Calvert Birding

BLACK-NECKED GREBE lingers on

2011-03-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

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

SHRIKE still present

2011-02-26T10:11:00.001-08:00

See http://buckinghamshirebirding.blogspot.com/2011/02/hillesden-northern-grey-shrike-todays.html

NORTHERN GREY SHRIKE at Hillesden

2011-02-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

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

GLAUC roosts for 3rd consecutive night - LGRE

2011-02-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

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.

BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present

2011-02-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

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

GREBE still present

2011-01-21T10:26:00.000-08:00

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)

BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present

2011-01-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

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)

Large influx of PINTAILS; BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present

2011-01-15T10:07:00.000-08:00

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

BLACK-NECKED GREBE still present but no White-fronts or Ruff

2011-01-10T11:26:00.000-08:00

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.

Another highly productive day

2011-01-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

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)

CASPIAN GULLS in roost

2011-01-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

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)

BLACK-NECKED GREBE at Calvert Sailing Lakes

2011-01-07T09:42:00.001-08:00

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).

Wintering BITTERNS

2011-01-04T10:04:00.000-08:00

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)

Three BITTERNS on site and male MERLIN at Gallows Bridge

2010-12-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

CALVERT BBOWT LAKE; Tonight 5 of us located a definite 3 BITTERNS in roost spots - 1 in far end reedbed opposite 2nd hide, 2nd in right hand inside bed and a 3rd in left hand inside bed. The 3rd one climbed reeds at late time of 4:20 but gave by far the best views, sitting right on top of reeds. During the week regulars report daylight flight views to various reedbeds over whole lake and croaking calls heard, all big pointers to there being multiple birds on site.

GALLOWS BRIDGE FARM, earlier; male MERLIN on cut hedge then overflew car park, then after finches on adjacent fields, used undulating flight briefly just before tailgating a finch/ 5 Golden Plover in main meadow, 100 mts from hides (Tim Watts)

WHOOPER SWAN still present

2010-12-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

Gallows bridge farm; Eurasian Curlew calling over main meadow flew over heading West/ 12 Tree Sparrows/ fem Peregrine on pylons/ 2 Raven/ c 120 Skylark/c60 Linnet/ c40 Chaffinch.

Hillesden; adult Whooper Swan with Mutes on Brassica crop in traditional Wintering fields, at valley bottom by brook/ c 120 Linnet

Calvert; visited twice; 39 Wigeon/4 Teal/ fem Shoveler. Bittern flew across lake at 4:15, it came from one of reedbeds opp 1st hide and flew into hidden corner to left of hide. Most strange it's using a different roost spot each night, possibly being hassled by predators? Tim Watts Birding

Impressive flock of TREE SPARROWS at Gallows Bridge

2010-11-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

Gallows Bridge Farm; At one point made it 23 TREE SPARROWS, most of time c10 /Large fem PEREGRINE hunting at far end of main meadow put up 2 Snipe and chased them, for 4th time seen it rest in open on meadow after atttacks/ c 60 Golden Plover+c50 Lapwing flew over heading West. Saw c40 Goldies flying South earlier from my Whitchurch garden.

Calvert; Redhead SMEW still present on sailing lake but can be very hard to spot; also drake Mandarin; 3 Teal on BBOWT lake.

Hillesden; the adult WHOOPER SWAN again in crop field to South of pools with 2 Mutes/ c 60 Greenfinch/c 80 Linnet on set a side strips/ Pools frozen over (Tim Watts Birding)

BITTERN at Calvert

2010-11-25T10:31:00.000-08:00

Calvert BBOWT - late afternoon; Huge gull pre-roost contained 9 Y.L.Gulls and 1 ad Caspian Gull. Waders are scarce here in Spring let alone Winter but flock of 4 Common Redshank flew low over water couple of times then flew towards sailing lake. Later a pair of Goosanders flew in, again headed to other lake. Big increase in Herrings and G.B.B gulls late on from tip.

Icing on cake was a BITTERN climbing to roost at 16:08 in right hand reedbed from the 1st hide - think this is earliest ever had one here. Jolting reeds put me onto it but then wasn't hard to see. It wasn't on their usual favoured area of reed edge against deepwater but in middle of bed, made lot of commotion climbing then spent rest of time stretching neck up and looking all around.

Hillesden WHOOPER SWAN still present - Tim Watts

2010-11-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

Calvert; Little Grebe / Grey Wagtail

Foxcote; 3 Goldeneye/ 1 Green Sandpiper

Hillesden; adult Whooper Swan still with Greylag flock in crop field/ 7 new Mute Swans/ 2 Meadow Pipit

Gallows bridge farm; 2 hr watch; c 200 Golden Plover in flight once/ c120 Linnet/3 Raven,

WHOOPER SWAN and TREE SPARROWS

2010-11-01T02:07:00.000-07:00

30 October - Calvert; noticeable influx of Blackbirds in scrub/ 2 Goldcrests/3 Jays

Hillesden; adult WHOOPER SWAN on main pool veiwable from the track, it looked settled, feeding with Mutes.

Gallows bridge farm; c400 Golden Plover/c 500 Lapwing in flight over adjacent crop fields. 5 TREE SPARROWS on cut hedge by car park breifly also Chaffinches, Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers, House Sparrows on same hedge (Tim Watts)

QUAINTON HILLS today

2010-09-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

All birds found on the tops, lower slopes empty: 3 COMMON REDSTARTS / 10+ Common Chiffchaff/ c 150 Meadow Pipit, 60 in flock on ground in aerial field, 40 feeding at same time on S/E slope, 20 top of N slope and groups of 4-6 seeming to pass overhead for 3 hrs/

Abnormal numbers of Blue Tits on tops - migrants perhaps?/Sparrowhawk chasing Green Woodpecker, it missed!!

No Wheatears for first time in a while, but had 1 yesterday (Tim Watts)

QUAINTON HILLS - first WHINCHAT of autumn

2010-08-17T00:38:00.000-07:00

Following the first two WHINCHATS at Gallows Bridge on Sunday, one appeared on Quainton Hills yesterday, along with 4 Wheatears, a Spotted Flycatcher and 3 Yellow Wagtails.

Two juvenile MARSH HARRIERS were on the Upper Ray Meadows all weekend, with another at Foxcote, and with the latter very low at present, an excellent run of waders including RUFF, BLACK-TAILED GODWIT and COMMON GREENSHANK

WOOD SANDPIPER at Calvert

2010-07-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

A WOOD SANDPIPER is present for a second day at Calvert Landfill, where access is restricted to weekends only

Calvert news flow dries up

2010-07-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

Sadly, news has been no longer forthcoming from Calvert reserve and its environs and there has been little to report. One of the keen birders of the area, Jon Holt, has now moved away.

