SUNDAY 31 AUGUST

This ringed LITTLE EGRET was one of 3 birds present during the past week. It bears a green ring with the white letter F on its left leg and a yellow ring with the black letter H on its right leg. Interestingly, it was ringed in South Wales as a juvenile this July.
WHITCHURCH

In early fog, 19 Pied Wagtails were noted on the cricket pitch, whilst later, after the heavy rain, 2 SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS were present (Tim Watts).

OVING

At the highest point in the village in early morning dense fog, an assorted flock of 150 House Martins and Barn Swallows were encountered (Tim Watts).

CALVERT BBOWT RESERVE

The juvenile EURASIAN SHAG was again showing well on the raft in front of the CF Hide, along with the ringed LITTLE EGRET and the COMMON REDSTART nearby.

QUAINTON HILLS

After the heavy rain had stopped, the hills produced 12 SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS, 2 continuing male COMMON REDSTARTS, 2 NORTHERN WHEATEARS and at least 70 Phylloscopus warblers, the latter of which is the largest fall of this autumn (Tim Watts)

SATURDAY 30 AUGUST

QUAINTON HILLS

Again, 6-8 COMMON REDSTARTS present (including 3 bright males), along with 4 NORTHERN WHEATEAR (photographed above), WHINCHAT, 3 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER and a HOBBY (all Tim Watts).

WHITCHURCH

On the Cricket Pitch, a fairly mobile first-winter male COMMON REDSTART and YELLOW WAGTAIL recorded (Tim Watts).

CALVERT BBOWT RESERVE

The juvenile EURASIAN SHAG was showing very well; initially seen by TW and Michael Hunt in the morning, LGRE obtained excellent views from 1615-1715 hours as it roosted and dryed its wings in front of the Crispin Fisher Hide.

The GREEN SANDPIPER was still present, along with 2 LITTLE EGRETS, a drake Northern Pochard, the long-staying COMMON REDSTART, several Common Chiffchaffs, Great Crested Grebes with young (including 2 small juveniles) and 3 adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS.

A CETTI'S WARBLER was seen and heard on several occasions during the day in the reeds and emergent reedy vegetation and scrub around the pool 60 yards east of the Crispin Fisher Hide (TW, MH & LGRE). This represents only the SECOND site record.

FRIDAY 29 AUGUST

QUAINTON HILLS

(1515-1820 hours)

Superb birding today with a marked fall of common migrants as the winds continued light SW.

Highlights included at least 6 COMMON REDSTARTS (5 female-types and an adult male), 5+ SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS, 4 NORTHERN WHEATEARS (including this bird above), 5+ Willow Warblers, 3 Common Whitethroats and 2 Lesser Whitethroats. There was also an increase in local birds, particularly Chaffinch, with a pair of Bullfinch and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers also of note.

All of the migrants bar a single Wheatear were on the tops.

TIM WATTS

THURSDAY 28 AUGUST

CALVERT BBOWT LAKES

This dark-billed male COMMON KINGFISHER above was showing extremely well close to the second hide. Tim Watts obtained these fabulous images

The vocal COMMON REDSTART remained present in bushes just left of the Crispin Fisher Hide.

Two GREEN SANDPIPERS were present on the main lake (far edge), along with 2 LITTLE EGRETS, 26 roosting Cormorants and 2 adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS in amongst the Lesser Black-backed Gull flock.

On the adjacent Sailing Lake, Coot numbers reached 60

Tim Watts

SUNDAY 24 AUGUST

Juvenile Eurasian Shag, Calvert BBOWT Lake, Buckinghamshire, 24 August 2008 (Tim Watts)

Calvert BBOWT Lake

This juvenile EURASIAN SHAG was present at Calvert Lake, roosting with Cormorants on the raft in front of the first hide, from mid-morning until around midday and was one of at least 30 juveniles displaced in the Midlands at the same time.

Just to the left of the hide, in the scrub bordering the lake, the very vocal juvenile COMMON REDSTART remains for its 8th day, showing well intermittently.

Otherwise, three families of Great Crested Grebe survive, 5 Northern Pochards were present and several European Reed Warblers remain in the reedbed.