Gallows Bridge; 2 Curlew/ c200 Golden plover in adjacent crop field/2 Sand Martins over flood pool briefly
Calvert; Black necked Grebe still on the sailing lake.
Hillesden; 3 Redshank/ 4 Snipe/ 2 Little Egret/ 8 lapwing/ 2 Oystercatcher/2 Meadow Pipit/ 5 Shoveler/8 Teal/ Skylarks singing (per Tim Watts)
Last night, 2 adult MEDITERRANEAN GULLS and an immature ICELAND GULL roosted
Saturday 19 March 2011
Saturday 26 February 2011
Friday 25 February 2011
NORTHERN GREY SHRIKE at Hillesden
HILLESDEN (BUCKS)
Thanks to Richard Broughton and his call to BirdGuides, I was able to enjoy views of my first NORTHERN GREY SHRIKE in Buckinghamshire for a few years this afternoon. I relocated the bird at 1540 hours, where it was showing exceptionally well on the short hedgerow leading east from Manor Farm and bordering a track that led back to Church Hill Farm at SP 678 284. It was an adult bird and was hunting from the hedgerow, every now and again dropping down on the ground to feed.
ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS
Park in the new car park by Hillesden Church End at SP 686 287 and then follow the Cross Bucks Way footpath SW across the first field. The track is incredibly muddy so wellingtons are essential. After 300 yards, the track crosses a small wooden bridge over the brook and then continues through another field. At the start of the next field, there is a stile, and it was from here that I was able to savour some superb views of the bird, looking left towards the low hedgerow.
At neighbouring Hillesden Pools, I noted 3 different OYSTERCATCHERS (one a distinct pair), 6 Lapwing, 5 Northern Pochard, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swans, 4 Greylag Geese and 2 Common Teal; a Siskin flew over calling and in Church End hamlet, had two different singing male Goldcrests - one in the Old School Garden and another in the fir by the postbox. A Robin was in full song in The Old Vicarage garden.
UPPER RAY MEADOWS, GALLOWS BRIDGE FARM (BUCKS)
Very, very poor this evening in the dank conditions - just 53 Eurasian Wigeon (no drake American with them yet) and 44 Common Teal.
Lee G R Evans
Thanks to Richard Broughton and his call to BirdGuides, I was able to enjoy views of my first NORTHERN GREY SHRIKE in Buckinghamshire for a few years this afternoon. I relocated the bird at 1540 hours, where it was showing exceptionally well on the short hedgerow leading east from Manor Farm and bordering a track that led back to Church Hill Farm at SP 678 284. It was an adult bird and was hunting from the hedgerow, every now and again dropping down on the ground to feed.
ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS
Park in the new car park by Hillesden Church End at SP 686 287 and then follow the Cross Bucks Way footpath SW across the first field. The track is incredibly muddy so wellingtons are essential. After 300 yards, the track crosses a small wooden bridge over the brook and then continues through another field. At the start of the next field, there is a stile, and it was from here that I was able to savour some superb views of the bird, looking left towards the low hedgerow.
At neighbouring Hillesden Pools, I noted 3 different OYSTERCATCHERS (one a distinct pair), 6 Lapwing, 5 Northern Pochard, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swans, 4 Greylag Geese and 2 Common Teal; a Siskin flew over calling and in Church End hamlet, had two different singing male Goldcrests - one in the Old School Garden and another in the fir by the postbox. A Robin was in full song in The Old Vicarage garden.
UPPER RAY MEADOWS, GALLOWS BRIDGE FARM (BUCKS)
Very, very poor this evening in the dank conditions - just 53 Eurasian Wigeon (no drake American with them yet) and 44 Common Teal.
Lee G R Evans
Wednesday 9 February 2011
GLAUC roosts for 3rd consecutive night - LGRE
WEDNESDAY 9 FEBRUARY
CALVERT SAILING LAKE (NORTH BUCKS)
I joined Warren Claydon and Steve Rodwell at Calvert to have a thorough check of the roosting gulls. Arriving at 1600 hours, we watched until 1745 hours when it got dark, the 13,000 or so roosting gulls at that time still being joined by line after line of birds flighting in from the landfill.