Not that far away at Foxcote Reservoir, water levels are very low and in recent weeks, a trickle of passage waders have appeared, including two Common Greenshanks and several Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpipers and Common Sandpipers (LGRE)

Peregrines have bred again at a site near Aylesbury raising three young, all three birds still being attended by the adults. This is the third out of four years that a pair has nested at this protected site, the adults being ringed birds.

Gallows Bridge starts reaping rewards of being watched.......

2010-05-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

At Gallows Bridge BBOWT reserve on Saturday, 3 GREY PLOVER, 21 WHIMBREL, 3 COMMON GREENSHANK, 4 Ringed Plover and 2 DUNLIN were seen, the GREY PLOVERS still being present on Sunday.

TURTLE DOVE at Calvert

2010-05-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

With the wind dropping and feeling warmer fancied finding a few migrants but still hard work!! Still think lots still to come including the commoner species.

Quainton Hills; base of North slopes- 1 Grey Partridge on roadside, never seen one here before.

Calvert; Greeted by lovely sound of a European Turtle Dove purring on the BBOWT reserve/ 16 Common Terns on rafts/ pair of Gadwall/ Cuckoo

Hillesden; Cuckoo + usual suspects.

Quainton Hills; base of South slopes- 1 Wheatear spotted high up on ridge (Tim Watts)

More DUNLIN at Hillesden

2010-05-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

There were 3 DUNLIN on Hillesden Pools this morning (Tim Watts)

Monday - RING OUZEL on Quainton Hills

2010-04-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

Quainton Hills; RING OUZEL near base of North slopes. Spotted at long range on branch from roadside, think male. It eventually dropped down but fed close to bushes, this area is dampest spot on hills and where the Fieldfare were feeding earlier this week.Never had an Ouzel in this spot or on Nrth slopes at all before.

Dashed to Calvert but only 13 Common Tern, but lots of warblers in bushes.

Returned to Quainton but no sign of Rouzel, farmer feeding cattle close by so waited. After half hour was just going to give up when it came out, by now I was c 100mts from spot in bushes, just got it in frame when farmer came back down and spooked it!!! I waited another half hour but didn't show (Tim Watts)

Sunday sightings - 25 April

2010-04-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

Warren Claydon and Ian had a GRASSHOPPER WARBLER reeling and a LITTLE GULL that flew through, early, on Calvert sailing lake. I joined them and then went to Hillesden.

After a while at Hillesden a male GREENLAND WHEATEAR flew into pools area, then got text from Warren, a WHINCHAT had appeared on open area.

On way out from Hillesden there were 2 Wheatear in Sheep paddocks.

On returning to Calvert there were c50 hirundines and a few Common Swift, Common Sandpiper and 9 Common Tern, all increases from a few hours previous (Tim Watts)

Saturday morning Update - 24 April

2010-04-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

Calvert ; 0600 - 3+ of Sedge Warbler and Common Whitethroats/1 Common Tern/ Common Cuckoo/ 10 Gadwall

Calvert Sailing Lake; 1100 hours - 1 LITTLE GULL sat on sailing lake/ 2 Cetti's Warblers singing/ Cuckoo calling.

Hillesden; 7 Common Redshanks/ 4 Yellow Wagtail/ Cuckoo/ 2 broods of 3 and 4 tiny Lapwing chicks (Tim Watts).

Quainton Hills today

2010-04-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

In the area I managed to cover found 9 Northern Wheatear, 4 in S/E hollow, 4 on top of NRTH slopes and 1 on stone track on summit. Also 1 fem COMMON REDSTART top of West slopes and a poss Black Redstart in aerial compound. This bird was flushed from posts by walkers who got there just ahead of me.

Also 1 Yellow Wagtail/ c 40 Fieldfare feeding/4 Mipits.

Tim Watts

Hillesden Sightings

2010-04-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

A few notable sightings from Hillesden:

20/4/10 - 2nd summer male MARSH HARRIER, heading north low over the site. Also Little Ringed Plover, Lesser and Common Whitethroats.

21/4/10 - 4 COMMON REDSTARTS, 2 Wheatears, 1 Cuckoo (Richard K Broughton)

Also, 3 RUFF were present at Hillesden on Sunday, and again on Tuesday (Per Tim Watts)

Quainton Hills today - first COMMON REDSTART

2010-04-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

Spent a mammoth 10 hours on Quainton Hills today. First 4 hours around tops only produced 1 Barn Swallow!! Had suspicions that a ridiculously distant bird was a female Ring Ouzel on slopes near Botolph Claydon but too far to tell. Dropped down to sheltered area at bottom of South slopes and crept through gate on last hedgeline, at same time spinning head left then right. This is Redstart trick! and worked: just got glimpse of grey back and bright orange tail going into bushes. Very wary bird but eventually got good views and some images of a stunning male COMMON REDSTART. Returned later and still in same hedgeline area, but still wary!!

Seeing this bird if still there, involves a 5 minute levelish walk from car. Park on verge by Quainton church, take tarmac track up to hills, and where path splits, take left stoney track by the log pile. Bird was in hedge and on posts either side, but mostly left of the metal gate. Sometimes far down on posts to left (Tim Watts)

CETTI'S WARBLERS very vocal

2010-04-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

CETTI'S WARBLERS (Paul W) - latest counts suggest 2,206 singing birds and rising in the UK

Calvert; 2 CETTI'S WARBLERS, 1 singing loudly in scrub behind hide + 1 in reeds. Also saw both, 1 darted across gap in reeds,shortly followed by a 2nd bird.

13 Gadwall including ' Luke' !!

Hillesden; 5 Redshank/ 2 oycs/ 2 L.R.P/ 1 Little Egret/5 male Shoveler/ 6 Gadwall/ 9 Teal/ 1 Yellow Wagtails/ 4 Common Snipe/ 10 Pied Wagtails (1st passage flock)/ 4 Swallow (Tim Watts)

Quainton RING OUZEL - further details

2010-04-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Female RING OUZEL with large Fieldfare flock on East slope of Denham Hill; not had one in this spot before and never seen one with Fieldfares - it was feeding right out in open a long way from cover but guess 400 + Fieldfare eyes are pretty good early warning system for any danger!!

Counted Fieldfares and an impressive total for time of year with 211. On summit of main hills there were c90 Fieldfare (possibly part of earlier flock?) and 3 Redwing.

At base of Conduit hill, 4 Redwing singing. 6 Mipits seen in display flight in 3 different spots.

The Ring Ouzel wasn't visible when returned at 11 a.m but Fieldfares in tops of trees so it could be lurking in the hedgeline. Very unusually for this date no Wheatears found (Tim Watts)

RING OUZEL at Quainton Hills

2010-04-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

Tim Watts has found a female RING OUZEL with Fieldfares on Quainton hills. It is on the Denham Slope viewed from the road (Sunday 11 April)

CURLEW pair showing - LGRE Diary Notes for Saturday

2010-03-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

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.

