TYTTENHANGER - 25 APRIL

COMMON GREENSHANK, Main pit; 2 NORTHERN WHEATEARS far sheep field north of main pit (Steve Blake)

PASSAGE WHIMBREL

Friday 24 April

A WHIMBREL was present at Tyttenhanger GP this morning before flying off east at 1215 (per JT). Later this evening, one was present briefly at Amwell GP (Barry Reed) whilst another flew through Tring Reservoirs mid afternoon (Jonathon Nasir/Ian Williams)

The reeling GRASSHOPPER WARBLER was still showing well on Croxley Common Moor (several observers)

OSPREY still present

WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL

Another fabulously glorious summer's day, with temperatures reaching 21 degrees centigrade. Clear, bright and sunny throughout.

Took a call at 1500 hours from Mike Collard to say that the OSPREY that I had seen early yesterday morning was back at Chenies Bottom again. I rushed down there and five minutes later joined local nature lover Alison Etherington at the bridge. I scanned the Mill Farm Water Meadows and high over the River Chess, overflying Sarratt Bottom (Hertfordshire) was the OSPREY.

It slowly started drifting back westwards and after seven minutes had returned to the section of Chess immediately north of Chenies Place. As yesterday morning, it started hovering and for the next 20 minutes, it drifted back and forth over the water meadow. On one occasion, it plunged rapidly down to the river and submerged itself in the water, resurfacing with nothing.

I had contacted Dave Bilcock and Simon Nichols in the interim, as well as Rare Bird Alert, and at 1530 it flew and sat at the top of one of the tall trees in Chenies Place garden (interestingly, Alison had seen the bird early this morning, from 0715-0745, when at one stage it perched aloft the conifer in Dodd's Mill garden). Fortunately Dave arrived whilst the bird was still in the tree, as did Jeff Bailey (who had been watching it independently from the Chess Valley Walk from 1500 hours).

The four of us watched in awe as it suddenly took flight from its perch and made a beeline for the river. At considerable speed it hit the water and within a short space of time, resurfaced with a large fish in its talons. At this point, a Common Buzzard and male Common Kestrel took an interest and chased the Osprey. The latter spiralled slowly upward and then began thermalling, circling the meadows for some 15 minutes before drifting off eastwards towards Sarrattmill Bridge. During this time, it traversed back and forth from Hertfordshire to Buckinghamshire. DB kept with the bird following it with his 'scope and after a long time in the air presumably searching for a suitable place in which to devour his prize, it slowly started to drift back towards Chenies Bottom. Suddenly at 1608 hours, it spied somewhere suitable and like a bullet, swept back its wings and dived down in to Limeshill Wood (Herts) (TQ 022 993).

In all, the bird was on view for a period of an hour and eight minutes, offering us all some magnificent views. JT arrived shortly later, closely followed by IW and MCo, but I have not heard if the bird reappeared.

Another major coo was the presence of two singing male COMMON WHITETHROATS - another rare visitor in my parish. One male was on the Mill Farm Water Meadows and another by Church Covert reserve to the west.

Two BARN SWALLOWS flew west, as did a single HOUSE MARTIN, whilst 6 different COMMON BUZZARDS were sighted and 3 Grey Herons.

A beautiful male GREY WAGTAIL was by the bridge, with a pair of Long-tailed Tits nestbuilding in Dodd's Mill garden and several House Sparrows in the hedgerows in the hamlet.

ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE OSPREY

Leave the M25 at Junction 18 and follow NW through Chorleywood towards Amersham. After just over two miles, take Latimer Road (signposted Chesham) on the right. Drive carefully through Chenies village and as you traverse the sharp bends and drop down the incline, veer off right safely at the bottom. Continue down for 50 yards and park sensibly and courteously at the side of the road. The Osprey moves between the area just to the west of the bridge and over the meadows and river to the right.

Today's News

A reeling GRASSHOPPER WARBLER was present on the north side of Stocker's Lake this morning, whilst just a female NORTHERN WHEATEAR remains at Norton Green.

The OSPREY was present for its second day at Chenies (Chess River Valley).