Highlight (certainly for me) was the juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL roosting for its third consecutive night, arriving at 1722 hours this evening. The regular first-winter CASPIAN GULL also roosted (seen by Steve only) as did one of the adults (WC) and as did a single adult winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL (LGRE). Other than that, 7 YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS were identified in the BBOWT pre-roost (6 adults and a first-winter) whilst estimated totals of other species included 5,000+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including numerous intermedius now) and 6,000 Black-headed Gulls with 115+ Common Gulls, 235 Herring Gulls (far fewer Argentatus now) and 151 Great Black-backed Gulls.
One adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was dyed dark green on the throat and upper breast whilst a Scandinavian Herring Gull with almost all white primaries was again present.
The BLACK-NECKED GREBE was still present, with a redhead GOOSANDER on the BBOWT Lake, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Gadwall, 1 Pochard, a drake Wigeon and 25 Lapwings all noted.
CALVERT SAILING LAKE (NORTH BUCKS)
I joined Warren Claydon and Steve Rodwell at Calvert to have a thorough check of the roosting gulls. Arriving at 1600 hours, we watched until 1745 hours when it got dark, the 13,000 or so roosting gulls at that time still being joined by line after line of birds flighting in from the landfill.
Highlight (certainly for me) was the juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL roosting for its third consecutive night, arriving at 1722 hours this evening. The regular first-winter CASPIAN GULL also roosted (seen by Steve only) as did one of the adults (WC) and as did a single adult winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL (LGRE). Other than that, 7 YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS were identified in the BBOWT pre-roost (6 adults and a first-winter) whilst estimated totals of other species included 5,000+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including numerous intermedius now) and 6,000 Black-headed Gulls with 115+ Common Gulls, 235 Herring Gulls (far fewer Argentatus now) and 151 Great Black-backed Gulls.
One adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was dyed dark green on the throat and upper breast whilst a Scandinavian Herring Gull with almost all white primaries was again present.
The BLACK-NECKED GREBE was still present, with a redhead GOOSANDER on the BBOWT Lake, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Gadwall, 1 Pochard, a drake Wigeon and 25 Lapwings all noted.
Thursday 3 February 2011
BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present
Sailing lake; BLACK-NECKED GREBE still hugging South bank.
BBOWT Lake; 2 Common Ravenscronking over lake/ 1 Bittern seen in flight/ 25 Pochard.
Tim Watts
BBOWT Lake; 2 Common Ravenscronking over lake/ 1 Bittern seen in flight/ 25 Pochard.
Tim Watts
Friday 21 January 2011
GREBE still present
Did the gull roost with Warren Claydon and amongst the biggest roost of the Winter.
Warren spotted a 3rd W ICELAND GULL on the BBOWT Lake. It has white primaries, very light grey mantle, small amount retained immature plumage and dull yellow bill; viewed at very long range. At least one adult CASPIAN GULL still present.
We Looked for the Iceland Gull on main sailing roost but couldn't spot it amongst the huge roost in bad light.
Also redhead Goosander, 1-2 Bitterns seen in flight and BLACK-NECKED GREBE still on sailinglake by reedbed on East bank (per Tim Watts)
Warren spotted a 3rd W ICELAND GULL on the BBOWT Lake. It has white primaries, very light grey mantle, small amount retained immature plumage and dull yellow bill; viewed at very long range. At least one adult CASPIAN GULL still present.
We Looked for the Iceland Gull on main sailing roost but couldn't spot it amongst the huge roost in bad light.
Also redhead Goosander, 1-2 Bitterns seen in flight and BLACK-NECKED GREBE still on sailinglake by reedbed on East bank (per Tim Watts)
Sunday 16 January 2011
BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present
Calvert Area; a Black-headed Gull was present with a mantle so pale grey it appears white at distance/Sailing Lake BLACK-NECKED GREBE moved to sheltered bay in S/W corner.
Gallows bridge farm; Long watch; for first two hours very little seen with only c300Lapwing and c50 Golden Plover in the air at stages. 12 0'clock it brightened up for short period, PEREGRINE appeared and put up c 2,000 Lapwing/c150 GoldenPlover, 2-3,000 gulls, Starling and Fieldfare flocks.
Larger female sat in meadow preening, then although too distant to hear could see it calling up to the sky. Lapwings went up again and the smaller male Peregrine was high above them. It singled one out in chase, got above it stooped and just missed it, climbed again stooped and hit, caught it and carried off and landed in field to North of main meadow. Only small flocks of Teal/Wigeon seen in flight today, don't think the Peregrines went over the hidden wet fields where they are hanging out (Tim Watts)
Gallows bridge farm; Long watch; for first two hours very little seen with only c300Lapwing and c50 Golden Plover in the air at stages. 12 0'clock it brightened up for short period, PEREGRINE appeared and put up c 2,000 Lapwing/c150 GoldenPlover, 2-3,000 gulls, Starling and Fieldfare flocks.