Leucistic Gadwall

2010-03-13T00:58:00.001-08:00

Leucistic drake Gadwall- Calvert BBOWT lake- 11/3/10

Very uncommon/rare form that turned up on the reserve last week. All pictures taken from 1st hide, closer ones when it was in shallows and distant one shows just how much lighter it is compared to standard Gadwall roosting in reeds (Tim Watts)

First record for Hillesden

2010-03-09T10:57:00.001-08:00

Hillesden; pair of Red crested Pochard on middle pool was an unexpected first record for the site/ 2 Oycs/ c 60 Golden Plover/20 Lapwing

Calvert; male Goldeneye/ good large gull pre-roost but no unusual ones spotted (Tim Watts),

Spring is in the air

2010-02-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

Calvert; various birds singing and Moorhen building nest; 18 Mute Swans in cabbage field to Nrth of Calvert

Hillesden; 30 Common Teal ( record count here)/ 13 Gadwall/Skylarks singing/ 12 Lapwing with one in partial display flight/ c100 Greylag geese./ 9 Golden Plover flew over calling. My idea of putting overflow pipe into main pool now in progress, theory being it drops the main pool a bit and the overflow spreads via pipework to lower level creating a wet grass area. Also asked for stoney islands to be cleared of weeds ready for the arrival of waders, site with it's new scrapes looks superb.

Grendon Underwood layby; Next to new BBOWT reserve there were c 600 Golden Plover/c 600 Lapwing/c1,000 Starling all wheeling in air (Tim Watts)

First ICELAND GULL of 2010

2010-02-15T15:24:00.000-08:00

An immature ICELAND GULL has joined the juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL in the Calvert roost since Saturday (Warren Claydon, Tim Watts).

GLAUC still present

2010-02-12T11:00:00.001-08:00

The juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL roosted this evening (per Tim Watts)

A 'new' CASPIAN GULL

2010-02-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

This smart first-winter CASPIAN GULL was photographed on Calvert Landfill on 7 February (Tim Watts)

WHOOPERS still

2010-01-27T10:56:00.000-08:00

The pair of WHOOPER SWANS are still frequenting Blackthorn Meadows south of the A41 at the Piddington turn - new images taken by Adam Hartley.

A quick look early afternoon at various sites yielded;

Granborough hay store; until today next to no small passerines seen here but today fantastic flock of 42 Yellowhammers, as well as c80 Chaffinch and 4 House Sparrows. Plenty of food available so hoping a Tree Sparrow or two will appear.

Calvert BBOWT; 21 Gadwall is most here this Winter; they always seem to build up a bit about now and often 2-4 remain until late March/early April/ increase in Cormorants to 23/ male Goldeneye head throwing to Tufties, Spring is in the air already!

Hillesden; 80 Greylag Geese, floods from River subsided/ c 60 Linnet/ 6 Teal/2 Shoveler (Tim Watts)

GLAUCOUS in roost

2010-01-25T11:32:00.000-08:00

The juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL roosted on the Calvert Jubilee BBOWT lake from 1650 hours on Sunday evening (per David Lawrence)

WHOOPERS still - and GLAUCOUS

2010-01-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

Calvert a.m : drake Common Goldeneye/ Cetti's Warbler calling/Coot building nest/ 15 Wigeon/ 13 Gadwall

Hillesden; flooded river/fields looked good but just c150 Greylag + c100 Canada Geese found/4 Meadow Pipit/ 21 Lapwing/2 Teal

Marsh Gibbon; 15 European Golden plover and 10 Teal in flight

A41 nr Piddington at Blackthorn Meadows; In Oxfordshire but only 1 field over the Bucks border the 2 WHOOPER SWANS remained in the flooded field in the morning and on Calvert in the afternoon (Mike Wallen obtained the superb image above)

Calvert p.m; juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL in main sailing lake roost (Tim Watts)

2010-01-18T13:40:00.000-08:00

The two adult WHOOPER SWANS were at Hillesden Pools yesterday afternoon, and at Blackthorn Meadows again today, whilst 4 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS remain on the BBOWT Lake, and rare gulls roosting include the juvenile GLAUCOUS and the 2nd-winter CASPIAN GULL pictured above (Tim Watts). Standing with the Glaucous in Plate 4 is the very pale 'Herring Gull'

Kumlien's-like Herring Gull at Calvert

2010-01-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

Adam Hartley obtained images yesterday at Calvert BBOWT of this adult HERRING GULL with very pale primaries, a largely unstreaked head and other features suggestive of Kumlien's Gull.

Images taken at Calvert today during Adam Hartley's visit

2010-01-11T12:31:00.000-08:00

GLAUC still

2010-01-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

The juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL was again showing well from the second hide on the BBOWT lake this afternoon until 15:20 at least when I left. Also 14 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS (Adam Hartley).

Rare Gulls spurn my Year List on to 119 species

2010-01-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

SUNDAY 10 JANUARY

Much lying snow still around, with many side roads still in an atrocious condition and quite challenging. The threat of heavy snow never materialised and in fact temperatures climbed to 2 degrees for much of the day, heralding a slight thaw. The easterly wind moderated during the day.

It was a tour of many local water bodies today, with the highlight being a total of 60 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS seen.

AYLESBURY COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING (BUCKS)

Both PEREGRINES were roosting on the flat SW side of the building at 1439 hours, the female eating a Common Starling.

CALVERT LAKES (NORTH BUCKS)
(1500-1600 hours; partly with Tim Watts)

On the main BBOWT Lake, highlight was undoubtedly the site record flock of 16 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS - 14 of which were feeding on the reed-fringed east bank and another pair in the extreme NE corner. There were also 3 Great Crested Grebes, pair of Mute Swans, 14 Gadwall, 22 Tufted Ducks and 9 Pochard.

Vast numbers of gulls were feeding over the landfill, as well as 8+ Red Kites.

Tim had seen the GLAUCOUS GULL roosting and preening on the ice just before I arrived into the hide (see his fantastic photographs above) and after realising it had flown off, I went to the Sailing Lake and scanned. Within a couple of minutes, I relocated it - a very dark juvenile and a typical brute of a bird - in amongst a pre-roost gathering of just 738 gulls. It represented my 117th species of the year.

I then settled down to scan the rest of the flock which contained the regular adult CASPIAN GULL, at least four adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS, 103 Great Black-backed Gulls, 297 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 140+ Herring Gulls (including both British and Scandinavian, several adults of the former now being completely white-headed) and just 12 Common Gulls.

The Sailing Lake also held a single RUDDY DUCK, 8 Eurasian Wigeon and 4 COMMON GOLDENEYES, whilst 30+ Fieldfares were feeding by the road.

AYLESBURY (BUCKS)

As I drove back through Aylesbury on Weedon Road, a flock of 7,000 COMMON STARLINGS wheeled back and forth low over the houses and industrial estates. This was some spectacle, and the sound of the wing-rush as they swept over my head as I stood in Priory Crescent was absolutely awesome.

