fly over)

COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
(WeBS count)

Never before had I seen most of the deep pit frozen and no wonder wildfowl are really starting to suffer. I did a full inventory of birds present with the following results -:

No Great Crested Grebes but 1 Little Grebe present
6 Mute Swans including 3 youngsters
87 Mallard
Adult drake MANDARIN DUCK
78 Wigeon
3 Common Teal
48 Gadwall
92 Tufted Duck
86 Pochard
The pair of RED-CRESTED POCHARDS
The 3 female Common Goldeneyes
92 Coot
303 Black-headed Gulls
18 Common Gulls
3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(an adult LITTLE GULL had been present earlier)

WATER END (GADE VALLEY) (HERTS)

Met up with Dan Forder and eventually enjoyed views of 2 WATER RAILS, a fabulous JACK SNIPE and a drake NORTHERN PINTAIL with 6 Common Teal, the latter first found by Lucy Flower yesterday.

Also 2 Little Grebes, 4 Mute Swans, a pair of Wigeon, 10 Gadwall and 2 Grey Wagtails

WHITE-TAILED SEA EAGLE seen again

2012-02-11T22:30:00.002Z

The juvenile SEA EAGLE flew low and SW over Rye Meads RSPB reserve this afternoon, being seen by at least 5 observers. At Amwell, a RUFF was the first of the year, with 3 SMEW also still there - and 2 BITTERNS.

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT over Hilfield

2012-02-11T21:28:00.002Z

Steve Murray and I had a BLACK-TAILED GODWIT over Hilfield Reservoir at 5pm this evening. It circled the res and then headed south east. I even managed a photo - see above (Tony Blake)

Male MERLIN still in area

2012-02-11T21:06:00.001Z

In the field on the right with the gate on the road from Wallington to A505 (at approx TL295361) there was a male MERLIN about 15:00 this afternoon giving great views as it tried unsucessfully to grab one of the huge flock of Fieldfare in that field. Also about 150 linnets and a couple of Common Buzzards hanging around (Rob Davies)

SCAUPS still at Hilfield

2012-02-11T21:03:00.002Z

The 6 GREATER SCAUPS were still present at Hilfield Park Reservoir today

JACK SNIPE still at Lemsford

2012-02-11T20:46:00.001Z

Saw the following at Lemsford Springs this morning;

1 JACK SNIPE ( showing from second hide )
11 Common Snipe
3 Green Sandpiper
1 Little Egret
2 Grey Wagtail
30+ Teal
5 Siskin

Darrel Bryant

Female BLACKBIRD

2012-02-09T22:39:00.000Z

In response to my previous post.........

Hello!

It's a female Blackbird, not so different from this bird wintering in Pori, SW-Finland with more traditional looking Blackbirds;

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IsFxDhBiA1A/TzRImfP4LuI/AAAAAAAAHOA/-wjnIsyuoDA/s1600/Turmer_070112_Hanhiluoto.JPG

Cheers, Petteri Mäkelä

Odd thrush

2012-02-09T20:26:00.004Z

This very oddly plumaged female Common Blackbird visited a Maple Cross garden this morning totally freaking its observers out ! A Naumann's Thrush if ever there was one

JACK SNIPE and GOOSANDERS at East Hyde

2012-02-09T19:52:00.001Z

I spent a couple of hours at East Hyde this afternoon. When I arrived, there were 7 Common Snipe and a Green Sandpiper in the channel but no sign of any Jack Snipe. Eventually the Jack did appear (see attached image) and showed well for about 15 minutes before disappearing into the vegetation again. This is the first Jack Snipe I've ever seen that didn't bob. The two drake GOOSANDERS discovered by Darin Stanley this morning flew upriver (Alan Reynolds).

Unusual garden visitor

2012-02-08T20:18:00.002Z

A WOODCOCK was an unusual garden visitor in Ware Road, Hoddesdon, today - further proof of how the continuing cold weather is affecting birds detrimentally.

JACK SNIPES frozen out

2012-02-08T19:21:00.003Z

Been there for a few days and showing nicely opposite the second hide today at Lemsford Springs NR I photographed it (Graeme Leckie).

Meanwhile, two remain at East Hyde in the stream south of the bridge.

SCAUPS at Hilfield

2012-02-08T09:24:00.002Z

Alan Reynolds did well yesterday in obtaining these two shots of the 6 GREATER SCAUPS present at Hilfield since Steve Murray and I discovered them on Monday. There are four drakes, an adult female and another 'brown' bird which seems to be a young drake

A Red Letter Day in the Amersham Recording Area and 6 GREATER SCAUPS and 4 PINTAIL at Hilfield

2012-02-06T19:51:00.001Z

MONDAY 6 FEBRUARY (LGRE DIARY NOTES)

Following Saturday night's heavy snow, a rapid thaw is now in process and throughout the day, the four to six inches of lying snow has been turning to slush. In fact, it felt quite mild, with temperatures at one point climbing to 4 degrees. It was very misty and for a while, it rained a little. Towards nightfall, the skies cleared and it does now look as though a frost will form.

With so much snow about, I took the opportunity to have a good look around my immediate Recording Area, the first time I have put such effort in this year. It turned out to be very rewarding, amongst the many highlights being a Common Crossbill, flock of Lesser Redpolls, big flock of Mandarins, 3 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Snipe and so on. A red letter day in other words.........

SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)

Shardeloes lake was virtually completely frozen over with just one tiny patch of ice-free water. Despite that, a mass of birds were packed in on it, including 82 Coots, 5 first-year Mute Swans, a drake Northern Pochard, 5 Gadwall, 2 Mallard, 3 Little Grebes and best of all, 11 MANDARIN DUCKS. The latter comprised of 6 drakes and 5 females. Several gulls were roosting on the ice including an adult Lesser Black-backed and 5 adult, 2 first-winter Common Gulls.

Also noted were Green Woodpecker, a hooting Tawny Owl, Coal Tit, Red Kite, Song Thrush and 2 Common Treecreepers.

In OLD AMERSHAM nearby, over 100 Fieldfares were in hedgerows along School Lane

PENN WOOD (BUCKS)

Had a concerted effort in the snow to locate Woodcock but failed in my quest. A big bonus however was a nice adult male COMMON CROSSBILL - a rare species locally - whilst a party of 20 LESSER REDPOLLS showed very well in a stand of Silver Birches. One of them was a very brightly plumaged pink male.

More ordinary fare noted included 2 Jays, Coal Tit, 5 Great Tits, 4 Blue Tits, 4 Nuthatches, Wren, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (a lot of drumming activity going on), 12 Redwing and 3 Chaffinches.

THE CHESS VALLEY (BUCKS)

Walked a major portion of the valley, west as far as Bois Mill and east to Crestyl Cressbeds. The heavy snow had certainly forced a lot of birds into the valley.

On the Chess just east of Chenies Bottom bridge, no less than 8 LITTLE EGRETS were feeding together with a Grey Heron, whilst a female Grey Wagtail flew overhead.

LATIMER GREAT WATER was largely frozen but within the ice-free area was 9 Mute Swans (2 first-years), 165 Atlantic Canada Geese, 10 Tufted Duck, 5 Pochard, 47 Coot and 11 Moorhen. To the south of the lake, 4 LAPWINGS were walking bewildered about a snow white field. A single sub-adult Sinensis Cormorant was perched at the top of a tree to the west.

In trees by the hall were 4 Mistle Thrushes, 8 Fieldfares, 4 Redwings and a Song Thrush.

A further 8 LAPWINGS were in a field with horses to the north of Mill Farm Water Meadow, taking advantage of the soil exposed by the feeding animals. A Green Woodpecker took advantage too.

At FROGMORE MEADOW, I was very surprised to locate 2 GREEN SANDPIPERS on the Chess, both flying around noisily as I inadvertently flushed them. A further 2 LITTLE EGRETS were seen from the Water Vole Watchpoint, as well as 19 Mallard, 9 COMMON TEAL, 2 Little Grebes and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

CRESTYL WATERCRESS BEDS were unfrozen and full of birds with the aforementioned TEAL coming and going, 2 Mute Swans, 14 Moorhens, a single LAPWING, yet another GREEN SANDPIPER, 3 COMMON SNIPES, a Grey Wagtail, 2 MEADOW PIPITS and a male Yellowhammer.

A deep guttural cronking call overhead immediately alerted me to a COMMON RAVEN, the bird flying across from Chenies village direction and heading off toward Limeshill Wood. Although JT had seen this bird twice since November 2011, this was the first time I had connected - the possibility being that it was one of the surviving pair that bred in the valley in 2009.

A Grey Heron landed in a tree east of VALLEY FARM and immediately sparked off panic amongst the LITTLE OWL colony. Once the resident pair in the heron's chosen roost tree started complaining loudly, it set off the rest, with eventually 5 different individuals alarming.

Limeshill Wood also produced 2 Nuthatches and 2 Jays.

Just as I was walking back on the boardwalk, I was alerted to a local pager message........

HILFIELD PARK RESERVOIR (HERTFORDSHIRE)

Just under 20 minutes later, I had joined Hilfield patch worker Steve Murray. Steve had discovered two GREATER SCAUP - a species I had failed to see in the county in 2011. Once by the jetty, I located them immediately - a fine adult pair, the drake with his resplendent green head, golden-orange eye, gleaming white flanks, lightly vermiculated grey mantle and black-nailed sky-blue bill and the female with her extensive white forehead blaze, fat rounded head, dark brown head and breast, pale cheek patch, subtly grey vermiculated back and grey sides. There was also a hint of a pale ring around the neck base and a fat spatulate bill, greyer in colour.

They were a spotless pair and a delight to watch, both Steve and I being treated to good views as they gradually swam closer inshore. Once fully 'scauped', I started to pan round and incredibly soon realised that there were actually SIX GREATER SCAUPS on the reservoir and not just two - four adult drakes, a first-winter drake and the adult female. A real treat and tantamount proof of what the weather is doing with the movements of waterbirds.

At around the same time, I watched 4 NORTHERN PINTAILS arrive (three drakes and a female), with the duck logcall also including 107 Pochard, 81 Tufted Duck, 5 Rufous Daniels, 6 Gadwall and 11 Wigeon.

The dusk gull roost was very impressive with well over 4,500 Black-headed Gulls present, as well as 150+ Herring Gulls, 350 Common Gulls, 33 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a single adult Great Black-backed Gull. Other birds taking advantage of the ice-free water included 35 Great Crested Grebe and 6 Little Grebe

CASPIAN GULL again

2012-02-01T20:28:00.000Z

Graham White and myself had a first winter CASPIAN GULL in the roost at Amwell this evening - it was apparently a late arriver - we did not see it until about 16.55 despite continual scanning through the Gulls from about 16.20 onwards, It stayed until it was dark. It seemed to be a different individual to the 2 seen on Monday. Also present were 3 SMEWS (2 drakes and 1 redhead) (Barry Reed)

Hilfield Park Reservoir gulls

2012-01-31T21:49:00.001Z

At Hilfield this evening, no less than 3 LITTLE GULLS were recorded and 2 adult MEDITERRANEAN GULLS

Drew a blank on Caspian Gulls but productive afternoon nevertheless

2012-01-31T21:21:00.000Z

TUESDAY 31 JANUARY

I reserved today for some Hertfordshire birding, with a number of target birds on my list. With only 1 Caspian Gull on my county list, I decided a trip to Amwell was in order, particularly following the two birds seen last night by Graham White and Barry Reed......

LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS)

The day started well with a female GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER feeding on my peanut feeders mid morning, the first record in 2012

TYTTENHANGER GP (HERTS)

Birded with Jeff Bailey for a while, concentrating our efforts on the feeding station behind the woodyard. Feeding was frenzied and included the presence of at least 11 TREE SPARROWS, my first in the county this year. After dropping down to just one visiting bird in the mild period in early January, numbers of this declining species have now picked up and Steve Blake has recently counted as many as 13.

Also visiting were up to 8 Yellowhammers, 7 Reed Buntings, Chaffinch, 10 Great Tits and 12 Blue Tits, as well as 2 Red-legged Partridges. A Common Kestrel was hovering nearby.