Larger female sat in meadow preening, then although too distant to hear could see it calling up to the sky. Lapwings went up again and the smaller male Peregrine was high above them. It singled one out in chase, got above it stooped and just missed it, climbed again stooped and hit, caught it and carried off and landed in field to North of main meadow. Only small flocks of Teal/Wigeon seen in flight today, don't think the Peregrines went over the hidden wet fields where they are hanging out (Tim Watts)
Saturday 15 January 2011
Large influx of PINTAILS; BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present
Calvert BBOWT; 8 PINTAILS, 5 drakes, presumably from Otmoor. At least 2 BITTERNS still present.
Calvert sailing lake; BLACK-NECKED GREBE still feeding off point of reedbed on East bank.
Hillesden; 147 Greylag Geese / 26 Mute Swans
Gallows bridge farm; Adult female PEREGRINE sat in field and young MERLIN still
Tim Watts
Calvert sailing lake; BLACK-NECKED GREBE still feeding off point of reedbed on East bank.
Hillesden; 147 Greylag Geese / 26 Mute Swans
Gallows bridge farm; Adult female PEREGRINE sat in field and young MERLIN still
Tim Watts
Monday 10 January 2011
BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present but no White-fronts or Ruff
MONDAY 10 JANUARY
As the day wore on, a warm front approached from the west bringing heavy cloud and strong southerly winds, eventually pushing the temperature to over 10 degrees C. The wind was quite hindering and affected any small bird sightings. I spent the day in Buckinghamshire and after a lot of effort added 7 new birds for the Bucks year - Common Snipe, PEREGRINE, Linnet, BLACK-NECKED GREBE, Bullfinch, Common Goldeneye and BITTERN.
A Red Kite was by the Aylesbury Bypass, with two more over Waddesdon, but there was no sign of the 29 Waxwings opposite the Shanks car recycling yard on Griffin Lane when I drove by.
WOODHAM INDUSTRY (BUCKS)
Up to 140 Redwing and 50 Fieldfare were in fields east of Waddesdon but an extensive search of Woodham Industry produced just 5 COMMON SNIPES. I once recorded 17 Jack Snipes at this site in its hey-day.
UPPER RAY MEADOWS, GALLOWS BRIDGE FARM (BUCKS)
The two resident PEREGRINES were sitting in the large grass meadow visible from the hides - perhaps the resident pair from Aylesbury (which I still have not seen this year despite scanning every time I pass). Every now and again they got up and had a fly around, 'playing' and spooking the large wildfowl flock.
A single LINNET flew over the hide whilst at the far west end of the reserve, the flooded fields held 668 Lapwing, 261 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER, 550+ Common Starlings, 538 Eurasian Wigeon, 230 Common Teal and 2 Gadwall. At least two Common Kestrels were resident but there was no sign of the wintering Merlin.
CALVERT SAILING LAKE (MID-BUCKS)
The winter-plumaged BLACK-NECKED GREBE was showing very well in the vicinity of the pink buoy, close to the reedbed fringe on the eastern shore (present for its 3rd day), with 3 Little Grebes, 14 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 6 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck and an adult drake Common Goldeneye also present. A flyover male Bullfinch was a bonus bird and my first of the year.
CALVERT BBOWT RESERVE (MID-BUCKS)
Very windy with all of the birds at the far south end of the lake - comprising just 66 Tufted Ducks and 58 Coots. Nothing of interest in the pre-roosting gulls.
SINGLEBOROUGH (NORTH BUCKS)
A flock of 13 Lapwing was in fields south of the A 421 east of its junction with the B 4033 at The Common, along with 40 Fieldfares and a Common Kestrel.
Milton Keynes and its environs was a complete wash-out and almost a birdless zone. I could find no sight nor sound of the 200 or so Waxwings around the shopping complex at Bletchley, Willen Lake was very blowy, again a complete blank with the Tree Sparrows and Marsh Tits at Dairy Barn/Little Linford Wood and no Common Stonechats west of Olney.