Lee G R Evans

GLAUCOUS GULL still, as well as site record of RED-CRESTED POCHARDS

2010-01-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

Did 4 hour watch at Calvert this afternoon;

Sailing lake; 4 Common Goldeneye

BBOWT Lake; the 16 Red crested Pochard still present, took to air in tight flock 3 times when spooked by walkers, one idiot with dog on reserve pushed them onto sailing lake but they returned later. Always distant so no record pics yet.

The juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL joined pre-roost at 2;30. It preened on ice at edge of lake then on water, then flew to sail lake. Got some better pics.

Also seen; Water Rail on the ice, 159 Coot on BBOWT lake, about 100 more than normal.

Tim Watts

Ice-free BBOWT Lake pulls in large flock of RED-CRESTED POCHARDS

2010-01-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

At Calvert BBOWT today, Warren Claydon recorded 16 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS, PINTAIL, the juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL and the adult and first-winter CASPIAN GULL.

Yesterday's haul at Calvert in images - Tim Watts

2010-01-05T13:02:00.001-08:00

The single colour-ringed adult BEWICK'S SWAN, two adult WHOOPER SWANS and juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL that were all present at Calvert yesterday.

The GLAUCOUS was again on site this morning (Warren Claydon), as was an adult CASPIAN GULL and several adult Yellow-legged Gulls, whilst the two WHOOPERS roosted again at dusk.

CHIFFCHAFF on the ice

2010-01-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

This very odd sight befell my eyes yesterday as I visited Hillesden scrapes. Out on the ice was this COMMON/SCANDINAVIAN CHIFFCHAFF - remarkable (Tim Watts)

Wild Swan delight - but just over border

2010-01-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

First stop was Piddington, just south of the A41 and right on the Bucks/Oxon county border, where two adult WHOOPER SWANS and two adult BEWICK'S SWANS had been present since 31 December 2009. From my 1st viewing spot only the 2 Bewick's Swans could be seen at the back of the field but thanks to a neighbouring Oxon birder who told me to go further up by the A41, I enjoyed excellent views of the 2 Whoopers close to the road and photographed them (see above).

I also Spotted 2 adult RUFF in flight with the Lapwing flock and these were later seen feeding on the grass (with LGRE et al).

Close by at Marsh Gibbon there were c350 European Golden Plover feeding on pasture field with another 100 in flight in distance with 300 Lapwing.

Edgcott; 200 Lapwing on Sheep field.

Calvert landfill; Herring gulls easily outnumbered LBBG, not whole roost on here but estimate minimum 500 Herrings; 20+ Red Kites continually over fresh rubbish with 26 being maximum seen at any given time. Gulls now just ignoring them but still go up if Buzzard goes over them. 16 Golden Plover and c80 Lapwing flew over (Tim Watts)

Recent Images - Tim Watts

2009-12-31T08:58:00.001-08:00

Vagrant MARSH HARRIER seen briefly one evening in December and adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULL and Great Black-backed Gull on the main BBOWT Lake at Calvert

28 December Calvert Roost

2009-12-29T04:11:00.000-08:00

BBOWT LAKE; 5 PINTAILS, 3m+2 fem/ Water Rail swam between reedbeds/ female GOOSANDER arrived when virtually dark/ increase in common wildfowl/ Swan movements, all Mutes, 3 new on sailing lake, 2 then 3 arrived on BBOWT but chased off by resident pair (Tim Watts).

27 December Highlights

2009-12-29T03:40:00.000-08:00

27 December: Calvert BBOWT a.m- drake PINTAIL in SW corner/58 Pochard

Hillesden; pair of COMMON STONECHATS/ c60 Lapwing/ 16 Golden Plover/ c200 Greenfinch on sunflower strip setaside.

Twyford mill, mid way between Calvert and Hillesden;Driving around looking for Swans and found some! 11 feeding/loafing on cabbage type crop but all Mutes. Will keep an eye on this field with hope that the Wintering Whoopers from previous years drop in.

Calvert p.m; 3+hr watch from 1st hide DIDN'T produce a hoped for Bittern! / Water Rail swam between reedbeds/25 Reed Bunting came in to roost/ 3 adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS in decent pre-roost (Tim Watts)

Adult PONTIC GULL in roost again

2009-12-23T14:52:00.000-08:00

BBOWT Lake; large numbers of large gulls all afternoon, amongst these was an adult CASPIAN GULL, the one photographed recently. Also 4 adult Yellow-legged Gulls (Tim Watts)

Whitchurch area - 20 December - both MERLIN and PEREGRINE

2009-12-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

Berryfields; c80 Fieldfare/ 3 Roe Deer/4 Chinese water deer

Stayed local and did an hour watch from high point, five minutes from ny house in Whitchurch looking back towards Creslow; Highlights were an adult PEREGRINE attacking Woodpigeons, hit one but not killed and Peregrine then went into another Woodpigeon flock and a female-type MERLIN bombing low over field, where there was a flock of 24 Skylark feeding in the open on the edge of that exposed from snow stubble. Two flocks of 21 and 43 European Golden Plover flew through SW with about 80 Lapwing through in small flocks./6 Yellowhammer (Tim Watts)

MARSH HARRIER - a real winter surprise

2009-12-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

BBOWT Lake; Yesterday morning gulls settled at North end by reeds when they all erupted into air, ducks and Grebes swam out from reeds and suspected a Bittern could be about. Did Bittern watch tonight but got something totally unexpected. Gulls again settled near reeds and flew up in panic. I Quickly scanned for Bittern in flight, and got a big pair of brown wings over the reedbed but they were attached to a female/imm MARSH HARRIER!!!

It did three low circuits over the reedbed areas then lost to view in far left corner; it either dropped into reeds to roost or carried on North. it was mobbed by a Carrion Crow and a Red Kite. This was at 1500 hours. Got some chronic record shots on compact camera with no zoom. This our 1st ever Winter record of one here. Also female Goldeneye/ 141 G.B.B gulls (Tim Watts)

Recent Images from Calvert BBOWT - Tim Watts

2009-12-09T12:58:00.001-08:00

A typical seelection of excellent images taken by Tim Watts - female Northern Pochard, female Common Goldeneye, an adult Scandinavian Herring Gull, an adult Argenteus Herring Gull and an adult Great Black-backed Gull with Lesser Black-backs.

Another excellent Gull Roost at BBOWT Lake

2009-12-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

Calvert BBOWT Lake; Next to 2nd hide spotted 2 Goldcrests and an unusual Chiffchaff, quite possibly a Siberian type.