On the main pit, the COMMON SHELDUCK was still present, roosting on the spit at the west end. Also 4 Great Crested Grebes (including a pair in courtship display), 8 Cormorants, 4 Mute Swans (3 first-years), 8 Mallard, 16 Tufted Duck, 24 Coot, 82 Lapwing, 108 Black-headed Gulls, 28 Common Gulls, a juvenile Argenteus Herring Gull and 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

AMWELL NATURE RESERVE (HERTS)

Spent from 1400-1706 hours at Amwell with mixed results. Also carried out a full inventory of the lakes. A total of 51 species was recorded -:

Great Crested Grebe (3 on Great Hardmead Lake and 1 in Tumbling Bay)
Little Grebe (2 in Tumbling Bay)
Cormorant (34 on Great Hardmead Lake)
**EURASIAN BITTERN (the wintering bird came out of the reedbed at 1710 hours and showed well at the edge of the reeds into darkness)
Little Egret (3 came into roost this evening)
Grey Heron
Mute Swan (9 present on Great Hardmead Lake, with an additional pair on Tumbling Bay Pit)
Mallard (55)
Gadwall (76 on Great Hardmead Lake and a further 5 just beyond the Reedbed Hide)
Shoveler (just 3 on Hardmead Lake, with a further 8 on Tumbling Bay Pit)
Eurasian Wigeon (26 on Hardmead Lake)
Common Teal (12 on Hardmead Lake)
Northern Pochard (8 on Hardmead Lake, 9 on Hollycross Lake, with a further 7 on Tumbling Bay)
Tufted Duck (46 on Hardmead, 12 on Hollycross and 28 on Tumbling Bay)
Common Goldeneye (6 on Hardmead including 2 adult drakes)
**SMEW (2 cracking adult drakes on the west shore of the north end of Tumbling Bay Pit)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (one made a swoop at a Green Woodpecker, freaking the yaffler out)
Common Kestrel (1)
Common Pheasant (2 in the reedbed)
Moorhen (25 in all)
Coot (impressive numbers for such a small site with 402 on Great Hardmead, 8 more by the Reedbed Hide, 8 on Hollycross and a further 86 on Tumbling Bay - 504 in total)
Lapwing (68 on Hardmead Lake)

Gulls: a total of about 600 roosted prior to 1700 hours but no Caspians unfortunately - about 250 Black-headed, 75 Common, 170 Herring, 59 Lesser Black-backed and 46 Great Black-backed

Woodpigeon and Collared Dove, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin

Redwing (17)
Fieldfare (8)
Common Blackbird (15)
**CETTI'S WARBLER (at least 3 different birds present in the reedbed, with 2 in song)
Great, Blue & Long-tailed Tit
MARSH TIT (1 scolding from the wood on the west side of the canal)
Jay (2)
Jackdaw (several thousand flying south down the valley at dusk to roost)
Carrion Crow (3)
**COMMON RAVEN (vocal pair courtship dancing over Easneye Wood)
Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch
SISKIN (5)

CASPIAN GULLS at Amwell

2012-01-30T18:54:00.001Z

Two 1st winter CASPIAN GULLS and at least 1 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull in the roost at Amwell this evening. Also 54 Cormorant, 8 Goldeneye, 3 Little Egret (Graham White)

Amwell railway crossing is CLOSED - alternative arrangements

2012-01-29T21:17:00.000Z

The railway crossing at Amwell is still closed and the gates are locked. The materials to refurbish the crossing have been there for over a week now but Network Rail don't seem to be in any hurry to carry out the work. There is alternative parking by the old railway bridge on Holly Cross Road but there are only about 5-6 spaces. DO NOT OBSTRUCT THE GATES as they are in constant use.

There is an alternative place to park, also on Amwell Lane, that I would recommend. From the usual parking place go east towards Stanstead Abbotts until you come to Meridian Way on your left. Park sensibly on the road here. In between Meridian Way and Durham Close there is a track that leads to another railway crossing and on to Stanstead Lock. At the lock turn left and follow the Lee Navigation footpath to the viewpoint.

Alan Reynolds

Today's Highlights

2012-01-29T20:00:00.001Z

I popped in to Stocker's Lake briefly today and had 2 nice adult drake GOOSANDERS, a redhead SMEW, a drake RED-CRESTED POCHARD (8 had been seen earlier), 70 Northern Pochard, 7 Common Goldeneye and 4 Siskins

At Tring Reservoirs today, the DARK-BELLIED BRENT and WATER PIPIT were joined by the first PINTAIL of the year on Wilstone and the SNOW BUNTING was at Startop's still

Two SHORT-EARED OWLS remain at Deadmans Hill, Sandon

SMEWS

2012-01-28T21:14:00.002Z

In Hertfordshire today, 7 SMEW (3 drakes) were seen at Amwell and a redhead at Stocker's. Single GOOSANDERS were at Wilstone and Stocker's whilst 8 Red-crested Pochards were on Bury Lake, Stocker's and a female on Tumbling Bay Lake, Amwell.

The male SNOW BUNTING and first-winter DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE remain at Tring Reservoirs and TREE SPARROWS (up to 7) continue to be seen in the Tyttenhanger area

5 COMMON SHELDUCK are to be seen at Rye Meads RSPB and a single GREEN SANDPIPER

The third GREAT GREY SHRIKE in Herts this winter

2012-01-25T18:05:00.002Z

A GREAT GREY SHRIKE was seen today at Great Munden near Puckeridge (per Steve Blake).

WAXWING briefly in St Albans on 17 January

2012-01-23T18:21:00.000Z

17 January: I saw the Waxwing for about 10 minutes. Back garden of 23 Sandfield Road in Fleetville in St Albans. I kept a good lookout for the rest of the afternoon but it hasn't reappeared yet I'm afraid...Ben Smith

GREAT GREY SHRIKE reappears at Norton Green

2012-01-23T18:11:00.001Z

17 January: The Great Grey Shrike was showing extremely well at around 2pm, in bushes and scrub next to the gypsy camp (Darrel Bryant)

DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE in Stevenage - 15 January

2012-01-23T17:34:00.001Z

Ray Hooper and others observed a DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE on Fairlands Lake, Stevenage, on 15 January - an exceptional local record

MERLIN again at Wallington - 14 January

2012-01-23T17:13:00.000Z

14 January: I went up to Wallington Road at lunchtime and immediately found a female/juvenile MERLIN sitting on one the one flat hedges about 400 yards to the NE of the gate. It sat there for an hour enjoying the sun and occasionally preening, suggesting that it had had a successful morning hunting. Despite the distance it was glowing in the fantastic light yielding superb views (Alan Reynolds)

Drake SMEW at Tyttenhanger

2012-01-11T19:22:00.002Z

Steve Blake discovered a drake SMEW on the Fishing Pit at Tyttenhanger this morning and the bird remained for most of the day - an excellent record for the site.

Meanwhile, Ryan ward and others relocated the SNOW BUNTING at Startop's End Reservoir today

Astonishing number of LITTLE EGRETS roost at Stocker's Lake

2012-01-08T20:38:00.001Z

I spent the late afternoon at Stocker's Lake to try and see how many Little Egrets were coming in to roost. There were already at least 3 birds in situ when I got there, however their behaviour on arriving at the roost is to often perch in the open, before dropping down out of view, so I can't be sure how many other birds were already present.

By the time I had finished counting (the last bird that I saw came in at 16.43) I had reached the astonishing total of 49 birds - I suspect however that the true total could be even higher, since it is surprisingly difficult to pick up the birds coming in to roost as many of them come in quite high before rapidly dropping down into the roost and quickly disappearing from view.

Most birds came in either singly, or in two's, with one group of three.Aproximately 30% of the birds came in from the west (presumably having come up the Colne Valley) and the rest came in from the NE. It is really staggering that this many birds are wintering in the area considering the paucity of records along local river valleys (Colne, Chess and Misbourne) so one really has to ask the question - how far are they travelling to their feeding areas. The difficulty with monitoring Little Egret roosts is that most birds leave shortly after dawn and likewise many birds arrive only just before dusk.I have counted this many birds at Broadwater, but I haven't checked that roost there for some considerable time (I believe that Paul Lewis did check that roost recently and failed to see any). It is interesting to speculate whether the Broadwater birds have moved up to Stocker's - certainly it does seem to be an ideal roost site with plenty of shelter from winds in all directions.

I also counted 383 Fieldfares roosting there, along with a pair of Goosander and a drake Red Crested Pochard.

Andrew Moon

An abortive search of Tree Sparrows and another Little Gull dip

2012-01-06T17:42:00.001Z

FRIDAY 6 JANUARY

A much calmer day than of late with a light westerly wind and predominantly blue skies. In fact it felt very pleasant with temperatures reaching 11 degrees C. Completely dry.

Despite both species being seen this morning, I managed to miss both the Tyttenhanger Tree Sparrows and the Hilfield Little Gull. Highlight was censusing roosting Bramblings..........

CHAFFINCH HOUSE, LITTLE CHALFONT (BUCKS)

A solitary Long-tailed Tit paid a brief visit to the garden

TYTTENHANGER FARM AND MAIN PIT (HERTS)

Although Tony Blake had seen two by the feeding station in the morning, I completely failed in my quest to locate any Tree Sparrows at Tyttenhanger. I was also horrified to find that the Coursers Road site had been trashed and was no longer - a bank of mud now replacing the Tree Sparrow hedgerow and feeding station. The gravel workings have extended.

The main birding pit produced 2 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Cormorant, 4 Mute Swans, 8 Common Teal, 33 Tufted Ducks, 34 Coot, 128 Lapwing, 100+ Black-headed Gulls and a healthy 76 Common Gulls whilst the hedgerow and neighbouring countryside yielded 6 Red-legged Partridges, Common Pheasant, Green Woodpecker, a singing male Song Thrush, Robin, Chaffinch, a female House Sparrow, Common Kestrel, 3 Common Blackbirds, a Fieldfare, 2 Common Starlings, 6 Great Tits and 4 Blue Tits. The game strip held just 4 Yellowhammers and 8 Reed Buntings.

ALDENHAM COUNTRY PARK AND HILFIELD (HERTS)

A wasted visit. Despite being seen at Hilfield earlier, I could not find the first-winter Little Gull at either Aldenham Country Park or Hilfield Park Reservoir - highlight were the 6 MANDARIN DUCKS still (4 drakes).

PENN WOOD ORNAMENTAL WOODLAND SSSI (BUCKS)

This was my first opportunity at a comprehensive survey of the roosting finches of Penn Wood this winter and I was delighted at the presence of so many birds, despite the relatively mild weather so far.

By 1600 hours, the main Penna drive and its dense Rhododendrons held 368 roosting fringillidae. including 307 Chaffinches and a surprising 61 BRAMBLINGS - my first of this winter at the site. A single male SISKIN was also amongst them.

One hundred yards away at the Holly roost-site, no less than 398 Greenfinches roosted and 175 Redwings. There were also a further 15 Chaffinches here - and two male BRAMBLINGS - but it is possible they were part of the main Penna Ride roost.

Other species encountered included Jay, Coal Tit, Common Buzzard, Song Thrush (singing male) and 3 roosting BULLFINCHES.

At PENNHOUSE GROVE, 22 RED KITES roosted.

CHESHAM FISHING LAKES (BUCKS)

In addition to the hand-tame first-year Mute Swan and Atlantic Canada Goose, wildfowl today included 12 GADWALL (6 pairs), 32 Tufted Ducks and 3 Northern Pochards. Chris Pontin also saw 2 Reed Buntings - the first in the Recording Area this year.

A two SHRIKE day

2012-01-05T20:51:00.001Z

1 showing distantly from the Therfield to Royston road looking towards the Icknield Way (from Duckpuddle Bush)

1 at Norton green this afternoon also

3 Little Egrets at Whitwell cressbeds but no sign of any Raven in the area.

Mike Ilett

The Stevenage GREAT GREY SHRIKE - a superb gallery of images taken by Mike Ilett

2012-01-04T20:26:00.001Z

Therfield Heath today - both SHRIKE and HEN HARRIER still being seen

2012-01-04T20:25:00.001Z

Two visits today on the last day before returning to work. The morning one failed to produce the GREAT GREY SHRIKE and the consolation was a small flock of Golden Plover flying low over the fields at Grey's Farm, a Red Kite with something in its talons gliding menacingly over various flocks of feral pigeons, linnet (of which large numbers) and mainly black-headed gulls. Another Red Kite was seen. A HEN HARRIER did perch briefly on the hedge that runs perpendicular to the 'shrike hedge'. This was all from around 9.30 to 11.

In the afternoon, a cheery woman told me as I headed down the Icknield path that I had missed the GGS, that it was in a different place from usual (much higher up the hill) and that it had flown off. I met a birder from London who was looking for it and we wandered down to the 'usual' hedge anyway. Where we saw the shrike. It showed well for a while, and we got a bit blasé so started looking for raptors. Didn't see anything other than a Kestrel. It was very windy by then. This visit was early afternoon, from 1 till about 2.30 (Matt Roberts)

Birding the WATFORD and TRING areas: 4 JANUARY 2012 (LGRE)

2012-01-04T17:58:00.002Z

WEDNESDAY 4 JANUARY

The day started off dry but fairly windy, with temperatures hovering around 9 degrees C. Thick cloud then moved in from the west leaving a dull and largely wet afternoon

Today I concentrated my efforts in the Watford and Tring areas of Hertfordshire, eventually adding just 6 new species to my 2012 list.........There were a few highlights, not least the terrific number of wildfowl wintering on Aldenham Country Park...............