CALVERT BBOWT (MID-BUCKS)
I drove back to Calvert for dusk - just 1 EURASIAN BITTERN coming in to roost in front of the first hide (at 1640 hours). Interestingly, this bird flew in high from the west and had presumably been feeding on the Sailing Lake. It roosted in the reedbed in the vicinity of the lone tree.
Some 65 Redwings also roosted
Again, nothing of interest could be found in the gull roost. However, an alarming number of Argenteus Herring Gulls are now in full breeding plumage.
As the day wore on, a warm front approached from the west bringing heavy cloud and strong southerly winds, eventually pushing the temperature to over 10 degrees C. The wind was quite hindering and affected any small bird sightings. I spent the day in Buckinghamshire and after a lot of effort added 7 new birds for the Bucks year - Common Snipe, PEREGRINE, Linnet, BLACK-NECKED GREBE, Bullfinch, Common Goldeneye and BITTERN.
A Red Kite was by the Aylesbury Bypass, with two more over Waddesdon, but there was no sign of the 29 Waxwings opposite the Shanks car recycling yard on Griffin Lane when I drove by.
WOODHAM INDUSTRY (BUCKS)
Up to 140 Redwing and 50 Fieldfare were in fields east of Waddesdon but an extensive search of Woodham Industry produced just 5 COMMON SNIPES. I once recorded 17 Jack Snipes at this site in its hey-day.
UPPER RAY MEADOWS, GALLOWS BRIDGE FARM (BUCKS)
The two resident PEREGRINES were sitting in the large grass meadow visible from the hides - perhaps the resident pair from Aylesbury (which I still have not seen this year despite scanning every time I pass). Every now and again they got up and had a fly around, 'playing' and spooking the large wildfowl flock.
A single LINNET flew over the hide whilst at the far west end of the reserve, the flooded fields held 668 Lapwing, 261 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER, 550+ Common Starlings, 538 Eurasian Wigeon, 230 Common Teal and 2 Gadwall. At least two Common Kestrels were resident but there was no sign of the wintering Merlin.
CALVERT SAILING LAKE (MID-BUCKS)
The winter-plumaged BLACK-NECKED GREBE was showing very well in the vicinity of the pink buoy, close to the reedbed fringe on the eastern shore (present for its 3rd day), with 3 Little Grebes, 14 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 6 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck and an adult drake Common Goldeneye also present. A flyover male Bullfinch was a bonus bird and my first of the year.
CALVERT BBOWT RESERVE (MID-BUCKS)
Very windy with all of the birds at the far south end of the lake - comprising just 66 Tufted Ducks and 58 Coots. Nothing of interest in the pre-roosting gulls.
SINGLEBOROUGH (NORTH BUCKS)
A flock of 13 Lapwing was in fields south of the A 421 east of its junction with the B 4033 at The Common, along with 40 Fieldfares and a Common Kestrel.
Milton Keynes and its environs was a complete wash-out and almost a birdless zone. I could find no sight nor sound of the 200 or so Waxwings around the shopping complex at Bletchley, Willen Lake was very blowy, again a complete blank with the Tree Sparrows and Marsh Tits at Dairy Barn/Little Linford Wood and no Common Stonechats west of Olney.
CALVERT BBOWT (MID-BUCKS)
I drove back to Calvert for dusk - just 1 EURASIAN BITTERN coming in to roost in front of the first hide (at 1640 hours). Interestingly, this bird flew in high from the west and had presumably been feeding on the Sailing Lake. It roosted in the reedbed in the vicinity of the lone tree.
Some 65 Redwings also roosted
Again, nothing of interest could be found in the gull roost. However, an alarming number of Argenteus Herring Gulls are now in full breeding plumage.
Sunday 9 January 2011
Another highly productive day
Aylesbury; fantastic views of the WAXWINGS coming and going outside Shanks, most I counted was 57.
Gallows Bridge Farm: 1st visit late morning; 4 EURASIAN WHITE-FRONTED GEESE still present but in fairly long observation period only c 200 Lapwing seen and not much else. Suspected still lots of birds at far end but a no show from Peregrines meant they stayed put.
Calvert Sailing Lake; BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present and Neil, an angler, keeps reporting seeing BITTERNS on the sailing lake.