GULLS TONIGHT; 3rd Winter CASPIAN GULL (found by Warren Claydon) new bird, looks very like adult on BBC photo page but has some black in tertials/ 1st W CASPIAN GULL, popped up 30mts!! from hide in near darkness/ exactly 100 G.B.B Gulls counted/ minimum of 9 ad YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS/ Tim Watts

Foxcote Roost Spectacular

2009-11-29T11:18:00.000-08:00

Another terrific show for 4 observers. 5,000 Common Starlings attracted the attention of a single Sparrowhawk and a male PEREGRINE. The latter was actually chased by c 500 Starlings at one point. Eventually about half roosted next to the hide and half in the reeds around the bay next to the wood.

The drake RING-NECKED DUCK was obliging for a change and a drake GOOSANDER looked pretty in the sunshine. Many fewer gulls than last week, but still 1 adult YELLOW-LEGGED (Andy Harding)

First-winter CASPIAN GULL in roost this evening

2009-11-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

This first-winter CASPIAN GULL roosted again this evening on Calvert BBOWT Lake - the same bird first seen in October (Tim Watts, Mike Wallen, LGRE, Warren Claydon, et al)

All photographs by kind courtesy of BBOWT warden Tim Watts

Large gathering of night-feeding WOODCOCK

2009-11-27T02:47:00.000-08:00

26/11 : 12 WOODCOCK : Hambleden. 12 birds feeding near a wood on a field grassed by sheep. 22h30!. Frederic Desmette

Gulls galore and increase in Tufted Ducks

2009-11-26T09:32:00.000-08:00

BBOWT lake; Good numbers of large gulls in pre-roost, 11 adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS was most I got at one time.

78 Tufted Duck is an increase (Tim Watts)

CASPIAN GULLS

2009-11-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

The first-winter CASPIAN GULL LGRE first found a few weeks back was present again this evening on the main BBOWT Lake, as well as a stunning adult, along with at least 15 adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS (per Warren Claydon and Tim Watts)

STARLING roost spectacular

2009-11-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

Another wonderful night with around 4,000 Common Starlings roosting all at once in front of the hide at Foxcote Reservoir. One or two Sparrowhawk attacks on the way in followed by two birds perching in the willows around the hide for the next 20 minutes waiting for the straggelers (probably another 500 starlings over the next 20 minutes) to arrive and making frequent attacks either alone or 2 together (Richard Goodlad)

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER stays overnight but departs early morning Sunday

2009-11-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

The juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER (photographed above by Tim Watts) was still present on the BBOWT lake at dawn today (Sunday 15 November), but at 0740 hours it did one and a half circuits of the lake and flew off strongly to the North-West.

Nearby, 10 TREE SPARROWS were still viewable from the Grendon Underwood layby (per Mike Wallen)

Storms displace a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER

2009-11-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER

A very deep area of low pressure passed over the area today bringing near gale force SSW winds and more heavy rain, occasionally torrential. There was little respite from the conditions all day and mid afternoon saw the arrival of a windswept juvenile GREAT NORTHERN DIVER at Calvert BBOWT

CALVERT BBOWT

Took a call from Warren Claydon at around 1430 hours; he had just located a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER on the main BBOWT Lake at Calvert. Frustratingly I was 43 miles away by that time but with two hours of light left, I decided to give it a go.

It was about 1515 hours when I arrived and Warren, Tim Watts and local birder Colin Oreton were still watching the bird from the Second Hide. It was showing very well, perhaps at 100 yards, and was a juvenile, with characteristic pale barring and pale edgings on the mantle and back. It was gleaming white on the breast with much blacker feathering on the hindneck, nape and crown and had the typical 'bump' on the crown preceding the steep forehead. It had a thick neck with a large pale grey bill. The dark feathering at the base of the neck characteristically formed a half collar.

It was surprisingly on view for much of the time, diving fairly infrequently, but did then become more active and moved back towards the back of the lake. It remained until dusk.

There was a large gull roost on the BBOWT, including at least 1,839 Black-headed Gulls, just 3 Common Gulls, 139+ Herring Gulls (including a predominate number of argenteus adults), at least 9 YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS (5 adults, 2 2nd-winters and 2 first-winters), 700+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls and just 5 Great Black-backed Gulls.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVERS IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

The species is a rare visitor to the county with just 15 previous records, mostly between November and January. Todays bird represents the fourth for Calvert.

1) The first record involved a bird in the Ford area on 3 December 1774;
2) A juvenile was captured alive in a ditch at Chequers Court on 9 May 1850;
3) One was apparently seen in Chesham in November or December 1859;
4) One was 'obtained' on the River Thames at Marlow in November or December 1865;
5) One was obtained at Temple Island near Henley-on-Thames in 1865;
6) A juvenile was shot at Calvert Brick Pits on 11 November 1944;
7) A juvenile crash-landed in a field adjacent to Foxcote Reservoir on 4 November 1964. It was taken into care and later released but was found dead two days later;
8) One was at Iver GP on 17 January 1965;
9) One was found dead near Willen village in February 1971;
10) A juvenile appeared at Linford GP on 12 November 1972;
11) After a 14-year gap, a juvenile was present at Taplow Fishing Lake from 12 December 1986 until 11 January 1987 (photographed by Mike Wallen and published on page 18 of the 1986 BBR);

12) One was found at Willen Lake on the South Basin during the gull roost vigil on 16 December 1994. It was present for just the first half hour of daylight on 17 December;
13) An adult moulting out of breeding plumage visited Calvert Sailing Lake on 27-28 November 1997 but flew off west when visibility improved on its second day;
14) A juvenile remained present at Caldecotte Lake from 23 December 1997 until 6 January 1998;
15) A juvenile was found late afternoon on Calvert Sailing Lake on 28 November 2006. It was present for just a short time the next morning before flying off east.

Lee G R Evans

Despite the high winds and rain, a productive morning

2009-11-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

Pretty good mornings birding in bad weather.

Sites visited, in reverse order.

Grendon Underwood layby; just off A41 on road to Grendon Church.Park and view from metal gate. Even in gloomy conditions many hundreds of birds seen; spotted a 'ball'of small birds dropping down then back into hedge. Suspected Sparrows and although mostly House there were at least 11 TREE SPARROWS, feeding in cut Maize field on left side viewed from gate. Also seen, c300 Lapwing, hundreds of Corvids, gulls, Woodpigeons. c 500 Starling, c200 Fieldfare, c60 Linnet, c 50 Chaffinch (think had Brambling with them)/46 Stock Dove/24 Skylark. Interesting distant group of mixed Skylark, Meadow Pipits and Reed Bunting on edge of ploughed field, but too gloomy to go through them properly. All birds either over or adjacent to the still to be completed new BBOWT Gallows bridge reserve, which rather handily is on the best undisturbed block of farmland in mid-Bucks!!

Hillesden; Large adult PEREGRINE over pools then seen twice more over valley bottom/ c300 Fieldfare/ mixed flock of c 250 Finches on set a side strip/ c200 Greylag/ work started on new scrapes.