ALDENHAM COUNTRY PARK (HERTFORDSHIRE)

Although I visited here with the sole intention of finding MANDARIN DUCK, I could not believe the number of wildfowl wintering on the reservoir. It was mightily impressive

After quickly securing the target bird - MANDARIN DUCK (of which 6 were present under the eaves, including 4 drakes), I set upon click-counting the remaining waterbirds......

Great Crested Grebe (3)
Little Grebe (3)
Grey Heron (2)
Mute Swan (15 including 4 first-years)
Atlantic Canada Goose (97)
Mallard (66)
GADWALL* (184 present - an internationally important figure, considering that just 25,000 winter in Britain)
Eurasian Wigeon (322)
Common Teal (just 1)
Northern Shoveler (7
Tufted Duck (47)
Northern Pochard (3)
RED-CRESTED POCHARD (2 adult drakes at west end)
Coot (488)
Moorhen (16)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 adult)

Also noted were 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Carrion Crows, 5 Redwing and a SISKIN.

HILFIELD PARK RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Despite an exhaustive search, there was no sign of the recent long-staying first-winter Little Gull - perhaps it only roosts here?

What was notable however was the large number of Great Crested Grebes wintering - no less than 57 birds, by far the largest congregation in the county.

Also counted were 2 Little Grebes, 26 Cormorants, 2 adult Mute Swans, 35 Tufted Duck, ****************************** and 284 Coots. An adult argenteus Herring Gull was also present.

FRITHSDEN BEECHES, NORTHCHURCH COMMON (HERTS)

And on to a spot of woodland birding in the hope of finding Woodcock, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Common Treecreeper, Lesser Redpoll and the like. You'll be lucky......

What I did find in an hour stomp around a very muddy trail was 2 Green Woodpeckers, 5 Common Buzzards, 5 Carrion Crows, 150 Redwing, 2 male Chaffinches, Wren and a mixed feeding flock containing Nuthatch (my first of the year), 3 Great Tits, 6 Blue Tits and 12 Long-tailed Tits.

BERKHAMPSTED CANAL (HERTS)

In the town centre, the Grand Union Canal held 1 first-winter Mute Swan and 54 Mallards.

THE TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTS)

Very damp, muddy and blustery but I did a full circuit of TRINGFORD RESERVOIR logging everything avian - the reservoir held 2 adult Mute Swans, 53 Coot, 9 Tufted Duck, 3 Northern Pochards, 5 Teal, 195 resting Black-headed Gulls and a single adult Lesser Black-backed Gull whilst the surrounding woodland tracts produced 1 Greenfinch (flyover), 3 Robins, 7 Common Blackbirds, 1 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 5 Rook, 15 Western Jackdaws, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Blue Tits and best of all, 3 SISKINS in the largest row of Alder trees at the west end. A female Grey Wagtail was also seen.

At STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR, the first-winter male SNOW BUNTING was still showing very well on the foreshore adjacent to the steps in the NW corner (see the superb new shots above), whilst the reservoir held 13 Mute Swans (3 first-years), just 3 Great Crested Grebes, 249 Coot, 29 Gadwall, 22 Pochard, 31 Tufted Duck, 18 Wigeon and 12 Moorhen.

Once again the gull roost on the mud was numerous and included 182 Black-headed Gulls and 9 Common Gulls (including 2 first-winters).

The perimeter banking held 8 Pied Wagtails

At MARSWORTH RESERVOIR, just 1 Great Crested Grebe was present, along with 25 Shovelers. A flock of just 17 Common Starlings was in Marsworth and Church Lane once again yielded a BULLFINCH.

A brief detour to COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS) to see the 4 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS (drake and 3 female-types) (my first in the county this year) before moving on to WILSTONE RESERVOIR, where the East Fields geese flock held 70 Greylag, 29 Atlantic Canada and the continuing single first-winter DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE.

Birding at the reservoir was difficult because of the rain and wind so a full count was not possible, although just 8 Great Crested Grebes was pitiful (and with the other 4, 12 is the lowest winter total for this species I have ever registered - perhaps they have all moved to Hilfield Park!). Just 2 female Common Goldeneye could be seen.

A single check of the gull roost yielded a minimum 3,300 Black-headed and 84 Common Gulls but not one large white-headed gull species.

For the last hour of daylight, I returned to MARSWORTH where the reedbed bunting roost was pathetic - just 9 CORN BUNTINGS flew in and 4 REED BUNTINGS (perhaps, because of the foul weather, they had all roosted prior to 1500 hours this afternoon - I hope so). A single Goldcrest in the wood was also of note.

NORTON GREEN and the shrike

2012-01-04T10:25:00.002Z

The site is very, very muddy at the moment so bear that in mind when visiting in your ''work clothes'' - wellington boots are desired. It will take a good eight minutes to walk to the north end of the site where the bird is favouring and it is best to park by the gate at the most southerly access point (better still and to be on the safe side opposite the pub in the hamlet)

Be very careful when viewing near the traveller's camp - the dogs are dangerous and will bite. Also, be extremely careful not to be seen to be 'scoping/photographing towards the encampment - this will only rile up the travellers and if they realise there is a lot of interest going on, it could have serious repercussions

If you stand and 'scope from 60 yards south of the camp ridge, you are out of sight and can still easily get good views of the shrike when it pops out of the hawthorns and scrub

The bird is still present and showing well today (per Darrel & Mike Ilett)

Lee Evans

SNOW BUNTING remains into the New Year

2012-01-04T10:12:00.002Z

Apart from the 4 Bewick's Swans, everything remains the same at Tring in the New Year - the wintering DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE, WATER PIPIT and this splendid first-winter male SNOW BUNTING - beautifully captured on film by Richard Wignall

Hemel PEREGRINE

2012-01-04T10:07:00.003Z

Richard Wignall has very kindly emailed me these latest images of the wintering adult female PEREGRINE FALCON in the town centre of Hemel Hempstead - her fourth winter of residence. She is a ringed adult female, most likely of captive stock, and breeds at a quarry site just north of the county where so far, she has successfully reared 11 youngsters

PIED WAGTAIL roost in Welwyn Garden City

2012-01-03T21:30:00.001Z

I visited the Pied Wagtail roost in Wigmores North, Welwyn Garden City, this evening, and counted 300 birds, 50 in the tree outside Connells and 250 in the tree outside Putterills. This is the highest number I have recorded here (David Booth)

Winter storm batters the South East

2012-01-03T18:42:00.001Z

TUESDAY 3 JANUARY

Gale force winds and torrential rain associated with a very deep depression tracked quickly east across the country and swept through our region all morning. It typically wreaked havoc bringing down a large number of trees and chimney stacks, with winds gusting at 70 miles per hour at times. Then, at around 1300 hours, the rain stopped and the wind dropped substantially, leaving a clear and bright middle part of the afternoon, although hail and rain returned later.

I finally managed to brave the conditions after 1300 hours and made my way to Stevenage, where Tony Hukin had discovered a GREAT GREY SHRIKE yesterday afternoon and both Mike and darrel had confirmed its presence today in the rain and wind...........

NORTON GREEN, STEVENAGE (HERTFORDSHIRE) (TL 225 237)

I arrived at Norton Green at 1325 hours, only to be told by those three present that the bird had just captured a Field Vole and flown with it to the far side of the traveller camp. Like an idiot, I marched round there, only to be accosted by a marauding gang of 7 yapping guard dogs! There was no sign of the shrike and I had to make a quick and hasty retreat.

Returning back to the other observers about 20 minutes later, I was pleased to see that the bird had returned and was showing well. It was perched up just 35 yards away and was an adult and was favouring the scrub and isolated clumps of Hawthorn just 50 yards away from the camp at the extreme north end of the site. It remained on view for about 7 minutes before disappearing again. Alan Reynolds, Tony Hukin, Darrel Bryant and others turned up and after a while, the shrike reappeared and showed very, very well on top of the bushes. Alan obtained some excellent images (see above).

As Darrel stated, this is the first record of Great Grey Shrike for Norton Green and the fact that it seems to have a larder perhaps indicates that it has been around for some time. It is certainly a lot easier to see than the adult in the east of the county at Therfield Heath.

Other species noted included 48 Eurasian Skylarks (in the large stubble field adjacent), 1 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Common Kestrel, 5 Common Blackbirds, 2 Common Magpie and a male Greenfinch.

LEMSFORD SPRINGS NATURE RESERVE (HERTS)

Two GREEN SANDPIPERS were present (both unringed) as well as 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron and 10 Moorhens (up to 5 Green Sandpipers have been present at the site this winter).

EAST HYDE (HERTS)

The pair of EGYPTIAN GEESE was present with 8 Canada Geese and 3 Mute Swans (1 first-winter) by the river Lea west of the B653, whilst 17 Gadwalls, 4 Common Teal (2 drakes) and 2 Little Grebes were seen from the bridge.

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HERTS)

The adult female PEREGRINE FALCON was sat on her usual perch at 1540 hours

TRING (HERTS)

A covey of 8 Red-legged Partridges was west of Tring and south of the B 488 at SP 929 112

WESTON TURVILLE RESERVOIR (BUCKS)

I pitched up at WTR at 1600 hours to find the hide virtually full (John Gearing, Richard Billyard, Nick Mariner already in situ). The wind was still strong and it was clear that conditions were not overly conducive. A Water Rail screamed, 1 Little Egret flew in to roost, a male Sparrowhawk did its last circuit and 4 Reed Buntings flew in to roost in the reedbed. What appeared to be a Cetti's Warbler scolded and a single lost Black-headed Gull attempted to roost.

And then, at 1628 hours, a solitary EURASIAN BITTERN flew from the reeds at the closest edge and flew to the far side. It was a regularly returning wintering bird and roosted in the usual area of reeds opposite the Susan Cowdy Hide. Despite the strong wind, it successfully made one platform of reeds but then fell off of it into the water. It gathered its composure, then climbed back up a few yards away and tried again. Eventually, after several attempts, it realised it was fighting a losing battle and as darkness approached, dropped further down into the reeds, presumably to roost close to the base.

Six new species for the Year List and particularly pleased with the shrike

GREAT GREY SHRIKE still

2012-01-03T10:41:00.001Z

The GREAT GREY SHRIKE is still present at Norton Green this morning, and showing despite the weather (Mike Ilett/Darrel Bryant)

A raw deal

2012-01-02T18:22:00.000Z

MONDAY 2 JANUARY (LGRE DIARY NOTES)

In complete contrast to much of the festive season, this morning dawned clear and bright with a touch of ground frost. In fact that set the trend of the day with temperatures struggling to reach 8 degrees C and an increasingly strong and somewhat bitingly cold NW wind. Light conditions remained excellent all day but the wind during the afternoon kept many birds in shelter

Today I concentrated solely on Hertfordshire and spent the day trawling various locations. i fared particularly badly in the east compared to Mike Ilett and Bill Last......

LYNSTER'S FARM, WEST HYDE (HERTS)

No sign of any Egyptian Geese - just 12 Stock Doves, 4 Pied Wagtails and 6 Long-tailed Tits

THE STOCKERS LAKE COMPLEX (HERTS)

I could not believe the number of birdwatchers out this morning at Stockers - perhaps 60 in number......

SPRINGWELL LAKE held 38 Gadwall whilst the westernmost lake at Stockers (at TQ 042 935 held an additional 54 birds, as well as 3 Mute Swans, 6 Wigeon, 68 Coot and 1 Great Crested Grebe

I did the entire circuit of STOCKER'S LAKE, counting as I went - numbers included just 7 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe (on the Colne), 25 Shoveler, 2 Wigeon, 31 Gadwall, 102 Tufted Duck, 33 Pochard, 3 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS (1 drake), 13 COMMON GOLDENEYE (including 4 adult drakes), 2 GOOSANDERS (the regular adult drake loafing obscured near the causeway and an adult female on the main water) and 77 Coot. A flock of 18 Lapwing was roosting on one of the rafts, whilst passerines included Blue Tit, Robin, 5 singing male Song Thrushes, Green Woodpecker, Jay, 3 SISKINS and 8 Long-tailed Tits. A gang of 31 Carrion Crows was perched together and my first Greenfinch of the year flew over. A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets were typically in evidence.

