SATURDAY 8 MAY
The cool North-easterly winds still blow and again are accompanied by intermittent rain showers. Such conditions continue to ground interesting migrants locally and today was no exception….
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
(0730 hours)
Up and about early but not in the same league as DB and the other Tring regulars – chasing Dave resulted in seeing the 5 COMMON GREENSHANKS that were roosting and feeding on the island in the North Lake and noting the first breeding attempt of Black-headed Gull at the site (a single pair nesting on the island) and 23 pairs of breeding Common Terns (all sadly to be taken by an American Mink later in the week). There were also 22 Tufted Duck on the lake and the COMMON CUCKOO was calling loudly and frequently from Pitstone Fen.
PITSTONE QUARRY, TRING (HERTS)
The local pair of LITTLE RINGED PLOVERS was seen, along with 2 Little Grebe, 8 Tufted Duck and singing Common Chiffchaff and Blackcap.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
Very quiet by recent standards although 54 Common Swifts and 116 European Barn Swallows were of note; also 16 Mute Swans, 52 Tufted Duck and a Lapwing over.
TRING SEWAGE FARM (HERTS)
Checking the reedbed behind Marsworth and the sewage farm proper revealed the presence of several CETTI’S WARBLERS, 5+ Western Reed Warblers, a rattling male LESSER WHITETHROAT and a calling male COMMON CUCKOO.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
Made a hasty return visit to see a WHIMBREL that had pitched down and was roosting close to the Jetty – it was present until about 0905 hours before flying east (see Dave’s images above). In addition to the 2 HOBBIES flying around, a huge flock of hirundines had built up, with 500 or more Common Swifts present and a Lesser Whitethroat rattling from the hedgerow by the car park. Also new in were 2 adult summer Black-headed Gulls and 4 ARCTIC TERNS..
Dan Forder had seen and photographed a large flock of Whimbrel fly east (see below) but the only birds of interest I noted were a male YELLOW WAGTAIL which eventually flew north at 1235 (image below), 2 drake Northern Pochards and the first Greylag Goose gosling of the year.
Two COMMON RAVENS in heavy wing moult were seen over Wendover Woods but observed from the Wilstone bank.
GALLOWS BRIDGE, RIVER RAY MEADOWS BBOWT (BUCKS)
A pair of EURASIAN CURLEW showing well but nothing else of note
CALVERT BBOWT LAKE (BUCKS)
At least 15 Common Terns on the lake and raft, with 1-2 CETTI’S WARBLERS in front of the hide and both Western Reed and Sedge Warblers singing.
Not that far away and to the north, a LITTLE OWL was sat on a telegraph pole just south of the pylons at Spinney Farmhouse.
LINFORD NATURE RESERVE (NORTH BUCKS)
A late visit highlighted in the sighting of a BARN OWL and the singing male COMMON NIGHTINGALE and two reeling male GRASSHOPPER WARBLERS nearby. All were in the vicinity of the Fishermen’s car park.
The cool North-easterly winds still blow and again are accompanied by intermittent rain showers. Such conditions continue to ground interesting migrants locally and today was no exception….
COLLEGE LAKE BBOWT (BUCKS)
(0730 hours)
Up and about early but not in the same league as DB and the other Tring regulars – chasing Dave resulted in seeing the 5 COMMON GREENSHANKS that were roosting and feeding on the island in the North Lake and noting the first breeding attempt of Black-headed Gull at the site (a single pair nesting on the island) and 23 pairs of breeding Common Terns (all sadly to be taken by an American Mink later in the week). There were also 22 Tufted Duck on the lake and the COMMON CUCKOO was calling loudly and frequently from Pitstone Fen.
PITSTONE QUARRY, TRING (HERTS)
The local pair of LITTLE RINGED PLOVERS was seen, along with 2 Little Grebe, 8 Tufted Duck and singing Common Chiffchaff and Blackcap.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
Very quiet by recent standards although 54 Common Swifts and 116 European Barn Swallows were of note; also 16 Mute Swans, 52 Tufted Duck and a Lapwing over.
TRING SEWAGE FARM (HERTS)
Checking the reedbed behind Marsworth and the sewage farm proper revealed the presence of several CETTI’S WARBLERS, 5+ Western Reed Warblers, a rattling male LESSER WHITETHROAT and a calling male COMMON CUCKOO.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTS)
Made a hasty return visit to see a WHIMBREL that had pitched down and was roosting close to the Jetty – it was present until about 0905 hours before flying east (see Dave’s images above). In addition to the 2 HOBBIES flying around, a huge flock of hirundines had built up, with 500 or more Common Swifts present and a Lesser Whitethroat rattling from the hedgerow by the car park. Also new in were 2 adult summer Black-headed Gulls and 4 ARCTIC TERNS..
Dan Forder had seen and photographed a large flock of Whimbrel fly east (see below) but the only birds of interest I noted were a male YELLOW WAGTAIL which eventually flew north at 1235 (image below), 2 drake Northern Pochards and the first Greylag Goose gosling of the year.
Two COMMON RAVENS in heavy wing moult were seen over Wendover Woods but observed from the Wilstone bank.
GALLOWS BRIDGE, RIVER RAY MEADOWS BBOWT (BUCKS)
A pair of EURASIAN CURLEW showing well but nothing else of note
CALVERT BBOWT LAKE (BUCKS)
At least 15 Common Terns on the lake and raft, with 1-2 CETTI’S WARBLERS in front of the hide and both Western Reed and Sedge Warblers singing.
Not that far away and to the north, a LITTLE OWL was sat on a telegraph pole just south of the pylons at Spinney Farmhouse.
LINFORD NATURE RESERVE (NORTH BUCKS)
A late visit highlighted in the sighting of a BARN OWL and the singing male COMMON NIGHTINGALE and two reeling male GRASSHOPPER WARBLERS nearby. All were in the vicinity of the Fishermen’s car park.
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