Saturday, 29 August 2009

WHINCHATS at Tyttenhanger

2 Northern Wheatears and a WHINCHAT on the fence in the sheep field at the east side of Tyttenhanger Main Pit (Steve Blake et al)

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT still present Friday

King's Meads

Mud now starting to look good but still only 1 BLACK-TAILED GODWIT and 6 Snipe.

Also: 8 Shoveler, 14 Teal, 12 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Wagtail, 25 Goldfinch

Amwell

Water levels still dropping with 3 Common Sandpiper and 1 Green Sandpiper (Alan Reynolds)

RYE MEADS RSPB - THURSDAY

1 RUFF, 1 GARGANEY, 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 12 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler on Thursday (Graham White)

Batford REDSTART still present on Thursday

The male COMMON REDSTART, found by Darin Stanley, was still showing very well at 14:00 in the famous hedge to the east of Batford (at about TL153148) - flycatching in the sunshine on the west side of the hedge, and showing off its plumage at about 40 m distance at times. A very nice bird. This hedge is becoming 'the' spot for Herts Redstarts! (Jason Chapman)

King's Mead 27 August

West Pool at King's Meads is showing some mud at last.

Today (27 August):1 BLACK-TAILED GODWIT still; 6 Common Snipe; 48 Lapwing; 27 Shoveler; 12 Teal (Alan Reynolds)

Thursday, 27 August 2009

REDSTART still

The Batford COMMON REDSTART was still present yesterday evening, as were 4 GARGANEY and the juvenile RUFF at Rye Meads RSPB

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Plagued by Aythya hybrids







An extended session watching from the Wilstone hide this morning, as it was too wet to venture up the hills. There was an increase in the numbers of Tufties and Pochards present. Amongst these was the 'ferruginous' type hybrid which Roy saw last week and presumably that seen by Lee and Steve at Marsworth the following day. Also present was a 'lesser scaup' type, just off the reed bed to the left of the hide (pictures of both birds above)(Dave Bilcock)