Gallows Bridge Farm: 2nd visit 3:30- 4:50 with Warren Claydon, this was much, much better. Two PEREGRINES on show most of visit, on size presumed male and female, hunting, resting on pylons, on ground and in tree. At one stage both on ground quite close together. These birds terrorised the bottom end putting up what we estimate c 1,000 Lapwing, c600 mixed Wigeon/Teal flock, c1,000 Starling, 2-300 Fieldfare. Warren spotted a fem/imm MERLIN; it flashed across main meadow then preened for a long while on cut hedge. The duck flocks only went up twice and after the 2 Peregines on ground took flight,we suspect they were hunting as a pair and this was enough to put the ducks up. No Owls seen but looks a good bet (Tim Watts Birding)
Gallows Bridge Farm: 1st visit late morning; 4 EURASIAN WHITE-FRONTED GEESE still present but in fairly long observation period only c 200 Lapwing seen and not much else. Suspected still lots of birds at far end but a no show from Peregrines meant they stayed put.
Calvert Sailing Lake; BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present and Neil, an angler, keeps reporting seeing BITTERNS on the sailing lake.
Gallows Bridge Farm: 2nd visit 3:30- 4:50 with Warren Claydon, this was much, much better. Two PEREGRINES on show most of visit, on size presumed male and female, hunting, resting on pylons, on ground and in tree. At one stage both on ground quite close together. These birds terrorised the bottom end putting up what we estimate c 1,000 Lapwing, c600 mixed Wigeon/Teal flock, c1,000 Starling, 2-300 Fieldfare. Warren spotted a fem/imm MERLIN; it flashed across main meadow then preened for a long while on cut hedge. The duck flocks only went up twice and after the 2 Peregines on ground took flight,we suspect they were hunting as a pair and this was enough to put the ducks up. No Owls seen but looks a good bet (Tim Watts Birding)
Saturday 8 January 2011
CASPIAN GULLS in roost
An adult and first-winter CASPIAN GULL roosted this evening, along with several YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS (Warren Claydon)
BITTERNS and BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present
Three BITTERNS arrived in the reedbed to the right of the top hide, one after the other, between 4:15 and 4:45. All three showed well as they posed up on the reeds in a neat line by the water's edge (John O'Dwyer).
On the opposite side of the road, the BLACK-NECKED GREBE was present for its second day (Tim Watts)
On the opposite side of the road, the BLACK-NECKED GREBE was present for its second day (Tim Watts)
Friday 7 January 2011
BLACK-NECKED GREBE at Calvert Sailing Lakes
Calvert sailing lake; BLACK-NECKED GREBE feeding mostly just off tip of the golden reedbed on clubhut bank. I had scanned lake four times with bins, then scope and didn't spot it; only on my final scan did I find it. For brief period it swam closer into bay by jetty. Technically sailing club area is for members only but they are very welcoming to birders and if they are sailing/working someone will always let you in to have a look at any interesting bird on site.
Spent two hours in 1st hide on BBOWT and no Bittern sightings, I'm sure they're still there but maybe spending lot of time feeding up in the recently thawed reedbeds (Tim Watts).
Spent two hours in 1st hide on BBOWT and no Bittern sightings, I'm sure they're still there but maybe spending lot of time feeding up in the recently thawed reedbeds (Tim Watts).
Tuesday 4 January 2011
Wintering BITTERNS
Calvert BBOWT; BITTERNS 2-3 January 2011 - Yesterday a definite 3 , probably 4 on site. 1 flew from North corner to inside left bed, at same time Chris Botterel spotted another 2 fighting on opposite bank at far end. I had started attempted count with 1 in small isolated bed opposite hide and kept close eye on that bed, very unlikely it got out without being spotted so hence probable 4th individual.
Today (Bank Holiday Monday); same sort of thing but numerous flights to various beds made it hard to say for sure how many. Again definitely 3 but probably 4. None walked out in open at close range but both inside beds had one in there, one did walk along edge but just within reeds. Bittern with 'white flank' stripe seen.
Every single small reedbed being used at some stage and they are also occasionally feeding out in open on opposite bank on the low flattened green sedge-type reeds.
Count of 230 Coot is 4-5 times normal number (Tim Watts)
Today (Bank Holiday Monday); same sort of thing but numerous flights to various beds made it hard to say for sure how many. Again definitely 3 but probably 4. None walked out in open at close range but both inside beds had one in there, one did walk along edge but just within reeds. Bittern with 'white flank' stripe seen.
Every single small reedbed being used at some stage and they are also occasionally feeding out in open on opposite bank on the low flattened green sedge-type reeds.
Count of 230 Coot is 4-5 times normal number (Tim Watts)
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