CURLEW pair showing - LGRE Diary Notes for Saturday

SATURDAY 13 MARCH

A beautiful day, with temperatures reaching 9.5 degrees C. Spent the entire day in Buckinghamshire, attempting to clean up on a few species I was still missing from the year, with a few brief forays in to Herts during the morning.

FLEET MARSTON, WEST OF AYLESBURY (BUCKS)

Last winter's owl fields north of the A41 all now completely ploughed but RED KITES (4+) still in area.

WADDESDON PARK (BUCKS)

Just east of Waddesdon and in trees south of the A41, 12 active Rook nests at SP 754 167.

GALLOWSBRIDGE FARM/RIVER RAY MEADOWS (BUCKS)

After much searching, eventually located a pair of EURASIAN CURLEW, showing very well on the new reserve pools west of the Edgcott road at SP 670 198 (my first of the year). There were also 8 Common Teal nearby.

At the west end of Grendon Underwood village, 13 House Sparrows were present by the farm buildings at SP 676 209. There were several RED KITES between here and Calvert.

CALVERT BBOWT LAKE

Very quiet, with the only bird of note being the drake leucistic Gadwall (photographed by Tim Watts above). There were 4 Gadwall in total, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 25 Tufted Ducks, whilst migrant Lesser Black-backed Gulls included 1,297 (mainly full breeding-plumaged adults).

GAWCOTT (BUCKS)

Just south of Gawcott in trees by Spinney Farmhouse, 38 more active Rook nests (SP 685 314)

FOXCOTE RESERVOIR (NORTH BUCKS)

A further 9 active Rook nests in Wellmore, Maids Moreton (SP 709 352)

(1530-1600 hours) Checking the main reservoir with Dave Horton, I eventually located the adult drake RING-NECKED DUCK in with Northern Pochard and Tufted Duck in the extreme NW corner visible only from the far end of the dam at SP 707 367. It was moving in and out of the reeds and was distant.

Otherwise, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Mute Swan, 18 Northern Pochard, 83 Tufted Duck and 8 COMMON GOLDENEYE (4 adult drakes) present.

Not that far away, at Cranley Oak, and in trees south of the A422, 33 active Rook nests.