House Sparrow numbers by the bridge at Stocker's Farm were a healthy 16 whilst the rollcall on BURY LAKE included 4 Great Crested Grebes, 37 Mute Swans and an impressive 144 Coots.

A COMMON KINGFISHER was showing very well on the neighbouring River Colne where I also year-ticked Andrew Moon as well as a number of other local birding luminaries. The Colne also held a further pair of Mute Swans.

TROY MILL PIT (TQ 037 903)

The overhanging vegetation and trees over the River Colne north of Broadwater Sailing Club is the only regular wintering haunt of COMMON CHIFFCHAFF in the county and despite perfect conditions this morning, all I could find was just ONE wintering individual today.

The pit produced 4 Great Crested Grebes, 4 first-year Mute Swans, 2 Gadwall, 25 Tufted Duck and 55 Coot, as well as Sparrowhawk, female Grey Wagtail and Wren.

THE ICKNIELD WAY, THERFIELD HEATH (EAST HERTS)

After finishing counting in the Colne Valley I made my way to the far east of the county, joining the likes of Mike Ilett, Bill Last, Darrel Bryant, Colin and others. Mike and Bill had done very well prior to my arrival having bagged Peregrine, Hen Harrier and the Great Grey Shrike

I arrived on site at about 1300 hours and stuck it out in the conditions for over two and a half hours but despite walking a mile down to the favoured area for raptors and the hedgerow leading away to Gray's Farm saw very little.

A flock of 21 European Golden Plovers flew over, whilst 5 Common Kestrels, 8 Red-legged Partridges and 2 Yellowhammers were noted. As usual, two Sparrowhawks were seen, including a nice blue male, and 5 Common Buzzards but no Hen Harriers whatsoever - or even Red Kites. It was just too windy and cold.

The undoubted highlight was the massive wintering flock of LINNETS west of the Icknield Way. At one point, I click-counted no less than 434 birds lined up alongside each other on the wires. There are certainly more than 500 birds present in the area - excellent news for a species that has generally seen a dramatic reduction in numbers.

After giving up, I tried for GREY PARTRIDGE and found two coveys (6 & 8) in fields close to the A1 just south of Baldock.

STANBOROUGH NORTH LAKE (HERTS)

Stopped off at dusk at Stanborough and counted 19 LITTLE EGRETS into roost on the southernmost island.

Will have to try again tomorrow but weather forecast is poor........

Mike Ilett has a good day out in the county (but others not so lucky)

2012-01-02T17:37:00.001Z

Startops end Res - SNOW BUNTING showing extremely well along the North bank, 2 Red-Crested Pochard

Wilstone Res - DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE in the cemetery corner with greylags

Therfield Heath - 1 Peregrine (juv) flew across icknield way and landed in field, 1 GREAT GREY SHRIKE in usual hedge at midday then seen just sth of Royston late afternoon and flew across the icknield way and lost to view heading East, 1 HEN HARRIER (ringtail), 20 Golden Plover

Mike Ilett

GREAT GREY SHRIKE at Norton Green

2012-01-02T17:35:00.000Z

I received a text at 3:37 saying that there was a GREAT GREY SHRIKE at Norton Green, Stevenage, so I went up straight away, and found it at about 3:50, perched up in a small tree in the scrub in the middle of the site. I was joined by Richard Pople, and we watched it for a few minutes before it flew off, and appeared to land behind the travellers' site, but I couldn't relocate it as it became dark. It probably went to roost there, and hopefully will stick around (David Booth)

Christmas Day Birding in NE Herts - an excellent selection

2011-12-25T13:28:00.001Z

This morning in North Hertfordshire:

Therfield Heath - the adult GREAT GREY SHRIKE nr Greys farm, viewable from Icknield Way looking towards Duckpuddle bush (TL344388). Also 1 juvenile HEN HARRIER, 2 Red Kites

Deadmans Hill - 1 male MERLIN sitting in field at bottom of hill showing extremely well, 2 Red Kites

Mike Ilett

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER

2011-12-24T14:12:00.001Z

The juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER was showing well this morning on the Sailing Lake north of the Sailing Club at Nazeing Meads. It was best viewed from Dobbs Weir Lane. Park on the concrete off the road by the bridge between the gravel pits and walk south along the Lee Valley path behind the houses (Alan Reynolds)

Wintering LITTLE EGRET numbers now at 65

2011-12-23T17:04:00.001Z

At least 15 Little Egrets came into the Radwell Lake roost yesterday evening in the north of the county, whilst two Goosander were at Turnford Marsh GP this morning in the Lee Valley (Graham White)

With these additional 15 and 25 at Stocker's, 15 at Welwyn and 10 at Amwell, the wintering poulation of Little Egrets currently in Hertfordshire numbers 65

SNOW BUNTING still present today

2011-12-23T16:58:00.003Z

Chris Hinton obtained these fantastic new shots of the first-winter male SNOW BUNTING along the north shore of Startop's End Reservoir today, this beautiful bird seemingly intent on staying........

Juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER just over border into Essex

2011-12-23T15:28:00.002Z

FRIDAY 23 DECEMBER

Another unseasonal mild day with temperatures reaching 12 degrees C - in stark contrast to Christmas 2010 when the whole of Britain was virtually icebound and covered in snow. It was also very wet with constant drizzle.....

NAZEING MEADS (ESSEX) (TQ 385 072)

Instigated by Graeme Smith's email, I travelled over to the Lea Valley this morning to see the juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER that has been present there since 15 December. As Graeme stated, this bird is only just 100 yards into Essex and is showing reasonably well. The bird is favouring the middle pit in the complex, easily accessed from Meadgate Road from the east. One can park without problems by Broxbourne Sailing Club and follow the trail south to Kett's Footbridge at TQ 383 069, from where the best views can be obtained. The two pits join each other at this bridge and when Graeme saw the bird yesterday it was on the southernmost pit. Please see the maps above for more direct detail.

This same complex of pits also produced 3 GOOSANDER (adult drake and two adult females), 2 Common Goldeneye, 33 Tufted Duck, 13 Northern Pochard, 25 Great Crested Grebes and 74 Coot.

CHESHUNT PITS (HERTS)

I met up with Alan Reynolds at the diver and then went over to ASHLEY FISHERY PIT at Turnford to check for Goosander. Sadly none was present (Alan had seen a drake there about 10 days ago) but we did count 1 Mute Swan (first-winter), 20 Gadwall, 43 Tufted Duck and 40 Coot, whilst a male Siskin and Great Spotted Woodpecker were recorded. Also of note were 36 roosting House Sparrows in the thick hedgerow backing on to the gardens west of the railway line and 12 Chaffinches in Turnford Brooks car park.

More recent highlights

2011-12-23T09:41:00.002Z

Barry Reed and others relocated the recent Kelshall GREAT GREY SHRIKE in the Greys Farm area, viewable from the Icknield Way - this area continuing to attract all 3 juvenile HEN HARRIERS and 3 SHORT-EARED OWLS. A ringtail HEN HARRIER and up to 2 MERLINS are also being reported from the Sandon area - looking east from the green gate

At Tring Reservoirs, the DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE, 4 BEWICK'S SWANS, SNOW BUNTING and WATER PIPIT all remain, whilst at Amwell NR, Barry Reed has seen both MEDITERRANEAN GULL and YELLOW-LEGGED GULL in the roost there. An adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL is also regular at Wilstone

This winter we have at least 50 roosting LITTLE EGRETS, with 25 at Stockers, 15 at Welwyn and 10 at Amwell

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER just out of county in Essex - NAZEING PITS

2011-12-23T09:38:00.002Z

A few details of a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER present for its eighth day near Hoddesdon (in ESSEX) for anyone interested in seeing it over the festive period... parking and site map including round trip distance can be found here :http://www.flickr.com/photos/gjs1/6532822645/in/photostream ( look for target bird mostly around the footbridge where it feeds, if 'missing', check around E islands and tern/corm rafts );

This map shows bird in relation to the county border http://www.flickr.com/photos/gjs1/6532898891/in/photostream

And a few photos of the bird in question from the wknd:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gjs1/archives/date-posted/2011/12/18/

Graeme Smith

No sign of reported Twite

2011-12-19T18:09:00.002Z

MONDAY 19 DECEMBER

Another sharp frost overnight but as the morning progressed, a front edged in from the west bringing heavier and heavier rain from early afternoon and recovering temperatures to 6 degrees C by nightfall.

At around 1300 hours, Alan Gardiner and Steve Blake alerted me to the report of a Twite at Startop's End Reservoir by an unknown observer. I immediately spoke to Dave B but he was in Sandy, so despite the rain, made my way over to check the report out........

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Jason Chapman was lunchtime twitching the SNOW BUNTING shortly after I arrived and together we obtained yet more outstanding views of this first-winter male, both in the Herts section and Bucks section of the north bank. See Dan Forder's brilliant shots above

I then did the full circumference of the reservoir - at the water's edge - but nothing more than the Snow Bunting and 3 Pied Wagtails. Like Roy, I believe the report almost certainly related to the bunting, as surprisingly enough, many features overlap if you are working from a field guide and are a relative novice.

In terms of waterbirds, little of change, with the reservoir holding 5 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Mute Swans, 65 Gadwall (highest count in a long while), 31 Wigeon, 22 Shoveler, 37 Tufted Duck, 8 Pochard, 287 Coot and 10 Moorhens.

TRINGFORD RESERVOIR (HERTS)

No Twite but 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 6 Teal, 8 Shoveler, 26 Tufted Duck, 6 Pochard and 62 Coots. Marsworth Reservoir was still covered in a thin layer of ice. All of the reservoirs bar Wilstone had an ice covering of some sort.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Walked right round checking the edges and no Twite amongst the 31 wintering Linnets on the margins. No sign of the male Common Shelduck either, nor of the 5 Goldeneyes.....

The first-winter DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE was still frequenting the Cemetery Corner fields with the 7 Atlantic Canada Geese and the 67 Greylags, whilst all 4 BEWICK'S SWANS were on the Drayton Lagoon from the hide.

On the water were counted 11 Great Crested Grebes, just 9 Mute Swans (most are now on College), 311 Wigeon (an increase again), 18 Shoveler, 230 Common Teal, 42 Tufted Duck, 106 Pochard and 752 Coot.

In the hedgerows, large numbers of winter thrushes feeding on the hawthorn berries including 66 Fieldfare, 22 Redwing and 12 Common Blackbirds.

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HERTS)

In the town centre, the adult female PEREGRINE was roosting and in the main shopping precinct, 38 Pied Wagtails were roosting in the small bush in front of the British Heart Foundation charity shop

Today's Highlights

2011-12-15T20:57:00.003Z

The star performer - our male SNOW BUNTING at Startop's End (magnificently photographed above by Lucy Flower) - continues to perform well for admirers whilst in the east of the county, 3 juvenile HEN HARRIERS and a male MERLIN continue in the Therfield Heath area.

First twitchable SNOW BUNTING at Tring Reservoirs

2011-12-14T17:07:00.003Z

WEDNESDAY 14 DECEMBER

The unsettled theme continued today with strong NW winds bringing a period of wet snow during the afternoon. It was very cold - the strong wind making it feel much much colder.

After missing out yesterday, and still reeling after the Ivinghoe dip, I finally caught up with our star performing SNOW BUNTING today........

CHESS VALLEY (BUCKS)

Still 8 LITTLE EGRETS in the valley, most frequenting the ditches just east of Bois Mill

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR (HERTS)

Joined Mike Collard, Mike Campbell and others at Startop's mid morning to find the SNOW BUNTING still showing fabulously on the foreshore at the north end of the reservoir. It was remarkably confiding and over the hour of observation, walked to within just 28 yards of the Buckinghamshire border. It thus became the second species this year (with DBBG) that I have seen from Buckinghamshire but not within it !

DESCRIPTION

At very close range it was seen to have spiky (pointed) rather than rounded tail feathers and with its bright yellow bill and extensive white in the upper wings, presumably a FIRST-WINTER MALE.

A typical bunting in shape and structure with predominantly white underparts, extending to the undertail coverts. Crown tinged rufous, with a dark ear covert and a mixture of dark and pale fringed feathers on the mantle. Some warmth extending out on to the sides of the breast forming an incomplete breast-band, with paler buff streaking in the hindneck and eye-stripe. Dark-centred scapulars and extensive white in the wings, especially in flight. Primaries very dark with white tips and tertials edged with warm rufous. A dark beady eye, striking yellow bill and short black legs and feet. Typical, rippling ''prrrrii'' call when I approached it.