Calvert; sailing lake; 7 Shoveler

Calvert BBOWT; Water rail on East bank/21 Pochard/ c 300 Fieldfare over fields behind East bank (Tim Watts)

Sightings 6/11 - GOOSANDER new in

2009-11-10T02:52:00.000-08:00

Calvert sailing lake; The RED-NECKED GREBE is back on this lake. I spent half an hour scanning with no luck but did spot a new in female GOOSANDER feeding tight amongst South bank tree roots. Returned with Warren Claydon later but no joy. It was seen by 2 others in afternoon and Warren saw it whilst doing late gull roost watch.

Two flocks of Fieldfare migrating over my Whitchurch garden 7:20 a.m/ 300 Fieldfare nr Granborough and Warren had c200 over at Calvert (Tim Watts)

The first-winter RED-NECKED GREBE at Calvert

2009-11-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Taken at great distance yesterday afternoon as the bird fed on the Sailing Lake (Tim Watts). The images clearly show the dark stripe behind the eye and the extensive yellow on the bill - features indicative of a first-winter.

RED-NECKED GREBE moves to BBOWT Lake

2009-11-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

Neill Foster and I spent some time at Foxcote Reservoir mid morning, and saw the adult drake RING-NECKED DUCK heading into the hidden corner, also pair of PINTAIL and female Goldeneye plus usual range of other Duck.

Visited Calvert on the way home and watched the first-winter RED-NECKED GREBE on the BBOWT Lake from the second hide (John Gearing)

Perhaps on cue - RED-NECKED GREBE on the Sailing Lake

2009-11-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

WEDNESDAY 4 NOVEMBER

A glorious day weatherwise, dawning bright and clear and then predominantly blue skies and sunshine throughout. The wind though was a cool WNW with temperatures struggling to reach 8 degrees C. Surely not winter already! Despite the beautiful conditions though, birding was rather uneventful, until of course I took that call from Tim.......

CALVERT BBOWT/SAILING LAKE

Calvert supremo Tim Watts contacted me mid afternoon to say that he had located a RED-NECKED GREBE - a first for the year and an excellent county bird. Wasting no time, I battled my way through the Aylesbury school run and after successfully surviving the hazardous rat-run between Berryfields Junction and Edgcott, eventually arrived at Calvert at 1633 hours.

The juvenile/first-winter RED-NECKED GREBE was still present, preening its neck and breast feathers, in amongst a few Mallard along the southern shore (in fact towards the SE corner) of the Sailing Lake at SP 677 248. It smartened itself up before tucking its head under its wing to roost and was still sleeping when both Tim and I left it. It still had remnants of the dark striping on the rear crown and ear-coverts indicating that it was a first-winter and had a dark crown, some russet-brown on the fore-neck and an extensively bright yellow bill. It was also markedly smaller than a single Great Crested Grebe nearby. It was the 35th individual to be recorded in the county (see detail below).

I then moved round to the BBOWT Lake where I click-counted and surveyed the large numbers of gulls in the roost showing exceptionally well from the second hide. A total of 2,458 birds logged between 1650 and 1710 including 29 Great Black-backed Gulls, 1,988 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 83 Herring Gulls (including a larger proportion of Scandinavian Argentatus), 11 YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS (7 adults, 1 3rd-winter, 2 2nd-winters and a juvenile), a single well-marked first-winter and very white-headed CASPIAN GULL, 11 Common Gulls and 335 Black-headed Gulls. Additional to this were at least 3,500 birds already roosting on the Sailing Lake including 6 Great Black-backeds and 2,000 or more Lesser Black-backs.

RED-NECKED GREBES IN BUCKS 1900 ONWARDS

The Red-necked Grebe is a rare visitor to the county with perhaps one record every five years on average, although at one stage it appeared almost annually. Prior to 1900 there was one record - a bird shot at Saunderton on 10 October 1848. There have been at least 35 recorded since 1974.

1) The first record in modern times was of a first-winter at Weston Turville Reservoir from 9-26 November 1974 providing me with one of my first ever opportunities to study this scarce grebe at close quarters.

2) In February 1979, there was a major influx of Red-necked Grebes throughout central Britain following severe weather in the Baltic and this resulted in four individuals reaching Buckinghamshire. There were two first-winters at Willen Lake on 14 February;

1979-1985: Data Incomplete (Reports missing)

6) 1987 was another extraordinary year with an unprecedented seven occurrences, including the first to ever oversummer in the county - singles at Willen Lake on 1 January, the Blue Lagoon, Bletchley, from 16-27 January, at Newton Longville Brickpits from 18-28 January, at Randall's Farm in the Little Marlow GP complex on 24 January, on the River Thames at Bourne End from 31 January to 2 February and an adult largely in breeding plumage at Willen Lake on 22-24 March. This latter bird then moved to Haversham on 26 March and New Bradwell from 31 March to 9 April and was most likely the full summer-plumaged adult that loafed with non-breeding Great Crested Grebes at Caldecotte Lake from 6 June until 19 August and again from 7-27 September. A further bird was at Newton Longville on 2 December;

13) An adult in full breeding plumage visited Willen Lake on 9 April 1989;

14) One remained at Calvert from 5-20 February 1990;

15) A first-winter was present at Little Marlow Spade Oak Pit on 24-25 December 1990;

16) Two arrived in late 1991 with a first-winter present on Caldecotte Lake from 26 November to 11 December, with a second bird present from 6-10 December;

18) A first-winter remained at Caldecotte Lake from 22 November 1994 until 19 April 1995 and was seen next day (20 April) on Willen Lake;

19) 1996 was another exceptional year with no less than five recorded including an unprecedented three together: the first of three different birds arrived at Caldecotte Lake on 7 February, followed by another on 22 February and a third on 26 February. Two remained until 28 February with one to 27 March. What was presumed to have been one of these three was present on Willen Lake from 14-21 February and another at Linford NR from 9 March until 2 April. A bird which was wintering on the River Thames on the Berks/Bucks border straddled across to the Taplow Court side on 17 and 24 March with a further arrival at Weston Turville Reservoir on 22 March;

24) One visited Marlow GP on 7 April 1997;

25) A first-winter remained at Calvert from 23 October 1997 until 24 April 1998, by which time it had acquired full summer attire;

26) One was seen at Taplow on 22 December 1998;

27) A long-staying bird remained at Thorney CP from 2 January until 10 April 1999;

28) A juvenile was at Calvert from 16-19 October 1999;

29) An adult remained at Willen Lake from 4 February until 26 April 2001 (see photo in 2001 BBR Report);

30) An adult in almost full breeding plumage visited Calvert Lake on 24 March 2001;

31) One appeared briefly in the gull roost at Willen South Basin on 10 November 2002;

32) One was present briefly at Calvert Lake on 19 March 2005;

33) A wide-ranging first-winter in North Bucks visited New Bradwell Lake on 26-27 February 2006 before moving to Haversham Lake on 3-4 March and Willen Lake from 14 March until at least 1 May (see photo in 2006 BBR Report);

CALVERT images from today - kindly provided by Tim Watts

2009-10-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

A real red letter day for Tim

2009-10-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

Calvert Sailing lake; 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS in middle of lake in gloomy conditions early on. Watched them for two hours or more and they fed, then roosted/rested then when got brighter - a long spell of vigorous preening/wing stretching. They flew off after this, heading East at 11:30.