Below is a summary of HERTFORDSHIRE sightings not previously highlighted on this blog site. Remember, for details of all birds seen at the premier county site of Tring Reservoirs, browse my Tring blog site at http://birdingtringreservoirs.blogspot.com/

LITTLE EGRET: 5 at East Hyde on 4th (Mike Russell)
*EURASIAN BITTERN: the wintering bird remained at Maple Lodge NR until 2nd.
EGYPTIAN GEESE: a pair remained at Lynster's Farm throughout (Ian Bennell et al)
Ruddy Shelduck: a female of presumed captive origin was near Flamstead on 1st (Ernest Leahy) before relocating on Willows Farm Pool, Tyttenhanger, on 3rd and then the main pit from 4th-13th.
*GARGANEY: a beautiful drake at Maple Lodge NR on 12th (Steve Carter, Darin Stanley, JT, et al) with it or another at Stocker's Lake on 21-22 April
GOOSANDER: a single redhead remained at Kings Mead on 1st-6th (Alan Reynolds), with probably the same bird art Amwell NR the same day (David Booth).
*MERLIN: one at Barley briefly on 12th (Toby Austin)
OYSTERCATCHER: 3 at Tyttenhanger GP from 4th-7th (many observers) with another south over Royston at 1105 on 13th (Tim Wilson).
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER: noted at Kings Mead on 1st (Alan Reynolds) and on the River Ver that same day (Ernest Leahy), with a pair in the Tyttenhanger area throughout
DUNLIN: 3 adults in summer plumage at Tyttenhanger GP on 11th (Mick Frosdick)
GREEN SANDPIPER: 1 remained at Scotsbridge Mill until at least 6th (Geoff Lapworth) with 4 at Standalone Farm, Letchworth, on 5th (Ray Hooper)
**WHIMBREL: a flock of 5 birds landed near Hatchpen Farm, Royston, on 15th but flew off N at 0930 (M Johnson). The first of the year.
SHORT-EARED OWLS: the two wintering birds were still on territory at Beech Farm on 11th (Mark Payne)
COMMON CUCKOO: the first of the year was calling at Colney Heath on 11th (S.Evans) and at Walkern the same day (C.Allen) followed quickly by further singles at Welwyn on 12th (M.Bridges), Withy Beds LNR on 12th-20th (JT), Bricket Wood on 12th, Colney Heath on 13th (DB) and Croxley Common Moor from 14th.
LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER: a displaying pair was noted in Cassiobury Park on 1st (M.Beatley)
HOUSE MARTIN: an early bird flew N at Puckeridge on 2nd April (Murray Orchard) with another over Croxley Common Moor on 3rd (Joan Thompson)
YELLOW WAGTAIL: The first male at Tyttenhanger appeared on 7th
BLACK REDSTART: a first-summer male showed well at Woodoaks Farm from 3rd-4th (John Edwards et al) with a female probably of this species in a Field Lane, Letchworth, garden on 4th (P.Moore).
Northern Wheatear: 2 males at Woodoaks Farm on 3rd-4th April (JE et al) with the first male at Norton Green on 4th (AF), a male at Willows Farm, Tyttenhanger, on 6th (Steve Blake), another male at Woodoaks Farm on 6th (GL), a male at Croxley Common Moor on 7th (GL), a further male at Norton Green on 7th-8th (Dave Beer), 3 at Tyttenhanger Sheep Fields on 8th, 3 on the rifle range at Therfield Heath on 8th (A.Beale), a female at Cromer Hyde on 11th (Anthony Dorman), 3 at Norton Green on 12th (Ray Hooper), a female in Thrales End Lane near East Hyde on 13th (J & F Dowley), Tyttenhanger GP again on 13th, a female at Batford on 14th (DS)
Fieldfare: 4 late birds at Hamper Mill on 13th (JT)
Sedge Warbler: the first of the year was a singing male at Kings Mead on 4th (AR) followed by another at Amwell on 7th (Tim Hill)
Common Whitethroat: the first singing male of the year was at Tyttenhanger GP on 11th
WILLOW WARBLER: noted at Fairlands Lake, Stevenage, on 1st (A.Ford), Croxley Common Moor from 3rd (JT, GL) (increasing to 4 by 7th, 5 on 8th), Tyttenhanger GP on 3rd (David Booth), Temple End on 5th (John Crystal), 3 on Berkhamsted Common on 7th (M.Spittles)
Nuthatch: 2 displaying at Stockers Lake on 3rd (Steve Carter)
BRAMBLING: male in Puckeridge on 2nd (Murray Orchard)

WHINCHAT and RING OUZEL

Well at last I am making some inroads with my 2009 Hertfordshire Year List

Thanks to Darin Stanley yesterday (Monday 20 April), I was able to add WHINCHAT when from 1345-1404, the corking male in full breeding plumage performed admirably along the fenceline at the back of the weedy field adjacent to the Lower Luton Road just south of Batford village

Whilst today (Tuesday 21 April), thanks to a sharp-eyed Darrel Bryant, I was able to add my first RING OUZEL - a superb adult male - as it fed unperturbed out on the open flat plateau just south of the traveller encampment in the NW corner of Norton Green (until 1720 hours at least). Earlier in the day, 20 or so observers had connected, including JT, DB and MF. The first of the year in the county. There was also a female NORTHERN WHEATEAR on site, as well as 2+ singing male COMMON WHITETHROATS and a pair of GREY PARTRIDGE

Elsewhere Darin heard a COMMON NIGHTINGALE sing briefly at lunchtime in the hedgerow just south of Batford (not heard again) and many of the commoner migrants such as COMMON CUCKOO and WESTERN REED WARBLER have now arrived.