PREVIOUS RECORDS AND OCCURRENCE

SNOW BUNTING is a rare visitor to Hertfordshire with just 34 previous records involving over 50 birds, at least 10 of these being at Tring Reservoirs (the most recent in January 1981)

1) The first county record related to one shot near Hitchin in January 1881, with two captured near Royston at about the same time;

2) One was shot on Harpenden Common on 24 January 1883;

3) One was shot at Royston on 16 September 1893;

4) One was shot on Royston Heath on 6 December 1893 (Foster 1914);

5) One was shot near Sandon in January 1894 (Hartert & Jourdain 1920);

6) A male was captured near Tring on 22 February 1894 (Hartert & Jourdain 1920);

7) A flock is said to have been seen at Tring Reservoirs in 1895; there are two males in the Hitchin Museum from this period, one of which was obtained at Offley about 1890 and the other at Hitchin about 1900, whilst two were said to have been obtained at Aldenham Reservoir in January 1895;;

8) One was watched at close range in a ploughed field at Letchworth in January 1913 (Foster 1914);

9) A single was between Harfield and Welwyn on 30 January 1926 (The Field 147: 283);

10) A male remained at Wilstone Reservoir from 13-20 October 1935 (Dr J.S. Carter);

11) Two birds were present at Wilstone Reservoir on 6-7 November 1944;

12) Two were again at Wilstone Reservoir on 10 November 1945 (W. E. Glegg);

13) An immature visited Wilstone on 25 October 1952;

14) One visited Wilstone Reservoir on 9 October 1953;

15) A male was at Hilfield Park Reservoir on 3 February 1957 (London Bird Report 1957: 34);

16) A flock of at least 6 birds was noted at North Mymms on 13 December 1959;

17) A female was at Rye Meads Sewage Farm on 23 January 1960;

18) A male was at Highley Hill, Ashwell, on 1 October 1960;

19) One remained at Wilstone Reservoir from 1-5 November 1961;

20) Another was seen at Rye Meads on 5 November 1961;

21) Three flew south over Welwyn Garden City on 6 March 1972;

22) Two pairs were reported from Maple Cross on 26 November 1972;

23) A male was seen at Wilstone Reservoir on 28 October 1974;

24) One remained at Hilfield Park Reservoir from 15-18 November 1978;

25) A female was apparently seen with Corn Buntings and Yellowhammers NE of Weston Hills, Baldock, on 1 January 1979 (Brian Sawford);

26) One was seen near Wilstone Reservoir on 8 January 1981 (N. Woods);

27) One was seen in flight with Meadow Pipits at Tyttenhanger on 20 November 1988 (Steve Pearce);

28) A first-winter male remained at Tyttenhanger GP from 29 November to 1 December 1996 (Lee Marshall et al) giving many local observers their first opportunity to see this species in the county;

29) A pair was located at Kelshall on 9 November 1997 (Martin Craig), one of which was last seen on 14 December;

30) One was found in Hemel Hempstead on 5 December 1997 (M. Pearson);

31) One was found at Amwell GP on 21 November 1999 (Graham White);

32) A first-winter male was seen and photographed at Barley on 3 March 2000 (Charles Doggett & Doug Radford) (photograph in Hertfordshire Bird Report 2000, page 273);

33) A bird was watched for about 15 minutes foraging in a field at Temple End on 23 March 2007 (John Camp);

34) Most recently, an immature was just 40 yards over the county boundary in Essex at Wickam Hall near Bishop's Stortford in 5-7 November 2011. Alan Reynolds briefly saw it flight into Hertfordshire on 6 November.

Additional Birds

The pair of Red-crested Pochards and 42 Gadwall were on Startop's End whilst on neighbouring Marsworth Reservoir, Don Stone located an adult female GOOSANDER which showed well close to the causeway all afternoon.

Wilstone Reservoir continued to produce the family party of 4 BEWICK'S SWANS and the juvenile DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE with the 67 Greylags in Cemetery Corner Fields, as well as 11 Mute Swans, 250 Eurasian Wigeon and an increase to 883 Coots. There was also a report of a GREAT GREY SHRIKE from the meadow behind the hide

COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)

In addition to a pair of Mute Swans on the Grand Union Canal at Bulbourne, a further 21 (including 3 first-years) were present on the main marsh at College. Other wildfowl counted included 28 Mallard, 74 Wigeon, 18 Gadwall, 1 female Shoveler, 40 Tufted Duck and 12 Northern Pochard, as well as 1 Little Grebe, 44 Coot, 8 Moorhen and a Green Woodpecker

GOOSANDER

2011-12-12T17:40:00.002Z

Alan Reynolds obtained this excellent image of this gorgeous drake GOOSANDER at Ashley Fisheries Cheshunt today.

Sunday Round-up

2011-12-11T11:12:00.002Z

In the east of the county, up to 3 juvenile HEN HARRIERS remain in setaside adjacent to the Icknield Way at Therfield Heath, whilst elsewhere, the first-year LITTLE GULL continues at Hilfield Park, a female SMEW and 3 GOOSANDER are at Stocker's Lake and the juvenile DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE and 4 BEWICK'S SWANS at Wilstone Reservoir

LITTLE GULL still

2011-12-05T17:21:00.003Z

The first-winter LITTLE GULL was still present at Hilfield Park Reservoir today (Derek Turner). Tony Blake obtained this distant image from the Dagger Lane Viewpoint. An excellent December record for the county

A real HEN HARRIER treat

2011-12-05T17:08:00.000Z

MONDAY 5 DECEMBER

In line with the last two years, winter arrived in our region yesterday, with extremely cold winds blowing down from Greenland. Further north in Scotland, up to 20 centimetres of snow has fallen in Caithness, Sutherland, Highland Region and Speyside - the first significant falls of winter. It was another cold night here with an overnight ground frost and temperatures during the day hovered between 4 and 6 degrees C.

With a record number of HEN HARRIERS being seen in the Therfield area, I decided to devote the afternoon birding the area - that decision enforced after a Brent Goose - the first in Be3dfordshire this year - had flown off east from Stewartby Lake after just a short time of staying. Thanks to Mike Ilett, I was eventually able to make contact............

THERFIELD HEATH AREA (EAST HERTFORDSHIRE)

It was freezing cold watching from the layby at the top of Coombe Road and after half an hour and no raptors at all, I contacted Mike Ilett for advice. Mike knew the Therfield area well, having conducted much valued Atlas work in this area, and suggested I took the footpath leading east out of Therfield village, at the end of Mill Lane (at TL 339 376). This was excellent advice and after finding myself a sheltered spot out of the wind, about 200 yards east of the Icknield Way, scanning with the 'scope soon revealed the presence of no less than 3 ringtail HEN HARRIERS. In fact, all three individuals were favouring a strip of setaside just west of the Icknield Way at approximately TL 345 389 and were on view throughout my observation period over an hour mid afternoon. All three birds appeared to be juveniles, with varying amounts of heavy streaking on the underparts, ranging from light ginger to quite warm rufous. I concentrated on the outer primaries with all three individuals exhibiting FIVE fingered primaries - and therefore eliminating the possibility of being Pallid Harriers (of which 35 or more have appeared in Britain this autumn and over 300 in Scandinavia). All three birds had a broad wing structure, were quite heavy in terms of flight (not agile and light) and were long-tailed. They were invariably marked on both the upperparts and upper tail, with one bird having a reasonably noticeable greater covert/forewing patch and the other two much less so. The feathers of the mantle were noticeably pale fringed, with all three having well marked facial patterns and warm basal colour to the underparts. One bird that I saw better when walking down the Icknield Way did appear to have some paleness in the iride and was therefore likely to be a juvenile male. This bird like the others had a lot of warmth in the upper tail and a narrow buffish border to the tail tip.

I have never before seen three Hen Harriers in the county at one given time and knowing the scarcity of this raptor in Britain nowadays, this was a real treat indeed. Of course, they represented my first in the year in the county.

Walking this area produced a lot of birds: just over 100 Eurasian Skylarks in stubble east of Park Farm and a large covey of 23 GREY PARTRIDGES there; 240 lapwings, 38 European Golden Plovers and 4 Red Kites; also a nice Red Fox.

North of Hill Farm in Therfield, the FALLOW DEER herd numbered 122, including 5 stags and a number of fawn coloured individuals and one white marker animal.

A flock of 22 Chaffinches and 5 Yellowhammers were near North End but searching Deadman Hill and then the Wallington Road, failed as usual to yield any Merlin sightings (nor any Short-eared Owls surprisingly). Five more Red Kites were seen.

I also recorded 6 more GREY PARTRIDGES near Lannock Hill south of Baldock at TL 310 243

SHORT-EARED OWL at Tyttenhanger

2011-12-04T18:56:00.001Z

This morning RBA reported a SHORT-EARED OWL at Tyttenhanger at 9:30. I wasn't able to go down straight away, so I decided to go down at dusk. This proved a good move, as the owl appeared over the sheep field just after 4pm, and showed well for about 10 minutes. It flew mainly over the area between the main pit and the hedge across the field (David Booth)

HEN HARRIER and SHORT-EAREDS

2011-11-30T17:38:00.001Z

In the east of the county, up to 6 SHORT-EARED OWLS and a ringtail HEN HARRIER were today in fields between Kelshall/Therfield Heath and Sandon's Deadman's Hill

Today's Sightings

2011-11-30T15:55:00.002Z

The single first-winter TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE remains at Tyttenhanger GP, along with the 2 WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and 4 Greylag Geese (per Steve Blake)

Also, the first-winter LITTLE GULL is reportedly still at Hilfield Park Reservoir (per RBA)

LITTLE GULL at Hilfield Park Reservoir

2011-11-29T13:29:00.001Z

There is an unconfirmed report of a first-winter LITTLE GULL at Hilfield Park Reservoir this afternoon.........

TUNDRA BEAN still there

2011-11-29T13:25:00.000Z

The first-winter Tundra Bean Goose and 2 Eurasian White-fronted Goose were still on the sand spit this morning, although while I was there the Bean Goose took flight twice. The first time it flew southward at 9:25 and returned at 9:45, and again at 10:50. When I left at 11:30 it did not appear to have returned and on a last scan of the sand, the White-fronts and Greylags could not be seen.

This does not necessarily mean that they have moved on, as they have been seen feeding in the 'cow' fields at the back of Willows Farm car park. Also seen today - Dunlin, Snipe, 26 flyover Golden Plover and a Peregrine Falcon scattering everything (Steve Blake).

More from Tyttenhanger

2011-11-27T20:51:00.001Z

A circuit of Tyttenhanger GP today produced 10 Lesser Redpoll in Garden Wood behind the hide, and the Tundra Bean Goose and two Eurasian White-fronts out on the silt. Some photos attached above (Alan Reynolds).

TUNDRA BEAN still

2011-11-27T20:44:00.001Z

The first-winter TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE remained with the two WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at Tyttenhanger today

Today's first-winter TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE at Tyttenhanger - some superb images from Mike Ilett

2011-11-26T17:29:00.002Z

TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE at Tyttenhanger

2011-11-26T15:38:00.000Z

SATURDAY 26 NOVEMBER

A very blustery morning with a strong SW wind blowing. Temperatures were pegged back to 11 degrees C, with cloudy conditions prevailing......

TYTTENHANGER GP (HERTS)

At around 1050 hours, I received a phone call from Steve Blake informing me of a 'Bean Goose' at Tyttenhanger. It had just arrived and was 'jittery'

Being an excellent county bird, I jumped in the car and just as I was arriving on site some 23 minutes later, Steve phoned again to say that the bird had just that minute flown off high south (at 1115 hours). I was mightily cheesed off, as the section of M25 between Junctions 21 and 22 inevitably and repeatedly cost me valuable minutes with the continuing roadworks. As it was, I decided to drive around to the northern entrance to the pits and as I was doing so, Steve phones again with the news that the bird has flown back on to the pit !

I was particularly pleased therefore to see it still present as I 'scoped from the first 'bridge'. I then walked around to the farm to get better views. I joined the finders (Steve Blake, Ricky Flesher and Steve Pearce) as well as Graham Knight and Phil Rhodes (and later to be joined by Mike Ilett and Robin Pearson). The bird was loosely associating with the other geese present on the pit - 40 Atlantic Canada Geese and the two - an adult and juvenile - EURASIAN WHITE-FRONTED GEESE - and after swimming on the water for 20 minutes or more eventually climbed out on to the sand spit and started preening and then sleeping. The views were excellent and both Steve Blake and Mike Ilett obtained some excellent photographs and video footage (to be published later).