Whilst sat at water edge got glimpse of small brown jobby in flight that suspected was ROCK PIPIT, even though never had one here in 14 yrs of watching! No white in outer tail. With Ian Burrus we saw it again in flight. After another hour found it feeding along rocky shoreline to right of clubhouse.

On BBOWT lake were 4 RED-CRESTED POCHARDS, 2 male + 2 female (Tim Watts)

Hillesden and Calvert BBOWT 25/10

2009-10-26T02:42:00.000-07:00

Hillesden; Did a 2 hour watch up until dark; male and female COMMON STONECHAT/ 2 Barnacle X Canada hybrids/ 6 GREY PARTRIDGES/ 3 FIELDFARE flew into house grounds bushes to roost/c 200 Starling/ adult PEREGRINE over pools at dusk.

Calvert BBOWT; earlier in afternoon JACK SNIPE. Returned when dark and 2 Little Egret in roost trees (Tim Watts)

JACK SNIPE at Calvert 25/10

2009-10-26T02:36:00.000-07:00

JACK SNIPE near waters edge in front of first hide along with single Water Rail, Little Egret and Common Snipe plus a Cetti's Warbler heard.

The JACK SNIPE was close to the end of the right-hand reedbed near to a post sticking up at an angle. Initially found by Nita and Pete Brazier.

A sizeable gull roost this evening but nothing particularly out of the ordinary noted (Ken Earnshaw)

Another confusing hybrid to entertain us

2009-10-18T10:35:00.001-07:00

Quainton Hills; Large numbers of Chaffinch over West in 1st hour, only spotted 14 !! Redwing.

Calvert BBOWT; Male Scaup-type hybrid roosting by 2nd hide - round head, yellow eye, light mantle but brownish head and large nail on bill. Did wonder if young male or male coming out of eclipse. Not the peak headed Lesser Scaup lookalike seen here in previous year (see pix above). Also Water Rail/ 61 Pochard

Hillesden Pools; 50 Fieldfare/c300 Greenfinch/c 250 Linnet/2 Little egret/c20 Skylark

Rough field nr Waddesdon; pair of COMMON STONECHAT. Usually Common Snipe here but this year too dry at moment (Tim Watts)

Calvert blank

2009-10-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

Spent 3 hours at Calvert BBOWT today 11am - 2pm but no sign of Ferruginous Duck. Still, plenty else to see with 33 species for the visit; best included party of Bullfinch (m, f and juv) on berries on railway line path, Red Kite over, two flocks of Redwing totalling 37 over, 675 gulls on lake (mostly Lessers, some Herring and a couple of Black-headed and Greaters) and great views of Kingfisher perched on one of the posts visible from the second hide (Steve Marshall)

FOXCOTE RESERVOIR 17-18 October

2009-10-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

The drake RING-NECKED DUCK remained as did at least one female COMMON GOLDENEYE (per Richard Goodlad)

QUAINTON HILLS viz-migging 17/10

2009-10-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

Tried new observation spot half way up S/W slopes and infinitely better than summit. From here an all round panoramic view; get everything passing over tops and most importantly a good view across Aylesbury Vale. Picked up many more Thrushes high over vale that would have been missed before. Wrote down flocks from 10-150 and just added them up. Totals were 2050 REDWING and 470 FIELDFARE. Some Fieldfares went low overhead. All birds flying West, between 0745-0900 hours.

Also c300 Starling, c200 Finches, an increase in Woodpigeon,1 Skylark,1 Bullfinch.

Later walked bushlines and only odd blackbirds/Song Thrush.

Tried the massive East hollow,which can't see from new watch spot and 30 Fieldfare in bushes but also 170 feeding on Cattle grazed slopes, also 100 Redwing in flight.

At base of South slopes was a male COMMON STONECHAT in area never seen one in before, Grey Wagtail (scarce here) and a Chiffchaff and 90!! Fieldfare around churchyard. Fieldfare could have been counted already, earlier? (Tim Watts)

FERRUGINOUS DUCK at Calvert BBOWT - the photos

2009-10-18T10:20:00.001-07:00

Last year's returning adult drake - seen just on three dates so far, and never consecutively. Hopefully will start into regular pattern soon (Tim Watts)

First real push of winter thrushes

2009-10-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

An excellent morning on QUAINTON HILLS today: first hour- c1,750 Redwing over S/W then W./ C 300 finches/40 Stock Dove.

Later wasted lot of time watching hedgelines on tops but only c30 mixed Thrushes.

Walked down and a large hedgeline half way down S/W slopes stuffed with birds!! My first 6 FIELDFARE of the year on grass. Original estimate of c200 birds woefully under!! Got in position (difficult) and 150 flew out and away, these included at least 10 Fieldfare. Then another 80 Redwing flew off. Remainder settled down and still a good 200 thrushes, amazingly 30 Fieldfare still. Also c40 Blackbird/c30 Song Thrush/c200 Starling/lots of mixed finches including Bullfinch/2 G.S.Woodys/2-3 Jays/Robins/Dunnocks/2 Goldcrest. Also surrounded on open grass by c80 Mipits/6 Skylark/c40 Goldfinch. FANTASTIC!!!

Next dawn watch I won't go to summit but will watch from here. As noted before here a lot of passage is over Aylesbury Vale on this side of hills (Tim Watts)

FERRUGINOUS DUCK - further details

2009-10-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

Calvert BBOWT; Drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK, roosting with small group of Northern Pochard in SE corner. This will almost certainly be the same returning bird from last year that Steve Norman found at Calvert in early September. It wasn't seen again on here, but re-located a week later on a private site for one day and has not been seen again until today.

Also seen- female Mandarin Duck (3rd one ever had on here) preening on raft by first hide/ 1 Green Sandpiper/5 Snipe/30 Pochard/2 Shoveler/1 Wigeon.

At work this morning 24 Redwing in bushes at Fenny Stratford and c 30 at Drayton Parslow (Tim Watts).

Drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK reappears

2009-10-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

The adult drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK was again at Calvert BBOWT Lake this afternoon, consorting with Northern Pochards (per Tim Watts)

Sightings 8 October

2009-10-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

Three COMMON RAVENS at Foxcote Reservoir and a late WESTERN REED WARBLER in front of the hide were the only birds of particular note there, although Wigeon and Teal numbers were quite good, while at Calvert BBOWT similarly a Green Sandpiper and Little Egret were only birds of note (Ken Earnshaw)

POLECAT hunting

2009-10-07T10:52:00.001-07:00

Chronic quality pics but even so managed with small compact camera and scope
to get record shots of something even Simon King failed to do in Scotland!!
A POLECAT hunting!! This was on Quainton Hills, tops of Denham Hill, at 10 a.m today
5/10/09. Not just crossing field but actively stalking, running after Rabbits and sticking
head down burrows.