The Story So Far in 2009

SPECIES RECORDED IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 2009

A total of 154 species was recorded by 17th April 2009
(LGRE Total = 134 - 12 March - those marked in blue)

Birds marked with an asterisk (*) are of unknown origin, most likely escapes from captivity

1) Great Crested Grebe
2) Little Grebe
3) BLACK-NECKED GREBE
4) Sinensis Cormorant
5) EURASIAN BITTERN
6) Little Egret
7) Grey Heron
8) WHITE STORK*
9) Mute Swan
10) WHOOPER SWAN*
11) Greylag Goose
12) Canada Goose
13) DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE
14) Common Shelduck
15) Ruddy Shelduck*
16) Egyptian Goose
17) Mandarin Duck
18) Mallard
19) Gadwall
20) Pintail
21) Shoveler
22) Eurasian Wigeon
23) Common Teal
24) GARGANEY
25) Pochard
26) Red-crested Pochard
27) Tufted Duck
28) COMMON SCOTER
29) Common Goldeneye
30) SMEW
31) Goosander
32) RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
33) Ruddy Duck
34) OSPREY
35) Red Kite
36) Common Buzzard
37) Sparrowhawk
38) Kestrel
39) PEREGRINE
40) MERLIN
41) Red-legged Partridge
42) Grey Partridge
43) Common Pheasant
44) Water Rail
45) Moorhen
46) Coot
47) Oystercatcher
48) PIED AVOCET
49) Ringed Plover
50) Little Ringed Plover
51) Lapwing
52) European Golden Plover
53) Dunlin
54) Common Sandpiper
55) Green Sandpiper
56) Common Redshank
57) BLACK-TAILED GODWIT
58) EURASIAN CURLEW
59) Woodcock
60) Common Snipe
61) Jack Snipe
62) RUFF
63) Black-headed Gull
64) Common Gull
65) MEDITERRANEAN GULL
66) Herring Gull
67) Yellow-legged Gull
68) CASPIAN GULL
69) Lesser Black-backed Gull
70) Great Black-backed Gull
71) LITTLE GULL
72) KITTIWAKE
73) GLAUCOUS GULL*
74) ICELAND GULL*
75) SANDWICH TERN
76) Common Tern
77) ARCTIC TERN
78) Stock Dove
79) Woodpigeon
80) Collared Dove
81) Common Cuckoo
82) Tawny Owl
83) SHORT-EARED OWL
84) Barn Owl
85) Little Owl
86) Common Kingfisher
87) Ring-necked Parakeet
88) Green Woodpecker
89) Great Spotted Woodpecker
90) LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER
91) Skylark
92) WOODLARK
93) Sand Martin
94) Barn Swallow
95) House Martin
96) Meadow Pipit
97) SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT
98) WATER PIPIT*
99) Pied Wagtail
100) WHITE WAGTAIL
101) Yellow Wagtail
102) Grey Wagtail
103) Wren
104) BOHEMIAN WAXWING
105) Dunnock
106) Robin
107) Common Nightingale
108) Common Redstart
109) BLACK REDSTART
110) Northern Wheatear
111) Stonechat
112) Song Thrush
113) Redwing
114) Mistle Thrush
115) Fieldfare
116) Common Blackbird
117) Blackcap
118) Lesser Whitethroat
119) Common Whitethroat
120) Sedge Warbler
121) Cetti’s Warbler
122) Western Reed Warbler
123) Grasshopper Warbler
124) Willow Warbler
125) Common Chiffchaff
126) Goldcrest
127) Great Tit
128) Coal Tit
129) Blue Tit
130) Marsh Tit
131) Long-tailed Tit
132) Nuthatch
133) Common Treecreeper
134) NORTHERN GREY SHRIKE
135) Magpie
136) Jay
137) Jackdaw
138) Rook
139) Carrion Crow
140) COMMON RAVEN
141) Starling
142) House Sparrow
143) TREE SPARROW
144) Chaffinch
145) BRAMBLING
146) Linnet
147) LESSER REDPOLL
148) Goldfinch
149) Siskin
150) Greenfinch
151) Bullfinch
152) Reed Bunting
153) Yellowhammer
154) CORN BUNTING