The bird with its thick, dark, short neck and relatively short, stumpy bill was an obvious TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE. This bird, unlike the family party I saw at Cainhoe last weekend, had only a limited amount of orange on the bill, restricted to a thin line towards the tip of the bill. The legs and feet were dull orange whilst the flanks were uniform and upperwings boldly fringed with thite. The most distinct white edges were on the tips of the secondaries and the greater coverts whilst the others were more subdued and less white in appearance. The bird was a first-winter.

It roosted on the sand for some time, occasionally taking on a more alert posture, before returning to the water but for no apparent reason, flew off again south at 1237 hours. I watched it fly over the wood and then drop down, seemingly on the farm reservoir south of Coursers Lane. Allan Stewart and I later went over there but just as we did, a shooting party arrived, and consequently Ian Williams picked it up returning once more to the main pit at 1340 hours. It was still on the main pit when I departed the site some 15 minutes later.

Bean Geese are rare vagrants to Hertfordshire with just nine previous records involving 40 individuals. At least one of these was believed to be an escape -:

1) A party of 15 were seen near Royston on 15 January 1881;
2) One was shot in Munden Park, Watford, during the winter of 1890/91;
3) Two were noted in the Colne Valley at Maple Cross on 16 February 1979;
4) A bird of somewhat suspect origin was at Hooks Marsh, Cheshunt, from 31 March and 2 May 1981; what was presumably the same bird was seen at Rye Meads on 9 May 1983 and again in the Lee Valley during February to April 1986 before returning to Amwell from 10 March to 20 May 1991 and 5 January to 17 May 1992;
5) Two were reported at Maple Cross on 24 February 1984 but were considered by the observer to be feral birds;
6) One remained with Canada Geese at Wilstone Reservoir from 9 February to 23 March 1985;
7) Two Tundra Bean Geese were at Wilstone Reservoir on 4-5 January 1997;
8) Two adult Tundra Bean Geese visited the HMWT Meadows at Rye Meads RSPB on 2 December 2004
9) A party of 14 Tundra Bean Geese visited Wilstone Reservoir on 26 January and 7 February 2006 but remained in the interim period at neighbouring College Lake BBOWT and surrounding farmland.

In addition to the geese, the pit held 4 Great Crested Grebes and 133 Lapwings, whilst 2 Red Kites and 8 European Golden Plovers flew over; Allan Stewart and I had 12 TREE SPARROWS at the Tyttenhanger Farm Feeding Station

Male HEN HARRIER lingering at Hatfield Aerodrome

2011-11-24T20:08:00.001Z

Here is some more information about this bird. I had met Alan Reynolds in the area as he has kindly agreed to produce a site guide and wished to walk around the area with someone who knows it reasonably well.We followed the public footpath from the Hatfield Road to a point near where there used to be double gates into the airfield from the footpath. When looking around we saw a large raptor about 10m above the ground not far from the fence with the former BT compound along with a substantial number of startled Fieldfares. It was immediately obvious that the bird was a male HEN HARRIER which flew across onto the old airfield at low level and flew towards Hatfield. We watched it for about 10 minutes and then lost it from view. About 30 minutes later it appeared again a little to the north of its original position and the bird flew over the old BT site and climbed to some height before dropping over the hedge onto the airfield again. It must have been within 100m of us at times but unfortunately nether of us had a suitable camera with us to take a record shot.This bird could still be there now as it was clearly hunting over the rougher areas of vegetation. It was easy to see from the public footpath so there is no need move away from this track to see the bird if it is still there (Alan Gardiner)

Kelshall GREAT GREY SHRIKE still in situ

2011-11-21T18:54:00.001Z

GREAT GREY SHRIKE showing well at 14.30 in row of large trees at the bottom of the field opposite the junction at the top of Coombe Road, TL324366 (Roger Millard)

Permissible Footpaths - Beech Farm

2011-11-21T10:40:00.003Z

I have marked in red the permissible footpaths at Beech Farm. Park at Notcutts or thereabouts and follow the trail - the Short-eared Owls being best viewed from the main central track. There is no need nor justification to leave this clearly marked trail. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, HARASS THE OWLS OR DISTURB THEM. They will remain all winter if not disturbed

Beech Farm - unacceptable behaviour

2011-11-21T10:18:00.004Z

Up to 4 SHORT-EARED OWLS are currently wintering at Beech Farm - at the site of the former Hatfield Aerodrome. They are part of a nationwide influx of the species in Britain following an exceptional breeding season due to an explosion of Field Voles. It has come to my attention that these particular owls are being unnecessary hounded, mainly by photographers. This is totally unnecessary and unacceptable. The birds can be perfectly viewed from the maze of public footpaths criss-crossing the common and there is absolutely no need to leave these footpaths. Approaching the birds when they are roosting on the fenceposts is intolerable and unnecessary hounding. We want these birds to remain all winter so please adhere to viewing instructions.

And more wintering SHORT-EARED OWLS.....

2011-11-20T16:25:00.001Z

Two or probably 3 SHORT-EARED OWLS around Deadman's Hill, Sandon, from the green gate about 15:45 this afternoon. Two were distant and flying high - almost soaring, one was down on the feeder on the set-aside. After, I had some cracking views of one near the gate of the first house on the right as it got dark. The owl then flew along the road and back past me at about 3m distance. I was standing out of the car, but it appeared unconcerned (Rob Davies)

SHORT-EARED OWL evening spectacular

2011-11-18T22:15:00.001Z

FRIDAY 18 NOVEMBER - LGRE DIARY NOTES

A much cooler day than of late with SSE winds pegging temperatures back. A dry day though, and fairly bright......

CALDECOTTE LAKES (NORTH BUCKS)

The juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER was still showing very well today, frequenting the extreme NE corner of Caldecotte North Lake. It was diving almost continuously and also ventured out on to the main lake. As both Simon and Ben have already expressed, the bird is particularly photogenic, and swims within 30 feet of the boardwalk.

DIRECTIONS: From the A5, take the H10 Bletcham Way eastwards. Just after the Brewer's Fayre pub, take first right on to Monellan Grove. Within a few yards, turn left on to Caldecotte Lane and then left again on to Wadesmill Lane. This road takes you under the Walton Park underpass and after about 150 yards turn left in to Chase Avenue. Continue on until Redcote Manor cul-de-sac appears on your left and park sensibly as you come across the bay.

This was the first time I had ever visited this particular part of the lake and I was impressed by the number of waterbirds present - 6 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Mute Swans (2 first-winters), 38 Mallard, 5 Gadwall, 13 Tufted Duck, 28 Coot, 1 Grey Heron and a COMMON KINGFISHER.....

Allan Stewart and I then checked Caldecotte South Lake where a further 8 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Mute Swans (including family party of 6) and 83 Coot were noted.

LINFORD NATURE RESERVE (NORTH BUCKS)

Following up on a report, Allan and I visited the Woodland Hide at Linford Reserve. In the 45 minutes that we were present, a procession of Great and Blue Tits visited the two feeders consistently. There were also 3 black-capped tits visiting throughout, including two pale cutting-edged MARSH TITS and what appeared to be a WILLOW TIT. All three birds were typically vocal, the apparent Willow Tit making the nasal call most frequently associated with that species. It was also very bull-necked in appearance, with the black extending slightly further back on to the hindneck, the white cheeks contrasting with the warmth of the head and the sides and flanks very richly coloured. The black bib was more extensive and patchy and the crown colour more drab and plain. The wing panel however was very ill-defined and difficult to see.

The Woodland Hide also yielded 4 Bullfinches, 30 Fieldfares, 28 Redwings and 2 Song Thrushes, whilst Black Horse Lake held 9 Great Crested Grebes and Linford Lake 14 Little Grebe (all in one flock), 54 Mute Swans and 62 Common Teal on the pool by the Swans Way.

STOKE GOLDINGTON, GAYHURST MANOR AND LITTLE LINFORD AREA (NORTH BUCKS)

We had a good look round for Tree Sparrows but failed to locate any and likewise failed in our quest to locate the Great White Egret......

However, driving down the track towards Gayhurst Manor, we were surprised to find a COMMON RAVEN 'guarding' the road and gathering horse hair in its beak. Surely it was not nesting already. Anyway, as we approached, it cronked a couple of times and then flew off in the direction of this spring's nest. The same pony fields yielded 40 Meadow Pipits and 15 Pied Wagtails.

Little Linford Wood was devoid of any maize crop and consequently any Tree Sparrows or farmland birds but 5 Fieldfare were noted.

At SP 850 440, the large lake to the west of the M1 held 42 Mute Swans.

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

Nothing new had arrived - in fact the adult Eurasian White-front had departed.

The juvenile DARK-BELLIED BRENT was still in the usual field adjacent to Rushy Meadow, the family party of 4 BEWICK'S SWANS in the isolated pool in the NW corner by the Black Poplars and 3 Little Grebes, 65 Greylag Geese, 2 drake PINTAIL, the female RED-CRESTED POCHARD and 5 COMMON GOLDENEYE on the main reservoir.

BEECH FARM FIELDS, FORMER HATFIELD AERODROME SITE (HERTS)

A splendid performance by up to 4 SHORT-EARED OWLS at dusk, including 3 typically pale individuals and a single darker bird. Also no less than 6,500 Jackdaws flew noisily in to roost - this being one of the largest roosts of this species in Britain

SHORT-EARED OWLS at Beech Farm - ALAN REYNOLDS

2011-11-16T22:53:00.003Z

Swooping down after prey, Alan Reynolds captures one of the 2 Beech Farm SHORT-EARED OWLS on film

WHITE-FRONT at Tyttenhanger - and SHORT-EARED OWLS still present nearby

2011-11-16T16:22:00.001Z

At 2 pm I visited Tyttenhanger to try and see the Tree Sparrows but unfortunately there was no sign of them in the hedge by the maize strip, just 1 Yellowhammer and 1 Reed Bunting of note (but 25 Red-legs in the neighbouring field). I decided to scope the pit from the high vantage point here, and quickly found 5 grey geese in the marshy area on the right. 4 of these were Greylags, but I was delighted to find that one of them was a White-fronted Goose. The sun was already quite low and was giving the birds a rather soft/colourful tint, but I must admit that I thought the bill of the White-front was rather orange (and not pinkish like the bird I saw yesterday at Wilstone), and it also had quite heavy stomach barring. This made me think it might possibly have been a Greenland... but on speaking to Lee by phone and realising how exceptionally rare a Greenland Wh-fr would be in Herts, I'm sure in retrospect it will prove to be a European White-front and the low light was playing tricks, making the bill appear more orange-ish than it really was. But a great bird all the same, and I was really pleased to see it.

I then moved on to Beech Farm / Hatfield Aerodrome area, where from 2.55 onwards, I had great (if brief) views of hunting Short-eared Owls, with about 9 or 10 connections in the next 30 minutes. There were clearly at least 2 birds (1 paler and 1 darker), but I thought there might possibly be three hunting (although I never saw more than 1 at a time). A real pleasure to see these beautiful birds (Jason Chapman).

Other Highlights from Sunday

2011-11-13T17:16:00.001Z

The 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS remain at Beech Farm and the GREAT GREY SHRIKE at Kelshall

BEWICK'S SWANS and DARK-BELLIED BRENT at Wilstone

2011-11-13T17:14:00.001Z

SUNDAY 13 NOVEMBER

Continuing very unseasonally mild (17 degrees C) with long bright periods and light SE winds......

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

Undoubted highlight today were a herd of 10 BEWICK'S SWANS (7 adults, 3 juveniles) which arrived from the east over College Lake (Paul Reed) before eventually settling close to the Drayton Bank on Wilstone at 0945 hours (Steve Rodwell et al). Dave Bilcock and I managed to see them shortly later, all 10 still present at 1015 hours. In fact, Ian Bennell and Dave Hutchinson saw them much later, DH obtaining the nice images above....

Otherwise, it was the same as yesterday, with the juvenile DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE still feeding in the grass field just west of Rushy Meadow

........And finally a DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE

2011-11-12T18:40:00.001Z

SATURDAY 12 NOVEMBER

At first thing this morning, the Chiltern area was bathed in a blanket of dense fog. This has followed some intense rain overnight. Winds were once again in the SE, fairly light and warm. At around 0930 hours, the fog started to lift and giving way to bright periods.

It was another eventful day on the local birding front with some excellent birds being found. Before I had even left the house, Steve Heath had watched 4 Common Cranes fly NE over Southill, and whilst mapping out my route for the day, Roy Hargreaves did it for me by finding a DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE.......