It moved quickly most of the time,mobbed by Crows and on view for 5 minutes. Spotted at extreme
range 3/4 mile? on private large, steep, sloping hollow riddled with warrens. Lost it to sight at
base of old wall that goes over top, possibly den there?

Saw one at close range in headlights at base of hills last Autumn. Today,through scope could
see it had the distinct, diagnotic white facial markings and think 1 or 2 of pics show this.
Pic of crows mobbing and another uncropped (it's the brown blob!!) on slope to give idea
of scale. Saw lots of birds today but this fantastic sight was easily the best (Tim Watts)

Quainton Hills 5 October

2009-10-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

Haven't been up hills for a while so not sure if birds collected over period or arrived last night but there was about as much as you ever see, quantity wise, in bushes on tops. Top of West slopes; c20 Song Thrush/c 10 Blackbird/c50 Chaffinch/ 3 Chiffchaff/2 Blackcap/ Robins and Dunnocks popping up everywhere!/many more Tits than usual and unusually a female Reed Bunting in bushes. Was happy sat watching this area but next spot better.

Top of East slopes; c 60 Song Thrush, 49 counted flying out in small groups to lower bushes with more remaining/ c 30 Blackbird/1 Redwing ,seen well perched/1 Mistle Thrush/ c40 Chaffinch/2-4 Chiffchaff/3 Bullfinch/ 10 Greenfinch/c40 Goldfinch/3 Linnet/1 Blackcap/ Robins and Dunnocks again popping out all over shop! Limited time so only sat and watched 2 hedgelines, many other similar spots in area so these must be minimum counts! also massive flock of c150 Mipits over open area.

Easily best sighting of day was watching a POLECAT hunting Rabbits on top of Denham hill (S/E slopes). Seen for 5 mins and got some long range record shots (Tim Watts)

Images from Sunday 4 October

2009-10-06T13:59:00.001-07:00

Peregrine and Common Stonechat on Calvert Landfill (Tim Watts)

SUNDAY RAMBLINGS

2009-10-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER

Calvert BBOWT; 4 Little Egret, 3 in roost trees/ 303 Greylag Geese roosted/ 2 Snipe/Grey Wagtail/ influx of c20 Song Thrush/Blackbirds in bushes.

Quainton hill; Quick look from base, c50 Mipits/1 Mistle Thrush.

Foxcote Reservoir; Lots of wildfowl! Wigeon most numerous after Coot!/Grey Wagtail

Hillesden Pools; 2 Little Egret/c 100 Linnet/c100 Greenfinch

Calvert landfill; (no general access) Juvenile COMMON SHELDUCK, PEREGRINE attacking Lapwings then landed on boulder. Green Sandpiper/c600 mixed Canada and Greylags/8 Shoveler/10 Teal; female COMMON STONECHAT (Tim Watts)

GARGANEY at Foxcote Reservoir

2009-09-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

FOXCOTE RESERVOIR: About 150 Lesser Black-backed Gulls plus one juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Common Snipe and a Common Redshank.

A female/immature GARGANEY was feeding right of the hide near far bank.

A plump immature Western Reed Warbler crashing around in the reeds in front of the hide and a build up in the number of Eurasian Wigeon were the main highlights this afternoon (Ken Earnshaw)

2009-09-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

Calvert BBOWT; 10 Little Egret in roost trees, pre-dawn. Only 4 fed on reserve later.

Juvenile Water Rail with dull coloured bill fed in cut reeds/2 Common Snipe/ 15 Pochard/ c150 Hirundines briefly/Little Grebe/ c300 mixed Canada/Greylags/ 1 Lesser whitethroat, 3 Common Chiffchaff in bushes.

Common Sandpiper + 2 Egrets on sailing lake later.

Quainton Hill; 2 Wheatear/ female COMMON REDSTART only popped out of bushes onto fence for 10 seconds top of West slopes/ Lesser Whitethroat/4 Blackcaps/6 Chiffchaff/ only 3-4 Blackbirds/ c50 Linnet (Tim Watts)

Migrating hirundines

2009-09-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

Creslow, a high point on a line between Ivinghoe beacon and Quainton Hills. Evening walk produced masses of hirundines on top. Spent a fair while counting/estimating and no hesitation in saying c 550. Underestimate if anything!! Only counted what could see at more or less the same time from one spot. c200 on wires above my head good starting point! c 150 in air and on wire fences on Cattle fields looking East/ c 100 over Creslow farm buildings looking North and c100 over outskirts of Whitchurch. Groups of them were sitting on fine ploughed fields and would say 70% Swallows, rest House Martins but also c20 Sand Martins.

In quick look at cattle fields and disused radar station saw 2 Yellow Wagtail/3 Mipits/ c50 Goldfinch/c50 Starling. Only right of way to this spot involves 20 min uphill walk from Whitchurch. Road to top is strictly private.

In the garden and on guttering tick a.m with a Little Owl being harassed by 4 Magpies!! (Tim Watts)

YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS

2009-09-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

At Calvert this evening, at least 7 YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS were identified in a very large gull roost (Tim Watts)

Drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK back

2009-09-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Calvert BBOWT; NO sign today but Steve Norman found a drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK yesterday evening. It was seen stood with Pochards at quite close range. Steve thought it most likely a male in partial eclipse, and it is almost certainly the bird recently at Pitsford Reservoir in Northamptonshire.

On sailing lake tonight there was an eclipse male NORTHERN PINTAIL in the centre; also 1 Green Sandpiper whilst 4 Little Egrets/Teal/c50 Swallows/Shoveler and big influx of B.H.Gulls on reserve (Tim Watts)

Saturday wanderings (12 September)

2009-09-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

Calvert BBOWT; 12 Little Egret in roost trees. All flew towards 1st hide shallows 6:07 a.m. Again very vocal in this intial flight, as groups of 2, 5, 4 and 1 joined up. Only 4 stayed feeding, others flew off site and weren't on sailing lake.

Also 4 Shoveler/ 3 male Wigeon/lot of Blackcaps and a few Chiffchaffs in bushes/influx of Blackbirds.

Quainton Hill; 1 worn, very vocal male COMMON REDSTART on stile top of West slopes/ 2 Wheatear, 1 with broken/damaged leg/ 1 Spotted flycatcher/ 6+ Blackcaps/2 Lesser Whitethroat/4+ Chiffchaff/2 Common Whitethroat/1 juv Willow Warbler. Lot of small flocks of Mipits. All above right on tops, lower slopes empty, possibly something to do with thick fog early on (Tim Watts)