CHESS VALLEY, BOIS MILL (BUCKS)

A single LITTLE EGRET was present as I drove past

TRING RESERVOIRS (HERTFORDSHIRE)
(0945-1300 hours)

I parked up at Drayton Beauchamp bridge at 0945 hours and walked eastwards along the canal towpath. I could see the Brent almost immediately but obtained the best views after walking 250 yards along. The bird, a rather tired-looking juvenile DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE, was feeding on the grass in the large field adjacent to Rushy Meadow, two fields north of the Dry Canal. It was less than 40 yards from Buckinghamshire! For some of the time, it stood up and fed, but in the main, sat down and munched voraciously on the blades of grass. It was very alert though, always keeping an eye on people, dogwalkers and the odd Common Buzzard flying over. It also got quite spooked when a Black-headed Gull landed next to it and snatched some grubs from the ground. With its indistinct off-white neckring, pale mantle and clear-cut wing-bars, it could easily be aged as a juvenile.

In the 90 minutes that I stood there watching it from the canal (and beckoning it over the border), just 6 birders came and went - RH, Chaz Jackson, Mike Campbell, Francis Buckle, Ian Williams and David Bilcock - Dave of course obtaining the two images published above. A welcome Herts Yeartick considering how many have passed through the London Area this past week.

The fields either side of the Dry Canal were surprisingly plentiful in farmland species, with a flock of 60 Fieldfare noted, 3 Mistle Thrush, 4 Bullfinch, 8 Yellowhammer, 25 Meadow Pipit, 9 Linnet, 30 Goldfinch and 27 Skylark. A Sparrowhawk also whizzed through.

A comprehensive check of WILSTONE RESERVOIR failed once again to yield any sign of Steve Blake's Thursday Twite. The rollcall included 30 Mute Swans, the 2 adult Whooper Swans, 65 Greylag Geese, 4 Gadwall, 238 Eurasian Wigeon, 90 Common Teal, 65 Shoveler and 92 Northern Pochard and highlighted in 5 NORTHERN PINTAILS (2 adult drakes, a first-winter drake and 2 females), a RED-CRESTED POCHARD, 5 female COMMON GOLDENEYE, 411 European Golden Plovers, a single DUNLIN, 2 Common Snipe and the wintering WATER PIPIT.

The neighbouring reservoirs were at the lowest water levels in decades, with Marsworth even now falling dramatically. TRINGFORD RESERVOIR held 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, several Teal and Shoveler and 28 Tufted Duck, whilst STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR produced 14 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swans, 14 Canada Geese, 5 Gadwall, 65 Teal, 15 Pochard, 11 Shoveler and 3 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS (1 adult drake, 1 adult female and a first-winter female).

MARSWORTH RESERVOIR added 4 Great Crested Grebes, a single Mute Swan, 27 Shoveler and 4 WATER RAILS feeding in the open on the mud; a Wren was in full song.

BROGBOROUGH LAKE (BEDFORDSHIRE)

Although frustratingly unbeknown to me I drove past a flock of 15 Pintail at Grovebury Pit (perhaps the largest county flock in over two decades), Brogborough Lake did not disappoint. Joining Bob Chalkley on the bank in front of the windsurfing centre at the east end, the two of us very quickly latched on to the 3 BLACK-NECKED GREBES found earlier by Neil Wright. They were in amongst a large raft of Coot. Somewhat surprisingly, they constituted the first in the county this year and represented my 188th county species of 2011. Initially, they were visible about half way down the lake but as a shooting party arrived on the north shore and started blasting Mallards on the water to death, virtually every bird on the lake became unsettled.

Minutes earlier, as I started to count the Coot flock, I was somewhat surprised to see a juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER surface in my 'scope view - another first for the year. This bird proceeded to swim towards the east end of the pit, affording both Bob and I some excellent views. Unlike some individuals, it dived and surfaced after a relatively short space of time and was initially easy to keep on. Literally seconds before the shooting began, Lol Carman waltzed up and managed a couple of views in my 'scope but then we lost it for some time, BC eventually relocating it down the southern flank of the lake. It was then seen on and off throughout the afternoon and was still there when I left the site at 1445 hours.

After eventually finishing the Coot count (256 birds incidentally), I concentrated on counting the other wildfowl present on the lake, including 13 Great Crested Grebes, 117 Tufted Duck, 198 Northern Pochard, a pair of RED-CRESTED POCHARD and 9 COMMON GOLDENEYE (including 3 drakes).

BROOM (BEDFORDSHIRE)

Gypsy Lane Pits yielded 230 Greylag Geese and a single Barnacle Goose but it wasn't until I spoke with SCB that I realised that the geese I had driven over to see were not with them. In fact, the party of 10 EUROPEAN WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were sitting in the large grassy field immediately east of the G & M Growers site to the north of the main road. They comprised a family party of 2 adults and 8 juveniles - the largest single brood of White-fronts I have ever seen in the UK. The same field also harboured a covey of 10 GREY PARTRIDGES

Local Mega - TWITE at Wilstone

2011-11-10T20:41:00.000Z

THURSDAY 10 NOVEMBER

It was another mild day today with the wind still blowing from the south. It was also fairly misty first thing before the sun shone through, giving way to clearer skies

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

With CDRH phoning me on a daily basis with 'another' batch of Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Queen Mother Reservoir, I visited Wilstone in the hope that one may have made landfall there, particularly as Herts has been largely devoid of this species in 2011. As suspected, there were none, and in fact virtually nothing different from what has been there on recent days.....

The WATER PIPIT was still present in the bay just to the north of the jetty, as well as the party of 10 Meadow Pipits - and with them was what I assumed to be the single Linnet noted on previous occasions and first recorded on 24 October. I had heard it fly around with the pipits and casually glanced at it with the naked eye but had not actually looked at it in the bins' or 'scope. I was therefore mightily annoyed when Steve Blake rang not long after I had departed to say that he was watching a single TWITE ! If only I had not assumed that it was the long-staying Linnet and actually followed it up.

Frustratingly, the most frequently uttered call-notes of Twite are those most readily confused with Linnet and those sweet sounds uttered which actually gave this species its name are in the minority, especially outside of summer and the breeding grounds - and hence why I never picked up on its significance. A lesson truly learned

Steve kept on the Twite for several minutes, as it loosely associated with the Meadow Pipit flock close to the jetty on the east bank. On the deck, it kept largely to itself - preferring to feed on the emergent weedy vegetation higher up the 'beach' whilst the pipits mainly kept to the mud. As I was talking Steve through various pointers, the bird suddenly took flight. It called several times again and was then lost from view - the entire flock disappearing out into the fields of Cemetery Corner. Despite a long vigil, it was not seen again, nor the Meadow Pipit flock.

An excellent record Steve but I am hugely frustrated at overlooking it. Just goes to show that single birds can be replaced in exactly the same location and in exactly the same circumstances.....

COMMON SCOTER at last-knockings

2011-11-09T19:37:00.000Z

WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER (LGRE DIARY NOTES)

Yet another unseasonally mild day, with temperatures reaching 13 degrees C. Although very grey and misty throughout much of the morning, the freshening southerly winds cleared the skies during the afternoon, allowing blue sky and sunny periods to prevail......

November has proved to be particularly exciting in the Home Counties with new birds turning up almost daily. Today was no exception......

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD TOWN CENTRE (HERTS)

The adult female PEREGRINE was roosting on the BT building this morning, whilst the Feral Pigeon population numbered at least 370 birds

MILLBROOK PILLINGE PIT, MARSTON VALE COUNTRY PARK (BEDFORDSHIRE)

Barry Nightingale discovered a first-year RED-BREASTED MERGANSER late morning on the Pillinge Pit and within the hour, MJP, Lol, Bob Chalkley and others had connected. Due to commitments, I was not able to get to the site until 1400 hours, but thankfully it was still present - and showing well roughly about half way down the pit. It was diving continuously and with its spiky crest and relatively dull bare part colouration was most likely a bird of the year (the upperwing pattern was not seen to be sure of its ageing).. The bird was still present at 1500 hours.

Large numbers of roosting gulls were present on the pit, including several Common and Great Black-backed Gulls, whilst other species noted included Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 6 Mute Swans, 6 Gadwall, 7 Wigeon and 11 Tufted Ducks.

BROGBOROUGH LAKE (BEDFORDSHIRE)

Again, thanks to Roy Nye, I 'gripped back' SLAVONIAN GREBE, after being away in spring when the dapper summer-plumaged adult visited Priory Country Park. The bird was showing very well at the SE end of the lake and could easily be viewed from the Windsurfing Centre and represented my 187th species in the county this year - far and away my best personal year.

Also present at 1540 hours were 4 Little Grebes, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 222 Tufted Ducks, 74 Northern Pochards and the two female COMMON GOLDENEYES

HILFIELD PARK RESERVOIR (HERTFORDSHIRE)

Making a hasty retreat from Brogborough, I retraced my steps back down the roadwork-ridden M1 and made my way down to Hilfield Park Reservoir, where another county Year-Tick was lying in wait. Thankfully, it was a well-lit and clear evening, and dodging both JT and Derek Turner on the dam, I was able to enjoy great views of the female-type COMMON SCOTER at the aerodrome end of the reservoir. It remained until dusk and represented my 165th species in the county this year. There has been just one brief record at Wilstone Reservoir this year.

It is interesting to compare the fortunes of the Home Counties in 2011 - Bedfordshire is leagues ahead on 200 species, with Buckinghamshire on 189 and Hertfordshire just 1 behind on 188.

An influx of SHORT-EARED OWLS.........and a COMMON SCOTER

2011-11-09T19:01:00.002Z

Three SHORT-EARED OWLS were discovered this evening - two at Beech Farm and another at Elstree Aerodrome

Meanwhile, a COMMON SCOTER was present until dusk at Hilfield Park Reservoir

The GREAT GREY SHRIKE remains at Kelshall at the top of Coombe Road

Alan Reynold's sees the SNOW BUNTING in Herts!

2011-11-07T20:59:00.001Z

Sunday: I stated that the Snow Bunting had flown towards the silos. In fact it had flown over the silos at which point I lost interest because, as far as I was concerned, it had gone.

Since then I have checked and the silos are in Hertfordshire. This has now been confirmed by Mike Harris who has local knowledge. So it is now a Herts tick. I won't be sending in a description, just a photograph (see above). It certainly was very confiding

John Slee, the doughnuts are on me!! (Alan Reynolds)

Just 200 yards out of county - Stortford SNOW BUNTING

2011-11-07T20:43:00.002Z

A SNOW BUNTING is present for a third day near Bishop's Stortford, just 200 yards over the county border in Essex.

DIRECTIONS: .On the Stortford bypass, head w along the A120 toward Hadhams and then take your first right, a farm track that leads down to an underpass where you can park. Walk North along Hadham Lodge footpath, following the east edge of the wood until you reach the NE corner where you can set off east along an exposed path to Wickam Hall where the bird is feeding 60 yards before you hit the hedgerow (Graeme Smith)

Today's Highlights

2011-11-05T19:29:00.003Z

The Kelshall Coombe Road GREAT GREY SHRIKE was still present today (Ray Hooper, Mike Ilett, Brendan Glynn, et al), with a GREY PLOVER briefly in flight over Wilstone Reservoir (Dave Bilcock).

There were no reports of the Eastern Crowned Warbler today in the scrub and trees in the SE corner (200m from the hide) so I am assuming it may now have at last gone

GGS still present

2011-11-02T15:48:00.002Z

The GREAT GREY SHRIKE was still present east of the Coombe Road this morning (several observers) whilst the adult female PEREGRINE pictured above (Dan Forder) was roosting this afternoon on its usual perch in Hemel Hempstead town centre (LGRE)

Meanwhile, Barry Reed saw a WATER PIPIT at Amwell NR yesterday afternoon.

Frustrating warbler

2011-11-01T20:45:00.002Z

TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER

Spent a lot of time at Hilfield Park Reservoir today but difficult viewing and with putative CCTV on site, one has to be careful at which point you enter. There was the odd person inside, mainly looking in just one area, but the bird is mobile and seemingly, often on its own. At one stage it would have been viewable from the perimeter fence, about 75 yards along from the main airport hangar and 50 yards from the white airport buildings. There is still so much foliage on the trees that getting full views of any of the smaller birds in there is extremely difficult. Its favoured place does seem to be a line of coniferous trees not that far from the viewing platform.

Apparently Joan Thompson is in charge of proceedings and allowing access when she is in there; contact her on 07773 910 384. She was certainly in there today and yesterday but I don't know if she has actually seen the bird.

GREAT GREY SHRIKE

2011-11-01T16:26:00.002Z

This Kelshall GREAT GREY SHRIKE was still present today, showing intermittently about 300 yards east of the top of Coombe Road. Simon West managed this series of distant images as we stood together yesterday morning..........

EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER

2011-11-01T16:10:00.003Z

The EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER remains for a third day at Hilfield Park Reservoir, frequenting tall conifers at the eastern (airfield) side of the reservoir. Access is for HMWT members only or by special invitation.

Despite my dip yesterday, Darrel connects with the MERLIN

2011-11-01T15:40:00.002Z

Along with Dave Beer and Steve Lane, went searching for the Great Grey Shrike this morning.We spent 2 hours on site but to no avail.We did however have 2 Common Crossbills flyover calling , followed shortly by 12 Lesser Redpolls. Also a nice Red Kite seen from Coombe Road.

We then drove the short distance to Wallington and parked up by the gates , from where the Quail were viewed a couple of years ago. As soon as we got out of the car we noticed a small raptor at around 100 yards range in the bare field on the opposite side of the road. Indeed it was the MERLIN that has been in the area for the past couple of weeks. It gave great scope views for approx 5 minutes at around 12.30 when it flew to the opposite side of the road. The bird stayed grounded for a further 5 minutes and also clashed with a Kestrel, before returning to settle. The bird eventually flew over towards the radio masts until lost out of view (Darrel Bryant)

A Day Out in East Herts (LGRE)

2011-10-31T18:16:00.000Z

MONDAY 31 OCTOBER

The unseasonal mild weather continued today with warm southerly winds and intermittent light drizzle. I spent a very enjoyable day in East Herts, adding two new species to my 2011 Herts Year List.....

KELSHALL, SANDON AND WALLINGTON AREAS (HERTS)

I started off on the Coombe Road, just NW of Kelshall, joining Simon West in the tiny layby at TL 322 372. After scanning to the east of the road, we soon located the GREAT GREY SHRIKE present for its third day, frequenting the fenceline and isolated bushes about 250 yards away to the east at about TL 325 374. It perched aloft the top of the bushes on numerous occasions, as well as the fenceposts, and appeared to be an adult, with a slight salmon-pink flush to the breast at times. It remained on view for several hours but generally kept distantly from the road.

Despite a lot of scanning from here and other sites in the area, I did not locate the Hen Harrier seen on both days of the weekend. Three Red Kites were seen from here, 4 Common Buzzards, 5 Common Kestrels, no less than 850 Woodpigeons, 4 GREY PARTRIDGES, 35 Red-legged Partridges, 8 Yellowhammers and a single COMMON RAVEN.

The Fallow Deer herd numbered 29 (including 2 Stags), with Brown Hares an impressive 54.

Moving around to the fields at Deadman's Hill (TL 296 367), one particular field to the south of the road was highly productive. An exceptional flock of 3,600 Common Starlings was feeding, along with a further 363 Woodpigeons, 127 Lapwing, 15 Linnet and several Stock Doves. An additional 7 Brown Hares were also present, whilst over the main ridge, soaring birds included 8 Common Buzzards and 6 Red Kites. A pair of COMMON RAVENS spent some time hanging in the air and later taunted a fine adult male PEREGRINE, this bird missing a couple of inner secondaries on the left wing.

Just in from the A505 at TL 294 375, a covey of 13 GREY PARTRIDGE was present and showing well.

I then drove around to the Wallington Road where in fields opposite Lodge Farm, a flock of 96 Linnets was encountered. I then came across three guys slowly walking across a crop field north of Wheat Hill Farm. Each observer was holding a bird of prey on their arm - an adult Harris's Hawk, a juvenile Harris's Hawk and an adult female Northern Goshawk. They seemed to be training the birds to hunt and as they came across a cowering Rabbit or Brown Hare, they released the birds to chase the prey. I watched them do this on 15 separate occasions - twice successfully - and on seeing two Brown Hares killed, I contacted the Hertfordshire Wildlife Liaison Officer to see if any offence had been committed. I had always been of the opinion that Brown Hares were a protected species but I was wrong. Provided the three guys had the landowner's permission (which we subsequently found had been granted), then what they were doing with the birds was legal. Keeping an eye on them for the best part of two hours did reap benefits however - the three flushing up an excellent SHORT-EARED OWL for me, which flew towards me and spent several minutes flying up and down the roadside hedgerow.

I eventually ended up on the Wallington road off of the A505 roundabout where Alan Reynolds and his son had seen a Merlin on two occasions. I quickly found the hay bales but frustratingly first a Common Buzzard and then a juvenile female Sparrowhawk were the only raptor species using them this afternoon. A flock of 42 European Golden Plover was in the fields and yet another covey of 14 GREY PARTRIDGES

EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER at Hilfield

2011-10-30T22:09:00.000Z

Incredulously, ringers at Hilfield Park Reservoir this morning trapped and ringed an EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER along the ringing ride beneath the conifers on the airfield side of the reservoir - the second record for Britain of this dazzling Sibe. Although misidentifying it as a Yellow-browed Warbler, it was released in bushes close to the entrance to the site, before disappearing into the tract of woodland behind the houses. Joan Thompson was quickly informed of the trapping and she took it upon herself to contact a few trusted friends that would not circulate the news more widely. Sadly, despite me driving her the length and breadth of the country, my name was not on the Selective Invitation List and it was left to another observer to ring me on her behalf. Apparently, she is under threat of being banished forever if she makes one murmur to LGRE about Rare and Scarce Birds at Hilfield - they are all to be STRICTLY SUPPRESSED. After I phoned news in to RBA of this colossal mistake, 20 or so birders turned up to have a look for the bird, but there was no sign. I shall have a comprehensive search for it tomorrow and place it on RBA immediately if lucky

GREAT GREY SHRIKE: Details

2011-10-30T00:37:00.000+01:00

Sighting was from top of coombe road in small layby. I had just pulled up along with another birder (Eric Fairey) and a chap and his wife were looking from there in their car. He introduced himself as Eric Thompson, a Norfolk birder, seemed to know his stuff, Anyway he got us onto the bird sitting on fence posts and on the top of isolated small trees. I managed to scope the bird and got really good views as did Mr Fairey.I lost the bird from view whilst submitting the news and it hadn't been relocated by the time I left, but two other birders had turned up just as I was leaving. I had a call later to say Hen Harrier was also seen from there (Ray Hooper)

GREAT GREY SHRIKE, HEN HARRIER and MERLIN in East Herts

2011-10-30T00:33:00.003+01:00

Saturday: At the Coombe Road, Kelshall, this afternoon, a few lucky observers enjoyed views of both a hedgerow GREAT GREY SHRIKE and a quartering ringtail HEN HARRIER, whilst nearby, the juvenile MERLIN was still in the Deadman Hill area

MERLIN ar Deadman Hill still

2011-10-23T18:46:00.001+01:00

Saw Alan Eeynold's MERLIN at Deadmans Hill, hunting over the fields south east of the green gate this morning. About 80 Golden Plover north of Wallington, with at least 70 Lapwing, though also saw small Lapwing flocks all over the area (per HBC)

COMMON SCOTER at Wilstone (briefly)

2011-10-16T22:29:00.003+01:00

This adult drake COMMON SCOTER was present at Wilstone Reservoir for about 40 minutes today, before relocating to the main lake at College Lake BBOWT (photograph by kind courtesy of Dave Bilcock)

MERLIN at Deadmans Hill

2011-10-16T22:27:00.000+01:00

I thought I would spend a couple of hours sunbathing at Deadman's Hill this afternoon. All the usual suspects - Buzzards, Red Kites, Kestrels, Sparrowhawk, Sky Larks and Linnets. I thought I would finish off with a quick visit to the Quail site on the Wallington Road.

The two fields either side of the farm track are now ploughed and resown, and a quick scan round revealed a small bird of prey sitting on what appeared to be a small patch of gravel in one of the fields. The range was 300-400 metres so stretching it a bit far for even a telsecope but it looked interesting. I made my way up the track and got close enough, albeit 200+ metres, to see it was indeed a MERLIN.

It had bold bars running down the chest and underparts, a dark brown back, a rather indistict moustachial stripe but a distinct eye stripe. I went back to the car to get my camera to hopefully get a record shot but when I turned round it had flown. I eventually found it perched in the other ploughed field. I walked round the edge of the field to get the sun behind me and managed to a get a few shots from about 250 metres. At this point it flew showing the pointed wings and rapid shallow wing beats with only one glide.Based on size I would be confident that it was a female and according to Forsman (thanks to Mike Harris for this information) the rufous tinge to the lower end of the underparts indicates a fresh juvenile (Alan Reynolds)

KNOT on second attempt

2011-10-12T19:58:00.001+01:00

WEDNESDAY 12 OCTOBER

A warm day but dominated by spells of light drizzle moving through.......

AMWELL NATURE RESERVE (HERTS)

After failing to locate the Amwell RED KNOT during my visit yesterday afternoon, I returned today after receiving confirmation from Barry Reed and Alan Reynolds that it was still present.....

Although nowhere to be found again on my arrival, it flew in from the south at 1620 hours and landed on the small stony island north of the main wooded island and afforded excellent views from the Tom Gladwin Hide. It quickly began feeding and appeared to be a juvenile and remained in view for at least 20 minutes. After missing the 20-strong flock at Wilstone this autumn, this was awelcome addition to the county year list........

The late COMMON SANDPIPER was still present at the north end, as well as a GREEN SANDPIPER

WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

The two SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPITS found by Chaz Jackson and Steve Rodwell at the weekend were both still showing well this evening - on the edge of the spit about 75 yards out from the jetty (see Dave Bilcock's image above).

This SE lagoon was also littered with birdlife feasting on the emergent vegetation, including 696 Coot, 328 Wigeon, 230 Teal, 24 Gadwall, 118 Shoveler and 4 NORTHERN PINTAILS (2 adult drakes), whilst elsewhere on the reservoir were 37 Mute Swans (a pair with 4 first-years being new), 311 Lapwings and 116 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVERS.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)

There was no sign of the first-winter LITTLE GULL of the past four days (see Dave Hutchinson's excellent shots) but 9 Great Crested Grebes and 22 raft-roosting Pied Wagtails were of note

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

Whist away on Scilly, local highlights included juvenile ARCTIC TERNS at Little Marlow GP (7-11) and at Wilstone briefly (8th), a COMMON GREENSHANK briefly at Little Marlow, both the RED KNOT and a RUFF at Amwell NR, at least 4 different local Peregrines and the first real influx of autumn Redwings on the Hills.

Large roost gathering of RED KITES east of the county

2011-10-05T20:10:00.000+01:00

Between 18:20 and 18:30 this evening there was a large gathering of Red Kites over Stubbocks Wood (TL138239) and Furzen Wood (TL140243), either side of Lilley Bottom to the north-east of Tea Green. I counted at least 21 Red Kites low over Stubbocks Wood. They seemed to be moving towards the south-western end of the wood but I did not see any birds drop into the wood. At the same time there was a group of 15 circling at varying heights above Furzen Wood (TL140243). At one point I thought these birds were going to fly across the fields and join the birds above Stubbocks Wood but they continued circling over Furzen Wood. I noted a similar gathering of 28 Red Kites over Stubbocks Wood on 14 October 2010.

Two Buzzards were also seen flying out of Stubbocks Wood and circling amongst the Red Kites.While all this was going flocks of Jackdaws probably numbering more than 250 in total flew north-west across the fields and over the western part of the wood.

Roger Hicks

RING OUZEL

2011-09-28T19:36:00.002+01:00

The male RING OUZEL was still present on Croxley Common Moor today (see Martin Parr's images above), still frequenting the footpath, grass and scrub about 50 yards along from the main bridge (per Joan Thompson et al).

A juvenile LITTLE STINT was today at Wilstone (along with 9 Pintail) whilst the PEREGRINE was roosting in Hemel Hempstead town centre (LGRE).

RING OUZEL

2011-09-26T21:49:00.000+01:00

The male RING OUZEL was putting on a fine performance during my visit. Although it initially flew back to the thick scrub on the opposite side of the river at my arrival, it was soon flushed back by a passing jogger. It chacked several times before landing back on the footpath just 50 yards from the main entrance gate and bridge. Ducking down out of view, I was then able to observe the bird at close range for quite some time. It was an adult male in autumn plumage, still harbouring its bold white breast horseshoe, some of the breast scaling and the striking paleness in the wings. It fed out in the open for at least 15 minutes, gradually hopping further and further out on to the moor. A great bird and a welcome late addition to the County Year List.......

A GARDEN WARBLER also showed in an adjacent Elderberry bush, whilst 7 RING-NECKED PARAKEETS flew noisily over towards Croxley Green, a LITTLE EGRET was by the bridge and a Grey Wagtail.............